BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//UM//UM*Events//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Detroit TZURL:http://tzurl.org/zoneinfo/America/Detroit X-LIC-LOCATION:America/Detroit BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20070311T020000 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=3;BYDAY=2SU END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20071104T020000 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=11;BYDAY=1SU END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250804T183039 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250825T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250825T170000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:RCGD Fall Seminar Series: The Science of Social Relationships DESCRIPTION:Humans are social animals and from the earliest days of life\, are dependent on the quality of social relationships with significant others: family\, kin\, friends\, and a growing social network of online acquaintances. But\, how do we conduct research and come to understand the social processes transpiring in these significant social connections with others? What are the consequences for individual development and mental health outcomes of having close intimate relationships in one’s life? There is also a darker side to some relationships in the form of violence\, aggression\, and conflict. How do we study these processes? Social media and artificial intelligence have opened up new ways of thinking about “what is a social relationship?” and how many of these “friends” can one truly have. \n\nThe speakers for this series will focus on different types of social relationships\, spanning family and parent-child relationships\, friendships\, peer networks\, romantic relationships\, attachment relationships\, and the use of online media to maintain social connections. Although several speakers are senior scholars with extensive research backgrounds in the field\, many are junior scholars who are traversing new paths into the science of social relationships. Please join us Mondays to learn more about the exciting field of social relationships!\n\nOn Aug. 25\, Richard Gonzalez and Brenda Volling will touch base on RCGD business and introduce the fall 2025 series at this kick-off event.\n\nThese events will be held Mondays from 3:30 to 5.\nIn person: ISR Thompson 1430\nOrganized by Brenda Volling and Richard Gonzalez.\n\nAs permissions allow\, seminars are later posted to our YouTube playlist. UID:137047-21879459@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/137047 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Institute For Social Research - 1430 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250814T151945 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250828T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250828T163000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Abstract:\nThe metabolic underpinnings of immune cells in various inflamed tissues\, such as the implant microenvironment or the diseased heart\, are poorly understood. For instance\, polylactide (PLA) is the most widely used biopolymer in medicine. Yet\, for decades\, PLA had been thought to activate immune cells by reducing surrounding pH because PLA biodegrades into monomers and oligomers of lactic acid. During my talk\, I will discuss an alternative paradigm underscoring immune cell metabolism (immunometabolism) as the pivotal determinant of the proinflammatory versus pro-regenerative tissue microenvironment with biodegradable and non-biodegradable biomaterial examples. Further related to tissue engineering\, I will present on reversing established cardiac dysfunction and fibrosis in heart failure (following myocardial infarction) via targeted and enzyme-responsive nanomaterials. Finally\, I will unveil my vision to revolutionize therapeutic strategies for the various phenotypes of heart failure by leveraging the metabolic underpinnings of immune and stromal cell populations\, thereby engineering next-generation clinical interventions that shape the future of medicine. UID:137586-21880415@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/137586 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250819T120424 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250829T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250829T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:MCDB Seminar> Modulation of striatal projection neurons by dopamine\, acetylcholine\, and antipsychotic drugs DESCRIPTION:Host: Ken Cadigan UID:137763-21880720@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/137763 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250827T095512 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250902T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250902T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:EEB Tuesday Seminar Series - Hetero-chaos in a Community of Ants in Puerto Rico DESCRIPTION:Summary: In Puerto Rico\, on a coffee farm\, an intransitive triplet of ant species is modified by a specialist predator on one of them to form a chaotic trajectory that is arguably a heterochaotic pattern. The heterochaos is explained by the underlying biology of the system. UID:138156-21882412@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/138156 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250829T141535 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250903T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250903T140000 SUMMARY:Careers / Jobs:Ice Cream + Info on the Grove DESCRIPTION:Join MDP Staff and representatives from project sponsor JPMorgan Chase on the North Campus Grove for * free * ice cream and information about our upcoming recruitment for 2026 projects! UID:138240-21882662@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/138240 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:The Grove CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250829T151642 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250904T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250904T163000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Advancing Healthcare Through AI and Machine Learning Innovations\nAbstract:\nHealthcare constitutes nearly one-fifth of the U.S. economy and approximately 10% of the global economy\, yet it faces profound challenges\, including inequitable access\, an aging population\, and rising per capita costs. These factors underscore the urgent need for innovative solutions. In this talk\, we will present how artificial intelligence\, driven by the urgent needs of healthcare\, is advancing both clinical and technological frontiers. I will share our work on medical image reconstruction\, MRI-based automated diagnosis\, and AI-powered precision medicine solutions. These applications are built on specialized deep learning algorithms\, such as video-based AI and longitudinal imaging reasoning\, with a focus on integrating biological complexities into their design. By bridging engineering principles with clinical applications\, we aim to transform medical diagnostics and treatment while broadening AI's impact across disciplines\, paving the way for more effective and accessible healthcare solutions. UID:138534-21883180@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/138534 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250902T095554 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250908T133000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250908T153000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:EEB Student Dissertation Defense - Recovering the missing links: from genomic signatures to virus-host interaction networks DESCRIPTION:Abstract: \n\"In a little more than a century\, viruses have emerged from being invisible to human knowledge to being recognized as ubiquitous biological forces shaping microbial ecosystems worldwide. Next-generation sequencing has accelerated virus discovery at an unprecedented rate\, revealing vast viral diversity in the microbial world. However\, this pace of discovery has created a critical knowledge gap: who do those viruses infect? This dissertation addresses this fundamental challenge by demonstrating that viral genomes contain detectable signatures of microbial host adaptation. Those genomic \"battle scars\" can be computationally decoded to predict virus-host interactions. Through analysis of these evolutionary fingerprints\, this work shows that viral dependence on host cellular machinery creates measurable genomic signals that reflect specific adaptation patterns to their hosts. Leveraging these insights\, a machine learning model was developed that predicts virus-host interactions with 92% accuracy. This tool\, released as an open-source Python package\, enables the mapping of virus-host interaction networks directly from sequence data. Application of this approach reveals the network architectures underlying virus-host interactions\, with computational predictions compared with experimental approaches. Taken together\, this body of work demonstrates how genomic signatures can be leveraged to predict virus-host ecological relationships\, offering a new method for mapping virus-host networks from sequence data.\" UID:138594-21883423@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/138594 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250902T181756 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250909T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250909T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:EEB Tuesday Seminar Series: 1) Uncovering the Early Evolution of Canids from an Exceptional Skeleton of Mesocyon// 2) Reducing Plastic Waste in the Lab (Pt. 1!) DESCRIPTION:This week\, we have two speakers for our Tuesday seminar! \nPlease read details below: \n\n1) Dr. Anne Kort\, Michigan Society of Fellows Postdoctoral Scholar\n\nTitle: Uncovering the Early Evolution of Canids from an Exceptional Skeleton of Mesocyon\n\nDescription: Living members of the dog family\, including wolves\, foxes\, and our own household pets\, are well-adapted for running fast and far\, with long legs and stabilized joints. These skeletal adaptations appear in many fossil relatives of dogs\, especially in the last 15 million years when grasslands became more dominant on the landscape. But what did the earliest members of the dog family look like? Mesocyon coryphaeus is an early relative of modern dogs that lived in the Pacific Northwest of North America approximately 30 million years ago. Although this species has been known from skulls and teeth for over a century\, the skeleton of Mesocyon has been essentially unknown through this time. A spectacular fossil of Mesocyon was discovered by John Day Fossil Beds National Monument staff in the late 1980s. After over 500 hours of preparation work on and off throughout the following decades\, the near-complete skeleton of this animal was fully uncovered in 2022. This skeleton is close to a coyote in size but has short\, robust limbs and relatively flexible joints\, suggesting that Mesocyon was an ambush predator\, unlike most modern canids.\n\n2) Dr. Jill Myers\, biodiversity lab manager\n\nTitle: Reducing Plastic Waste in the Lab (Pt. 1!) \n\nDescription: Globally\, research labs generate more than 12 billion pounds of plastic waste per year. Single-use plastic pipette tips are one major source of this waste. In this short talk\, I will introduce our new pipette tip washing machine and share plans for its current and future use in EEB and the anticipated impacts. UID:138694-21883628@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/138694 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250821T123206 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250909T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250909T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Higher-Order Assemblies in Immunity- Department of Biological Chemistry Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Join the Department of Biological Chemistry for a seminar presented by Dr. Tianmin Fu from UMass Chan Medical School. UID:137887-21881064@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/137887 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 3330 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260120T100755 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250910T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250910T193000 SUMMARY:Livestream / Virtual:Biology & Neuroscience Major Information Sessions DESCRIPTION:Prospective students interested in learning more about our majors\, honors\, and independent research in the Program in Biology and Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience are invited to attend our information sessions. Peer Advisors facilitating these sessions will provide an overview of major requirements\, core courses\, unique opportunities\, and more. You'll have the opportunity to ask questions you have\, too. Please sign up to attend the session(s) at the links below. Sessions will be added below once confirmed. A Zoom link will be provided upon registration. \n\nUpcoming events include:\n\nMCDB Info. Session: Monday\, February 16th\, 4-5pm\nBHS Major Info. Session: Monday\, February 16th\, 5-6pm\nEEB Major Info. Session: Tuesday\, February 17th\, 5-6pm\nNEURO Major Info. Session: Tuesday\, February 17th\, 5-6pm\n\nRegister for one or more sessions here: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/21471 UID:132770-21883933@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/132770 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250904T125900 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250911T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250911T163000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Abstract:\nNon-academic careers in technical consulting and project management. UID:138828-21883978@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/138828 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250826T114446 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250911T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250911T170000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:EEB Thursday Seminar Series - Plant disease dynamics in a warmer world: insights from Plantago and their powdery mildew pathogens DESCRIPTION:Seminar Summary - I will highlight our lab’s current projects which explore the effects of large- and small-scale climate variation on the ecology and evolution of plant diseases. Our focal system for this work involves natural populations of Plantago host plants and their powdery mildew pathogens. We use observational\, experimental\, and theoretical approaches to study these plant-fungus interactions along a large latitudinal gradient (spanning from southern Louisiana to northern Minnesota) and across an urbanization gradient in St. Louis\, Missouri. Key research questions we have recently asked include: How does climate shape the geographic distribution and seasonality of powdery mildew on Plantago around the world? Are powdery mildew strains locally adapted to temperature or to host genotypes along a latitudinal gradient? In what geographic regions and seasons can powdery mildew undergo sexual reproduction? How do powdery mildew dynamics vary within and between host populations across a gradient of urbanization? Why are there larger powdery mildew epidemics in more urban populations? Our answers to these questions fill critical gaps in understanding wild plant-pathogen interactions in an increasingly warm and urbanized world. UID:137278-21880018@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/137278 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250827T114921 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250912T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250912T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:MCDB Seminar> How cells use chemistry and physics to break and remodel the bones that power their movement DESCRIPTION:Host: Morgan DeSantis UID:138248-21882670@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/138248 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250807T181856 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250912T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250912T160000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Grad School in the Biosciences Panel (PhD and MS) DESCRIPTION:Graduate students and postdocs from the MCDB department will discuss how to apply to graduate school and what to expect with graduate classes\, research\, and post-degree job searching. The panel will be open to both pre-submitted and live questions.\n\nRSVP: https://linktr.ee/FIRST_Org\n\nIn-Person Location: 1010 BSB\n\nPlease RSVP for hybrid Zoom info. UID:137225-21879984@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/137225 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250821T123429 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250916T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250916T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Understanding how DNA-Encircling Rings are Loaded and Unloaded by Pentameric ATPase Machines- Department of Biological Chemistry Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Join the Department of Biological Chemistry for a seminar presented by Dr. Huilin Li from the Van Andel Institute. UID:137891-21881065@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/137891 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 3330 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251023T180142 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250917T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250917T183000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:SARAH WINANS NEWMAN LECTURE DESCRIPTION:You're invited to a special seminar titled \"Design Principles of Living Membranes\,\" presented by Dr. Ilya Levental\, Professor in the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics at the University of Virginia. The event will take place on Wednesday\, September 17\, 2025\, at 4:00 PM in the Kahn Auditorium of the Biomedical Science Research Building (BSRB). Dr. Levental will explore the structure and function of cellular membranes\, offering insights into the fundamental design principles that govern these essential biological systems. A reception will follow the seminar in the ABC Seminar Rooms\, providing an opportunity to continue the conversation and connect with others in the community. All are welcome to attend. UID:136874-21879294@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/136874 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - Lecture in Kahn Auditorium followed by a reception in the ABC Seminar Rooms CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250910T134119 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250918T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250918T163000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Creating a Cellular “Google Map” of the Brain with Engineered Spatial Sequencing Technologies\nAbstract:\nCells are not independent\; they communicate and work synergistically in the brain. Unlike traditional approaches that rely on bulk assays\, novel spatial technologies preserve the tissue's architecture at near single-cell resolution\, allowing for more precise functional interpretation of the cell types and states. In this talk\, I will introduce spatial proteomics and spatial epigenetics\, two leading methods that enable in situ detection of proteins and open chromatin. Compared to spatial transcriptomics\, spatial proteomics directly addresses key challenges in visualizing cellular morphology and evaluating whether RNAs are the best proxies for proteins. I will discuss how these approaches advance our understanding of brain function and disease\, particularly in psychiatric disorders and traumatic brain injury. UID:139181-21885012@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/139181 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250908T104633 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250919T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250919T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:MDCB Seminar> Self-organizing principles of living matter DESCRIPTION:Host: Ann Miller and Allen Liu\, Mechanical Engineering UID:138271-21882695@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/138271 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250902T103504 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250922T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250922T120000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Seminar Series in Human Genetics - Monday\, September 22\, 11:00 am DESCRIPTION:Please join us for the kickoff of our Fall Seminar Series in Human Genetics on Monday\, September 22nd in the Kahn Auditorium: “Variations on a theme of structure: leveraging recent relatedness and mixed-membership clustering to gain insights from high-dimensional genomics datasets” by Sohini Ramachandran\, PhD\, from Brown University.\n\nSeminar Series in Human Genetics\nMonday\, September 22\, 2025 \n11:00am - 12:00pm\n1020 Kahn Auditorium\, BSRB\n\n“Variations on a theme of structure: leveraging recent relatedness and mixed-membership clustering to gain insights from high-dimensional genomics datasets”\n\nSohini Ramachandran\, PhD \nHermon C. Bumpus Professor of Biology and of Data Science\, Brown University\n\nHosted By: \nJeff Kidd\, PhD & Michelle Kim\, PhD \nThe Department of Human Genetics\, University of Michigan Medical School UID:138607-21883438@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/138607 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - 1020 Kahn Auditorium, BSRB CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250912T125904 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250923T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250923T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:EEB Tuesday Seminar Series - Dr. Yang Li and Jiachen Li DESCRIPTION:We have two speakers on Sept. 23! See information below: \n\nSpeaker 1: Jiachen Li\, master's student\, Department of Computational Medicine & Bioinformatics\, Zhang Lab\n\nTitle: Chance and necessity in evolution: how repeatable is phenotypic evolution?\nDescription: Assessing the relative roles of chance and necessity in evolution is of wide interest\, but it requires evolving the same population under the same environment multiple times—a virtually impossible task in nature that has been repeatedly accomplished in the laboratory. Capitalizing on the transcriptome data collected from experimental evolution of replicated populations spanning distinct environments\, I investigate the evolutionary repeatability of hundreds of thousands of gene expression traits in a prokaryotic and five eukaryotic species.\n\n\nSpeaker 2: Dr. Yang Li\, EEB Postdoctoral Fellow\, Zhang Lab.\n\nTitle: Navigability of thousands of adaptive landscapes of RNA and protein expressions by trans-regulatory mutations\nDescription: Gene expression evolution relies on regulatory mutations. Past studies showed that optimizing gene expression by positive selection on cis-regulatory mutations is relatively easy because the corresponding adaptive landscapes are quite smooth\, but a comparable study of trans-regulatory mutations is lacking. Analyzing the transcriptomes and proteomes of 16 yeast strains carrying all combinations of four auxotrophic mutations\, we respectively construct 5\,923 and 446 adaptive landscapes of mRNA and protein expressions where neighboring genotypes differ by a trans-regulatory mutation. We find that mRNA expression is less optimizable by trans- than cis-mutations\, which may partially explain why trans-changes are rarer than cis-changes in gene expression evolution. Interestingly\, the protein expression landscapes are substantially more navigable than the mRNA expression landscapes\, suggesting that\, for protein-coding genes\, the evolvability of gene expression is even higher than the current estimate from adaptive landscapes of mRNA expression. This high evolvability may have contributed to the prominence of gene expression changes as a mechanism of evolutionary adaptation. UID:139270-21885219@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/139270 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250821T123655 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250923T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250923T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Regulation of Embryonic RNA Condensates Through Intrinsically Disordered Proteins- Department of Biological Chemistry Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Join the Department of Biological Chemistry for a seminar presented by Dr. Andrea Putnam from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. UID:137892-21881066@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/137892 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 3330 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250910T135101 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250925T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250925T163000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Revolutionizing Immunotherapy: Bioengineered Immune Organs and Nanoscale Technologies\nAbstract:\nThe human immune system is a marvel of biological complexity\, yet its dysfunction underlies numerous diseases. Designing vaccines\, immunomodulatory drugs\, and cell therapies against infections\, cancer\, inflammatory conditions\, and age-related disorders requires a detailed understanding of how immune cells form and activate in primary\, secondary\, and ectopic tertiary immune organs. Traditionally\, research on the immune system has been restricted to in vivo approaches\, which do not allow for the detailed control of intracellular and extracellular processes\, and to 2D in vitro models\, which lack physiological relevance. These models are being investigated to understand immune function and dysfunction at the cellular\, tissue\, and organ levels. In this talk\, I will discuss my laboratory’s effort in developing synthetic\, human ex vivo immune organoids to replicate the structure and function of immune tissues. I will discuss strategies to combine engineered materials and immune cells from individuals to generate antibody-secreting cells in a dish or as organ-on-chip against viral and bacterial infections and describe immunogenicity testing efforts. I will further describe the use of human immune organoids in oncology and drug development space\, and subsequently describe the integration of immune organoids with complex mucosal organ-on-chip technologies\, with applications in inflammation\, infection\, and oncology. Complementing this\, I will introduce nanoengineered wires functionalized with cationic polymers to program naive T cells without pre-activation\, a critical advancement for adoptive T-cell therapies. By delivering single or multiple microRNAs\, I will describe how nanowires modulate T-cell fitness\, influencing proliferation\, phenotypic differentiation\, and effector molecule secretion. These programmed T cells exhibit enhanced in vivo protection against intracellular pathogens\, with tailored differentiation into T cell subtypes. UID:139185-21885014@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/139185 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250829T151014 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250926T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250926T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:MDCB Seminar> Addictive Nicotine and Stress Induce Convergent Mechanisms that Increase Alcohol Self‐administration DESCRIPTION:Host: Paul Kramer UID:138272-21882696@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/138272 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250904T114244 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250929T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250929T140000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:2025/2026 Single Cell Spatial Analysis Program Monthly Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:In Person and via Zoom\nSCSAP Monthly Seminar Series- KICKOFF SEMINAR\nDate: Monday\, September 29th\, 2025\nTime: 1:00-2:00 PM EST\nLocation: NCRC Building 10 – Research Auditorium\nLunch Provided beginning at 12:30 in NCRC Building 10 Lobby\nSEMINAR WILL NOT BE RECORDED\n\nTITLE: Imaging the microbe-host interface with genome-scale microscopy\n\nFEATURING: \nJeffrey R. Moffitt\, Ph.D.\nAssistant Professor\, Department of Microbiology\, Harvard Medical School\nInvestigator\, Program in Cellular in Molecular Medicine\, Boston Children's Hospital\n\nFor more details Visit: https://singlecellspatialanalysis.umich.edu/monthlyseminarseries/\n \nZoom Meeting Link\n \nMeeting ID: 998 7259 4985\nPasscode: 786053 UID:138806-21883943@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/138806 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:North Campus Research Complex Building 10 - Research Auditorium CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250821T123901 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250930T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250930T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Uncovering Protein Degradation Pathways Using Comparative Degradomics Open Configuration Options-Department of Biological Chemistry Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Join the Department of Biological Chemistry for a seminar presented by Dr. Heeseon An from the Sloan Kettering Institute. UID:137894-21881067@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/137894 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 3330 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260127T124933 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251001T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251001T170000 SUMMARY:Social / Informal Gathering:Pizza with Professors: Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience DESCRIPTION:Join us for an informal meeting to eat and network with faculty! All undergraduate students majoring or minoring in a UPiN program are encouraged to join department faculty for pizza and light conversation during the designated event time below. Students considering a major or minor in one of our programs are welcome to attend as well. Find out more about our majors on our website!\n\nPlease register for this and our other events here: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/20268 UID:112679-21884710@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/112679 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250917T131218 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251002T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251002T163000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Bridging Neural Circuits and Therapy: Advances in Deep Brain Stimulation\nAbstract:\nDeep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective treatment for multiple neurological disorders\, including advanced Parkinson's disease (PD)\, through continuous high-frequency brain stimulation. While its clinical benefits are well documented\, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Due to the anatomical and cellular heterogeneity of brain tissue\, DBS can modulate diverse neuronal elements and circuits at and around the stimulation site\, many of which may not directly contribute to therapeutic effects. Moreover\, conventional DBS systems typically operate in open-loop mode\, delivering fixed stimulation parameters regardless of patient state or neural activity. Identifying the specific circuits that mediate therapeutic benefits is therefore critical for refining target selection and developing next-generation treatment strategies. Optogenetics provides a powerful tool to overcome the nonselective nature of DBS by enabling cell-type specific modulation of neural populations. By integrating optogenetic interventions with electrophysiological recordings\, computational modeling\, and behavioral assays in preclinical models of PD\, our work seeks to dissect the circuit-level mechanisms underlying DBS and systematically evaluate how modulation of defined neural pathways alleviates parkinsonian motor symptoms. In addition\, I will introduce our recent efforts toward the development and preclinical evaluation of closed-loop DBS systems\, which dynamically adjust stimulation in response to ongoing neural and behavioral states. Together\, these approaches aim to advance both our mechanistic understanding of DBS and the design of more effective\, adaptive neuromodulation therapies for PD. UID:139477-21885600@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/139477 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250926T151945 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251003T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251003T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:MDCB Seminar> Hidden Timers in Circadian Clocks: How Introns Keep Time DESCRIPTION:Host: Ken Cadigan UID:139899-21886305@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/139899 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250830T200747 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251005T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251005T160000 SUMMARY:Fair / Festival:ID Day DESCRIPTION:Discover our hidden collections—and show us yours! Bring in your own collected objects for identification by experts in paleontology\, anthropology\, archaeology\, botany\, zoology\, and geology. \n\nIn celebration of the twenty-fifth annual ID Day\, we will be adding interactive activities with the U-M Herbarium and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology\, as well as providing expert-led guidance and resources on ethical collecting. Come celebrate twenty-five years of bringing U-M expertise to the local community with us!\n\nFree and open to the public. Sorry\, no appraisals given. UID:138552-21883200@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/138552 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Museum of Natural History CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250902T105216 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251006T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251006T120000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Seminar Series in Human Genetics - Monday\, October 6\, 11:00 am DESCRIPTION:Seminar Series in Human Genetics\nMonday\, October 6\, 2025 \n11:00am - 12:00pm\nNLH\n\n“Harnessing my daughter’s diagnosis to drive novel ASO treatments for neurodevelopmental disorders”\n\nMadeleine J. Oudin\, PhD \nTiampo Family Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering\, Tufts University\n\nHosted By: \nMiriam Meisler\, PhD \nThe Department of Human Genetics\, University of Michigan Medical School UID:138608-21883439@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/138608 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit II - North Lecture Hall, MSII CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250821T124112 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251007T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251007T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:NO Signaling: From Discovery to Therapy- Department of Biological Chemistry Martha L. Ludwig Lectureship DESCRIPTION:Join the Department of Biological Chemistry for the Martha Ludwig Lecture presented by Dr. Michael Marletta from the University of California\, Berkeley. UID:137895-21881068@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/137895 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 3330 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250902T211523 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251007T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251007T170000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:2025 CPOD Seminar Series: \"A primate genetic model organism\" DESCRIPTION:Mark Krasnow\, M.D.\, Ph.D.