Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics
Previous News Items
Dr. John Orem and Becky Orem retire June 30, 2010
Dr. John Orem, Murray Professor and former Chair of Physiology, retired June 30 after 34 years of service. Dr. Orem joined Physiology as Assistant Professor in 1976, was Interim Chair from 1996 until 1997, and Chairman from 1997 until 2004. He was named Murray Professor in 2002. He studied sleep research and has mentored many highly successful graduate students.
John's wife Becky is retiring as Medical Research Tech at the same time. The Department wishes them both well as they leave us!Back to Top
Dr. Martinez-Zaguilan awarded CPRIT grant
Dr. Siva Vanapalli of TTU is PI and Dr. Raul Martinez-Zaguilan of TTUHSC is Co-PI of a new CPRIT grant titled Integrated Microfluidic Technology for High Throughput Screening of the Metastatic Potential of Tumor Cells. It will run for two years from August 2010 through July 2012.
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Cell Physiology graduates four on May 22, 2010
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences commencement was held May 22. Cell Physiology Graduates are: Jimmy Fraigne, Ph.D.; Ryan Downey, MS; Lauren Hightower, MS; and Lisa Welch, MS.
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Dr. Pressley named interim GSBS Dean
Thomas Pressley, Ph.D., was named Interim Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences by TTUHSC President Tedd Mitchell. He takes over for Dr. Luis Reuss.
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Drs. Lutherer and Pressley honored at dinner
Thomas Pressley, Ph.D., received the Department Unsung Hero Award and Lorenz Lutherer, MD, Ph.D. received the Dean’s Distinguished Faculty Service Award at the Dean’s Annual Faculty Appreciation Dinner on May 6.
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Dr. Guan awarded ARP grant
Lan Guan, MD, Ph.D., Asst. Professor, was awarded a two-year ARP grant for $192,500. The title of her research is Molecular Mechanism for the Cation/Sugar Coupling and Selectivity in Melibiose Permease. The Project will run from July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2012.
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Dr. Willis places in poster competition
Post Doctoral Research Associate Ray Willis was awarded 2nd place in the category of post-doctoral fellows during the annual Student Research Week poster competition. His poster is titled: "Genetic Variation in the Alpha 1 Subunit of the Na,Kpump in a Freshwater Serpent."
Ray works in the lab of Dr. Tom Pressley.
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Dr. Altenberg receives CPRIT grant
One of two TTUHSC researchers who received CPRIT grants is Guillermo Altenberg, M.D., Ph.D. ,Associate Professor in the Department of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics. The grant award is currently set at $742,572 over a three-year period beginning March 15, 2010.
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center researchers were awarded more than $1 million in grants from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). According to CPRIT, 66 research projects were selected from nearly 900 proposals submitted to the Institute. Each proposal underwent extensive scientific review by a team of more than 100 scientific experts. The research projects selected will investigate the causes and potential treatments for a wide range of cancers. Doug Stocco, Ph.D., TTUHSC executive vice president for research, said the rankings demonstrate the institution’s research is competitive statewide.
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Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics hosts President's Lecture
H. Ronald Kaback, M.D., Distinguished Professor, Departments of Physiology and of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics at the University of California, Los Angeles presented the first President's Distinguished Lecture at the TTUHSC on Thursday, October 15, 2009. Dr. Kaback's talk was titled “The Old Man and the Membrane.”
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Dr. Artigas organizes international course
CPMB Assistant Professor Pablo Artigas was a co-organizer for an International course and mini-symposium. This event was partially supported by the American Physiological Society. The event was held to engender collaborative research between the Latin American community and the US, and as a recruitment tool to the HSC programs. The course, held at the School of Medicine in Montevideo,Uruguay, in Sept 2009 was titled: Physiology of Membrane Ion Transport. Invited CPMB speakers were Guillermo A. Altenberg and Tom Pressley.
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Dr. Oomman receives Young Investigator award
Physiology PhD graduate Sowmini Oomman has been chosen as one of the four recipients of the Brain Research Young Investigator Awards of 2009, with the paper “Bergmann glia utilizes active caspase-3 for differentiation”, by Sowmini Oomman, Howard Strahlendorf, Janet Dertien and Jean Strahlendorf, published in Brain Research Volume 1078, 17 March 2006, Pages 19-34.
With the Award she receives a check for $3,000 and a certificate. The names of the recipients and the titles of their articles will be published prominently in forthcoming issues of Brain Research as well as on the journal's Homepage, and so achieve great visibility.
Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics Professor Jean Strahlendorf was Dr. Oomman’s PhD mentor.
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Dr. Altenberg awarded ARRA Supplement
Associate Professor Guillermo Altenberg received an ARRA Administrative Supplement from the NIH for his work titled: ARRA: Architecture of the transmembrane pore formed by connexin 43. This grant period will run from 9/30/2009 – 8/31/2011.
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Drs. Pressley and Willis visit Japan
Drs. Thomas Pressley and Raymond Willis each presented a scientific poster at the International Union of Physiological Sciences meeting in Kyoto, Japan, July 27 through August 1, 2009. At the 2009 Teaching Workshop in Kobe, Japan that followed the IUPS meeting, Dr. Pressley co-chaired a breakout session, "Free Teaching Resources from the American Physiological Society."
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Dr. Lutherer award and appointment
Dr. Lorenz Lutherer received the School of Medicine Distinguished Alumni Award for 2009 at the HSC's 40th Anniversary celebration dinner. Dr. Lutherer was also recently appointed as Medical Director of the Clinical Research Center of the School of Medicine.
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Dr. Jansen awarded SPF grant
Michaela Jansen, Ph.D. received a grant from the South Plains Foundation (Sept. 1, 2009 – Aug. 31, 2010) for “Structure Function Studies of the Intracellular Domain of Cys Loop Receptors”.
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Becky Cooper Awarded Stipend!
Congratulations to Graduate Student Becky Cooper, a recipient of the GSBS Competitive Stipends beginning September 1, 2009.
Great job Becky!
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Guan receives ARRA grant award!
Dr. Lan Guan received an ARRA supplement to her NIH grant for her work on Crystallization of eukaryotic facilitated glucose transporters. The project period is June 1, 2009 - Aug. 31, 2010.
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Artigas Awarded AHA Grant!
Dr. Pablo Artigas was awarded a grant from the American Heart Association South Central Affiliate for his work on Structure-based studies of Na/K pump function and its interaction with cardiotonic steroids. The grant period is July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2011.
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Lisa Welch is ARCS Scholar Two Years in a Row!
Congratulations to Graduate Student Lisa Welch, who was awarded another Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Scholarship!
Way to go Lisa!
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Faculty Appreciation Awards
Congratulations to the following Cell Physiology faculty honored at the annual Dean's Faculty Appreciation Dinner on May 5.
John Fowler, Ph.D., Unsung Hero Award
Lorenz Lutherer, MD, Ph.D., Dean's Basic Science Teaching Award - Yr 1
Guillermo Altenberg, MD, Ph.D., Dean's Research Award
We applaud your accomplishments!
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Jean Strahlendorf named Outstanding Mentor!
The Center for Undergraduate Research hosted a spring banquet April 16, 2009 to recognize outstanding TTU / HSC undergraduate researchers, faculty mentors, and graduating scholars at the Merket Alumni Center. Recipients for the Outstanding Faculty Mentor award included Cell Physiology Professor Jean Strahlendorf. One of Dr. Strahlendorf's former students is Mike Henne, who was in town at the same time and was one of the key seminar speakers for HHMI research week. Says Dr. Strahlendorf, "Mike received his PhD from Cambridge this year and we are very proud of our wonderful student."
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VelvetLee Finckbone is Competition Winner!
The Graduate School on the Texas Tech University Campus held its 8th Annual Graduate Student Research Poster Competition on April 10, 2009. Some current and former Cell Physiology names won awards:
Under the Sciences Category 1 section, Medical Research Tech VelvetLee Finckbone from the Strahlendorf Lab won 3rd Place for her poster titled: Stress Activated Kinases and Lyn Tyrosine Kinases are Instrumental in the Initiation of AMPA Induced Dark Cell Degeneration in Cerebellar Purkinje Neurons and Hippocampal Pyramidal Neurons.
And two former Graduate Students also took home honors: Under the Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources section, Julie Weathers took 1st Place for: Differences in Embryo Weight and Composition and Their Implications for Cryopreservation Survival; while under the Sciences Category 2 section, Jennifer Cole won 2nd Place for: Proteomic Profiling of Benzo[a]pyrene-Exposed Skin/Blubber Organotypic Cultures in Tursiops truncatus (Bottlenose Dolphin).
Congratulations to all!
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Another Scholarship for Lisa Welch!
Congratulations again to Graduate Student Lisa Welch who was awarded another scholarship for her travel to Woods Hole MA to attend the Frontiers in Reproduction Course. This $200 award is from the West Texas Association for Women in Science.