\nProfessor\nBiochemistry\nStanford University UID:138699-21883636@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/138699 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - ABC Seminar Rooms CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251001T112811 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251008T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251008T100000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:SCSAP Hosts: Stellaromics Inc. Tech Talk DESCRIPTION:IN-PERSON SEMINAR\n3D Spatial Multi-Omics for Neuroscience\, Oncology\, and More\nHOSTED BY SCSAP\nDATE: OCTOBER 8\, 2025\nTIME: 9:00 - 10:00 AM \nLOCATION: NCRC Building 10 –G00S030 South Atrium\n\nThis free tech talk will feature Stellaromics and their Pyxa platform\, the first 3D\, high-plex\, confocal spatial system!! Please come and hear more about how Pyxa can help advance your spatial research!!! Come and meet the team!\n\nFree seminar for everyone!\nFood and Refreshments will be served!! \n\nPlease register to ensure there is enough food for everyone UID:140131-21886661@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/140131 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:North Campus Research Complex Building 10 - South Atrium CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250909T123345 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251008T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251008T170000 SUMMARY:Social / Informal Gathering:Pizza with Professors: Program in Biology DESCRIPTION:Join us for an informal meeting to eat and network with faculty! All undergraduate students majoring or minoring in a PiB program are encouraged to join department faculty for pizza and light conversation during the designated event time below. Students considering a major or minor in one of our programs are welcome to attend as well. Find out more about our majors on our website!\n\nPlease register for this event here: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/20268 UID:112678-21884711@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/112678 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250930T085745 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251013T093000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251013T151500 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Care to Lead: A Workshop for Change Makers DESCRIPTION:Thank you for your interest in the Engage Detroit Workshop\, Care to Lead: A Workshop for Change Markers on Monday\, October 13th\, 9:30am - 3:15pm! Join us to collaborate with community partners\, gain hands-on experience\, and make a positive impact in Detroit. \n\nRegistration is open to any clinical volunteer\, clinical staff\, or student affiliated with HUDA Clinic\, Zaman International\, or other community health clinic. \n\nRegistration will close at 11:59pm on Monday\, October 6. UID:140053-21886543@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/140053 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250919T142343 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251014T085500 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251014T170000 SUMMARY:Conference / Symposium:Michigan AI Symposium DESCRIPTION:Join us for a day of AI: Research Talks\, Demos\, Posters\, & Panel!\n\nAs Artificial intelligence advances rapidly in areas such as data modeling and pattern recognition\, researchers are increasingly applying these tools to accelerate scientific discovery. The 8th annual Michigan AI Symposium will be dedicated to exploring AI for Science. Speakers and panelists from both academia and industry will present the latest AI research on how AI is transforming fields such as biology\, physics\, chemistry\, and climate science. This event is hosted by the Michigan Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.\n\nOur symposium aims to bring together participants from both academia and industry who are interested in the foundations or real-life applications of artificial intelligence.\n\nThe symposium will take place on North Campus\, in Stamps Auditorium in the Walgreen Drama Center with a poster session in Tishman Hall of the Bob & Betty Beyster Building\n\nRegistration\n8:00 AM Registration opens (T-shirts giveaway!) Lobby – Stamps Auditorium\n\nWelcome & Introduction to the Michigan AI Lab\n8:55 AM Rada Mihalcea\, Director\, Michigan AI Lab\n9:00 AM Arthur Lupia\, Vice President for Research & Innovation\n9:07 AM Danai Koutra & JJ Park\, Co-Chairs\, AI Symposium\n\nSession One | Chair: Danai Koutra\n9:15 AM Carla Gomes\, Computing and Information Science\, Cornell University\n–TBD\n\n10:15 AM Joy Hsu\, Stanford University\n–Building Neuro-Symbolic Multimodal Systems for Science\n\n10:25 AM Simran Khanuja\, Carnegie Mellon University\n–Towards Culturally Inclusive Multimodal Systems\n\n10:35 AM Giannas Daras\, MIT\n–Generative Models Wear Glasses: Learning from Imperfect Data with Ambient Diffusion\n\nCoffee Break\n10:45 AM Lobby – Stamps Auditorium\n\nSession Two | Chair: David Jurgens\n11:05 AM Alexander Rodriguez\, Computer Science & Engineering\, University of Michigan\n–Where Equations Meet Data: Bridging AI and Scientific Models in Health\n\n11:30 AM Vivek Gopalakrishnan\, Harvard\, MIT\n–Augmented Vision for Surgeons (and Robots) via Patient-Specific Machine Learning Models\n\n11:40 AM Shirley Wu\, Stanford University\n–Towards Collaborative and Human-centric AI Agents\n\n11:50 AM Rebecca Lindsey\, Chemical Engineering\, University of Michigan\n–Efficient Machine Learning and AI for Materials Research: Scalable Models for Anyone\, Anywhere\n\n12:15 PM Posters & Demos Pitch\n\nResearch Poster & Demo Session | Chairs: Serafina Kamp & Run Peng\n12:30 PM Lunch in Tishman Hall. Research Posters & Demos Session in both Tishman Hall & Stamps Lobby\n\nSession Three | Chair: JJ Park\n2:00 PM Ricardo Vinuesa\, Aerospace Engineering\, University of Michigan\n–Improving turbulence control through explainable deep learning\n\n3:00 PM Congyue Deng\, MIT\n–Denoising Hamiltonian Network for Physical Reasoning\n\n3:10 PM Mosharaf Chowdhury\, University of Michigan\n–Sustained Scientific Discovery Requires Energy-Optimal AI Agents\n\n\nCoffee Break\n3:35 PM Lobby – Stamps Auditorium\n\nSession Four | Chair: TBD\n3:55 PM Panel Discussion on AI & GenAI for Science\n–Carla Gomes\, Ricardo Vinuesa\, JJ Park\, Karthik Duraisamy\n\n4:55 PM Closing Remarks & Awards\n\nSponsored by: UID:139610-21885795@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/139610 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Walgreen Drama Center - Stamps Auditorium & Tishman Hall (BBB) CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250929T130515 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251016T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251016T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Tools and Technology Seminar Presented by Yang Xiao DESCRIPTION:Abstract\nThe human hippocampus plays a critical role in memory and emotion\, with dysfunction implicated in numerous neuropsychiatric disorders. However\, understanding its molecular pathology within the context of spatial architecture has remained challenging. This talk will introduce spatial proteomics as an emerging tool for dissecting complex cellular neighborhoods and their functions at single-cell resolution. It helped address two key problems in spatial transcriptomics: Can we detect cellular morphology? Are RNAs the best proxies for proteins? By utilizing 25-plex spatial proteomics through co-detection by indexing (CODEX)\, we established the experimental platform for profiling human hippocampus and developed a computational framework through the lens of cellular neighborhoods.\n\nAbout The Tools & Technology Seminar Series\n\nThe DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar Series is held in Palmer Commons\, Room 2036\, each Thursday at 12pm EST. Each seminar highlights a computational tool\, technology\, or methodology that is under development or in current use and is of special interest to DCMB and University researchers. Presenters are U-M researchers and students.\n\nThese seminars are live-streamed and recorded and made available for future viewing via the DCMB YouTube Channel UID:140030-21886501@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/140030 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Palmer Commons - 2036 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251003T074234 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251016T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251016T163000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Engineering Native Biological Complexity from the Inside–out and Outside–in\nAbstract:\nEngineering heterogenous multicellular tissue with native complexity remains one of the holy grails of regenerative medicine and basic biological research. As success in this regard would yield powerful bioengineered constructs useful in functional transplantation\, high-throughput drug screening\, and fundamental biology investigation\, research efforts in our lab have centered around developing and implementing tools to spatiotemporally customize living cell function both from the “outside–in” and from the “inside–out”. In this talk\, I will discuss some of our group’s recent successes in reversibly modifying the chemical and physical aspects of synthetic cell culture platforms with user-defined and grayscale control\, regulating cell-biomaterial interactions through user-programmable Boolean logic\, engineering microvascular networks that span nearly all size scales of native human vasculature (including capillaries)\, irreversibly photoassembling bioactive proteins within living cells\, and driving biomolecular condensate formation using de novo-designed proteins. Results will highlight our ability to modulate intricate cellular behavior including stem cell differentiation\, protein secretion\, and cell-cell interactions in 4D. UID:140254-21886827@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/140254 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250926T151636 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251017T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251017T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:MDCB Seminar> Plant Immune Signaling DESCRIPTION:Host: Ping He UID:139944-21886386@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/139944 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250912T123303 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251020T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251020T123000 SUMMARY:Conference / Symposium:16th Annual Diane Baker Alumni Award & Lecture DESCRIPTION:Kate Emery\, MS\, CGC\, is a licensed and certified genetic counselor and the Senior Clinical Program Manager of Genomics at Providence Health\, one of the largest community hospital networks in the US. Kate graduated from the UMGCP in 2015\, having previously earned her B.A. in Biology from the University of San Diego in 2013. She began her genetic counseling career in pediatric genetics and newborn screening before transitioning to her longstanding interest in cancer genetics\, where she provided genetic counseling and participated in multidisciplinary care for patients in Southern California. While in direct patient care\, Kate had the opportunity to develop and oversee screening protocols to identify and refer patients eligible for germline genetic testing at multiple points of care\, including during mammography encounters and from tumor molecular pathology. In 2021\, she moved into a research role at Providence\, coordinating the Genomic Medicine For Everyone (Geno4ME) study\, a pilot project involving research-based whole genome sequencing with a clinical return of results panel. \n\nKate now manages a portfolio of population-scale genetics programs that serve the entire seven-state Providence health system. These programs include inherited cancer and cardiovascular disease screening\, pharmacogenomics\, population sequencing\, and precision oncology initiatives. As part of Providence's Institute for Clinical Innovation\, she and her colleagues are also actively engaged in outcomes and health services research to drive clinical program improvement and innovation.\n\nKate is passionate about community healthcare and utilizing novel service delivery methods to ensure that high-quality genetics services and research opportunities are accessible to all patients. She draws on her background as a genetic counselor and her patient care experiences to maintain a compassionate\, patient-centered approach in her work within population health genetics. UID:139269-21885218@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/139269 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Palmer Commons - Forum Hall at Palmer Commons CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251014T112124 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251020T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251010T180000 SUMMARY:Presentation:Graduate Fellowships for Computational Science and Engineering DESCRIPTION:Join MICDE for an information session on graduate fellowships in computational science and engineering. Following an overview of existing opportunities\, a panel of recent fellowship recipients will answer questions. The event is primarily intended for juniors\, seniors\, and first-year graduate students\, but is open to all. \n\nRefreshments will be served\; a Zoom option is also available. UID:140562-21887350@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/140562 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:3150 Dow CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251020T135310 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251021T113000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251021T133000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:National Transfer Student Week | Cider and Donuts with the SLC DESCRIPTION:Come join the Science Learning Center (SLC) for some fall cider and donuts. Learn about SLC programs and services while connecting with professional and undergraduate student staff. This is a drop-in style event where you can come and go as your schedule allows. UID:140393-21887025@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/140393 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:LSA Building - 1180 LSA Building, Transfer Student Center CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260120T100755 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251021T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251021T183000 SUMMARY:Livestream / Virtual:Biology & Neuroscience Major Information Sessions DESCRIPTION:Prospective students interested in learning more about our majors\, honors\, and independent research in the Program in Biology and Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience are invited to attend our information sessions. Peer Advisors facilitating these sessions will provide an overview of major requirements\, core courses\, unique opportunities\, and more. You'll have the opportunity to ask questions you have\, too. Please sign up to attend the session(s) at the links below. Sessions will be added below once confirmed. A Zoom link will be provided upon registration. \n\nUpcoming events include:\n\nMCDB Info. Session: Monday\, February 16th\, 4-5pm\nBHS Major Info. Session: Monday\, February 16th\, 5-6pm\nEEB Major Info. Session: Tuesday\, February 17th\, 5-6pm\nNEURO Major Info. Session: Tuesday\, February 17th\, 5-6pm\n\nRegister for one or more sessions here: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/21471 UID:132770-21885996@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/132770 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251015T091740 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251023T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251023T163000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:The clock is ticking – why it’s time to engineer biorhythms in vitro\nAbstract:\nThe mechanistic study of pathophysiology and therapeutic action has long relied upon the use of engineered in vitro cell culture systems. These systems\, however\, lack the periodic fluctuations\, or biorhythms\, in the cellular microenvironment that effectively integrate “time” into these culture platforms by providing physiological inputs necessary for cellular synchronization and circadian rhythms. Given the central role that circadian rhythms play in health and disease\, this absence is puzzling. For example\, cardiovascular disease\, diabetes\, osteoarthritis\, and asthma\, are just a few diseases with known circadian rhythm effects. Moreover\, more than half of the top 100 selling drugs target the product of a circadian gene\, and multiple clinical trials have retrospectively shown the impact of time-of-day dosing on improved outcomes and increased patient lifespan. The underlying reason conventional systems largely do not integrate temporal dynamics in vitro is because they either require the use of poorly scalable external flow control systems or manual fluid exchanges. In this talk\, I will discuss my group’s research focusing on the development of microfluidic technologies to address the challenges of embedding time within scalable in vitro systems using microfluidic circuits. Additionally\, I will describe microfluidic systems we have developed for the scalable production of microgels for use in packed bed reactors that allow us to perform rhythmic fluidic exchanges in 3D tissue cultures. UID:140721-21887529@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/140721 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250911T122412 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251023T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251023T170000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:EEB Thursday Seminar Series - Understanding the fitness effects of mutations and implications for small populations DESCRIPTION:Seminar Summary - Many mutations that occur in genomes are deleterious\, resulting in a decrease in reproductive fitness. While such mutations are important for evolution and complex traits\, much remains to be discovered. In this talk\, I will discuss our work on estimating fitness effects of deleterious mutations using genetic variation data from natural populations. First\, I will describe our computational approach\, FitDadi\, to estimate the distribution of fitness effects (DFE) for amino acid changing mutations in humans and other species. Analysis of how the DFE differs across species provides insights about how the DFE itself evolves. I also will describe our work inferring the DFE of mutations in noncoding regions of the human genome. Next\, I provide a strategy to validate population genetic models of selection and dominance by testing whether they predict observed levels of inbreeding load and match observed genetic data. Lastly\, I will discuss how insights gained from studying deleterious mutations may help identify small populations at risk of inbreeding depression. UID:137280-21880020@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/137280 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251017T144859 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251023T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251023T213000 SUMMARY:Film Screening:Cracking the Code: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, October 23 at 7:00 PM\nMichigan Theater - Screening Room\n603 E Liberty St\nAnn Arbor\, MI 48104. \n\nFilm | Documentary | NR | 1h 36m | 2025\n\nCracking the Code\, narrated by Mark Ruffalo\, is an inspiring story of vision\, perseverance\, and the power of science to change the world. Phil Sharp’s journey from a Kentucky farm boy to Nobel laureate embodies the American Dream and the triumph of entrepreneurial spirit. His 1977 groundbreaking discovery of RNA splicing rewrote the rules of molecular biology and ignited a life-saving scientific revolution\, laying the foundation for an industry that has become a cornerstone of global innovation and economic growth – and transformed the health of billions of patients worldwide.\n\nFeaturing a post-film Q&A with a panel presented by the University of Michigan Center for RNA Biomedicine and U-M Innovation Partnerships\n\nPanelists include:\n\nDr. Amanda Garner - Charles Walgreen Jr Professor\, Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Director\, Interdepartmental Program in Medicinal Chemistry\, College of Pharmacy\n\nDr. Muneesh Tewari - Ray and Ruth Anderson-Laurence M Sprague Memorial Research Professor\, Professor of Internal Medicine\, Associate Division Chief\, Basic Research\, Medical School and Professor of Biomedical Engineering\, Medical School and College of Engineering\n\nDr. Nils Walter - Francis S Collins Collegiate Professor of Chemistry\, Biophysics and Biological Chemistry\, Professor of Chemistry\, Professor of Biophysics\, College of Literature\, Science\, and the Arts\, Program Associate\, Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and Professor of Biological Chemistry\, Medical School\n\nKate Remus\, Senior Associate Director & Business Development Group Lead\, University of Michigan Innovation Partnerships\n\nAdditional panelists TBD\n\nSpecial offer for current U-M students!\nUse the promo code UMRNA to unlock the Complimentary Ticket option. Good for one ticket\, while supplies last. Must show current U-M Student ID for entry. UID:139238-21885177@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/139238 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location - Michigan Theater Main Screening Room CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251015T105736 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251024T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251024T140000 SUMMARY:Conference / Symposium:Impacts of Climate Change on Water & Health (I) DESCRIPTION:9:30 AM \"Opportunities to Improve Water Quality through Urban + Architectural Design\"\nJen Maigret (Professor of Architecture\, Climate Futures Director\, University of Michigan)\nJen Maigret is a Professor of Architecture and a licensed architect with over two decades of professional practice experience and master's degrees in both architecture and ecology. Her research and creative practice reside at the intersection of architecture\, climate action and design excellence as tools toward improved ecological and human health. \n\n11:00 AM \"Impacts of Climate Change on Freshwater: The Important Role of Dissolved Oxygen\"\nKevin Rose (Associate Professor and Director of the Darrin Freshwater Institute\, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)\nDr. Kevin Rose leads a research team at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York. His research spans ecology and biogeochemistry\, focusing predominantly on understanding broad-scale patterns and processes in freshwater ecosystems such as lakes and ponds. A goal of his group is to forecast the future state of aquatic ecosystems in a regional to global context\, with an emphasis on understanding how freshwater ecosystems are changing in response to factors such as land use and climate change. This interdisciplinary research draws on diverse skills in biology\, ecology\, biogeochemistry\, advanced environmental sensors\, and computational modeling. Dr. Rose's research findings have been published in high-impact journals such as Science and Nature and featured in media outlets such as NPR\, the Washington Post\, Fox News\, and Popular Science magazine. \n\n1:00 PM \"Tiny Carriers\, Big Impact: How Bacteria Drive Transmission of Virus and Antibiotic Resistance Gene in Water\"\nYun Shen (Assistant Professor\, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering\, George Washington University)\nDr. Yun Shen's research is addressing critical challenges in the nexus of environment and health. She is investigating the transmission and control of environmental pathogens in water and wastewater. Especially\, her work is focusing on pathogens not as isolated particles\, but in their clustered forms. Her work explores bacteria-virus complexities\, vesicle-associated viruses\, plastic-pathogen interactions\, in the complex environments. In addition\, she examines how bacterial pathogens respond to oxidative stresses and modulate host–pathogen interactions. The outcomes of her research advance the understanding of pathogen health risks and facilitate the sustainable strategies of public health protection.\n\n\nPlease register for this free symposium since lunch will be provided. Thank you!\n\n\nFor more information and registration for this hybrid event:\nwww.MAC-EPID.org\nAnna Cronenwett\, weaverd@umich.edu UID:140688-21887538@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/140688 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Michigan League - Vandenberg Room CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250926T154235 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251024T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251024T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:MDCB Seminar> Mystery at the Membrane: Discovering Copper’s Entry Route into Bacteria and Other Copper Tales DESCRIPTION:Host: Ariangela Kozik UID:139946-21886391@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/139946 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251008T121103 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251024T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251024T170000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:CCMB/DCMB Special Seminar featuring Hagen Tilgner\, PhD (Prof. at Weil Cornell Medical College) DESCRIPTION:Abstract\nComplex tissue includes diverse cell types employing distinct RNA isoforms. To untangle full-length cell-type specific brain isoforms\, we developed single-cell long-read technology for many thousands of cells (from previous approaches for 10-100 cells) in fresh tissues (ScISOr-Seq\; Gupta..Tilgner\, 20181) and in frozen tissues (SnISOr-Seq\; Hardwick..Tilgner\, 20222). These approaches revealed the rules of combination of TSSs\, alternative exons and poly(A) sites and their cell-type specificity. Autism-associated exons (as previously described) but also FTD-associated exons are highly variably-used across cell types2. For spatial resolution\, we developed spatially-barcoded isoform sequencing with 60um (Joglekar..Tilgner\, 20213)\, 10um (Foord..Tilgner\, 20254) and 220nm (Michielsen..Tilgner\, biorxiv5) spots\, showing that often isoform switches correlate with precise boundaries of brain structures (e.g.\, choroid plexus to hippocampus). However\, genes including Snap25\, use a gradient of exon inclusion through the brain3. Choroid plexus epithelial cells show a dramatically distinct isoform profile\, which originates most strongly from TSS usage3. During human puberty\, layer4-excitatory splicing is more regulated than in other cortical layers – probably influenced by retroviral sequences4. More generally\, we can now detect isoform-expression variability that does not correspond to known brain structures5.\n\n\nFor the NIH Brain Initiative\, we have mapped single-cell isoforms across development\, brain regions and species. Neurotransmitter release and reuptake as well as synapse turnover genes harbor variability in the same cell type across anatomical regions but the same cell type traced across development shows more isoform variability than across adult anatomical regions. Moreover\, most cell-type-specific exons in adult mouse hippocampus behave similarly in human hippocampi. However\, human brains have evolved additional cell-type specificity in splicing (Joglekar..Tilgner\, 20246). Additionally\, the concurrent measurement of chromatin and splicing patterns in post-mortem human brain shows broadly-speaking convergent dysregulation of both modalities in similar cell types in Alzheimer’s disease but more divergence between both modalities in evolution (Hu..Tilgner\, 20257). Finally\, we have advanced our understanding of error sources of PacBio and ONT (Mikheenko..Tilgner\, 20228) and implemented highly accurate long-read software (Prjibelski..Tilgner\, 20239). UID:140436-21887150@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/140436 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Library - 2901 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251007T151857 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251024T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251024T190000 SUMMARY:Presentation:The Inaugural Evolution in the Public Eye Public Award & Lecture: The Evolution of “Recreational” Drug Use DESCRIPTION:Join the University of Michigan's Evolution & Human Adaptation Program (EHAP) for the inaugural Evolution in the Public Eye Award celebration\, honoring exceptional work in bringing evolutionary perspectives on behavior to a wide audience. This award recognizes individuals who share evidence-based science and challenge misinformation\, helping us all better understand the role of evolution in shaping the mind. The winner will deliver an address highlighting efforts to improve scholarly and public dialogue.\n\nLecture Abstract: Psychoactive drugs are widely used\, it is thought\, because they hijack reward-related neural circuitry. But most globally popular drugs\, such as tobacco\, coffee\, cannabis\, and cocaine\, are highly toxic plant defensive chemicals that activate evolved toxin defense mechanisms\, which has been termed the paradox of drug reward. Analyses of large national and cross-national datasets reveals how evolved toxin defense mechanisms profoundly shape age and sex patterns of drug use. Comparative evidence from primates and other species\, as well as from hunter-gatherers\, suggests that a “taste” for drugs might have evolved as a form of self-medication against parasites.\n\nAbout the speaker: Edward Hagen received his BA in mathematics from UC Berkeley and his Ph.D. from UC Santa Barbara. After a postdoc position at the Institute for Theoretical Biology in Berlin\, he moved to his current position at Washington State University. His primary research focus is evolutionary medicine. He studies the evolution of depression\, suicidality\, and self-harm as credible signals of need in times of conflict as well as evolutionary explanations for tobacco and other plant toxin use. He also investigates the evolution of leadership\, religion\, and music. UID:140290-21886885@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/140290 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location - 4th Floor Program Room CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251020T142625 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251028T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251028T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:EEB Tuesday Seminar Series - Functional and phenological consequences of host-microbe feedbacks in the pitcher plant mosquito DESCRIPTION:Description: The purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea) harbors aquatic communities in its water-filled pitchers long used as a model system in community ecology. One inhabitant\, the pitcher plant mosquito (Wyeomyia smithii)\, is an obligate symbiont of pitcher plants\, developing exclusively inside. By studying the top-down and bottom-up interactions between mosquitoes and aquatic bacterial communities I explore feedbacks between a host organism and its environmentally-acquired microbiota. These cross-trophic interactions have consequences for host fitness and broader ecosystem function. Additionally\, I study host-microbe interactions in the context of mosquito diapause (a hibernation-like state)\, where I explore microbiome-mediated coordination of host seasonal metabolism. UID:140909-21887797@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/140909 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250923T093109 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251028T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251028T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Membrane Biophysics and the Lipid Droplet Monolayer- Department of Biological Chemistry Seminar DESCRIPTION:Dr. Chris Kelly\, Wayne State University\, will present a seminar on Tuesday\, October 28th\, 2025 in 3330 MS I UID:139741-21885990@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/139741 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 3330 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251007T130619 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251029T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251029T170000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:CCMB/DCMB Weekly Seminar Series featuring Jianping Fu\, PhD (Prof. at University of Michigan Medical School) DESCRIPTION:Abstract\n\nEarly human development remains largely mysterious and challenging to study. In this talk\, I will describe our efforts to harness human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) and bioengineering approaches to create controllable models of human peri-gastrulation development and early organogenesis. These models recapitulate key in vivo developmental landmarks\, including amniotic cavity formation\, amniotic ectoderm-epiblast patterning\, primordial germ cell specification\, embryonic germ layer organization\, yolk sac formation\, and primitive hematopoiesis. Our current work focuses on using these controllable models as experimental platforms to dissect the molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying cell fate decisions\, tissue patterning\, and self-organization during human peri-gastrulation.\n\nI will also discuss our application of bioengineering tools and hPSCs to model critical aspects of early human neural development\, including neural patterning in both brain and spinal cord regions\, along rostrocaudal and dorsoventral axes. Ongoing projects further aim to model key features of human heart and gut tube development\, as well as somitogenesis. Together\, these efforts have established a suite of bioengineered human embryo and organ models with in vivo-like spatiotemporal cell differentiation and organization\, providing powerful platforms for studying human development\, physiology\, and disease.\n\nShort Bio\n\nJianping Fu\, PhD is a professor of Engineering and Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of Michigan. His research integrates micro/nanoengineering\, single-cell technologies\, and synthetic biology tools with mechanobiology\, stem cell biology\, and developmental biology to advance our understanding of human development\, function and disease. Dr. Fu's research has made significant contributions to these areas: stem cell-based embryo models\, stem cell bioengineering\, mechanobiology\, and micro/nanofluidics. UID:140023-21886499@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/140023 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Palmer Commons - Forum Hall CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251030T102920 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251030T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251030T130000 SUMMARY:Livestream / Virtual:The Ethics of Designer Babies DESCRIPTION:Lydia Dugdale\, MD\nThe Ethics of Designer Babies \nWhat happens when parents can choose their child's traits? Should parents be able to select for intelligence\, appearance\, even personality? Are we on the cusp of enhancing health or creating a world of inequality and control? We will explore these urgent questions and more with Dr. Lydia Dugdale\, MD\, MAR. She is an incredibly accomplished physician and thinker who is recognized as the Dorothy L. and Daniel H. Silberberg Professor of Medicine at the Columbia University Medical Center\, the Director of the Center for Clinical Medical Ethics\, and a Co-Director of Clinical Ethics at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. \nShe edited Dying in the Twenty-First Century\, is the author of The Lost Art of Dying and recently completed the manuscript for a forthcoming book on hope. She publishes widely\, including in outlets such as The Free Press\, The Wall Street Journal\, and The New York Times.\n\nHer voice is thought provoking\, which is why she is the first repeat presenter for the Woll Family Speaker Series. You won't want to miss this. UID:141319-21888579@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141319 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location - https://umich.zoom.us/j/92594074321 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251029T203606 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251030T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251030T163000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Intelligent and Accessible Sensing and Neurotechnology Platforms for Next-Generation Medicine\nAbstract:\nDespite major advances in consumer electronics such as smartphones\, modern healthcare systems still lag behind in accessibility\, sophistication\, and data integration. For much of the global population\, medical and their analytical tools remain far less advanced than the technologies used in daily life. To bridge this gap between everyday devices and medical innovation\, my research centers on three major themes: First\, I will present the development of a low-cost\, point-of-care automated diagnostic platform that enables multiplexed biochemical testing with an order-of-magnitude reduction in cost compared to currently available commercial platforms. Second\, I will discuss machine learning-enhanced biosensing for cancer diagnostics\, where our recent work demonstrates thousand-fold precision improvements through full-spectrum and multi-resonance modeling compared to conventional one-dimensional fittings. Finally\, I will introduce hybrid dynamic optogenetic–electrophysiology neural interfaces\, combining metasurface-based beam steering with minimally invasive carbon-fiber arrays for adaptive and chronic closed-loop neuromodulation. UID:140768-21887593@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/140768 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250926T160559 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251031T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251031T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:MDCB Seminar> SPRINGing off the lock: chaperone-mediated activation of proteases in homeostatic pathways DESCRIPTION:Host: Ming Li UID:139950-21886399@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/139950 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250923T093344 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251104T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251104T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Architecture of Protein Complexes In Situ by Structural Proteomics- Department of Biological Chemistry Seminar DESCRIPTION:Dr. Francis O'Reilly\, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital\, will present a seminar on Tuesday\, November 4th\, 2025 in 3330 MS I UID:139743-21885991@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/139743 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 3330 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251027T132833 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251105T113000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251105T133000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Cider and Donuts with the SLC | National First Generation College Student Week DESCRIPTION:Come join the Science Learning Center (SLC) for some cider and donuts in celebration of National First Generation College Student Week. Learn about SLC programs and services while enjoying some tasty fall treats. This is a drop-in style event where you can come and go as your schedule allows. UID:141184-21888306@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141184 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:1720 Chemistry, SLC Flex Room CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251030T122624 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251106T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251106T170000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:EEB Thursday Seminar Series - Evolution in Space: Incorporating Geography into Statistical Methods for Population Genetics DESCRIPTION:Seminar Summary - One of the fundamental goals of evolutionary biology is to quantify patterns of genetic diversity between populations and study the processes that shape them. However\, the development of key statistical methods in population genetics lags behind the generation of datasets that require them for analysis. In particular\, methods for studying population history\, structure\, admixture\, demography\, and selection in continuous space are still lacking\, leading to a gap in our ability to answer basic questions in evolutionary biology. This talk will celebrate Dr. Bradburd's promotion to tenure (woohoo!) and present several vignettes on how geography can be incorporated into population genetics to better understand the processes generating the diversity of life. UID:137281-21880021@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/137281 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251017T091336 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251107T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251107T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:MDCB Seminar> How cell lifecycles drive adaptive organ states DESCRIPTION:Host: Tyler Huycke UID:140810-21887680@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/140810 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251106T153902 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251107T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251107T140000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Dissertation Defense Seminar: The V-ATPase-dependent autophagy DESCRIPTION:The general consensus is that the vacuolar-type H+-translocating ATPase (V-ATPase) is critical for macroautophagy/autophagy. However\, there is a fundamental conundrum because follicular lymphoma-associated mutations in the V-ATPase result in lysosomal/vacuolar deacidification but elevated autophagy activity under nutrient-replete conditions and the underlying mechanisms remain mysterious. Here\, working in yeast\, I show that V-ATPase dysfunction activates a selective autophagy flux termed the \"V-ATPase-dependent autophagy \". \n\nBy combining transcriptomic and proteomic profiling\, along with genome-wide suppressor screening approaches\, I found that the V-ATPase-dependent autophagy is regulated through a unique mechanism distinct from classical nitrogen starvation-induced autophagy. Tryptophan metabolism negatively regulates the V-ATPase-dependent autophagy via two parallel effectors. On the one hand\, it activates ribosome biogenesis\, thus repressing the translation of the transcription factor Gcn4/ATF4. On the other hand\, tryptophan fuels NAD+ de novo biosynthesis to inhibit autophagy. These results provide an explanation for the mutational activation of autophagy seen in follicular lymphoma patients. UID:141601-21889075@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141601 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251030T074349 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251107T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251107T170000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:Alan J. Hunt Memorial Lecture-U-M Biomedical Engineering--NOTE LOCATION CHANGE to NCRC BUILDING 10 AUDITORIUM DESCRIPTION:2025 Alan J. Hunt Memorial Lecture\n\nMeasuring the Health of the Brain: From Global Networks to Local Biomarkers\nAbstract:\nHow do we measure the health of the brain? Unlike blood pressure or cholesterol\, there is no single number that captures brain function. We are developing the Brain Entropy Index (BEI)\, a new measure that integrates thermodynamics\, statistical modeling\, and brain imaging to provide a global indicator of brain health. Using data from modalities such as EEG\, fMRI\, and MEG\, the BEI can reliably separate healthy from diseased brains\, offering promise as a universal screening tool.\n\nYet\, just as a blood test might flag “illness” without specifying the disease\, a global index cannot by itself identify the underlying condition. Neurological disorders are defined by distinct local network dynamics\, and it is these dynamics that can give rise to robust biomarkers. One example is EpiScalp\, a computational tool we developed to model local brain networks from scalp EEG. EpiScalp can differentiate true epilepsy from seizure-mimicking disorders and from healthy brains\, providing a disorder-specific biomarker.\n\nTogether\, these approaches demonstrate a two-tiered framework: global measures can screen for health versus disease\, while local network dynamics serve as biomarkers that refine diagnosis and define specific conditions. More broadly\, this talk will illustrate how concepts from systems & control theory\, physics\, and data science can converge to open new frontiers in neuroscience and medicine.\n \nBio:\nSridevi Sarma received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University\, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department at the MIT. Dr. Sarma is now a Professor in the Institute for Computational Medicine\, Department of Biomedical Engineering\, at Johns Hopkins University. Her research includes modeling\, estimation and control of neural systems using electrical stimulation to better diagnose and treat neurological disorders. She is PI for NeuroTech Harbor\, an NIH-funded BluePrint Hub for NeuroTechnologies and recently won an NIH Research Investigator Award (R35) that supports her translational research in epilepsy for 8 years. She is a recipient of the the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Careers at the Scientific Interface Award\, the Krishna Kumar New Investigator Award from the North American Neuromodulation Society\, a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers and the Whiting School of Engineering Robert B. Pond Excellence in Teaching Award. UID:140185-21886713@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/140185 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:North Campus Research Complex Building 10 - Auditorium CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251106T140954 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251110T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251110T120000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:Human Genetics Research Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Please join us on Monday\, November 10th at 11am in ABC Seminar Rooms\, BSRB. Please distribute.\n--\n \nSeminar Series in Human Genetics\nMonday\, November 10\, 2025\n11:00am - 12:00pm\nABC Seminar Rooms\, BSRB\n \nRonald Wek\, PhD\nShowalter Professor of Biochemistry\, Molecular Biology\, and Pharmacology\; Indiana University School of Medicine \n“Integrated Stress Response in Health and Disease”\n \nHosted By: Noah Helton\, Department of Human Genetics UID:141595-21889068@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141595 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - ABC Seminar Rooms CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251107T110531 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251111T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251111T125000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:Learning and Living with Wildfire Smoke: Creating Clean Air Environments through Youth Participatory Action Research DESCRIPTION:Registration required https://myumi.ch/A1eQZ\n\nPlease join us on Zoom for a Residents & Researchers 'Tuesday Talks at 12' webinar on environment\, health and community\, organized by the Community Engagement Core and the Integrated Health Sciences Core of M-LEEaD.\n\nSpeakers include: Savannah D’Evelyn\, PhD (University of Colorado Denver) and Callum Orr (Grand Junction High School\, Grand Junction\, CO).\nModerated by Natalie Sampson (University of Michigan Dearborn). UID:141632-21889116@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141632 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251027T141350 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251112T093000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251112T103000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:Cell cycle plasticity and the narrow path of escape DESCRIPTION:2025 CDB Seminar Series\n\nWe are pleased to announce that Jeremy Purvis\, Ph.D.\, will present his talk titled \"Cell cycle plasticity and the narrow path of escape\" on Wednesday\, November 12\, 2025\, from 9:30-10:30 am in the BSRB ABC Seminar Rooms\, and via live streaming. Meeting link: https://umich.zoom.us/j/96884969689\n\nHosted by: Idse Heemskerk\, Ph.D. UID:141080-21888089@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141080 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - BSRB ABC Seminar Rooms CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250909T124836 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251112T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251112T130000 SUMMARY:Reception / Open House:Winter 2026 Backpacking DESCRIPTION:Stop by the BSB lobby (atrium) to get help with your backpacking needs. PiB and UPiN staff will be available to answer questions and talk through schedule options. Snacks will be provided.\n\nNOTE: This is an open-house style event\, so you can come and go as you please. Registration is encouraged but not required. UID:139063-21884712@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/139063 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - Atrium (lobby) CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251103T114457 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251113T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251113T163000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:When the Air We Breathe Ages Our Arteries: Mechanisms of Vascular Injury from Fire Smoke Inhalation\nAbstract:\nCardiovascular aging reflects the gradual loss of vascular compliance and serves as a powerful indicator of overall cardiovascular health. Hallmarks of this process include inflammation\, oxidative stress\, endothelial dysfunction\, and aortic stiffening\, all of which compromise the ability of large arteries to regulate blood flow and pressure\, increasing susceptibility to disease. Our research program seeks to uncover the molecular mechanisms that drive these functional shifts and to determine how environmental stressors accelerate vascular aging. In this seminar\, I will first highlight recent findings from our work mapping the trajectory of aortic aging in mice. Using single-cell transcriptomics and mechanical testing\, we identified immune cell accumulation\, extracellular matrix remodeling\, and altered Piezo-1 signaling as key processes that increase aortic stiffness with age. I will then discuss how chronic exposure to wildfire smoke\, an increasingly common environmental hazard\, can recapitulate age-associated vascular maladaptation. Through a mouse model scaled to the exposure of wildland firefighters\, we demonstrated that repeated inhalation of Douglas Fir smoke induces inflammation\, oxidative and nitrosative stress\, endothelial dysfunction\, and fibrotic remodeling of the aortic wall\, leading to vascular stiffening and elevated blood pressure. Collectively\, these studies frame vascular aging as a unifying lens through which to understand the cardiovascular consequences of environmental exposures and highlight pathways that may guide future prevention and intervention strategies. UID:141406-21888772@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141406 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251107T154537 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251114T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251114T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:CANCELLED: MDCB Seminar> The impact of genetic cheating on mammalian reproduction and speciation DESCRIPTION:Host: JK Nandakumar\n\nThis seminar has been cancelled. Unfortunately\, Takashi Akera is furloughed from the NIH due to the US government shut down. We hope to have Dr. Akera visit on a future date. UID:139955-21886411@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/139955 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251106T140311 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251117T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251117T120000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:Human Genetics Research Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Please join us on Monday\, November 17th at 11am in North Lecture Hall\, MSII. Please distribute.\n--\n \nSeminar Series in Human Genetics\nMonday\, November 17\, 2025\n11:00am - 12:00pm\nNorth Lecture Hall\, MSII\n \nMatthew D. Simon\nAssociate Professor\nMolecular Biophysics & Biochemistry\nInstitute of Biomolecular Design & Discovery\nYale University \n\n“Using RNA chemistry to reveal regulation at the transcription start site by established (H3K27me3) and newly discovered (H4Kacme) chromatin modifications.”\n \nHosted By: Sundeep Kalantry\, PhD\, Department of Human Genetics UID:141594-21889067@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141594 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit II - North Lecture Hall CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251104T090611 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251118T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251118T130000 SUMMARY:Livestream / Virtual:Curiosity as Vice? A Virtuous Approach to Learning in Medicine DESCRIPTION:Medical training shapes what we know\, but also who we become. Yet too often\, students approach learning with fear\, self-protection and the need to appear certain. Dr. Benjamin Frush invites us to imagine another way — one that views the unknown as opportunity\, knowledge as something to share and humility as a source of strength. Drawing on theologian Paul Griffiths’ distinction between the vice of curiositas and the virtue of studiositas\, Dr. Frush explores how a healthier moral posture toward learning can transform both medical education and patient care. \n\nDr. Benjamin Frush\, MD\, MA\, is a palliative care physician and the McDonald Agape Fellow in Bioethics at the Kennedy Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University. He is a former fellow at the Theology\, Medicine\, and Culture Fellowship at Duke Divinity School\; a current bioethics scholar at the Paul Ramsey Institute\; and a former fellow at the Fellowship at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics (FASPE). His work in AMA Journal of Ethics\, Perspectives in Biology and Medicine and Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics focuses on virtue\, moral formation and end-of-life care. We first heard him speak at the Conference on Medicine and Religion and knew right away we had to bring him as a speaker. You won’t want to miss this conversation. UID:141489-21888917@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141489 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location - https://umich.zoom.us/j/92806850984 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250923T093633 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251118T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251118T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Mechanisms of Regulating Nucleosome Binding- Department of Biological Chemistry Seminar DESCRIPTION:Dr. Catherine Musselman\, University of Colorado Anschutz\, will present a seminar on Tuesday\, November 18th\, 2025 via zoom. \n\nhttps://umich.zoom.us/j/92377171113 UID:139744-21885992@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/139744 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251028T125453 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251118T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251118T200000 SUMMARY:Film Screening:U-M History Film Series: The Day After Tomorrow DESCRIPTION:Join the History department on Tuesday\, November 18\, at the Michigan Theater (603 E Liberty St.)\, for a FREE screening of \"The Day After Tomorrow\" (2004).\n\nProfessors Perrin Selcer (History) and Naomi Levin (Earth and Environmental Sciences) will introduce the film and lead a brief discussion afterwards.\n\nWhat did the film get right? Where did it go wrong? What were the public fears surrounding climate change in the early aughts? How are the conversations different today?\n\nThis screening is FREE for all\, and guests are welcome! UID:140503-21887246@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/140503 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251002T093337 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251118T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251118T194500 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:Beyond the Sea Book Talk and Community Discussion DESCRIPTION:Join author and freshwater ecologist Dave Strayer at Literati Bookstore for an engaging discussion of Beyond the Sea\, his new book celebrating the hidden life of lakes\, rivers\, and wetlands. With Jason Frenzel of the Huron River Watershed Council and moderator Mike Shriberg\, the Director of the U-M Water Center\, explore local connections to global freshwater challenges. Join us and be a part of the conversation!\n\nAbout the speakers: \nDave Strayer\, Freshwater Ecologist and Author: Dave Strayer worked as a freshwater ecologist for the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies for more than 30 years\, where he studied the Hudson River\, conservation ecology of freshwater mussels and other species\, the impacts of invasive species\, and shoreline ecology. He has written more than 200 scientific articles and 7 books. In addition to these technical publications\, he has written several dozen short essays for general audiences\, which are collected in The Lost Snail of the Yangtze and Other Essays. He is an affiliate of the U-M Water Center. Dave has a BS in Zoology from Michigan State and a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Cornell University.\n\nJason Frenzel\, Director of Community Engagement\, Huron River Watershed Council: Jason Frenzel\, CVA\, is a seasoned nonprofit and public service leader with over 25 years of experience in community engagement\, program development\, and volunteer management. He has served on Ann Arbor City Council\, the Environmental Commission\, and numerous boards and advisory committees\, including the Sierra Club Huron Valley Group and the University of Michigan’s Ginsberg Center. A Certified Volunteer Administrator and co-author of *Volunteer Administration: Professional Practice\, 4th Edition*\, he is recognized for his success in grant seeking\, inclusive community partnerships\, and advancing environmental stewardship across Southeast Michigan.\n\nModerator: Mike Shriberg\, U-M Water Center Director & Professor of Practice & Engagement\, SEAS -- Mike Shriberg is the Director of the University of Michigan Water Center and is a Professor of Practice and Engagement at the School for Environment and Sustainability. Dr. Shriberg’s work and research focus on water issues in the Great Lakes region and environmental leadership. Prior to his role as Water Center Director\, he held several leadership positions in the nonprofit sector and at the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)\, including Great Lakes Regional Executive Director of the National Wildlife Federation\, Associate Director of the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research and Director of Engagement\, Interim Director at Michigan Sea Grant. Dr. Shriberg earned his PhD in Resource Policy and Behavior from the University of Michigan and his BS in Biology & Society from Cornell University.\n\nYou can register for this session here: https://graham.umich.edu/event/beyond-sea-book-talk-and-community-discussion UID:140188-21886717@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/140188 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251112T144925 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251120T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251120T163000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Stress testing simulation and machine learning models for virtual screening\nAbstract:\nGenerative AI has lead to breakthroughs in protein structure prediction and design\, building on high-quality data from the Protein DataBank and Sequence Read Archive. An outstanding question is\, how effective will GenAI be for small molecule drug discovery\, and what data will these models train on? First\, I will describe our work in physics based ultra-large scale virtual screening and preliminary benchmarking of state-of-the-art co-folding methods for virtual screening. Then I will describe our work in exploring challenges and opportunities in leveraging diverse bioactivity data as training data: Large-scale data curation\, and developing large-scale synthetic data sets\, and a statistical framework for testing the impact of data contamination. UID:141815-21889454@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141815 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251103T115640 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251121T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251121T153000 SUMMARY:Conference / Symposium:14th Annual Thomas D. Gelehrter\, MD\, Lectureship in Medical Genetics DESCRIPTION:14th Annual Thomas D. Gelehrter\, MD\, Lectureship in Medical Genetics\nFriday\, November 21\, 2025\n2:00pm - 3:30pm\nForum Hall\, Palmer Commons\n \nDavid Reich\, PhD\nProfessor of Genetics & Human Evolutionary Biology\, Harvard Medical School\nKeynote Address: “Pervasive findings of directional selection realize the promise of ancient DNA to elucidate human adaptation”. \n\nHosted By: Jacob L Mueller\, PhD\, and Ann Marie Lawson\nDepartment of Human Genetics UID:141293-21888547@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141293 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Palmer Commons - Forum Hall, Palmer Commons CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251120T095435 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251125T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251125T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:EEB Tuesday Seminar Series: Undergraduate Lightning Talks DESCRIPTION:Speaker 1: Mark Ayer\, Beckman Scholar\, Wittkopp Lab\nTitle: Association of Bacterial Enrichment with Pigmentation Variation in Drosophila americana\n\nSpeaker 2: Lena Reeves\, UROP\, Classen Lab\nTitle: The Effects of Bracken Fern on Traits and Germination of Acer rubrum Seedlings\n\nSpeaker 3: Samantha Molino\, Weber Lab\nTitle: Ferns\, Domatia\, and the Evolutionary Convergence of a Mutualism\n\nSpeaker 4: Gabrielle Leon\, Baucom Lab\nTitle: Stomata: opening up the mysteries of auxinic herbicide impact on stomatal formation and development\n\nSpeaker 5: Stella Gaydek\, Allgier Lab\nTitle: Invertebrate Communities Across Artificial Reef Habitats: Sample Processing and Thesis Foundations\n\nSpeaker 6: Andrew Heur\, Davis Rabosky Lab\nTitle: Functional Accommodation During Evolution of Extreme Venom Glands in Causus Snakes UID:142068-21889965@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142068 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251125T085657 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251201T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251201T120000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:Human Genetics Research Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:We are excited to announce that Stephan Frangakis\, MD\, PhD\, will be joining our Department of Human Genetics in December as a secondary faculty member! We invite you to attend his seminar on Monday\, December 1st\, at 11:00 AM in the North Lecture Hall\, MSII.\n\n“The Michigan Genomics Initiative as a Platform for Complex Trait Genetics: Examples from Postsurgical Pain\, Fibromyalgia\, and Opioid Use Disorder.” UID:142188-21890189@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142188 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit II - North Lecture Hall CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251106T152901 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251201T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251201T180000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Thriving in STEM | Medical School Inside Story DESCRIPTION:Do you have questions about medical school admissions? Get your answers straight from the inside! U-M Medical School Director of Admissions\, Carol Teener\, will demystify medical school applications\, expectations\, and reviews in her presentation. \n\nEmail ScienceSuccessSeries@umich.edu with any questions. UID:141599-21889073@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141599 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION: CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251001T073557 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251202T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251202T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Engineered Microbes for Sustainable Chemical Production and Human Health- Department of Biological Chemistry Seminar DESCRIPTION:Dr. Benjamin Woolston from Northeastern University will present the Department of Biological Chemistry Seminar on Tuesday December 2\,2025 at 12 noon in 3330 MS I UID:140119-21886641@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/140119 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 3330 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251114T091653 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251204T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251204T163000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Developing a novel in-silico tool for heterochiral macrocycle design\nAbstract:\nAntibodies and small molecules have been powerful tools in targeting disease-related proteins. However\, there remain many challenging targets—such as flat or featureless intracellular surfaces—that are often inaccessible to these modalities. This is where peptides come in. Peptides are particularly exciting because they can be synthesized via solid-phase methods\, penetrate cells\, and bind to flat protein interfaces that are otherwise undruggable. Despite this promise\, designing effective peptides has remained a significant challenge. In our lab\, we’re developing new computational and experimental tools to overcome these limitations. Today\, I’ll be talking about CyclicCEA and CyclicMPNN\, two current methods for rapid generation of Gly or Ala cycles. If time permits\, I will also talk about their use as a binder design. UID:141865-21889545@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141865 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250923T094041 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251209T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251209T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Structure and Organization of Full-Length Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor in Extracellular Vesicles by Cryo-Electron Tomography- Department of Biological Chemistry Seminar DESCRIPTION:Dr. Daniel Leahy\, University of Texas\, Austin\, will present a seminar on Tuesday\, December 9th\, 2025 in 3330 MS I UID:139746-21885995@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/139746 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 3330 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250902T211924 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251209T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251209T170000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:2025 CPOD Seminar Series: “Plasma lipids are regulators of energy expenditure” DESCRIPTION:Judith Simcox\, Ph.D.\nAssistant Professor\nBiochemistry\nUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison UID:138700-21883637@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/138700 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Buhl Res Cen for Human Genetics - 5915 Buhl CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251125T173850 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251210T093000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251210T103000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:From embryogenesis to hemostasis: using developmental models to investigate the blood coagulation system DESCRIPTION:2025 CDB Seminar Series\n\nWe are pleased to announce that Jordan Shavit\, M.D.\, Ph.D.\, will present his talk titled \"From embryogenesis to hemostasis: using developmental models to investigate the blood coagulation system\" on Wednesday\, December 10\, 2025\, from 9:30-10:30 am in the BSRB ABC Seminar Rooms\, and via live streaming. Meeting link: https://umich.zoom.us/j/96884969689\n\nHosted by: Rami Khoriaty\, M.D. UID:142227-21890245@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142227 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - BSRB ABC Seminar Rooms and Zoom: https://umich.zoom.us/j/96884969689 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251202T115857 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251211T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251211T160000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Dissertation Defense Seminar: Cassandra Zuckerman DESCRIPTION:Telomeres are nucleoprotein complexes at chromosome termini that are vital for the preservation of genome integrity. Telomeric DNA consists of hexad repeats (GGTTAG in mammals) that are mostly double-stranded (ds)\, ending in a short\, single-stranded (ss) 3′ overhang. In dividing cells\, telomeric DNA shortens with each round of DNA replication\, causing the “end replication problem.” A specialized ribonucleoprotein (RNP) enzyme\, telomerase\, replenishes telomeric DNA repeats to aid in resolving this problem. \nNatural chromosome ends resemble dsDNA breaks\, creating the “end protection problem\,” the necessity to protect natural ends from the DNA damage response/repair machinery. The six-protein mammalian shelterin complex binds telomeric repeats to protect chromosome ends from unwanted repair. Shelterin dysfunction results in end deprotection and mouse embryonic lethality. POT1 is a critical shelterin component that protects the telomeric ssDNA overhang and the ds–ss junction\, and helps facilitate telomerase action. Thus\, a single POT1 orchestrates multiple telomeric functions\, complicating the dissection of its functions individually. Studying the shelterin complex in in toto is even more challenging\, as POT1 is separated from the dsDNA-binding shelterin proteins by two additional shelterin subunits. \n\nIn contrast to humans\, C. elegans (Ce) has four putative POT1 homologs (Ce POT-1\, POT-2\, POT-3\, and MRT-1)\, leading us to hypothesize that POT1 functions are separated on different polypeptides\, making it feasible to study each POT1 function individually. The dsDNA-binding proteins of C. elegans have also been discovered\, and they bind directly to CePOT-1\, greatly simplifying the composition of the shelterin complex. However\, how the other CePOT1 homologs integrate into shelterin to protect and replicate chromosome ends is not known. Through my doctoral studies\, I discovered a novel interaction of CePOT-1 with CePOT-2 and Ce-MRT-1 via a CePOT-1 binding site shared by CePOT-2 and CeMRT-1. My studies revealed that CePOT-1 acts as a bridge to connect these single-stranded DNA-binding proteins with CeTEBP-1 and ceTEBP-2\, C. elegans’ telomeric dsDNA-binding proteins. Taken together\, my findings shed light on how C. elegans shelterin assembles at chromosome ends.