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Summer Research Fellow
Dr. Raul Martínez-Zaguilán will be a research host for an APS Undergraduate Summer Research Fellow with funding from the Career Opportunities in Physiology Committee of the American Physiological Society. Dr. Martínez-Zaguilán's student, Omar Lara Garcia, currently attends the Universidad Veracruzana in Mexico.
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Headed to Japan
Dr. Ray Willis, post doctoral research associate, and Jimmy Fraigne, graduate student, each received a $1000 travel award to attend the XXXVI International Congress of Physiological Sciences, part of the IUPS 2009 Congress scheduled for July 27 - August 1 in Kyoto, Japan.
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Dr. Artigas Receives APS Funding
Dr. Pablo Artigas, Asst. Professor, received $2500 from the American Physiological Society's Latin American Initiative to fund a workshop / symposium on "Physiology of Membrane Ion Transport" in Montevideo, Uruguay.
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Dr. Willis Student Research Week Winner!
Dr. Ray Willis, post doctoral research associate in Thomas Pressley's lab, won the award for his category in the annual student research week poster competition, held March 3-6, 2009 with his poster titled: Transthyretin Gene Intron One Elucidates Crocodilian Phylogenetic Relationships.
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Jimmy Fraigne Promoting Quality Enhancement Program
Graduate student Jimmy Fraigne is participating in the QEP advertising for "Interprofessional Teamwork". (Photo Attached)
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Lisa Welch Awarded MBL Scholarship
Kudos are due again to Lisa Welch! Lisa received notification that she was accepted for a six week course being held Spring 2009 at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, MA. The title of the course is "Frontiers in Reproduction," and the MBL has offered her a $5000.00 scholarship to help cover the cost of the course.
Congratulations on earning this outstanding opportunity, Lisa!
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Cell Physiology Welcomes Dr. Michaela Jansen!
Dr. Michaela Jansen arrived Dec. 1 from Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in Bronx, NY. Dr. Jansen brings her NIH grant to fund research on "Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Structure, Thermal Motion and Gating." Welcome, Dr. Jansen!
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Lisa Welch Earns ARCS Scholarship
Congratulations to Cell Physiology Graduate Student Lisa Welch, who was a recipient of an ARCS Scholarship awarded at the Scholar Recognition Dinner on November 17. The ARCS (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists) Foundation is dedicated to helping meet our country's need for scientists and engineers by providing scholarships to academically outstanding students.Back to Top
President's Award for Dr. Reuss
The TTUHSC President's Excellence in Teaching Award was presented to Dr. Luis Reuss at the annual Faculty Awards Convocation held Oct 16. (photo)
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Drs. Lutherer and Pressley Win Awards
The School of Medicine's Dean's Hero Award was presented Oct. 10th to Drs. Thomas Pressley and Lorenz Lutherer for assisting in a nearly 100% passing rate on the USMLE Step 1 exam.Back to Top
Cell Physiology Welcomes Dr. Lan Guan!
Dr. Lan Guan arrived in August from UCLA, bringing her newly awarded NIH R21 grant to study "Crystallization of eukaryotic facilitated glucose transporters." Welcome to Lubbock Dr. Guan!Back to Top
Altenberg Awarded Grant!
Dr. Guillermo Altenberg's ARP grant commenced in August. He was awarded funds to study "Molecular mechanisms of regulation by calcium of gap-junctional hemichannels formed by connexin 43."Back to Top
Lutherer Awarded Grant!
In August 2008, Dr. Lorenz Lutherer was awarded $94,352 from HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration) to fund the Center for Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke.Back to Top
Deans Scholars Award!
The GSBS Associate Deans reviewed the applications for the Deans Scholars Award and were impressed with the quality of all applicants. After much deliberation, it was announced August 28 that Cell Physiology Graduate Student Becky Cooper was awarded the Dean's Scholars Award. Way to make us all proud, Becky!Back to Top
Dr. Donald Davies Retires
Cell Physiology Professor Donald G. Davies retired from the Department in August after 35 years of service. Dr. Davies spent many years as Course Director and instructor of Respiratory Physiology. We wish him well as he enjoys his leisure time! (photo)
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Pressley Wins Fundraiser
The Graduate Student Association thanked Dr. Tom Pressley for participating in their first annual "Kiss the Pig" fundraiser. Dr. Pressley raised the most funds, beating out seven other contestants, and winning the honor of kissing the pig! The funds will be used by the