\n\nThe second part of my thesis involves MEICEN\, a testis-specific protein essential for male fertility. Centrosomes are organelles that play several major roles during mitosis and meiosis\, including the formation of the bipolar spindle during mitosis and the formation of cilia and flagella. In sperm\, remodeled centrosomes\, called basal bodies\, anchor the sperm flagellum to the sperm head. Centrins are proteins fundamental to centrosome assembly and duplication. Of the four mammalian centrins\, centrin 1 is specifically expressed in testes and is essential for male fertility. \n\nOur collaborators\, the Shibuya lab\, identified MEICEN as a novel\, testes-specific regulator of centrosome dynamics and sperm tail maturation that binds centrin and is essential for male fertility. Meicen knockout mice display irregular centrin 1 localization\, which results in sperm tail defects. Yet how MEICEN binds centrin during meiosis was unknown. As part of my doctoral studies\, I used SEC-MALS to reveal that MEICEN homodimerizes to bind a total of sixteen centrin molecules. I then solved the crystal structure of the MEICEN-centrin 1 complex to provide the structural basis of an interaction critical for spermatogenesis. Finally\, I introduced mutations at the MEICEN-centrin interface to demonstrate that it abrogates the MEICEN-centrin interaction. Overall\, our findings inspire a model in which MEICEN acts as a storage system for centrin to limit its over-accumulation at meiotic centrosomes\, preventing their overduplication. UID:142316-21890509@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142316 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251202T115927 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251218T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251218T110000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Dissertation Defense Seminar: Jordan Byrne DESCRIPTION:Spatial organization of protein-based organelles is increasingly recognized as a fundamental requirement for bacterial physiology. Carboxysomes\, encapsulins\, and biomolecular condensates compartmentalize metabolic reactions throughout diverse bacteria\, yet their positioning within cells remains poorly understood. Mislocalization of these structures leads to heterogeneous inheritance\, reduced metabolic output\, and impaired growth\, and poses a major challenge for efforts to engineer synthetic organelles in model hosts such as Escherichia coli. The Maintenance of Carboxysome Distribution (Mcd) system\, composed of the ParA-like ATPase McdA and the adaptor McdB\, directs equidistant positioning of carboxysomes along the nucleoid. Although ParA and MinD family ATPases are well studied\, little is known about the molecular features that govern adaptor specificity and function. Furthermore\, many adaptors\, including McdB\, form biomolecular condensates\, suggesting that phase separation may contribute to organelle control\, but the underlying sequence determinants remain unclear. This dissertation addresses these knowledge gaps by dissecting the regions and residues of McdB that mediate phase separation\, interaction with McdA\, and leverage control of organelle positioning\, and by applying these insights to develop programmable spatial organization tools for synthetic biology.\n\nThe McdB adaptor protein undergoes phase separation. I show here that McdB condensates mature from liquid- to gel-like condensates. Given that glutamine residues are known to contribute to maturation in other condensate-forming proteins\, I mutated a glutamine-rich region of McdB from Synechococcus elongatus to determine its role in McdB structure\, oligomerization and phase separation activity. \n\nSecond\, I generated sequence variants in Halothiobacillus neapolitanus McdB and showed that specific N-terminal basic residues\, particularly K7\, are necessary for full McdA engagement and proper carboxysome distribution in vivo\, revealing that cargo positioning and cargo partitioning are mechanistically separable functions of the Mcd system. \n\nThird\, I translated these mechanistic insights into a synthetic\, minimal positioning toolkit by engineering modular “Minimal Autonomous Positioning” (Map) tags derived from McdB. When fused to biomolecular condensates or encapsulins in Escherichia coli\, Map tags conferred McdA-dependent nucleoid-associated spacing patterns\, transforming immobile aggregates into dynamic and evenly distributed intracellular structures. \n\nTogether\, this work identifies domain- and residue-level determinants that govern McdB-mediated organelle positioning and condensate behavior\, clarifies adaptor-ATPase specificity principles in ParA/MinD-type systems\, and establishes a transferable genetic strategy for engineering intracellular spatial organization in bacteria. These findings advance both fundamental understanding of bacterial cell organization and the development of spatially programmable tools for microbial synthetic biology. UID:142315-21890482@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142315 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 5150 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260106T082528 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260108T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260108T160000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Global Women's Health Innovation\nAbstract:\nDhanu Thiyag\, MD MPH FACOG is an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Affiliate Faculty of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Michigan. As a clinician-scientist\, she focuses on designing and clinically evaluating medical devices and simulation-based educational programming specifically for the goal of women’s health equity. This is crucial as medical devices and programming not designed for the context of use are typically neither sustained nor disseminated. Examples of her work include devices for cervical cancer screening to diagnosing postpartum hemorrhage as well as simulation-based education to prevent cesarean deliveries to conducting less invasive gynecology surgery. She also focuses efforts on capacity building for women in engineering and clinical research with efforts in Ghana\, Rwanda\, and the USA. She has been recognized for her efforts with a University of Michigan Outstanding International Collaboration Award and as a STAT Wunderkind. She will be presenting on her utilization of a human-centered design process from the needs assessment to validation testing. She will be using one of her devices and one of her simulation projects as an example. UID:143252-21892552@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143252 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251219T112652 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260113T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260113T110000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Dissecting the synaptic basis of learning in vivo DESCRIPTION:Faculty Candidate Seminar UID:142968-21891860@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142968 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251219T112547 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260113T114500 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260113T124500 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Unraveling how oligodendrocytes generate and pattern myelin DESCRIPTION:Faculty Candidate Seminar UID:142972-21891866@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142972 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Chemistry Dow Lab - 1640 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251208T102703 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260113T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260113T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:eIF4E Links Translation and Transcription- Department of Biological Chemistry Seminar DESCRIPTION:Please join us for a seminar presented by Dr. Hani Zaher\, Washington University in St. Louis UID:142442-21890961@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142442 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 5330 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251117T080145 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260113T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260113T170000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:CPOD Winter 2026 Seminar Series: \"Uncovering defect mechanisms and apical polarity cues in neural tube organoids\" DESCRIPTION:Andrew Tidball\, Ph.D.\nResearch Assistant Professor\nNeurology\nUniversity of Michigan UID:141937-21889654@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141937 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - ABC Seminar Rooms CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251219T112508 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260115T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260115T110000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Unsaturated Fat Alters Clock Phosphorylation to Align Rhythms to the Season in Mice DESCRIPTION:Faculty Candidate Seminar UID:142973-21891867@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142973 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251219T112423 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260115T114500 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260115T124500 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Lung-Brain Crosstalk and Beyond: Neural Circuits of Interoception in Physiology and Disease DESCRIPTION:Faculty Candidate Seminar UID:142974-21891868@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142974 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Chemistry Dow Lab - 1640 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260105T124744 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260115T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260115T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar by Yang Li DESCRIPTION:Abstract\nGene expression evolution relies on regulatory mutations. Past studies suggested that optimizing gene expression by positive selection on cis-regulatory mutations is relatively easy because the corresponding adaptive landscapes are quite smooth. To what extent gene expression can be optimized via trans-regulatory mutations is\, however\, unknown. Analyzing the transcriptomes and proteomes of 16 yeast strains carrying all combinations of four auxotrophic mutations\, we respectively construct 5\,923 and 446 adaptive landscapes of mRNA and protein expressions where neighboring genotypes differ by a trans-regulatory mutation. We find that mRNA expression is less optimizable by trans-regulatory mutations than by cis-regulatory mutations due to a lower fraction of open adaptive paths via trans- than cis-changes\, which may partially explain why trans-regulatory changes are rarer than cis-regulatory changes in gene expression evolution. Interestingly\, the adaptive landscapes of protein expressions are substantially less rugged and thereby more navigable than those of mRNA expressions due to post-transcriptional buffering effects\, suggesting that\, for protein-coding genes\, the evolvability of gene expression is even higher than the current estimate from adaptive landscapes of mRNA expressions. This high evolvability may have contributed to the prominence of gene expression changes as a mechanism of evolutionary adaptation.\n\n\nAbout the DCMB Tools & Technology Seminar Series\n\nThe DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar Series is held in Medical Science Building 1 (MS1)\, Room 4B700\, each Thursday at 12pm EST. Each seminar highlights a computational tool\, technology\, or methodology that is under development or in current use and is of special interest to DCMB and University researchers. Presenters are U-M researchers and students.\n\nThese seminars are live-streamed and recorded and made available for future viewing via the DCMB YouTube Channel UID:143179-21892395@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143179 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - Room 4B700 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260109T103909 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260115T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260115T160000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering (BME 500) Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Implementing EEG-Based Brain-Computer Interface Access to Commercial Speech Generating Devices\nAbstract:\nBrain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have long been considered a promising option for people with complex communication needs. However\, most BCIs remain in the laboratory and the few BCIs on the market are not integrated into the clinically useful augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices available from long-established companies. With small business funding from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders\, Dr. Jane Huggins from the University of Michigan and Dr. Katya Hill from Gannon University have been working closely with an AAC device manufacturer to create wearable BCI access to an existing product line of speech generating devices. These efforts have produced a BCI add-on accessory that can access the language features of the speech generating devices. Laboratory and in-home testing focused on realistic communication tasks shows the effectiveness of the BCI for real-world communication and challenges and areas for future improvements. \nBio:\nDr. Huggins has been active in brain-computer interface (BCI) research since 1994. Her dissertation research on electrocorticogram (ECoG) for BCI access to assistive technology resulted in the founding of the University of Michigan Direct Brain Interface Laboratory\, which she has led since 2007. Dr. Huggins trained in computer engineering and biomedical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Michigan. She also completed a clinical rehabilitation engineering internship at the University of Michigan\, giving her a unique combination of skills for the development of BCI access to assistive technology and augmentative and alternative communication. Her current focus is on making electroencephalogram (EEG)-based BCIs interfaces practical for people who need them. Ongoing research directions include interfacing BCIs to commercially available assistive technologies\, improving BCI response time and no-control performance\, identifying features and support necessary for successful independent BCI use by people with physical impairments\, identifying the design preferences and priorities of potential BCI users\, BCI applications in cognitive testing\, and the identification and accommodation of user-specific characteristics that affect BCI function. She is particularly interested in the often ignored topic of how BCIs can remain available for communication but unobtrusive during periods when the user is not actively trying to make selections. Dr. Huggins was a founding member of the board of directors of the Brain-Computer Interface Society and now serves on the BCI Society's Communications Committee. Outside the lab\, Dr. Huggins enjoys knitting\, genealogy\, birdwatching\, cooking for her husband\, and being Mom to her college-age children. UID:143584-21893424@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143584 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251210T113622 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260118T230000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260118T235900 SUMMARY:Meeting:APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED TO JANUARY 18TH: Up to $30\,000 Grant For Student Sustainability Projects DESCRIPTION:The Student Sustainability Coalition is awarding up to $30\,000 for student driven projects that enhance sustainability or in some instances social sustainability for the University of Michigan's campus community. Attend grant office hours\, email\, or check out our webpage to learn more!\n\nLINK TO APPLY: https://forms.gle/k7ChrFbqbjkAnNjt8 UID:117733-21891124@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/117733 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:1027 E. Huron Building CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251219T112342 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260120T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260120T110000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Brain vasculature as a gatekeeper of the rejuvenating effects of exercise DESCRIPTION:Faculty Candidate Seminar UID:142975-21891869@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142975 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251219T112247 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260120T114500 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260120T124500 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Visualizing How the Gut Signals Danger DESCRIPTION:Faculty Candidate Seminar UID:142976-21891870@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142976 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Chemistry Dow Lab - 1640 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251222T160148 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260120T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260120T125000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:From Exposure Assessment to Community Intervention: Advancing Metabolic Health in Informal E-Waste Settings DESCRIPTION:Registration required https://myumi.ch/9p7bd\n\nDr. Sylvia Akpene Takyi is a Research Fellow at the Center for Global Health and Equity\, University of Michigan. She has over a decade of experience in environmental epidemiology\, community-engaged research\, and public health interventions\, with a focus on vulnerable populations\, including women and children exposed to environmental hazards. Dr. Takyi leads research on the health impacts of informal e-waste recycling\, environmental exposures\, and metabolic health outcomes\, and has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications. UID:143072-21892017@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143072 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260114T102118 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260120T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260120T130000 SUMMARY:Livestream / Virtual:Woll Family Speaker Series Presents: Dr. Ryan Antiel as Guest Speaker DESCRIPTION:ABOUT THIS EVENT: \nWhile the late medical sociologist Charles Bosk rightly observed that residency was fundamentally “a moral education\,” modern graduate medical training has too often narrowed its focus to efficiency\, throughput and technical mastery. But without deliberate attention to the moral formation of trainees\, how can we hope to cultivate clinicians whose professional identity can withstand the environmental hazards of commercialized medicine? Dr. Ryan Antiel confronts this question head-on. In this talk\, he explores why virtue\, character and the habits of moral perception are essential — not optional — in shaping physicians who can care wisely and humanely for the most vulnerable. \n\nDr. Antiel will present one such effort underway at Duke University: The Good Surgeon. Drawing on strategies from the Oxford Leadership Initiative\, this project seeks to counter professional corrosion by forming a parallel community rooted in friendship\, mutual accountability and honest inquiry. Within this space\, difficult questions are raised\, new practices are tested and the seeds of durable professional identity are cultivated. It is an experiment in rebuilding moral architecture from the inside out. \n \nDr. Antiel is a pediatric surgeon and medical ethicist at Duke University\, where he serves on the faculty of the Trent Center for Bioethics\, Humanities & History of Medicine. His research combines empirical approaches from the fields of epidemiology\, decision-making sciences and child outcomes with conceptual work grounded in moral philosophy and theology. He applies these approaches to address ethical challenges surrounding the care of seriously ill fetuses and neonates.  He is also interested in how surgical residency shapes the character of surgeons-in-training and how best to form the virtues of character necessary for good surgical practice. \n \nYou can check out his work in leading medical journals like JAMA Surgery and NEJM. We are excited to hear his thoughts on cultivating moral resilience and professional integrity in modern medicine. UID:143890-21894217@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143890 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251113T152512 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260120T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260120T170000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:CPOD Winter 2026 Seminar Series: “Circadian regulation of metabolism shapes adipose remodeling” DESCRIPTION:Chelsea Hepler\, Ph.D.\nAssistant Professor\nMolecular & Integrative Physiology\nUniversity of Michigan UID:141854-21889531@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141854 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - ABC Seminar Rooms CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260113T150352 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260122T093000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260122T110000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Dissertation Defense Seminar: Suji Ye DESCRIPTION:Plants rely on a two-tiered immune system\, consisting of pattern-triggered immunity (PTI initiated by cell-surface pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI) activated by intracellular NOD-like (NLR) immune receptors. These two types of immunity are essential for protecting plants from pathogen invasion balancing growth and defense to maintain immune homeostasis. \n\nCalcium (Ca2+) is a secondary messenger that plays an essential role in plant immunity by transmitting immune signals from PRR and NLR receptors to downstream immune response upon pathogen perception and regulating processes such as transcriptional reprogramming\, reactive oxygen species production\, and kinase activation. However\, imbalanced Ca2+ signaling can induce autoimmunity\, causing cell death in plants.\n \nWe are interested in how Ca2+ signaling is integrated into a regulatory network that maintains immune homeostasis. In this thesis\, I characterized three closely related cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels (CNGCs) acting as Ca2+ channels to suppress plant autoimmunity and regulate reproductive development. In Arabidopsis thaliana\, 20 CNGCs are classified into five groups (I\, II\, III\, IVa\, and IVb) based on sequence homology. Structurally\, Arabidopsis CNGCs contain six transmembrane domains\, a P-loop domain for ion selection\, a cyclic nucleotide-binding domain (CNBD)\, and a calmodulin-binding domain (CaMBD) for channel activity regulation. Our lab previously demonstrated that activation of CNGC19 and CNGC20\, upon phosphorylation by the receptor kinase BAK-to-life 2 (BTL2)\, induces massive intracellular Ca2+ influx\, leading to autoimmunity\, due to perturbation of the shared PRR-coreceptors BAK1/SERK4. In addition\, the chimeric CNGC11 and CNGC12\, which likely form an active calcium channel\, also cause autoimmunity. I systematically characterized CNGC11\, CNGC12\, and their closest homolog CNGC3 by generating single\, double\, and triple mutants with CRISPR-Cas gene editing. Importantly\, neither CNGC3\, 11\, nor 12 single or double mutants altered plant growth and immune responses. However\, the cngc3/11/12 triple mutants exhibited growth defects with varying levels of cell death. In addition\, the cngc3 single mutants showed infertility\, with shorter siliques and fewer seeds\, despite normal stamen and pistil structures. Using an Agrobacterium-mediated VIGS (virus-induced gene silencing) approach\, I show that the EDS1(ENHANCED DISEASE SUSCEPTIBILITY 1)-PAD4 (PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT 4)-ADR1s (ACTIVATED DISEASE RESISTANCE 1) module\, which plays a central role in toll/interleukin-1 receptor NLR (TNL)-mediated immunity\, is essential for the RNAi-CNGC3/11/12-induced cell death. RNA-sequencing analysis further suggests the involvement of additional Ca2+ channels\, pumps\, and TIR-domain-containing proteins in cngc3/11/12 cell death. These results suggest that the depletion of CNGC3\, 11\, and 12 activates additional Ca2+ channels\, which further activate the TIR-EDS1-PAD4-ADR1s module to induce cell death. \n\nCeramides are a class of sphingolipids known to induce programmed cell death in plants and animals with unclear mechanisms. Mutation of ceramide kinase ACD5\, which results in the accumulation of high levels of ceramides\, induces spontaneous cell death in plants. Using VIGS\, I found that RNAi-ACD5-induced cell death depends on the NLR SUMM2 and other components of the SUMM2 signaling pathway. In addition\, ceramide levels are elevated in autoimmune mutants when SUMM2 is activated. Furthermore\, ceramides activate the phosphatase activity of Protein Phosphatase 5 (PP5) and promote PP5 interaction with the co-chaperone protein HOP1\, which are essential for SUMM2 activation. Collectively\, our findings reveal a mechanism by which ceramides promote cell death in plants through activation of a phosphatase that subsequently activates NLR immune receptors.\n\nIn summary\, our studies underscore the importance of maintaining balanced Ca2+ signaling and ceramide levels for immune homeostasis in plants. UID:143855-21894126@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143855 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260105T120050 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260122T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260122T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar by Kai Li DESCRIPTION:About the DCMB Tools & Technology Seminar Series\n\nThe DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar Series is held in Medical Science Building 1 (MS1)\, Room 4B700\, each Thursday at 12pm EST. Each seminar highlights a computational tool\, technology\, or methodology that is under development or in current use and is of special interest to DCMB and University researchers. Presenters are U-M researchers and students.\n\nThese seminars are live-streamed and recorded and made available for future viewing via the DCMB YouTube Channel UID:143190-21892405@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143190 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - Room 4B700 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260112T112056 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260122T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260122T160000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering (BME 500) Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Non-invasive Histotripsy Cancer Treatment: The Road from Bench to Bedside\nAbstract:\nHistotripsy is the first non-invasive\, non-ionizing\, and non-thermal ablation technology that is based on ultrasound and invented by Dr. Xu and her colleagues at the University of Michigan. Imagine ultrasound delivered from outside the body is used to generate bubbles and destroy the target tumor\, without incision or injury. Pre-clinical studies have shown that ultrasound image-guided histotripsy can non-invasively and mechanically disrupt the target tumor into acellular debris while preserving large normal vessels\, nerves\, and bile ducts. Histotripsy tumor acellular debris is absorbed by the body\, resulting in tumor regression and increased survival benefit. Histotripsy induces significant innate and adaptive immune response and abscopal effect (shrinkage of off-target tumors) in murine tumor models. Multi-center clinical trials confirm that histotripsy produces tumor regression and provides evidence of abscopal effect in patients with primary and metastatic liver tumors. In October 2023\, the Edison histotripsy platform (HistoSonics) was approved by FDA for non-invasive treatment of liver tumors. The Edison system is based on the technology licensed from Dr. Xu’s lab and manufactured by HistoSonics\, a company co-founded by Dr. Xu. To Date\, histotripsy has been used to treat 3000 patients with liver tumors in 70+ hospitals. There are ongoing clinical trials in the U.S. and Europe on histotripsy treatment of renal tumors and pancreatic tumors. Dr. Xu will talk about the mechanism and instrumentation of histotripsy\, the latest pre-clinical and clinical progress\, and her journal to bring this technology from bench to bedside. \nBio:\nDr. Zhen Xu is the Li Ka Shing Endowed Professor of Biomedical Engineering\, and Professor of Radiology and Neurosurgery at the University of Michigan\, Ann Arbor\, MI. Her research focuses on ultrasound therapy and imaging. She is a pioneer and world leader of histotripsy. She has developed histotripsy for cancer\, neurological\, and cardiovascular applications. Her work has led to the FDA approval of histotripsy treatment of liver tumors. She has been elected as Fellow of National Academy of Inventors (NAI)\, American Institute of Medicine and Bioengineering (AIMBE)\, and IEEE. She received the IEEE Ultrasonics\, Ferroelectrics\, and Frequency Control (UFFC) Outstanding Paper Award in 2006\, Frederic Lizzi Award from the International Society of Therapeutic Ultrasound (ISTU) in 2015\, Lockhart Memorial Prize for Cancer Research in 2020\, and IEEE Carl Hellmuth Hertz Ultrasonics Award in 2024. She has published 140 peer-reviewed journal papers and has been awarded $50+ millions of external grant funding. She has 36 issued US and international patents. She is a principal investigator of grants funded by NIH\, Office of Navy Research\, American Cancer Association\, and Focused Ultrasound Foundation. She is the co-founder of HistoSonics. HistoSonics is valued at $3 billions through a recent private acquisition. UID:143705-21893683@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143705 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260114T125704 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260123T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260123T120000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:EEB RMC Friday Seminar Series - The Nature of Oak Species DESCRIPTION:Seminar Summary - Plant biologists have debated the nature of oak species for more than 200 years. Opinions range from the view that oak species hybridize relatively rarely to the view that related oaks form syngameons\, near-freely interbreeding complexes of species. Understanding species boundaries and gene flow in oaks is essential to conserving the ca. 425 global oak species on which humans and hundreds to thousands of arthropod\, fungus\, vertebrate\, and plant species depend. In this talk\, I provide an overview of how our understanding of oak species boundaries and hybrids has grown from the early 19th Century to today. Molecular data from the past two decades show that individual oaks exhibit a wide range of mixed-species ancestry\, with as many as 20% of individuals averaged across studies admixed at a level of 10% or higher. This means that hybridization is quite common in many oak species\, and some of the resulting gene flow may play a role in population adaptation and species migration. Nonetheless\, oaks form genetically distinct species\, and that species diversity is crucial to the function of forests\, savannas\, and other oak-dominated forests across much of the northern hemisphere. The lecture will include both historic and recent research. UID:143896-21894229@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143896 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Research Museums Center - Demo Room CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260120T160528 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260123T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260123T160000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Thriving in STEM | Pre-Health Pop-Up Advising DESCRIPTION:LSA Newnan Pre-Health Advising comes to YOU! Stop by to meet with a Pre-Health Advisor on a first-come\, first-served basis. While registration is available\, it is not required. We are looking forward to talking with you! UID:144220-21894884@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/144220 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:1720 Chemistry, SLC Alcove 5 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251202T083220 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260126T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260126T170000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:RCGD Seminar Series on Social Connection: Anastaskia Makhanova DESCRIPTION:Anastasia Makhanova\nUniversity of Arkansas\nJan. 26\, 2026\n\nABOUT THE SERIES\n\nThe Winter 2026 RCGD Seminar Series: The Ties that Bond: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Social Connection\n\nThis seminar series brings together senior and early-career scholars to explore fundamental questions about how we connect\, protect\, and care. Talks will highlight lifespan and comparative approaches to understanding social connection\, physiological implications of social and race-related stressors\, and diverse conceptualizations of what it means to belong—from romantic and parent–child relationships to group and societal dynamics to technology-mediated interactions.\n\nRobin Edelstein\, Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan and an affiliate of the Research Center for Group Dynamics\, has organized this series. She will introduce the series at this kick-off event that doubles as a faculty meeting.\n\nThe first seminar in the series will be Jan. 26. Join us on Mondays to learn about the biological\, social\, and developmental pathways that shape human connection.\n\nThese events are held Mondays from 3:30 to 5.\nIn person: ISR Thompson 1430\, unless otherwise specified.\nOrganized by Robin Edelstein\nAs permissions allow\, seminars are later posted to our YouTube playlist. UID:142304-21890442@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142304 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Institute For Social Research - 1430 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260121T113413 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260127T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260127T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:EEB Tuesday Seminar Series - Speciation\, extinction\, and the ecology of macroevolution DESCRIPTION:Description: The causes of biodiversity patterns at the largest scales of time and space remain poorly understood. In this talk\, I examine the relationship between these dynamic patterns of biological diversity and rates of evolutionary diversification\, and I evaluate progress in linking microevolutionary processes to speciation and extinction at macroevolutionary scales. I argue that biodiversity dynamics across space\, time\, and clades reflect an underlying causal unity shaped by ecological modulation of diversification. However\, further progress will require much deeper integration of traditional microevolutionary biology with population ecology and paleobiology. UID:144247-21894973@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/144247 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251118T133619 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260127T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260127T170000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:CPOD Winter 2026 Seminar Series: “Visualizing gene regulation post traumatic brain injury with spatial epigenetics” DESCRIPTION:Yang Xiao\, Ph.D.\nAssistant Professor\nPathology\nUniversity of Michigan UID:141985-21889737@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141985 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - ABC Seminar Rooms CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260126T121242 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260128T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260128T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Mathematical Biology Seminar: How much data is needed to validate multiscale models of viral infections? DESCRIPTION:Uncertainty in parameter estimates from fitting mathematical models to empirical data limits the model’s ability to uncover mechanisms of interaction. Understanding the effect of model structure and data availability on model predictions is important for informing model development and experimental design. To address sources of uncertainty in parameter estimation\, I will present methodologies that can help determine when a model can reveal its parameters. I will apply them in the context of virus infections in animals and humans at within-host\, population\, and multiscale levels. Using these approaches\, I will provide insight into the sources of uncertainty and provide guidelines for the types of model assumptions\, optimal experimental design\, and biological information needed for improved predictions.\n\nThis seminar is hybrid: meeting in Weiser 296 and via Zoom:\nhttps://umich.zoom.us/j/97725897086\nMeeting ID: 977 2589 7086\nPasscode: mathbio UID:143969-21895434@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143969 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Weiser Hall - 296 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260105T124948 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260129T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260129T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar by Haoran Li DESCRIPTION:Abstract\nRNA sequencing has been widely applied for gene isoform quantification\, but limitations exist in quantifying isoforms of complex genes accurately\, especially for short reads. Here we identify genes that are difficult to quantify accurately with short reads and illustrate the information benefit of using long reads to quantify these regions. We present miniQuant\, which ranks genes with quantification errors caused by the ambiguity of read alignments and integrates the complementary strengths of long reads and short reads with optimal combination in a gene- and data-specific manner to achieve more accurate quantification. These results are supported by rigorous mathematical proofs\, validated with a wide range of simulation data\, experimental validations and more than 17\,000 public datasets from GTEx\, TCGA and ENCODE consortia. We demonstrate miniQuant can uncover isoform switches during the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells to pharyngeal endoderm and primordial germ cell-like cells.\n\nAbout the DCMB Tools & Technology Seminar Series\n\nThe DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar Series is held in Medical Science Building 1 (MS1)\, Room 4B700\, each Thursday at 12pm EST. Each seminar highlights a computational tool\, technology\, or methodology that is under development or in current use and is of special interest to DCMB and University researchers. Presenters are U-M researchers and students.\n\nThese seminars are live-streamed and recorded and made available for future viewing via the DCMB YouTube Channel UID:143191-21892406@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143191 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - Room 4B700 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260106T152104 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260129T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260129T160000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Learning What Matters: Neural Mechanisms of Flexible Navigation\nAbstract:\nGoal-directed navigation in a dynamic world requires quickly identifying important locations and adapting behavioral plans to new information. In this talk I will describe neural circuit mechanisms of rapid spatial learning and of adapting to new information to guide navigation. Identifying crucial locations in a new environment depends on neural computations that rapidly represent locations and connect location information to key outcomes like food\, however the mechanisms to trigger these computations at behaviorally relevant locations is not well understood. We find that inhibitory interneurons in hippocampal CA3 play a causal role in identifying and exploiting new food locations. Inhibitory interneurons in CA3 drastically reduce firing on approach to and in goal locations. Sparse optogenetic stimulation to prevent goal-related decreases in interneuron firing impaired learning of goal locations and disrupted neural representations of goal locations. These results reveal that goal-selective decreases in inhibitory activity enable learning important locations. Navigation also requires rapidly updating choices in the face of new information. In hippocampus and prefrontal cortex\, neural activity representing future goals is theorized to support navigation planning. Yet how prospective goal representations incorporate new\, pivotal information is unknown. Using virtual reality\, we precisely introduced new crucial information during navigation and recorded neural activity as mice flexibly adapted their planned destinations. We found that new information triggered increased prospective representations and reorganization to rapidly shift to the new choice. This prospective code updating depended on the degree of behavioral adaptation needed. These studies reveal new mechanisms by which animals rapidly learn crucial new locations and adapt to new information that requires updating navigation plans.\n\nBio:\nDr. Annabelle Singer is the McCamish Foundation Early Career Professor in the Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. Her research seeks to understand how neural activity produces memories and regulates brain immune function\, with the goal of developing new therapies for brain disease. Dr. Singer’s work has shown that coordinated electrical activity across hippocampal neurons encodes memories and fails in models of Alzheimer’s disease. She discovered that driving specific patterns of neural activity\, such as gamma oscillations\, reduces Alzheimer’s pathology and alters brain immune function. Using non-invasive sensory stimulation\, she is translating these discoveries from rodents to humans to pioneer radically new treatments for disease.\n\nDr. Singer is a Packard Fellow\, Kavli Fellow\, and recipient of the National Academy of Engineering’s Gilbreth Lectureship\, the Society for Neuroscience’s Janett Rosenberg Trubatch Career Development Award\, and the American Neurological Association’s Derek Denny-Brown Young Neurological Scholar Award. Her discoveries have inspired more than 20 clinical trials of brain stimulation across multiple diseases and have been featured on PBS\, Nature News\, Quanta Magazine\, The New York Times\, Radiolab\, and multiple documentaries. Dr. Singer trained as a postdoctoral fellow in Ed Boyden’s Synthetic Neurobiology Group at MIT and earned her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at UCSF. UID:143328-21892907@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143328 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260120T163354 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260130T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260130T150000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Thriving in STEM | Opportunity Hub Pop-Up Coaching DESCRIPTION:LSA Opportunity Hub Pop-Up Coaching is ideal when you’re short on time and need to stop by for immediate support. Whether you have an upcoming interview\, a job or internship application due soon\, or simply want to learn more about coaching\, Pop-Up Coaching is a convenient option. While registration is available\, it is not required. UID:144221-21894885@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/144221 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:1720 Chemistry, SLC Flex Room CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251114T080201 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260203T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260203T170000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:CPOD Winter 2026 Seminar Series: \"Engineering regenerative microenvironments: Guiding cell plasticity through niche design and nanoscale mediators\" DESCRIPTION:Jae-Won Shin\, Ph.D.\nAssociate Professor\nDentistry-Biologic & Materials Science\nUniversity of Michigan UID:141861-21889542@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141861 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - ABC Seminar Rooms CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260120T155433 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260204T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260204T170000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:CCMB/DCMB Weekly Seminar Series featuring Toshiro Hara\, PhD (Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at UM Medical School) DESCRIPTION:Abstract\n\nA highly lethal brain tumor glioblastoma exhibits significant internal heterogeneity\, containing a range of tumor cells and associated stromal and immune components. Single-cell and spatial expression profiling have emerged as transformative tools to dissect this complexity and help predict cellular and system-level behaviors. Yet\, it remains the case that these insights have not engendered a more hopeful outlook\, such as diagnostic methods and therapeutic agents. This seminar will focus on two defining features of glioblastoma: inflammation and invasion. By examining these phenomena through the lens of cellular states and cell-cell interactions\, we aim to highlight avenues for intervention. Additional attention will be paid to technical aspects: computational and experimental integration to profile and perturb the glioblastoma ecosystem in patients and model systems. UID:143686-21893645@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143686 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 4B700 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260116T173434 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260205T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260205T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar by Patrick Kon DESCRIPTION:About the DCMB Tools & Technology Seminar Series\n\nThe DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar Series is held in Medical Science Building 1 (MS1)\, Room 4B700\, each Thursday at 12pm EST. Each seminar highlights a computational tool\, technology\, or methodology that is under development or in current use and is of special interest to DCMB and University researchers. Presenters are U-M researchers and students.\n\nThese seminars are live-streamed and recorded and made available for future viewing via the DCMB YouTube Channel UID:143258-21892563@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143258 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Medical Science Research Building 1 - Room 4B700 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260127T070323 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260205T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260205T160000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering (BME 500) Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Brain tumors are organized as active nematic liquid crystals\n\nAbstract:\nWhether gliomas consist of random accumulations of cells or are self-organizing remains unknown. If large scale order exists\, it should manifest as invariant structures across different tumors. Recently\, we described the existence of oncostreams\, fascicles of elongated mesenchymal-like cells that are found in gliomas in both rodent and human tumors. In this presentation\, I will discuss that glioma brain tumors in vivo\, and in vitro\, are structured as active nematic liquid crystals. Building on our previous work that gliomas exhibit self-organized\, aligned\, multicellular structures\, termed oncostreams\, I will show that gliomas display nematic order\, topological defects\, disclinations\, and quasi-long range order in 2D and in 3D. Significantly\, the amount of nematic order scales with tumor aggression - suggesting crystalline order contributes to tumor malignancy - constituting a novel potential therapeutic target for this incurable cancer. Potential novel therapeutic approaches based on this new understanding of the structure of gliomas will be discussed. \n\nBio:\nDr. Lowenstein graduated MD\, Ph.D. from the University of Buenos Aires\, Argentina. Following postdoctoral work at The Johns Hopkins University\, NIH\, and Oxford University he opened his first lab at the University of Dundee\, Scotland. Subsequently\, he has taught and researched at the University of Wales\, Cardiff\, the University of Manchester\, UK\, and UCLA and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center\, in Los Angeles\, CA. He has been at the University of Michigan since 2011. His interests lie in understanding and curing brain tumors. Most recently\, he has been exploring the physical organization of brain tumors\, as will be discussed during his presentation. UID:144608-21895563@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/144608 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260203T140941 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260210T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260210T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:EEB Tuesday Seminar Series: Context-dependent collaboration and conflict in microbial mutualisms DESCRIPTION:Description: Resource context often has a large effect on the ecology and evolution of nutritional mutualisms\, such as the symbiosis between leguminous plants and rhizobium bacteria. Increased soil nitrogen\, for example\, causes rhizobia to become less mutualistic\, but this may be due to direct or indirect effects. I experimentally evolved soil microbial communities to disentangle three possible drivers of reduced mutualism-- soil nitrogen\, light\, and host availability-- as well as whether mutualism quality would recover after fertilization cessation. Additionally\, I investigated possible non-additive effects of adding a second symbiont\, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi\, to the legume-rhizobium system\, because mycorrhizae are an additional carbon sink for plant hosts. UID:144989-21896243@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/144989 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260120T084802 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260210T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260210T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Regulated N-glycosylation controls chaperone function and receptor trafficking-Department of Biological Chemistry Seminar DESCRIPTION:Please join on for a seminar presented by Dr. Mandi Ma of Stanford University UID:144167-21894763@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/144167 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 5330 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251114T080452 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260210T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260210T170000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:CPOD Winter 2026 Seminar Series: \"When red cells talk to bone ‒ Crosstalk mechanisms in musculoskeletal disorders\" DESCRIPTION:Annemarie Lang\, D.V.M.\, Ph.D.\nAssistant Professor\nOrthopaedic Surgery\nUniversity of Michigan UID:141862-21889543@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141862 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - ABC Seminar Rooms CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260127T124933 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260210T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260210T170000 SUMMARY:Social / Informal Gathering:Pizza with Professors: Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience DESCRIPTION:Join us for an informal meeting to eat and network with faculty! All undergraduate students majoring or minoring in a UPiN program are encouraged to join department faculty for pizza and light conversation during the designated event time below. Students considering a major or minor in one of our programs are welcome to attend as well. Find out more about our majors on our website!\n\nPlease register for this and our other events here: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/20268 UID:112679-21895584@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/112679 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 BSB CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260106T103331 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260212T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260212T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar by Logan Walker DESCRIPTION:About the DCMB Tools & Technology Seminar Series\n\nThe DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar Series is held in Medical Science Building 1 (MS1)\, Room 4B700\, each Thursday at 12pm EST. Each seminar highlights a computational tool\, technology\, or methodology that is under development or in current use and is of special interest to DCMB and University researchers. Presenters are U-M researchers and students.\n\nThese seminars are live-streamed and recorded and made available for future viewing via the DCMB YouTube Channel UID:143259-21892588@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143259 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - Room 4B700 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260204T104352 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260212T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260212T160000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering (BME 500) Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:From Concept to Care: Leading R&D and Operations in the Medical Device Industry\nAbstract:\nThis seminar focuses on the career journey and real-world experiences of a Vice President of R&D and Operations Engineering in the medical device industry. Students will gain insight into how careers evolve across engineering\, innovation\, operations\, and leadership\, and what skills\, mindsets\, and decisions enable long-term success. The session offers practical guidance on navigating industry roles\, learning from early career choices\, and building a path at the intersection of engineering\, healthcare\, and business impact.\n\nBio:\nWith more than 25 years in the medical device industry\, Carlos M. Ortega (Vice President of R&D and Operations Engineering) has built a career at the intersection of innovation\, engineering execution\, and clinical impact. Having held leadership and functional roles at companies such as Terumo\, Medtronic\, and Johnson & Johnson\, he has contributed to the development and commercialization of technologies across cardiovascular\, neurovascular\, aortic\, and peripheral vascular therapies.\n\nHis experience spans predominantly R&D leadership\, complemented by roles in operations engineering and product marketing\, giving him a unique perspective on how ideas translate into manufacturable\, clinically meaningful products. Throughout his career\, he has led multidisciplinary teams\, navigated complex regulatory environments\, and helped organizations align technology development with patient and business needs.\n\nHe is passionate about the impact medical devices have on the lives or the patients they serve and in mentoring the next generation of professionals by sharing practical insights into building impactful careers in the medical device industry. UID:145043-21896577@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/145043 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260108T115719 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260212T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260212T170000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:EEB Thursday Seminar Series - The Ties That Bind: Evolutionary linkages between hosts\, viruses\, and genomes DESCRIPTION:Seminar Summary - Many evolutionary processes are linked\, such that patterns in one unit inform patterns in the other. Identifying and understanding those linkages across biological scales is essential for predicting patterns of biodiversity\, disease\, and evolution\, among other variables. Here\, I integrate phylogenetic\, ecological\, and genomic approaches to examine linked evolution of mammals\, viruses\, and genomes. Specifically\, I will (1) assess the phylogenetic distribution of virus diversity across the Class Mammalia\, relative to host species richness\; (2) integrate host-virus suitability landscapes to gauge multi-annual level of risk for Choclo hantavirus and its rodent host (Oligoryzomys)\; and (3) test how mito-nuclear linkages shape hybrid dynamics in red-backed voles (Clethrionomys). Collectively\, these analyses demonstrate that evolutionary patterns in hosts\, viruses\, and genomes are tightly coupled\, such that processes operating across deep phylogeny\, geographic space\, and within-species genomic architecture mutually inform one another. UID:143481-21893254@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143481 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260113T145343 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260213T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260213T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:MCDB Seminar> When Division Leaves a Message: Midbody Remnants as a New Type of Actively Translating Extracellular Vesicle DESCRIPTION:The midbody remnant (MBR) is now recognized as a unique\, large extracellular vesicle (EV) that originates from the midbody structure formed during cytokinesis. Recent studies show that MBRs harbor active translation machinery and a distinctive set of RNAs and proteins\, including key cell fate\, pluripotency\, and oncogenic transcripts. Unlike canonical small EVs\, these post-abscission MBRs maintain regulated protein synthesis and can influence recipient cell behavior\, indicative of their novel role in intercellular communication. The identification of MBRs as translating EVs not only broadens our understanding of EV diversity but also offers new opportunities for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in cancer\, stem cell biology\, and tissue regeneration.\n\nHost: Babli Adhikary\, MCDB Community Engagement Committee UID:143850-21894123@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143850 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260120T100755 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260216T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260216T170000 SUMMARY:Livestream / Virtual:Biology & Neuroscience Major Information Sessions DESCRIPTION:Prospective students interested in learning more about our majors\, honors\, and independent research in the Program in Biology and Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience are invited to attend our information sessions. Peer Advisors facilitating these sessions will provide an overview of major requirements\, core courses\, unique opportunities\, and more. You'll have the opportunity to ask questions you have\, too. Please sign up to attend the session(s) at the links below. Sessions will be added below once confirmed. A Zoom link will be provided upon registration. \n\nUpcoming events include:\n\nMCDB Info. Session: Monday\, February 16th\, 4-5pm\nBHS Major Info. Session: Monday\, February 16th\, 5-6pm\nEEB Major Info. Session: Tuesday\, February 17th\, 5-6pm\nNEURO Major Info. Session: Tuesday\, February 17th\, 5-6pm\n\nRegister for one or more sessions here: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/21471 UID:132770-21894781@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/132770 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260120T100755 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260216T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260216T180000 SUMMARY:Livestream / Virtual:Biology & Neuroscience Major Information Sessions DESCRIPTION:Prospective students interested in learning more about our majors\, honors\, and independent research in the Program in Biology and Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience are invited to attend our information sessions. Peer Advisors facilitating these sessions will provide an overview of major requirements\, core courses\, unique opportunities\, and more. You'll have the opportunity to ask questions you have\, too. Please sign up to attend the session(s) at the links below. Sessions will be added below once confirmed. A Zoom link will be provided upon registration. \n\nUpcoming events include:\n\nMCDB Info. Session: Monday\, February 16th\, 4-5pm\nBHS Major Info. Session: Monday\, February 16th\, 5-6pm\nEEB Major Info. Session: Tuesday\, February 17th\, 5-6pm\nNEURO Major Info. Session: Tuesday\, February 17th\, 5-6pm\n\nRegister for one or more sessions here: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/21471 UID:132770-21894782@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/132770 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260119T204130 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260216T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260216T183000 SUMMARY:Conference / Symposium:Latine Research Week 2026 DESCRIPTION:Puentes presents: Latine Research Week 2026 on February 16th - 19th\, 2026 in the Rackham Graduate School. Latine Research Week (LRW) is a multidisciplinary conference that celebrates the scholarship of University of Michigan students\, researchers\, and faculty who conduct research about and wish to learn about Latine experiences. LRW provides a unique\, interdisciplinary space where scholars across campus can share their research and build new connections. From February 16 to February 19\, 2026\, researchers will be able to showcase their work in oral presentation sessions\, a poster session\, and various sponsored events. Additionally\, LRW will feature a keynote address and opportunities to connect with scholars from across disciplines.\n\nWe encourage members of our community to engage in this program in a variety of ways.\n\n(1) Sign up to Volunteer: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfUBgi4voz123toP-3G6XMamGUG4X5QWbztTNTuS4wFNzDFaw/viewform\n\n(2) Attend the Conference (RSVP Required): https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/15065\n\n(3) Nominate an awardee: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScXGEYreZ16FsXzJQwwD9aKWbSzxLbGg5nwkGSvC9CYsJw2zg/viewform\n\nAny questions regarding LRW should be directed to puentes.admin@umich.edu. UID:141734-21889239@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141734 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Rackham Graduate School (Horace H.) CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260119T204130 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260217T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260217T180000 SUMMARY:Conference / Symposium:Latine Research Week 2026 DESCRIPTION:Puentes presents: Latine Research Week 2026 on February 16th - 19th\, 2026 in the Rackham Graduate School. Latine Research Week (LRW) is a multidisciplinary conference that celebrates the scholarship of University of Michigan students\, researchers\, and faculty who conduct research about and wish to learn about Latine experiences. LRW provides a unique\, interdisciplinary space where scholars across campus can share their research and build new connections. From February 16 to February 19\, 2026\, researchers will be able to showcase their work in oral presentation sessions\, a poster session\, and various sponsored events. Additionally\, LRW will feature a keynote address and opportunities to connect with scholars from across disciplines.\n\nWe encourage members of our community to engage in this program in a variety of ways.\n\n(1) Sign up to Volunteer: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfUBgi4voz123toP-3G6XMamGUG4X5QWbztTNTuS4wFNzDFaw/viewform\n\n(2) Attend the Conference (RSVP Required): https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/15065\n\n(3) Nominate an awardee: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScXGEYreZ16FsXzJQwwD9aKWbSzxLbGg5nwkGSvC9CYsJw2zg/viewform\n\nAny questions regarding LRW should be directed to puentes.admin@umich.edu. UID:141734-21889240@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141734 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Rackham Graduate School (Horace H.) CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260202T132529 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260217T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260217T110000 SUMMARY:Livestream / Virtual:Careers in the Biosciences (Virtual Panel) DESCRIPTION:University of Michigan staff discuss their career paths\, including graduate/medical training\, academic/industry research\, consulting\, and teaching.\n\nVirtual panel - RSVP for link: https://linktr.ee/FIRST_Org\n\nPanelists:\nDr. Zie Craig\, PhD\nDr. Emma Thornton-Kolbe\, PhD\nDr. Chris Ting\, MD UID:144925-21896158@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/144925 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260120T110352 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260217T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260217T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Quantitative Proteomics of Macroautophagy Reveals Membrane Receptors for Golgi Remodeling- Department of Biological Chemistry Seminar DESCRIPTION:Dr. Kelsey Hickey will present a seminar on Tuesday February 17th\, 2026 UID:144180-21894791@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/144180 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 5330 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260120T100755 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260217T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260217T180000 SUMMARY:Livestream / Virtual:Biology & Neuroscience Major Information Sessions DESCRIPTION:Prospective students interested in learning more about our majors\, honors\, and independent research in the Program in Biology and Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience are invited to attend our information sessions. Peer Advisors facilitating these sessions will provide an overview of major requirements\, core courses\, unique opportunities\, and more. You'll have the opportunity to ask questions you have\, too. Please sign up to attend the session(s) at the links below. Sessions will be added below once confirmed. A Zoom link will be provided upon registration. \n\nUpcoming events include:\n\nMCDB Info. Session: Monday\, February 16th\, 4-5pm\nBHS Major Info. Session: Monday\, February 16th\, 5-6pm\nEEB Major Info. Session: Tuesday\, February 17th\, 5-6pm\nNEURO Major Info. Session: Tuesday\, February 17th\, 5-6pm\n\nRegister for one or more sessions here: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/21471 UID:132770-21894783@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/132770 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260210T094456 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260217T220000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260217T230000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:Thriving in STEM | \"Art of the Heart\" Book Discussion DESCRIPTION:WHAT IS THE MISSING LINK IN TODAY'S MEDICAL CARE DELIVERY?\n\nMedical school training has historically relied on the biological sciences\, and their application\, for diagnosis and treatment\, with technology an adjunct to care. Although many major medical schools now incorporate “doctoring” into their curriculum\, traditional medical training lacked an emphasis on the psycho-social aspects of the doctor-patient relationship.\n\nJoin the “Art of the Heart: The Doctor-Patient Partnership” book discussion to explore the solution as author\, Jay H. Kleiman\, M.D.\, recounts the profound career moments that define the doctor-patient partnership\, illuminating the path toward preventing physician burnout. \n\nHOW DO I GET THE BOOK?\n\nBook copies are available on Amazon for $10\, in both paperback and Kindle versions (and free for students with Kindle Unlimited).  If you need financial assistance purchasing the book\, complete this GoogleForm (myumi.ch/z98zn) by Tuesday\, February 17 to have a copy provided for you. \n\nWHAT CAN I EXPECT AT THE BOOK DISCUSSION EVENT?\n\nA virtual Book Discussion will be held on Wednesday\, March 11 from 5 - 6 PM with the author\, Jay H. Kleiman\, M.D.\, and his wife\, Georgi.  This will provide you the opportunity to directly engage with the author and his spouse to learn from their lived experiences.  A set of discussion prompts and questions is available to view in advance\; however\, live questions from participants are highly encouraged. UID:145168-21896754@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/145168 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260119T204130 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260218T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260218T180000 SUMMARY:Conference / Symposium:Latine Research Week 2026 DESCRIPTION:Puentes presents: Latine Research Week 2026 on February 16th - 19th\, 2026 in the Rackham Graduate School. Latine Research Week (LRW) is a multidisciplinary conference that celebrates the scholarship of University of Michigan students\, researchers\, and faculty who conduct research about and wish to learn about Latine experiences. LRW provides a unique\, interdisciplinary space where scholars across campus can share their research and build new connections. From February 16 to February 19\, 2026\, researchers will be able to showcase their work in oral presentation sessions\, a poster session\, and various sponsored events. Additionally\, LRW will feature a keynote address and opportunities to connect with scholars from across disciplines.\n\nWe encourage members of our community to engage in this program in a variety of ways.\n\n(1) Sign up to Volunteer: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfUBgi4voz123toP-3G6XMamGUG4X5QWbztTNTuS4wFNzDFaw/viewform\n\n(2) Attend the Conference (RSVP Required): https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/15065\n\n(3) Nominate an awardee: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScXGEYreZ16FsXzJQwwD9aKWbSzxLbGg5nwkGSvC9CYsJw2zg/viewform\n\nAny questions regarding LRW should be directed to puentes.admin@umich.edu. UID:141734-21889241@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141734 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Rackham Graduate School (Horace H.) CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260127T104706 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260218T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260218T140000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:Great Lakes Seminar Series: Charlyn Partridge DESCRIPTION:About the presentation: Hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae\, HWA) is a small invasive insect threatening hemlock forests throughout the eastern United States and Canada. Eastern hemlocks are a foundation tree species found in sensitive coastal dunes and riparian zones. Once infested\, HWA feeds on the nutrients of hemlocks\, often resulting in hemlock mortality within 4 – 10 years. This can lead to landscape-level changes in biodiversity as infestations progress. Management efforts in Michigan are underway to control this invasive pest with a key focus on early detection. Current monitoring methods involve visual assessment of hemlocks for the presence of HWA ovisacs. However\, this is a demanding task considering there are an estimated 170 million hemlock trees in Michigan. Our lab is using a combination of airborne environmental DNA (eDNA) methods and population genomics analysis to help detect new infestations and gain insight into the historical spread of HWA throughout eastern North America. The information we gain from our work\, will hopefully contribute to faster detections and more accurate range expansion models as HWA continues to spread throughout the Great Lakes region.\n\nAbout the speaker: Dr. Charlyn Partridge is an Associate Professor at Annis Water Resources Institute – Grand Valley State University. Her research uses genetic and genomic tools to aid in conservation and management efforts. Her current projects involve using environmental DNA approaches for targeted species detection and understanding how invasive species rapidly adapt to new environments.\n\nAs of July 2025 the GLERL facility can no longer accept visitors for the Great Lakes Seminar Series due to staffing shortages. Please attend virtually using the link above. UID:144613-21895569@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/144613 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260203T112836 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260218T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260218T170000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:CCMB/DCMB Weekly Seminar Series featuring Jack Van Horn\, PhD (Professor of Psychology and Data Science University of Virginia) DESCRIPTION:Abstract\nHow does information move through the brain\, and could the physical shape of a system be just as important as its connections? In this lecture\, I will explore a new way of thinking about neural networks—where signals travel as waves across curved surfaces\, and learning happens by slowly reshaping the space through which those waves flow. Using networks inspired by cells arranged as 3D “digital neural organoids”\, I will illustrate how activity spreads across layered\, spherical networks\, forming wavefronts\, spirals\, and rhythmic patterns. These waves are not just visual curiosities: their timing\, direction\, and stability determine how well information reaches key regions of the system. By modulating the positions of individual nodes\, the network trains itself\, focusing signals inward\, synchronizing their arrival\, and reducing noise—much like adjusting the shape of a lens to bring an image into view. The lecture will include animated visualizations of nested organoid surfaces changing over time\, directing signals toward a central core\, and sometimes swirling into persistent spatial patterns that can store information. No particularly advanced mathematics is required. Instead\, I hope to build intuition around familiar ideas—waves\, flow\, and geometry—to show how learning and computation might emerge from space itself. This fresh perspective opens new ways to think about brain development\, artificial intelligence\, and the future of biologically inspired computing. UID:143689-21893651@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143689 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 4B700 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260119T204130 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260219T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260219T180000 SUMMARY:Conference / Symposium:Latine Research Week 2026 DESCRIPTION:Puentes presents: Latine Research Week 2026 on February 16th - 19th\, 2026 in the Rackham Graduate School. Latine Research Week (LRW) is a multidisciplinary conference that celebrates the scholarship of University of Michigan students\, researchers\, and faculty who conduct research about and wish to learn about Latine experiences. LRW provides a unique\, interdisciplinary space where scholars across campus can share their research and build new connections. From February 16 to February 19\, 2026\, researchers will be able to showcase their work in oral presentation sessions\, a poster session\, and various sponsored events. Additionally\, LRW will feature a keynote address and opportunities to connect with scholars from across disciplines.\n\nWe encourage members of our community to engage in this program in a variety of ways.\n\n(1) Sign up to Volunteer: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfUBgi4voz123toP-3G6XMamGUG4X5QWbztTNTuS4wFNzDFaw/viewform\n\n(2) Attend the Conference (RSVP Required): https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/15065\n\n(3) Nominate an awardee: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScXGEYreZ16FsXzJQwwD9aKWbSzxLbGg5nwkGSvC9CYsJw2zg/viewform\n\nAny questions regarding LRW should be directed to puentes.admin@umich.edu. UID:141734-21889242@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141734 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Rackham Graduate School (Horace H.) CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260209T112338 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260219T113000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260219T123000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:MCDB Seminar> How do glia develop and shape the nervous system? DESCRIPTION:MCDB Special Seminar: How do glia develop and shape the nervous system? UID:145251-21896929@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/145251 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Chemistry Dow Lab - 1640 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260106T103655 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260219T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260219T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar by Mukai Wang DESCRIPTION:Abstract\nMicrobiome differential abundance analysis remains a challenging problem despite multiple methods proposed in the literature. The excessive zeros and compositionality of metagenomics data are two main challenges for differential abundance analysis. We propose a novel method called “analysis of differential abundance by pooling Tobit models” (ADAPT) to overcome these two challenges. ADAPT uniquely treats zero counts as left-censored observations to facilitate computation and enhance interpretation. ADAPT also encompasses a theoretically justified way of selecting non-differentially abundant microbiome taxa as a reference for hypothesis testing. We generate synthetic data using independent simulation frameworks to show that ADAPT has more consistent false discovery rate control and higher statistical power than competitors. We use ADAPT to analyze 16S rRNA sequencing of saliva samples and shotgun metagenomics sequencing of plaque samples collected from infants in the COHRA2 study. The results provide novel insights into the association between the oral microbiome and early childhood dental caries.\n\nAbout the DCMB Tools & Technology Seminar Series\n\nThe DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar Series is held in Medical Science Building 1 (MS1)\, Room 4B700\, each Thursday at 12pm EST. Each seminar highlights a computational tool\, technology\, or methodology that is under development or in current use and is of special interest to DCMB and University researchers. Presenters are U-M researchers and students.\n\nThese seminars are live-streamed and recorded and made available for future viewing via the DCMB YouTube ChannelAbout the DCMB Tools & Technology Seminar Series\n\nThe DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar Series is held in Medical Science Building 1 (MS1)\, Room 4B700\, each Thursday at 12pm EST. Each seminar highlights a computational tool\, technology\, or methodology that is under development or in current use and is of special interest to DCMB and University researchers. Presenters are U-M researchers and students.\n\nThese seminars are live-streamed and recorded and made available for future viewing via the DCMB YouTube Channel UID:143260-21892595@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143260 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - Room 4B700 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260210T142826 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260219T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260219T160000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering (BME 500) Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Advancing Ultrasound Therapy and Imaging: Towards High-Precision\, Real-time Solutions\n\nAbstract:\nAchieving high-precision diagnosis and therapy with ultrasound is challenging due to the heterogeneous nature of biological tissues. This seminar will present recent technological advances in ultrasound to improve both imaging performance and therapeutic capability.\n\nThe first part of the seminar will introduce transcranial histotripsy as a non-invasive brain therapy. Histotripsy is a non-thermal\, non-ionizing ultrasound therapy that mechanically fractionates target tissue through acoustic cavitation generated by short\, high-intensity ultrasound pulses. Transcranial histotripsy is particularly challenging because the intact human skull introduces severe attenuation and phase aberration. This seminar will discuss the specialized instrumentation for transcranial histotripsy\, methods to ensure precise targeting and real-time monitoring (including skull aberration correction and cavitation imaging)\, and feasibility and safety evaluation of transcranial histotripsy in preclinical studies.\n\nThe second half of the seminar will focus on ultrafast ultrasound imaging using large-aperture arrays. By combining ultrafast acquisition techniques with parallel computing\, this approach enables high-resolution volumetric imaging over a large field of view at video-rate frame rates. Two clinically relevant applications will be presented: panoramic spine imaging for diagnosis and interventional guidance\, and breast ultrasound tomography for early cancer screening. Finally\, we will discuss remaining technical challenges for clinical translation and highlight how advances in ultrafast imaging can be integrated with histotripsy to enable safer\, more precise therapies.\n\nBio:\nDr. Ning Lu is a Senior Ultrasound Engineer at United Imaging Healthcare North America in Bellevue\, Washington. She completed her postdoctoral training in the Department of Radiology at Stanford University under the mentorship of Prof. Katherine W. Ferrara\, where she developed high-resolution 3D ultrasound imaging techniques for diagnostic and interventional guidance. Dr. Lu received her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering and Scientific Computing (joint degree) from the University of Michigan in 2023\, working with Prof. Zhen Xu on MR-guided transcranial histotripsy for non-invasive brain therapy. Her research interests include biomedical ultrasound\, medical instrumentation\, parallel computing\, and AI-driven imaging science. Her long-term career goal is to develop high-precision\, affordable\, personalized ultrasound solutions for therapy\, diagnosis\, and health monitoring. UID:145330-21897104@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/145330 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260130T150414 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260220T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260220T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:MCDB Seminar> A network mechanism for perceptual learning DESCRIPTION:Organisms continually tune their perceptual systems to the features they encounter in their environment. We have studied how this experience reorganizes the synaptic connectivity of neurons in the olfactory (piriform) cortex of the mouse. We developed an approach to measure synaptic connectivity in vivo\, training a deep convolutional network to reliably identify monosynaptic connections from the spike-time cross-correlograms of 4.4 million single-unit pairs. This revealed that excitatory piriform neurons with similar odor tuning are more likely to be connected. We asked whether experience enhances this like-to-like connectivity\, but found that it was unaffected by odor exposure. Experience did\, however\, alter the logic of interneuron connectivity. Following repeated encounters with a set of odorants\, inhibitory neurons that responded differentially to these stimuli exhibited a high degree of both incoming and outgoing synaptic connections within the cortical network. This reorganization depended only on the odor tuning of the inhibitory interneuron and not on the tuning of its pre- or postsynaptic partners. A computational model of this reorganized connectivity predicts that it increases the dimensionality of the entire network’s responses to familiar stimuli\, thereby enhancing their discriminability. We confirmed that this network-level property is present in physiological measurements\, which showed increased dimensionality and separability of the evoked responses to familiar versus novel odorants. Thus a simple\, non-Hebbian reorganization of interneuron connectivity may selectively enhance an organism’s discrimination of the features of its environment. UID:144862-21896053@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/144862 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260122T101612 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260223T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260223T130000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:Under Pressure: Keratin 9 regulates mechanosensitive YAP1 signaling in the palmoplantar epidermis DESCRIPTION:CDB Dissertation Defense \n\nWe are pleased to announce that Sarah Steiner\, Ph.D. Candidate (Pierre Coulombe\, Mentor) will present her Dissertation Defense titled \"Under Pressure: Keratin 9 regulates mechanosensitive YAP1 signaling in the palmoplantar epidermis\,\" on Monday\, February 23\, 2026\, at 12 p.m. at the BSRB Kahn Auditorium and via live stream: https://umich.zoom.us/j/5585678659?omn=91644760005\, Passcode: K9-YAP1. UID:144292-21895127@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/144292 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - BSRB Kahn Auditorium CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251202T085007 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260223T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260223T170000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:RCGD Seminar Series on Social Connection: Chris Dunkel Schetter DESCRIPTION:Chris Dunkel Schetter\nUCLA\, RCGD\n\nFeb. 23\, 2026\n\nABOUT THE SERIES\n\nThe Winter 2026 RCGD Seminar Series: The Ties that Bond: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Social Connection\n\nThis seminar series brings together senior and early-career scholars to explore fundamental questions about how we connect\, protect\, and care. Talks will highlight lifespan and comparative approaches to understanding social connection\, physiological implications of social and race-related stressors\, and diverse conceptualizations of what it means to belong—from romantic and parent–child relationships to group and societal dynamics to technology-mediated interactions.\n\nRobin Edelstein\, Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan and an affiliate of the Research Center for Group Dynamics\, has organized this series. She will introduce the series at this kick-off event that doubles as a faculty meeting.\n\nThe first seminar in the series will be Jan. 26. Join us on Mondays to learn about the biological\, social\, and developmental pathways that shape human connection.\n\nThese events are held Mondays from 3:30 to 5.\nIn person: ISR Thompson 1430\, unless otherwise specified.\nOrganized by Robin Edelstein\nAs permissions allow\, seminars are later posted to our YouTube playlist. UID:142307-21890445@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142307 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Institute For Social Research - 1430 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20250909T123345 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260224T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260224T163000 SUMMARY:Social / Informal Gathering:Pizza with Professors: Program in Biology DESCRIPTION:Join us for an informal meeting to eat and network with faculty! All undergraduate students majoring or minoring in a PiB program are encouraged to join department faculty for pizza and light conversation during the designated event time below. Students considering a major or minor in one of our programs are welcome to attend as well. Find out more about our majors on our website!\n\nPlease register for this event here: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/20268 UID:112678-21895585@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/112678 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 BSB CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251114T080730 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260224T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260224T170000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:CPOD Winter 2026 Seminar Series: \"How cells force the gut into shape\" DESCRIPTION:Tyler Huycke\, Ph.D.\nAssistant Professor\nMolecular\, Cellular\, & Developmental Biology\nUniversity of Michigan UID:141863-21889544@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/141863 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - ABC Seminar Rooms CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260218T093228 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260225T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260225T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:MCDB Dissertation Defense Seminar> Revisiting the role of DNA polymerase I in maintaining the genome integrity of Bacillus subtilis DESCRIPTION:One of the essential biological findings of the past century was the discovery of DNA polymerase\, which revealed the core mechanism by which DNA is faithfully replicated and repaired in cells. While polymerases were first described in bacteria\, homologous proteins are present in all domains and contribute to multi-faceted systems that employ multiple DNA polymerases to optimize both fidelity and processivity. Of these\, one of the most adaptable enzymes is the originally discovered bacterial polymerase\, DNA polymerase I (Pol I). This protein has three distinct domains that confer different functions: a 5′-3′ flap endonuclease (FEN) for removing downstream nucleic acids\, a 3′-5′ exonuclease for proofreading the nascent strand\, and a 5′-3′ polymerase for synthesizing DNA. These three activities allow Pol I to contribute broadly to DNA repair and replication\, though its canonical roles are primer removal and Okazaki fragment maturation. \n\nThe role of Pol I in primer removal\, however\, was established using Pol I from the gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli and does not consider diverging functions that may have developed as bacterial lineages evolved separately. Using genetic screens and biochemical assays\, we characterized Pol I and a Pol I-independent FEN from Bacillus subtilis (FEN\, formerly YpcP). We demonstrate that FEN is actively involved in Okazaki fragment maturation in vivo\, as cells lacking fenA are sensitive to the accumulation of RNA-DNA hybrids and this phenotype is not rescued by over-expression of polA. Using a variety of substrates\, we show that FEN is a more active nuclease than Pol I. FEN showed significant activity on substrates mimicking intermediates formed during Okazaki fragment maturation (5′\, 3′ double-flap\, 5′ flap\, nicked duplex\, and 3′ overhang)\, whereas Pol I preferentially acted on DNA-only nicked and 3′ overhang structures. These substrate preferences indicate that the major role of FEN is Okazaki fragment maturation while Pol I nuclease function is more important for DNA repair. As Pol I nuclease activity was not stimulated by concurrent DNA synthesis\, we propose that in bacteria that encode a second\, active FEN\, RNA primers are primarily removed by FEN rather than Pol I. \n\nA more recent repair activity attributed to A-family polymerases\, such as Pol I\, is RNA-templated lesion bypass. As our FEN data suggest that the primary role of BsPol I is in DNA repair\, we investigated whether Pol I could use ribonucleotides as a template for DNA synthesis. Since RNA is often found incorporated in DNA\, either as part of R-patches or R-tracts\, this category of damage represents a significant barrier to successful replication. We show that BsPol I performs efficient primer extension using both a template composed entirely of RNA or a DNA template containing embedded ribonucleotides. We also assayed other bacterial Pol Is and found that they possess similar capabilities as BsPol I\, though the efficiency of this synthesis varies by species. This activity is not performed by the B. subtilis replicative polymerases\, PolC and DnaE\, as we found that neither are capable of sustained synthesis using a template that contains ribonucleotides. PolC was arrested by the inclusion of a single ribonucleotide in the template\, while DnaE was able to synthesize DNA using a template that contained a stretch of 5 ribonucleotides. Together\, these data support RNA-templated DNA synthesis by Pol I as a viable pathway for replication forks to navigate ribonucleotides incorporated in DNA. UID:145240-21896916@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/145240 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260116T094713 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260225T121500 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260225T183000 SUMMARY:Conference / Symposium:2nd Annual Transplant Center Research Symposium DESCRIPTION:We cordially invite you to join us for our Transplant Center Research Symposium on Wednesday\, February 25\, 2026\, in Ann Arbor\, Michigan. Guests are welcome to check in and view our poster session beginning at 12:15 p.m.The symposium will take place from 12:45-5:00 p.m. and will be followed by a reception including beer & wine (with proper ID)\, hors d’oeuvres\, and conversation from 5:00-6:30 p.m. We are delighted to host this celebration of the innovations in transplantation and to enhance collaboration. \n\nThis FREE symposium highlights current innovations in transplantation and the advances shaping its future. The session will focus on the innovations in artificial organs and xenotransplantation\, policy changes in organ allocation\, innovative surgical techniques\, maximizing the use of donation after circulatory death using machine perfusion\, pre-transplant cardiac evaluation and state of the art management of donor derived infections in solid organ transplant recipients. \n\nPresentations will also be live-streamed. Please note on the registration form if you plan to attend online or in person. Register by February 13\, 2026.\n\nAccreditation\nThe University of Michigan Medical School is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.\n\nCredit Designation\nAMA PRA Category 1 \nThe University of Michigan Medical School designates this Live Activity for a maximum of 3.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.\n\nABIM MOC \nSuccessful completion of this CME activity\, which includes participation in the evaluation component\, enables the participant to earn up to 3.50 MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.\n\nSocial Work\nThis course is approved by NASW-Michigan for 3.5 CE hours. (Approval number UMTC071625-00).\n\nTransplant Certification\nThe American Board for Transplant Certification (ABTC) has approved this educational offering for up to 3.5 Category 1 Continuing Education Points for Transplant Certification (CEPTCs). (Approved CEPTC Provider Number 141-70).\n\n\n\n\n*Call for Abstracts & Poster Session*\nThe Transplant Center is now accepting abstracts for this event. Abstracts must be submitted here by Friday\, January 23\, 2026\, at 5 p.m.\nhttps://umich.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bIyTYhWes0prHFQ#msdynmkt_trackingcontext=81f0c330-94d8-40f7-92fe-5f6709fa0200\n\nSpecifications:\n• Should be submitted via Microsoft Word.\n• Upload all referenced figures/charts/tables under the section “Abstract Submission Upload.” Graphs\, etc.\, must be labeled and legible with no identifiable information in the label or graphics/charts/tables themselves.\n• Use standard abbreviations such as kg\, g\, mg\, ml\, %\, etc.\n• Place special or unusual abbreviations in parentheses after the full word the first time it appears.\n• Use numerals to indicate numbers\, except to begin a sentence.\n• For therapeutic options/drugs\, use only generic names.\n• Ensure all authors are listed (first and last names and degrees held by each).\n• Be sure to select “Primary Author“ for one of the authors listed. This will be the person who is contacted about the abstract submission.\n• Proper citing of references when applicable.\n\nSubmission:\n• Submissions should fall under one of the primary categories\n1. Thoracic Transplantation and End-Stage Organ Diseases\n2. Abdominal Transplantation and End-Stage Organ Diseases\n3. Transplantation and End-Stage Organ Diseases - Not Organ Specific\n• We are accepting 30 submissions. Additional submissions may be considered for digital display only. All submissions will be reviewed by our Abstract Review Committee. \n• If selected\, we will require you to print your poster with foam backing and arrive at the BSRB by 12:00 p.m.\n• Use the following naming convention for your submission: FirstAuthorLastName_Category_ShortTitle.docx.\n• If you submitted a poster at last year’s symposium\, please do not submit the same one this year. \n \nPresentations:\n• Six submissions\, selected by the Transplant Center Abstract Review Committee\, will be selected to present their poster during a rapid-fire presentation in Kahn between 2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. \n• All other submissions will display their poster during the 12:15 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. in the BSRB seminar rooms. Posters will also be available throughout the symposium. \n• You or a delegate should be near your poster to answer any questions from 12:15 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. \n \nPlease email Kelly Shaffer (shaffeke@med.umich.edu)\, Transplant Clinical Research Manager\, with any questions or concerns. UID:142314-21892155@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142314 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - Kahn Auditorium CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260206T161202 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260225T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260225T173000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:An Operatic Reimagining of The Handmaid’s Tale: Gender\, Power\, and Reproductive Justice DESCRIPTION:In 1985\, Margaret Atwood\, The Handmaid’s Tale\, envisioned a theocratic regime that systematically stripped women and gender-diverse people of their reproductive freedom. Although Atwood’s narrative is fiction\, the realities of forced reproduction and restricted bodily autonomy have long impacted women of color\, low-income women\, disabled women\, and people of diverse gender identities\, making this story compelling and profoundly relevant today. The novel’s evolution into a television show and now\, an opera reflects its sustained cultural and political resonance. This event\, co-hosted by the Detroit Opera and the University of Michigan’s Center for History\, Humanities\, Arts\, Social Sciences\, and Ethics in Medicine\, will feature a free\, moderated discussion about the operatic adaptation of The Handmaid’s Tale. Together\, we will explore how artistic representations can stimulate important conversations about reproductive justice\, structural power\, and the ongoing struggles faced by women and people of marginalized genders. Through centering the role of art in social critique and activism\, this event aims to deepen understanding of gender and sexuality in the context of contemporary debates surrounding reproductive rights. UID:145187-21896776@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/145187 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Palmer Commons - Forum Hall CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260106T103955 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260226T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260226T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar by Haihan Zhang DESCRIPTION:About the DCMB Tools & Technology Seminar Series\n\nThe DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar Series is held in Medical Science Building 1 (MS1)\, Room 4B700\, each Thursday at 12pm EST. Each seminar highlights a computational tool\, technology\, or methodology that is under development or in current use and is of special interest to DCMB and University researchers. Presenters are U-M researchers and students.\n\nThese seminars are live-streamed and recorded and made available for future viewing via the DCMB YouTube Channel UID:143261-21892596@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143261 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - Room 4B700 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260211T085633 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260226T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260226T160000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering (BME 500) Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Cellular Mechanisms of Vascular Calcification and Opportunities for Targeted Therapies\n\nAbstract:\nVascular calcification is the major precursor to cardiovascular disease and is further exacerbated by chronic kidney disease. Phosphate is a known precursor to vascular calcification which leads to the onset of CVCs and other complications. Increased serum levels of inorganic phosphate lead to calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells and a phenotypic switch to an osteoblast-like cell. Once thought to be a passive process of calcium and phosphate deposition within arteries\, vascular calcification is now known to be an active\, cell-regulated condition. There is a clinical need to develop a therapy for vascular calcification that reduces calcification without causing arterial damage similar to current therapies such as endovascular stent and atherectomy. We are examining the role of phosphate in vascular smooth muscle cell calcification and the potential of protein therapy to reduce calcification.\n\nBio: \nDr. C. LaShan Simpson Hendrix is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Cincinnati. Before joining the faculty at University of Cincinnati in 2024\, she was an Associate Professor at Mississippi State University (2013 – 2023) and she trained as a postdoctoral research associate at Rice University in the Department of Bioengineering. Dr. Hendrix received all her educational training at Clemson University with a B.S. in Biochemistry\, M.S.\, and Ph.D. In Bioengineering. Dr. Hendrix’s research interests include vascular calcification\, smooth muscle cells\, cell and gene therapy\, and mechanotransduction. Her work has been funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF)\, the National Institutes of Health (NIH)\, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).\n\nIn addition to her passion for vascular research\, Dr. Hendrix is a student advocate and a champion for diversity and inclusion. She has worked to create inclusive spaces for trainee development and success. She has received numerous awards for her efforts including Teacher of the Year\, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Mississippi State University\, 2018\; Academy of Distinguished Teachers\, Bagley College of Engineering at Mississippi State University\, 2019\; and Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award\, Mississippi Institute of Higher Learning\, 2020. Her pride and joy are the diversity of her research lab and the outstanding accomplishments of her trainees. Dr. Hendrix is the founder of BlackWomenInBME and has hosted sessions for her group at the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Annual meeting since 2018. She is the recipient of the 2021 Biomedical Engineering Society Diversity Award Lecture and the 2025 Mentor Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). UID:145355-21897164@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/145355 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260113T160834 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260227T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260227T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:MCDB Seminar> Structural Biology of the Insulin Receptor: From Mechanisms to Diabetes Therapy DESCRIPTION:We applied biochemical\, structural\, and cell-based functional approaches to elucidate the activation mechanisms of the insulin receptor family. These insights facilitate the development of more effective therapies for human diseases\, particularly diabetes. UID:143852-21894124@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143852 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260122T110801 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260303T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260303T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Regulating Proteolysis with Microproteins- Department of Biological Chemistry Seminar DESCRIPTION:Dr. Rilee Zeinert of the National Insitutes of Health will be delivering a seminar on Tuesday March 3rd\, 2026. UID:144295-21895129@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/144295 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit II - 5330 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260212T194436 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260306T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260306T170000 SUMMARY:Conference / Symposium:10th Annual RNA Symposium DESCRIPTION:The Center for RNA Biomedicine at the University of Michigan proudly invites you to the 2026 RNA Symposium\, convening thought leaders and pioneering researchers in the field of RNA science and biomedicine.\n\nFriday\, March 6\, 2026\nSaturday\, March 7\, 2026\n\nRNA Frontiers: From Mechanisms to Medicine\n\nThis year’s symposium explores the dynamic world of RNA\, highlighting how fundamental mechanisms and molecular machines are shaping both our understanding of cellular processes and the development of next-generation medical innovations. Through cutting-edge scientific talks and a patient advocacy panel discussion\, we will explore a wide range of topics spanning epigenetics\, genome editing\, RNA structure\, and translational research\, and discover together how RNA is propelling biological discovery from molecular intricacy to real-world impact in medicine and beyond.\n\nScheduled Speakers:\n\nShelley Berger\, Ph.D.\nUniversity of Pennsylvania\n\nKarla Neugebauer\, Ph.D.\nYale School of Medicine\n\nMadeleine Oudin\, Ph.D.\nTufts University\n\nErik Sontheimer\, Ph.D.\nUMass Chan Medical School\n\nNils Walter\, Ph.D.\nUniversity of Michigan\n\nSarah Woodson\, Ph.D.\nJohns Hopkins University\n\nOnline registration ends Friday\, February 20! SPACE IS LIMITED - Register Today! \n\n➡️ Open call for U-M student volunteers who will receive complimentary registration. Email Center Manager Paul Avedisian at paulave@umich.edu for more details! UID:136482-21878770@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/136482 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - Kahn Auditorium CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260212T194436 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260307T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260307T170000 SUMMARY:Conference / Symposium:10th Annual RNA Symposium DESCRIPTION:The Center for RNA Biomedicine at the University of Michigan proudly invites you to the 2026 RNA Symposium\, convening thought leaders and pioneering researchers in the field of RNA science and biomedicine.\n\nFriday\, March 6\, 2026\nSaturday\, March 7\, 2026\n\nRNA Frontiers: From Mechanisms to Medicine\n\nThis year’s symposium explores the dynamic world of RNA\, highlighting how fundamental mechanisms and molecular machines are shaping both our understanding of cellular processes and the development of next-generation medical innovations. Through cutting-edge scientific talks and a patient advocacy panel discussion\, we will explore a wide range of topics spanning epigenetics\, genome editing\, RNA structure\, and translational research\, and discover together how RNA is propelling biological discovery from molecular intricacy to real-world impact in medicine and beyond.\n\nScheduled Speakers:\n\nShelley Berger\, Ph.D.\nUniversity of Pennsylvania\n\nKarla Neugebauer\, Ph.D.\nYale School of Medicine\n\nMadeleine Oudin\, Ph.D.\nTufts University\n\nErik Sontheimer\, Ph.D.\nUMass Chan Medical School\n\nNils Walter\, Ph.D.\nUniversity of Michigan\n\nSarah Woodson\, Ph.D.\nJohns Hopkins University\n\nOnline registration ends Friday\, February 20! SPACE IS LIMITED - Register Today! \n\n➡️ Open call for U-M student volunteers who will receive complimentary registration. Email Center Manager Paul Avedisian at paulave@umich.edu for more details! UID:136482-21878771@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/136482 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - Kahn Auditorium CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260107T120659 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260309T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260309T110000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:Human Genetics Research Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Monday\, March 9\, 2026\n11:00am - 12:00pm\n1020 Kahn Auditorium\, BSRB\n\nDanesh Moazed\, PhD\nProfessor and HHMI Investigator in the Department of Cell Biology at Harvard Medical School\n“Seminar Title TBD”\n\nHosted By: Sue Hammoud\, PhD\, Department of Human Genetics\n\n__\n\nDanesh Moazed\, Ph.D.\, is a Professor and HHMI Investigator in the Department of Cell Biology at Harvard Medical School. He is a member of the Harvard Biophysics Program and the Harvard Initiative for RNA Medicine (HIRM). He received his undergraduate and Ph.D. degrees from the University of California in Santa Cruz and performed postdoctoral studies at the University of California in San Francisco.\n\nThe Moazed lab studies how genes are silenced and how silencing is epigenetically inherited across generations. The lab’s interests revolve around diverse pathways of heterochromatin-mediated gene silencing in yeast and mammalian cells. Work in budding yeast focuses on the structure and function of a diverged and relatively simple form of heterochromatin\, which requires only three Silent information regulator (“Sir”) proteins that form a histone deacetylase and chromatin-binding complex. Work in fission yeast focuses on a conserved example of heterochromatin that requires the nuclear RNA interference (RNAi) machinery\, other RNA processing pathways\, Heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) homologs\, and histone-modifying enzymes. In mammalian cells\, the work is focused on HP1-mediated and other heterochromatin formation pathways. The lab uses approaches ranging from genetics and genomics\, biochemical purification and reconstitution\, and structural biology for their studies. Ultimately\, the lab seeks to understand the conserved fundamental principles that govern the assembly\, function\, and epigenetic propagation of heterochromatin. UID:143367-21892955@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143367 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - 1020 Kahn Auditorium, BSRB CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260211T154959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260309T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260309T160000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:MCDB Seminar> Microenvironmental sensing by intestinal stem cells promotes adult Drosophila intestinal regeneration DESCRIPTION:A failure to properly maintain or regenerate an epithelium results in the loss of its integrity\, architecture and function\, and thus also organismal homeostasis. In many adult epithelia\, stem cells divide to replace damaged or lost tissue cell types. Stem cells are coaxed to proliferate by signalling cues produced by cells in the regenerative microenvironment that forms shortly after injury. Cells within this microenvironment can include other epithelial cells as well as other cell types and tissues associated with the organ. While much is known about how signalling cues from the regenerative microenvironment promotes stem cell proliferation in several adult epithelia\, we know less about how stem cells sense damage or even damage-causing pathogens and how they translate this information to modify their behaviour for regeneration. Furthermore\, even less is understood about how stem cells modulate their microenvironment after tissue damage to support regeneration. \n\nUsing the adult Drosophila intestine (or midgut)\, we have uncovered mechanisms that allow intestinal stem cells (ISCs) to recognise tissue damage as well as invading pathogens and translate this into their proliferation for regeneration. Moreover\, we have found that after damage\, these same ISC pathways can shape the regenerative microenvironment.\n\nHost: Laura Buttitta UID:144927-21896159@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/144927 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251202T085317 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260309T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260309T170000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:RCGD Seminar Series on Social Connection: Kristina Smiley DESCRIPTION:Kristina Smiley\nUniversity of Michigan\nHow Hormones and Sensory Cues Shape the Parental Brain\nMarch 9\, 2026\n\nABOUT THE SERIES\n\nThe Winter 2026 RCGD Seminar Series: The Ties that Bond: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Social Connection\n\nThis seminar series brings together senior and early-career scholars to explore fundamental questions about how we connect\, protect\, and care. Talks will highlight lifespan and comparative approaches to understanding social connection\, physiological implications of social and race-related stressors\, and diverse conceptualizations of what it means to belong—from romantic and parent–child relationships to group and societal dynamics to technology-mediated interactions.\n\nRobin Edelstein\, Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan and an affiliate of the Research Center for Group Dynamics\, has organized this series. She will introduce the series at this kick-off event that doubles as a faculty meeting.\n\nThe first seminar in the series will be Jan. 26. Join us on Mondays to learn about the biological\, social\, and developmental pathways that shape human connection.\n\nThese events are held Mondays from 3:30 to 5.\nIn person: ISR Thompson 1430\, unless otherwise specified.\nOrganized by Robin Edelstein\nAs permissions allow\, seminars are later posted to our YouTube playlist. UID:142308-21890446@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142308 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Institute For Social Research - 1430 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251208T102902 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260310T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260310T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Chemical Approaches to Illuminate RNA Biology- Department of Biological Chemistry Seminar DESCRIPTION:Please join us for a seminar presented by Dr. Ralph Kleiner\, Princeton University UID:142443-21890962@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142443 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 5330 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260305T124004 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260310T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260310T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:EEB Tuesday Seminar Series: Investigating RNA viruses in phyllostomid bat communities across fragmented landscapes in Brazil’s deforestation frontier DESCRIPTION:Description: Habitat fragmentation\, the division of a continuous habitat into smaller patches\, may impact the dynamics of the emergence and persistence of pathogens. As reservoir hosts for many emerging pathogens\, bats are uniquely vulnerable to the consequences of habitat fragmentation. My dissertation proposal examines RNA virus dynamics in phyllostomid bat communities across Brazil’s deforestation frontier\, the ecotonal region between the Amazon rainforest and Cerrado savanna. Specifically\, I aim to longitudinally investigate how habitat fragmentation influences phyllostomid bat RNA virus dynamics\, species richness\, population connectivity\, and diet. UID:146229-21898685@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/146229 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260429T101608 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260310T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260310T170000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:CPOD Winter/Spring 2026 Seminar Series: “Synthetic heart models for the study of cardiac development and disease” DESCRIPTION:Aitor Aguirre\, Ph.D.\nAssociate Professor\nBiomedical Engineering\nMichigan State University UID:145981-21898222@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/145981 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - ABC Seminar Rooms CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260114T145118 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260311T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260311T170000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:CCMB/DCMB Weekly Seminar Series featuring Luis Zaman\, PhD (Assistant Professor of of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at University of Michigan) DESCRIPTION:The CCMB Seminar Series (Sponsored by DCMB) is held at Medical Science 2\, 2710 Furstenberg\, each Wednesday\, at 4:00 pm EST\, on bioinformatics-related topics.Each seminar is presented by an invited guest speaker. These seminars are live-streamed on Zoom. UID:143693-21893655@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143693 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 4B700 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260210T094456 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260311T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260311T180000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:Thriving in STEM | \"Art of the Heart\" Book Discussion DESCRIPTION:WHAT IS THE MISSING LINK IN TODAY'S MEDICAL CARE DELIVERY?\n\nMedical school training has historically relied on the biological sciences\, and their application\, for diagnosis and treatment\, with technology an adjunct to care. Although many major medical schools now incorporate “doctoring” into their curriculum\, traditional medical training lacked an emphasis on the psycho-social aspects of the doctor-patient relationship.\n\nJoin the “Art of the Heart: The Doctor-Patient Partnership” book discussion to explore the solution as author\, Jay H. Kleiman\, M.D.\, recounts the profound career moments that define the doctor-patient partnership\, illuminating the path toward preventing physician burnout. \n\nHOW DO I GET THE BOOK?\n\nBook copies are available on Amazon for $10\, in both paperback and Kindle versions (and free for students with Kindle Unlimited).  If you need financial assistance purchasing the book\, complete this GoogleForm (myumi.ch/z98zn) by Tuesday\, February 17 to have a copy provided for you. \n\nWHAT CAN I EXPECT AT THE BOOK DISCUSSION EVENT?\n\nA virtual Book Discussion will be held on Wednesday\, March 11 from 5 - 6 PM with the author\, Jay H. Kleiman\, M.D.\, and his wife\, Georgi.  This will provide you the opportunity to directly engage with the author and his spouse to learn from their lived experiences.  A set of discussion prompts and questions is available to view in advance\; however\, live questions from participants are highly encouraged. UID:145168-21896755@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/145168 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION: CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260106T104826 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260312T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260312T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar by Matt Hodgman DESCRIPTION:Abstract\n\nMachine learning is becoming increasingly relevant and accessible in every field. But what does the machine actually learn? The demand for explainable machine learning has never been higher--especially in sensitive fields like healthcare. An explainable machine learning algorithm can describe the learned relationships between input data and output predictions\, as well as describe the reasons for single specific prediction. The list of truly explainable machine learning algorithms is short and often limited by poor predictive performance at complex tasks. We have developed a novel fuzzy neural network that exhibits both high explainability and accuracy in a variety of applications from classifying disease outcomes to regressing drug doses. This algorithm can use both domain-expert knowledge and complex data to converge on complex solutions. We present how this algorithm works for new users\, the depth of explainability it offers\, and highlight its performance in various applications.\n\nAbout the DCMB Tools & Technology Seminar Series\n\nThe DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar Series is held in Medical Science Building 1 (MS1)\, Room 4B700\, each Thursday at 12pm EST. Each seminar highlights a computational tool\, technology\, or methodology that is under development or in current use and is of special interest to DCMB and University researchers. Presenters are U-M researchers and students.\n\nThese seminars are live-streamed and recorded and made available for future viewing via the DCMB YouTube Channel UID:143262-21892597@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143262 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - Room 4B700 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260219T101007 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260312T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260312T160000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering (BME 500) Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Engineering immunotherapies for autoimmunity and cancer\n\nAbstract:\nEffective delivery of drugs to direct immune responses requires an understanding of biological barriers\, physicochemical properties of drug molecules\, formulation and transport in vivo. Designing molecular structures that persist at the administration site or that promote drainage to regional lymphatic networks may enhance immune responses while sparing immune-related adverse events. Here\, drug transport and local elimination mechanisms will be overviewed. Then\, examples of molecular designs to direct drug delivery will be presented. Autoimmune therapies were designed by our lab to promote the drainage of autoantigens to secondary lymphoid organs to treat autoimmune diseases. Specifically\, the size and solubility of these molecular constructs were tuned to promote access to the lymphatic compartment and induce immune tolerance in mouse models of type 1 diabetes. Our lab has also recently explored the design of immunostimulants that persist in tumor tissue after intratumoral/perilesional injection. Intratumoral immunotherapy is proposed to work synergistically with checkpoint inhibitors making a nonresponsive ‘cold’ tumor ‘hot’ by recruiting and activating tumor infiltrating lymphocytes. This approach can suffer from systemic immune-related adverse reactions\, however\, if enough immunostimulant escapes the site of administration. Data on the use of electrostatic mechanisms to promote tumor retention will be presented. These examples underscore the need for rational design of drug molecules or formulations based upon the route of delivery and biological barriers encountered. \n\nBio:\nCory Berkland is the Mark and Becky Levin Professor in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Chemistry at Washington University in Saint Louis. Previously\, he was the Solon E. Summerfield Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and in the Department of Chemical Engineering at The University of Kansas. He received MS and PhD degrees from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from Iowa State University in Ames. His lab studies pharmaceuticals and materials with an emphasis on molecular design and transport in the human body. He is a co-founder of Orbis Biosciences (acquired by Adare Pharmaceuticals)\, Savara Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:SVRA)\, Bond Biosciences\, Kinimmune\, Axioforce\, and other start-ups. He has served as a board member\, executive\, and fundraiser for these companies. UID:145728-21897738@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/145728 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260206T091926 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260313T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260313T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:MCDB Seminar> Synthetic Circuits\, Natural Questions DESCRIPTION:How do bacterial cells process information and use signals to direct development and resist antibiotics? In this talk\, I'll describe how my lab is building modular cell-based signaling pathways that enable us to probe the activity and rewire the function of natural ones. Our current work has uncovered compartment-specific signaling cascades\, and developing synthetic receptors has let us reprogram how cells respond to their environment for biosensor development. I'll also discuss how we navigate the design-discovery loop and leverage evolutionary diversity to develop tools that address challenges in both technology and fundamental science. Collectively\, our work demonstrates how engineering-driven approaches can yield practical biotechnologies and\, in the process\, deepen our understanding of natural biological systems.\n\nHost: Lyle Simmons UID:144928-21896160@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/144928 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251208T140436 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260316T151600 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260316T170000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:RCGD Seminar Series on Social Connection: Rosie Shrout DESCRIPTION:Rosie Shrout\nUniversity of British Columbia\nBridging Relationship Science and Psychoneuroimmunology: \nHow Partners Shape Each Other’s Health and Longevity\nMarch 16\, 2026\n\nABOUT THE SERIES\n\nThe Winter 2026 RCGD Seminar Series: The Ties that Bond: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Social Connection\n\nThis seminar series brings together senior and early-career scholars to explore fundamental questions about how we connect\, protect\, and care. Talks will highlight lifespan and comparative approaches to understanding social connection\, physiological implications of social and race-related stressors\, and diverse conceptualizations of what it means to belong—from romantic and parent–child relationships to group and societal dynamics to technology-mediated interactions.\n\nRobin Edelstein\, Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan and an affiliate of the Research Center for Group Dynamics\, has organized this series. She will introduce the series at this kick-off event that doubles as a faculty meeting.\n\nJoin us on Mondays to learn about the biological\, social\, and developmental pathways that shape human connection.\n\nThese events are held Mondays from 3:30 to 5.\nIn person: ISR Thompson 1430\, unless otherwise specified.\nOrganized by Robin Edelstein\nAs permissions allow\, seminars are later posted to our YouTube playlist. UID:142480-21891001@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142480 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Institute For Social Research - 1430 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260310T153550 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260317T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260317T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:EEB Tuesday Seminar Series- Within-lineage evolution across time scales: Reconciling the recent and the fossil record DESCRIPTION:Description: Connecting generational processes (microevolution) to the larger-scale patterns of phenotypic diversification (macroevolution) remains a fundamental challenge in evolutionary biology. Phenotypic time series\, defined as sequences of measurements drawn from multiple organisms in the same lineage over time\, offer a direct window into this problem. Time series from the fossil record typically span tens to hundreds of thousands of years or more\, documenting historical patterns of evolutionary change in a single species over durations far beyond what we can observe in the present. This makes fossil trait series a uniquely valuable data source for addressing fundamental questions about how evolution operates across time scales. I will present analyses of large compilations of phenotypic time series from both living populations and the fossil record\, with the goal of assessing whether evolutionary processes are continuous across generations to millions of years\, or whether something changes as we move between scales. UID:146429-21899078@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/146429 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260121T102237 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260317T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260317T163000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:Water@Michigan Coffee Talk DESCRIPTION:The Huron River watershed in Southeast Michigan is home to nearly 100 dams that alter the chemical\, physical\, and biological processes of its main stem and tributaries. These structures often harm wildlife\, impose high maintenance costs\, and in some cases\, pose safety risks to downstream communities. This panel will highlight recent initiatives led by the Huron River Watershed Council and its partners to restore the river’s natural flow through the removal of aging and obsolete dams and improved flow management strategies. Panelists will explore the ecological impacts of dams\, discuss the status of dams within the Huron\, share updates on a dam removal project in Ypsilanti\, and introduce a budding initiative leveraging real-time data and communication to foster more collaborative dam management along the Huron’s main stem. \n\nAbout the Speakers: \nDaniel Brown\, Climate Resilience Strategist\, Huron River Watershed Council\nDaniel has worked to address the effects of climate change across North America. He helps develop strategies that preserve land for waterway protection\, reduce planet-warming emissions\, and improve climate resilience. He also works on efforts to restore the main river corridor through dam removal\, leads HRWC’s efforts to address PFAS contamination\, and coordinates the Huron River Water Trail. He enjoys empowering conservation based on sound science and getting people to enjoy Michigan’s natural resources. Daniel joined HRWC in 2018 and lives in the Horseshoe Creekshed.\n\nAndrea Paine\, Program Manager\, Huron River Watershed Council \nAndrea coordinates HRWC’s stormwater management\, fee-for-service stormwater services\, and community engagement work. She also supports local policy and other watershed planning and management projects. She holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in environmental policy and planning from the University of Michigan. She joined HRWC in 2018\, lives in the Allens Creekshed\, and is originally from Manistee\, MI.\n\nBranko Kerkez\, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor and Associate Department Chair for Research\, Civil and Environmental Engineering\nBranko Kerkez is an Arthur F. Thurnau associate professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at U-M. His research interests include water\, data\, and sensors. Branko is driven by the desire to both rationalize water management decisions\, and put tools into the hands of community members to allow them to contribute to those decisions. The National Academy of Engineering recognized his work in smart water systems in 2018 as a Gilbreth Lecturer. Branko’s Digital Water Lab is untangling the role of tech in water…one sensor at a time! He earned his PhD in 2012 from the University of California\, Berkeley in Civil and Environmental Engineering.\n\nAbout Coffee Talks: Coffee Talks provide a monthly opportunity for U-M faculty\, staff\, and students interested in water\, and water-interested people in southeast Michigan to connect with colleagues\, learn about pressing and/or emerging water-related issues\, and meet new partners. This academic year\, we are excited to explore the intersection of water + energy and what this nexus means to U-M researchers\, institutes\, and external partners. Coffee Talks are in-person convenings designed to build connections as part of the U-M Water Center's mission and programs\; we are not recording sessions at this time.\n\nYou can register for this session here: https://graham.umich.edu/wateratmichigan/coffee-talks UID:143331-21892918@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143331 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Michigan Union - Koessler CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260303T145140 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260318T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260318T170000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:CCMB/DCMB Weekly Seminar Series featuring Li-San Wang\, PhD (Associate Dean for Computing\, Perelman School of Medicine) DESCRIPTION:Abstract\nLarge-scale human genetics has transformed Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research. Through coordinated efforts such as the Alzheimer’s Disease Genetics Consortium (ADGC) and the Alzheimer’s Disease Sequencing Project (ADSP)\, dozens of reproducible risk loci have been identified across diverse populations. ADSP is now generating whole-genome sequence data at unprecedented scale\, with an eventual goal of 150\,000 genomes integrated with harmonized clinical and functional datasets. As data generation accelerates\, interpretation of genetic discoveries has become the central bottleneck.\n\nIn this seminar\, I will present computational frameworks developed within ADSP to bridge the gap between association and mechanism. These include multi-ancestry meta-analysis and fine-mapping approaches that leverage linkage disequilibrium differences to refine credible sets\; integration of rare and structural variants within joint-calling pipelines\; and colocalization strategies incorporating eQTL and other quantitative trait locus datasets to prioritize target genes. I will also discuss regulatory annotation tools such as INFERNO and BTS that integrate large collections of functional genomic tracks for context-specific variant interpretation\, along with the informatics infrastructure developed within the NIA Genetics of Alzheimer’s Disease Data Storage Site to support genome production\, quality control\, phenotype harmonization\, and scalable coordination across more than 50\,000 whole genomes. Together\, these efforts illustrate how statistical genetics\, functional genomics\, and production-scale bioinformatics infrastructure can be integrated to advance mechanistic understanding of complex neurodegenerative disease. \n\nThe CCMB Seminar Series (Sponsored by DCMB) is held at Medical Science Unit I - 4B700\, each Wednesday\, at 4:00 pm EST\, on bioinformatics-related topics. Each seminar is presented by an invited guest speaker. These seminars are live-streamed on Zoom. UID:143694-21893657@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143694 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 4B700 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260106T105106 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260319T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260319T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar by Weizhou Qian DESCRIPTION:About the DCMB Tools & Technology Seminar Series\n\nThe DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar Series is held in Medical Science Building 1 (MS1)\, Room 4B700\, each Thursday at 12pm EST. Each seminar highlights a computational tool\, technology\, or methodology that is under development or in current use and is of special interest to DCMB and University researchers. Presenters are U-M researchers and students.\n\nThese seminars are live-streamed and recorded and made available for future viewing via the DCMB YouTube Channel UID:143263-21892598@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143263 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - Room 4B700 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260310T103518 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260319T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260319T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:MCDB Dissertation Defense Seminar> Bacterial Ribonuclease HII and Ribonucleotide Excision Repair DESCRIPTION:Although RNA-DNA hybrids are essential to the perpetuation of life\, if left unresolved\, ribonucleoside monophosphates (rNMPs) embedded in the genome are a threat to faithful DNA replication\, genomic integrity\, and genetic inheritance. Single rNMPs\, which differ from deoxyribonucleoside monophosphates (dNMPs) by a single 2′ –OH group\, often become misincorporated in the genome by replicative DNA polymerases during DNA replication. Although DNA polymerases have a steric exclusion mechanism to prevent rNTPs from accessing their active site\, rNTPs outnumber dNTPs in the cell and as a result are still frequently used as substrates during synthesis. rNMPs\, also known as “sugar errors\,” that go unrepaired can lead to increased mutagenesis in the form of transitions\, single-stranded breaks\, and even lethal double-stranded breaks (DSBs) due to the reactivity of the 2′ –OH. However\, cells have evolved to combat sugar errors through ribonucleotide excision repair (RER)\, which is initiated by Ribonuclease HII/H2 (RNase HII). RNase HII is a Type 2 RNase H enzyme that makes a 5′ incision to a rNMP in double-stranded DNA (dsDNA)\, permitting subsequent entry by a DNA polymerase. The polymerase extends from the 3′ –OH of the nick\, displacing the downstream DNA containing the rNMP to generate a 5′ flap\, which can be resolved by a flap endonuclease (FEN). Finally\, DNA ligase seals the gap in the backbone. The junction-sensing module of RNase HII is a critical structural element that gives the protein its unique ability to specifically recognize single rNMPs by their 2′ –OH. RER has been previously studied in eukaryotes\, archaea\, and bacteria\, although the breadth of lesions addressed by bacterial RNase HII enzymes has not yet been established. We performed in vitro assays using RNase HII purified from Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis and dsDNA substrates containing single canonical\, mismatched\, and damaged rNMPs. Specifically\, E. coli RNase HII (EcoRNase HII) was equally active on all four canonical rNMPs\, including rUMP\, while B. subtilis RNase HII (BsuRNase HII) was inefficient at processing rGMP. In a mismatched context\, EcoRNase HII activity on rAMP and rGMP was unchanged from that on canonical rNMPs. Conversely\, BsuRNase HII activity on rG:dT was significantly reduced from that on rG:dC. Further\, EcoRNase HII demonstrated weak activity on r8oG:dC\, while BsuRNase HII could not resolve r8oG:dC nor rOH:dC. This observation is similar to that reported for archaeal and eukaryotic RNase HII homologs. Together\, our results show that bacterial RNase HII proteins have different substrate preferences. Surprisingly\, both EcoRNase HII and BsuRNase HII are able to incise rUMP\, suggesting that RER\, and not base excision repair (BER)\, is the primary pathway for rUMP repair. Moreover\, mismatched rNMP errors appear to be substrates for both RER and mismatch repair (MMR). Finally\, damaged rNMP errors in B. subtilis must be repaired by an alternative pathway\, potentially BER\, although this has not yet been tested. UID:146398-21899041@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/146398 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260313T155924 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260319T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260319T160000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering (BME 500) Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Patterned Biomaterials: New Tools to Probe and Control Complex Biological Systems\n\nAbstract:\nEngineered materials and molecular sensing tools are transforming how we study and control complex biological systems. Yet many technologies operate at a single scale—either manipulating cellular environments without molecular precision or profiling molecular signals without spatial or mechanical context. My lab addresses this challenge through chemical and materials innovation\, developing scalable platforms that integrate molecular design with quantitative analysis. We focus on two complementary directions: (1) physico-chemical design of soft interfaces with tunable nanoscale architecture and dynamic mechanics to probe and control material–biology interactions\, and (2) biomolecular sensing platforms that combine polymer chemistry\, optical or electrochemical detection\, and data-driven analysis for accessible diagnostics. In this talk\, I will highlight two representative efforts: nature-inspired nanopatterned coatings with dynamically tunable surface topography for long-term antibacterial activity\, and integrated bioanalytical sensing technologies for early\, point-of-care detection of sepsis. \n\nBio:\nDr. Jouha Min is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at University of Michigan. She received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University in 2010 and her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from MIT\, where she was advised by Paula Hammond and Richard Braatz. She conducted her postdoctoral research with Ralph Weissleder at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital\, where she worked at the interface of engineering\, biology\, and clinical translation. Dr. Min’s research group applies core principles of chemical and biological engineering—including transport phenomena\, reaction kinetics\, materials synthesis\, and systems-level analysis—to develop new methodologies for probing and controlling material–biology interactions across three-dimensional space and time. Her work aims to establish a quantitative and mechanistic foundation for transformative advances in disease diagnosis\, treatment\, and prevention. She is the recipient of several honors\, including the NSF CAREER Award (2025)\, the NIH R35 MIRA Award (2025)\, and the V Foundation V Scholar Award (2023). UID:146152-21898595@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/146152 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260317T083017 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260320T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260320T100000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:MCDB Checkpoint 2 Seminar> Understanding how C. elegans solves its chromosome end protection and end replication problems DESCRIPTION:Checkpoint 2 Seminar\nMentor: MCDB Professor Jayakrishnan \"JK\" Nandakumar UID:146400-21899043@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/146400 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 4150 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260312T170716 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260320T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260320T135000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:Environmental exposures and health in agricultural settings DESCRIPTION:Join us on Friday\, March 20 (12-1:50 pm) in 1690 SPH 1 for a conversation on Environmental exposures and health in agricultural settings with special guests Rafael Buralli\, PhD (University of São Paulo\, Brazil)\, Madeleine Scammell\, DSc (Boston University)\, and Alexis Handal\, PhD (University of Michigan). The panelists will discuss what is known and what can be done. UID:146527-21899238@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/146527 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Public Health I (Vaughan Building) - 1690 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260317T095155 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260320T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260320T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:MCDB Seminar> Unlocking Circuits and Designing Cross-species tools for Pain Discovery and Therapeutics DESCRIPTION:This seminar will discuss key spinal neural circuitry underlying mechanical pain caused by trauma and disease\, a new organizational plan for how neuron subtypes that make up the dorsal horn should be defined across species and our use of machine learning together with multi-species multi-omics to engineer novel genetic tools for interrogating specific neuron subtypes across species and develop novel chronic pain therapies. \n\nHost: Bo Duan UID:144929-21896161@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/144929 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1060 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260310T103759 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260320T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260320T160000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:MCDB Dissertation Defense Seminar> The Nucleoid as a Global Regulator for Spatial Organization in Bacteria DESCRIPTION:Unlike eukaryotes\, bacteria store their DNA un-encased in the cytoplasm of the cell. Through this lack of compartmentalization\, the bacterial DNA or nucleoid\, is free to act as a platform for both organization and coordination of complex bacterial structures and processes. A lack of a membrane boundary also increases the influence that the metabolic state of the cell can have on the DNA. The ParA family of ATPases is a well characterized family of positioning systems that is known to use the nucleoid as a matrix to organize chromosomes\, plasmids\, chemotaxis arrays\, and bacterial microcompartments (BMCs). One of the best characterized BMCs is the carboxysome. Carboxysomes are proteinaceous structures that encapsulate the enzyme ribulose-1\,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO). Cyanobacteria and some chemoautotrophs use carboxysomes to enhance carbon fixation\, maximizing the amount of carbon that can later be turned into biomass. Our group has worked to characterize the ParA-like positioning system\, the maintenance of carboxysome distribution (Mcd) system\, that organizes carboxysomes along the length of the cell. This is a two-component system\, with the ParA-like ATPase\, McdA\, and its partner protein McdB\, that interacts with carboxysomes. When McdA binds the nucleoid non-specifically in its ATP-bound state\, McdB-coated carboxysomes stimulate the hydrolysis of ATP\, causing McdA to dissociate from the nucleoid. This creates dynamic gradients of McdA\, with McdB bound carboxysomes constantly chasing higher concentrations of McdA\, thereby distributing carboxysomes along the nucleoid. \nWe have worked to characterize both McdA and McdB and their role in carboxysome positioning\, however\, until my thesis work\, we did not consider the contribution of the nucleoid in the organization of carboxysomes. As a result\, current models treat the nucleoid as a benign matrix for positioning by the McdAB system. Also\, the McdAB system has been primarily studied in exponential cells grown under continuous light conditions. However\, the natural environment of cyanobacteria fluctuates\, with changing amounts of nutrient availability. Cells often change the compaction state of their DNA in response to environmental changes\, so we used several environmental conditions\, to induce changes in nucleoid architecture\, to assess effects on the McdAB system and carboxysome organization. We found that the nucleoid is not a passive matrix and can contribute to carboxysome positioning during times of reduced McdAB localization. These findings likely apply to other cargoes that use the nucleoid as a positioning scaffold\, and it is necessary to reassess how we understand subcellular organization in bacteria under this new paradigm. \nWhile we have investigated carboxysome organization and its McdAB positioning system\, we have largely not considered other subcellular structures that could influence carboxysome distribution. Polyphosphate granules are a storage form of phosphate that is conserved across all domains of life and have been implicated in diverse cellular processes\, including the regulation of bacterial chromatin. Through electron microscopy studies\, carboxysomes and polyphosphate (polyP) granules have been shown to physically interact. The exact mechanism of this relationship and the significance of this association have not been investigated. We find that polyP influences both nucleoid compaction state and carboxysome positioning in the model cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942. Together\, this work highlights the broader roles of both the nucleoid and other subcellular structures in the organization of the model BMC\, the carboxysome. UID:146399-21899042@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/146399 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260107T115954 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260323T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260323T120000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:Human Genetics Research Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Monday\, March 23\, 2026\n11:00am - 12:00pm\n1020 Kahn Auditorium\, BSRB\n\nHiten Madhani\, MD\, PhD\nProfessor\, Biochemistry and Biophysics\nStuart Lindsay Endowed Professor in Experimental Pathology VII\nUniversity of California\, San Francisco\n“Seminar Title TBD”\n\nHosted By: Sundeep Kalantry\, PhD\, Department of Human Genetics\n___\nThe Madhani lab investigates gene regulation in health and disease\n\nThis is what the banner says\, but in reality\, we work on anything we find cool. Why? Because our aspiration is to not only discover new knowledge but also new principles. Accomplishing this higher goal requires intellectual curiosity\, adventurousness\, and nimbleness (and a sense of humor!). The lab is best known for its work on regulation of chromatin\, RNA-based regulation\, and host-fungal pathogen interactions (see our publications here). Depending on the question\, the lab exploits different model systems\, including the opportunistic pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans\, which the lab has developed as both a model organism and a model pathogen\, as well as mice and haploid human cells. UID:143368-21892961@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143368 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - 1020 Kahn Auditorium CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251208T143751 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260323T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260323T170000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:RCGD Seminar Series on Social Connection: Samuele Zilioli DESCRIPTION:Samuele Zilioli\nWayne State University\nSocial Threat and Social Safety: How Relationships Shape Stress Biology and Health Across the Lifespan\n\nMarch 23\, 2026\n\nRobin Edelstein organizes the Winter 2026 RCGD Seminar Series: The Ties that Bond: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Social Connection.\n\nABOUT THE SERIES\n\nThis seminar series brings together senior and early-career scholars to explore fundamental questions about how we connect\, protect\, and care. Talks will highlight lifespan and comparative approaches to understanding social connection\, physiological implications of social and race-related stressors\, and diverse conceptualizations of what it means to belong—from romantic and parent–child relationships to group and societal dynamics to technology-mediated interactions.\n\nRobin Edelstein\, Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan and an affiliate of the Research Center for Group Dynamics\, has organized this series. She will introduce the series at this kick-off event that doubles as a faculty meeting.\n\nJoin us on Mondays to learn about the biological\, social\, and developmental pathways that shape human connection.\n\nThese events are held Mondays from 3:30 to 5.\nIn person: ISR Thompson 1430\, unless otherwise specified.\nOrganized by Robin Edelstein\nAs permissions allow\, seminars are later posted to our YouTube playlist. UID:142484-21891006@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142484 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Institute For Social Research - 1430 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251208T103106 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260324T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260324T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:From Structure-Function to Ensemble-Function: A New Paradigm for Understanding Protein Function- Department of Biological Chemistry Seminar DESCRIPTION:Please join us for a seminar presented by Dr. Daniel Herschlag\, Stanford University UID:142444-21890963@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142444 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 5330 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260320T112105 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260324T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260324T125000 SUMMARY:Livestream / Virtual:Investigating the Role of Gut Microbiota in Cadmium-Induced Neurotoxicity DESCRIPTION:The Integrated Health Sciences Core's webinar series is an interdisciplinary forum for interested researchers to come together to learn and discuss wide-ranging issues in the field of environmental health. Registration is required. We hope you can join us! Registration required https://myumi.ch/e38AV UID:146845-21899688@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/146845 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260429T101528 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260324T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260324T170000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:CPOD Winter/Spring 2026 Seminar Series: \"Wnt you thought you knew about Wnt signaling\" DESCRIPTION:Stephanie Grainger\, Ph.D.\nAssistant Professor\nCell Biology\nVan Andel Institute UID:145982-21898223@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/145982 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - ABC Seminar Rooms CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260312T125730 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260325T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260325T120000 SUMMARY:Other:Pre-Health & PiB/UPiN Backpacking & Advising DESCRIPTION:Stop by to get help with backpacking and ask questions about PiB/UPiN majors and pre-health program pathways! The LSA Pre-Health Advising team is joining Program in Biology and Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience advisors to offer support to students considering pre-health tracks through their undergraduate programs. \n\nThis is an open-house format event. UID:146519-21899229@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/146519 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 2200 BSB CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260323T004937 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260325T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260325T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Mathematical Biology Seminar: Cyanobacterial Clocks: How do they work\, and what are they good for? DESCRIPTION:All plants and animals and many unicellular organisms possess circadian clocks--autonomous oscillators with a roughly 24 hour period that allow them to anticipate daily cycles of light and dark. I will discuss recent progress on understanding one such biological clock\, in the photosynthetic bacterium S. elongatus. This system has the remarkable feature that the core biochemical oscillator can be reconstituted in vitro with only three purified proteins. Thus\, unlike almost all other circadian clocks studied to date\, it requires neither transcription nor translation but functions entirely post-translationally. After reviewing what we know about how the in vitro oscillator functions\, as well as a few outstanding puzzles\, I will turn my attention to the implications of this understanding for clock function in the living cell. In particular\, I will use biophysical models to address two questions: How does the clock continue to tick robustly in the noisy cellular environment? And what selective advantage does the clock provide? In the former case\, I will argue that the core post-translational oscillator is necessary to make the clock robust to several perturbations present in any growing\, dividing cell\, but that other specific adaptations are also required. In response to the latter question\, I will present efforts to quantify the clock's contributions to fitness through anticipating diurnal environmental changes and through rejecting environmental noise. UID:146903-21899769@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/146903 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Weiser Hall - 296 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260325T132146 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260325T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260325T180000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:9th Annual Omenn Lecture presented by Aviv Regev\, PhD (VP Genentech Research and Early Development) DESCRIPTION:\"From Cell Atlases to Medicines\, with AI\"\nPresented by Aviv Regev\, PhD\nLive lecture with networking reception and poster sessions to follow.\n\nHosted by Gilbert S. Omenn Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics\, Genome Science Training Program\, Life Sciences Institute\, and Single Cell Spatial Analysis Program.\n\nAbout the Omenn Lectureship\n\nThe Annual Gilbert S. Omenn Lecture series features high-profile scientists discussing a variety of scientific topics and issues around bioinformatics\, data science and the development of this field. \n\nThis annual event gathers the DCMB and CCMB scientific communities while inviting a larger audience within U-M and beyond. UID:142424-21890940@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142424 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - Khan Auditorium CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260220T102635 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260326T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260326T114500 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:SCSAP Special Research Seminar and Town Hall Event DESCRIPTION:SCSAP Special Research Seminar and Town Hall Discussion Event\nDate: Thursday\, March 26\, 2026\nLocation: Live In-Person Only (Will not be streamed or recorded)\n NCRC Building 18\, Dining Hall\nFREE TO ALL\, Everyone is Welcome\, \nLite Refreshments provided\n\nFEATURING: Dr. Aviv Regev\, Executive Vice President and Head of Genentech Research and Early Development and Executive Committee of the Human Cell Atlas\n\n*PLEASE REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT*\n\nTwo Events of Interest: \n\n10:00–10:45 AM- Talk Title: “Towards Unified Cell and Tissue Oracles”- Featuring Dr. Regev- Hosted by SCSAP \n\n11:00–11:45 AM Town Hall Discussion Featuring Dr. Regev and an invited faculty panel – event will cover several topics such as the future of single cell spatial-omics\, strategies for productive collaboration\, AI development of new drugs. UID:145768-21897796@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/145768 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:North Campus Research Complex Building 18 - Dining Hall CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260106T105426 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260326T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260326T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar by Jonah Rosenblum DESCRIPTION:Abstract\nGenomic data from a single institution lacks global diversity representation\, especially for rare variants and diseases. Confidential computing can enable collaborative genome-wide association studies (GWAS) without compromising privacy or accuracy. However\, due to limited secure memory space and performance overheads\, previous solutions fail to support widely used regression methods. Here we present SECRET-GWAS—a rapid\, privacy-preserving\, population-scale\, collaborative GWAS tool. We discuss several system optimizations\, including streaming\, batching\, data parallelization and reducing trusted hardware overheads to efficiently scale linear and logistic regression to over a thousand processor cores on an Intel SGX-based cloud platform. In addition\, we protect SECRET-GWAS against several hardware side-channel attacks. SECRET-GWAS is an open-source tool and works with the widely used Hail genomic analysis framework. Our experiments on Azure’s Confidential Computing platform demonstrate that SECRET-GWAS enables multivariate linear and logistic regression GWAS queries on population-scale datasets from ten independent sources in just 4.5 and 29 minutes\, respectively.\n\nAbout the DCMB Tools & Technology Seminar Series\n\nThe DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar Series is held in Medical Science Building 1 (MS1)\, Room 4B700\, each Thursday at 12pm EST. Each seminar highlights a computational tool\, technology\, or methodology that is under development or in current use and is of special interest to DCMB and University researchers. Presenters are U-M researchers and students.\n\nThese seminars are live-streamed and recorded and made available for future viewing via the DCMB YouTube Channel UID:143264-21892599@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143264 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - Room 4B700 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260317T143000 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260326T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260326T160000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering (BME 500) Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Surgery with sound waves: delivering acoustic energy to the body for ultrasound surgery (histotripsy)\n\nAbstract:\nHistotripsy is a non-invasive\, non-thermal\, and non-ionizing tissue ablation method that was recently (Oct. 2023) approved by the FDA for the non-invasive treatment of liver tumors. Histotripsy is a platform technology\, with the potential to enable truly non-invasive surgery for many applications throughout the body\, from the abdominal region to the limbs\, brain\, and spine. However\, we currently cannot perform histotripsy everywhere in the body due to limitations in our ability to safely deliver sufficient acoustic energy to the target through heterogeneous\, attenuating bodily tissues. In this talk\, I will present my work to (1) numerically model and quantify acoustic energy delivery to the body\, and (2) optimize acoustic energy delivery through complex tissues via adaptive signal processing methods. I will discuss how these technologies will help expand the region where we can perform histotripsy\, broaden the population of patients who can receive histotripsy treatment\, and enable novel histotripsy applications. \n\nBio:\nDr. Ellen Yeats is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and member of the Histotripsy Lab\, where she is advised by Dr. Zhen Xu and Dr. Timothy Hall. She received her B.S.E. in Biomedical Engineering from Vanderbilt University in 2017 and her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 2024. In 2025\, Dr. Yeats was awarded an NIH T32 Training Fellowship through the Michigan Translational Imaging Program (M-TIP) with the Department of Radiology of University of Michigan Medicine\, where she is working with Dr. Shane Wells to develop improved imaging guidance and targeting for histotripsy. Through her research\, Dr. Yeats develops technologies that optimize the targeting and delivery of acoustic energy to the body for histotripsy. Her work aims to improve current clinical histotripsy treatments in the liver and to expand histotripsy applications to new\, challenging targets in the pelvis and spine. UID:146698-21899492@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/146698 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260107T120250 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260330T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260330T120000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:Human Genetics Research Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Monday\, March 30\, 2026\n11:00am - 12:00pm\n1020 Kahn Auditorium\, BSRB\n\nJean Gautier\, PhD\, Dr.Sc.\nChair\, Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis\nThe University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center at Houston\n“Seminar Title TBD”\n\nHosted By: Agnieszka Lukaszewicz\, PhD\, Department of Human Genetics\n___\nThe Gautier Laboratory at MD Anderson centers on how the 3D organization of the genome facilitates and coordinates DNA repair alongside other DNA-templated processes\, including DNA replication and transcription. We study this to better understand how dysregulation in these processes contributes to pathological genomic rearrangements and cancer development\, as well as the therapeutic implications of such rearrangements. The lab employs cutting edge technologies in microscopy\, genomics\, proteomics and computational biology to advance their research. UID:143369-21892960@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143369 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - 1020 Kahn Auditorium CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260325T114344 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260330T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260330T150000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:EEB Prelim Seminar Series - Plant-Water Relations as Drivers of Plant Function and Ecology DESCRIPTION:Please join us! UID:147046-21900274@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/147046 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251208T103301 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260331T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260331T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Ferroptosis and Metabolism: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Applications- William E. M. Lands Lectureship In Biological Chemistry DESCRIPTION:Please join us for a seminar presented by Dr. Brent Stockwell\, Columbia University UID:142445-21890964@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142445 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 5330 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260106T105709 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260402T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260402T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar by Binh Duong Giap DESCRIPTION:About the DCMB Tools & Technology Seminar Series\n\nThe DCMB Tools and Technology Seminar Series is held in Medical Science Building 1 (MS1)\, Room 4B700\, each Thursday at 12pm EST. Each seminar highlights a computational tool\, technology\, or methodology that is under development or in current use and is of special interest to DCMB and University researchers. Presenters are U-M researchers and students.\n\nThese seminars are live-streamed and recorded and made available for future viewing via the DCMB YouTube Channel UID:143265-21892600@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143265 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - Room 4B700 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260318T082724 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260402T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260402T160000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Biomedical Engineering (BME 500) Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Convergence of light\, devices\, and molecules to detect and treat cancer\n\nAbstract:\nSurgeons traditionally rely on vision and touch to distinguish cancerous from healthy tissue\, which risks incomplete tumor removal. To enhance precision\, we developed Cancer Viewing Glasses (CVGs) that provide real-time intraoperative visualization of tumors and sentinel lymph nodes without disrupting the surgical workflow. CVGs detect near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) from tumor-targeted molecular probes and project both NIRF and visible light to a head-mounted display\, enabling direct access to the surgical field under normal lighting conditions. In both mouse models and cancer patients\, CVGs enabled real-time image guidance for complete tumor resection\, with ongoing clinical studies demonstrating improved surgical throughput and accuracy. \n\nBio:\nDr. Samuel Achilefu is the inaugural Chair and Professor of the Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas\, Texas\, USA. He also holds the Lyda Hill Distinguished University Chair and is a Professor of Radiology and the Simons Cancer Center. He is an international leader in optical and multimodal imaging\, image-guided cancer surgery\, portable imaging devices\, and nanotechnology. His innovative research and more than 70 U.S. patents have significantly contributed to laboratory and clinical medicine. Dr. Achilefu is a member of the National Academies of Engineering and Medicine. He is also a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors\, AAAS\, AIMBE\, and many other professional societies. He has received over 20 national and international awards\, including the Briton Chance Award. UID:146729-21899558@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/146729 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Lurie Biomedical Engineering (formerly ATL) - 1130 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260324T160116 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260403T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260403T140000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:EEB Prelim Seminar Series - Investigating the controls on bacterial production in lakes DESCRIPTION:Abstract: Bacterial production (BP) is essential to ecosystem functioning because of the importance of microorganisms in the biogeochemical cycling of carbon and other nutrients\, as well as the transfer of energy through trophic levels. In surface waters\, BP is controlled by water temperature\, the concentration and chemical composition of dissolved organic carbon (DOC)\, nutrient availability\, and lake mixing. However\, certain aspects of individual controls\, such as the relative importance of different DOC compositions for BP\, as well as how these controls collectively influence BP at the whole-lake scale\, are poorly understood. My dissertation work will evaluate how BP is controlled at the ecosystem scale by answering three interconnected questions. First\, what is the relative importance of phytoplankton-derived DOC versus terrestrial-derived DOC for BP? Second\, what are the interactive effects of DOC composition and temperature on BP. And third\, how does weather variability\, including rapid changes in temperature\, affect BP in lakes? These questions will be answered by analyzing long-term BP and climate records\, and by experiments on DOC composition\, temperature fluctuation\, and DOC-temperature interactions. UID:146997-21900217@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/146997 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260107T120142 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260406T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260406T120000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:Human Genetics Research Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Monday\, April 06\, 2026\n11:00am - 12:00pm\n1020 Kahn Auditorium\, BSRB\n\nStephan Züchner\, MD\, PhD\nProfessor of Human Genetics and Neurology\nThe Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics\nUniversity of Miami Miller School of Medicine\n“Seminar Title TBD”\n\nHosted By: Anthony Antonellis\, PhD\, Department of Human Genetics\n___\nDr. Zuchner is a trained neurologist and molecular geneticist with research interests in identifying genetic variation associated with disease. His lab has identified several genes for Mendelian neurodegenerative disorders and also evaluated risk factors for complex genetic conditions\, including Alzheimer disease\, Parkinson disease\, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. His lab is amongst the pioneering groups that have promoted genome sequencing methods for disease gene identification in humans\, mice\, and drosophilia. He is currently pursuing large-scale exome and genome analysis in multiple neurodegenerative disorders and develops innovative new software tools that allow real time shared analysis of large amounts of genomic data. Dr. Zuchner's scientific interests lie in mapping disease genes and genomic variation that is related to disease. UID:143370-21892959@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143370 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - 1020 Kahn Auditorium CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260324T115211 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260407T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260407T120000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:Great Lakes Seminar Series: Amanda Ackiss DESCRIPTION:About the presentation: \nAt the end of the Pleistocene\, many salmonid fishes in the subfamily Coregoninae rapidly diversified in newly available freshwater habitats across the northern hemisphere. In terms of evolutionary time\, these species flocks are incredibly young\, and many instances of diversification appear to have occurred in sympatry rather than allopatry\, leading to incomplete lineage sorting. The difficulty disentangling species relationships in this subfamily has been termed the ‘coregonine problem’ and has severely limited the ability of scientists and managers to draw robust conclusions regarding best practices for their conservation and restoration. This is particularly vital in the Laurentian Great Lakes\, where overfishing\, habitat degradation\, and the introduction of invasive species in the 20th century led to precipitous declines in the largest documented radiation of coregonines in North America\, the Coregonus artedi species complex. Many of these impacts have been mitigated in recent decades\, and interest in restoring lost populations of these important prey fishes is growing\, calling for a better understanding of relationships between members of this species complex. In this talk\, I will discuss how we are leveraging new genomic tools to elucidate historic and contemporary differentiation and to explore the mechanisms of divergence in the Great Lakes C. artedi species complex in support of on-going conservation and restoration efforts.\n\nAbout the speaker:\nAmanda Ackiss is a Fish Biologist at the US Geological Survey’s Great Lakes Science Center in Ann Arbor\, MI. She earned her B.A. in Media Studies at the University of Virginia before pivoting back to the field of science and earning her Ph.D. in Ecological Sciences at Old Dominion University. During her Ph.D. she gained expertise in molecular ecology\, genomics\, and bioinformatics studying the diversity of fishes in the Coral Triangle region of southeast Asia before accepting a postdoctoral research position at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point that introduced her to the cisco species complex of the Great Lakes. Amanda’s lab at the USGS Great Lakes Science Center now focuses on applied genomics at the interface of speciation and spatial ecology to support bi-national coregonine conservation and restoration efforts. UID:146967-21899889@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/146967 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Off Campus Location CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20251208T103538 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260407T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260407T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:Deep Mutational Pharmacology Reveals the Basis of Receptor Efficacy- Department of Biological Chemistry Seminar DESCRIPTION:Please join us for a seminar presented by Dr. Willow Coyote-Maestas\, University of California\, San Francisco UID:142446-21890965@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/142446 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 5330 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260331T120135 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260407T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260407T130000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:EEB Tuesday Seminar Series- Outreach and education in the field: lessons from the Caribbean DESCRIPTION:Description: Outreach and education can have lasting impacts on communities and societies\, particularly in the context of scientific research that is conducted in ecosystems that which communities directly depend on for economic means and subsistence. We will provide an overview of our approach to outreach and education in Caribbean coastal ecosystems to provide examples of intentional approaches that integrate scientific research with community engagement and education. Our goal throughout will be to engage the audience in participatory discussion about the values and challenges of conducting outreach and education in any sphere of scientific inquiry. UID:147282-21900629@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/147282 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260327T113214 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260407T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260407T140000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:EEB Student Thesis Defense - The Effects of Land-Use History and Hurricane Disturbance on Soil Microbial Function in a Tropical Forest DESCRIPTION:Advisor: Natalia Umaña\n\nDefense summary: Soil microbes drive essential ecosystem processes like decomposition and nutrient cycling\, but how they respond to different types of disturbance remains unclear—especially in tropical forests facing both historical land use and increasing storm intensity. In this talk\, I explore how long-term land-use legacies (“press” disturbances) compare to hurricane impacts (“pulse” disturbances) in shaping soil microbial functioning in Puerto Rico. I show that land-use legacies have stronger and more persistent effects on soil conditions\, enzyme activity\, and nutrient cycling than more recent hurricane disturbance. In contrast\, microbial functioning was largely similar between hurricane-disturbed and undisturbed soils\, suggesting resilience to episodic events. These results highlight the lasting impact of human land use and suggest that legacy effects may play a larger role than natural disturbances in shaping ecosystem responses to global change. UID:147104-21900383@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/147104 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Dana Natural Resources Building - 1024M CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260302T110456 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260407T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260407T144500 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:Pollinator Talk! DESCRIPTION:Worldwide pollinator declines are a growing concern amid the scientific community and the public at large. While modern agricultural practices have been identified as a major factor contributing to the pollinator crisis\, most of the research on this topic has focused on the effects of insecticide use on pollinators. In contrast\, far less effort has been invested in understanding the possible downstream effects of herbicide use on pollinators via its effects on the plants on which pollinators rely for floral resources. This oversight is especially alarming because herbicides surpass insecticides as the most widely used class of pesticides worldwide\, and instances of pollution from newly adopted herbicides\, namely synthetic auxin (“auxinic”) herbicides\, are rising. Vero Iriart will present the findings from her ongoing postdoctoral research project\, which aims to assess the effects of novel auxinic herbicide exposure on plants\, pollinators\, and plant-pollinator interactions. In doing so\, we apply a holistic framework by investigating the impact of other relevant biotic factors present in agroecosystems (e.g. herbivores and soil microorganisms) that may also be important for mediating the consequences of herbicide exposure for plants and pollinators. UID:146085-21898350@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/146085 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Biological Sciences Building - 1010 CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260313T153702 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260408T093000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260408T223000 SUMMARY:Lecture / Discussion:Interferon Regulatory Factor 6 in epithelial homeostasis and disease DESCRIPTION:2026 Cell & Developmental Biology Seminar Series\n\nSpeaker: Martine Dunnwald\, PharmD\, PhD. Research Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology. The University of Iowa.\n\nHost: Hisham Bazzi\, PhD\n\nThe venue is accessible via elevator and ramp. If you require any accommodations in order to fully participate in this activity\, please inform Brooke Lorigan-Bishar.\nT: 734-647-4835\nE: brloriga@med.umich.edu UID:146581-21899310@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/146581 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building - ABC Seminar Rooms CONTACT: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260408T094420 DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260408T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260408T170000 SUMMARY:Workshop / Seminar:CCMB/DCMB Weekly Seminar Series featuring Ting Wang\, PhD (Professor of Medicine and Head\, Department of Genetics WashU Medicine) DESCRIPTION:CCMB/DCMB Seminar by Ting Wang\, PhD\n\n\"Unmasked: transposable elements as drivers and targets in cancer\"\n\nAbstract\n\nTransposable elements (TEs) represent almost half of the human genome. Historically deemed ‘junk DNA’\, recent technological advancements have stimulated a wave of research into the functional impact of TEs on gene-regulatory networks in evolution and development\, as well as in diseases including cancer. The genetic and epigenetic evolution of cancer involves the exploitation of TEs\, whereby TEs contribute directly to cancer-specific gene activities. I will provide a perspective on the role of TEs in cancer as being a ‘double-edged sword’\, both promoting cancer evolution and representing a vulnerability that could be exploited in cancer therapy. \n\nThe CCMB Seminar Series (Sponsored by DCMB) is held at Medical Science Building 1 (MS1)\, Room 4B700\, each Wednesday\, at 4:00 pm EST\, on bioinformatics-related topics.Each seminar is presented by an invited guest speaker. These seminars are live-streamed on Zoom. UID:143699-21893661@events.umich.edu URL:https://events.umich.edu/event/143699 CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:Biology LOCATION:Medical Science Unit I - 5330 CONTACT: END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR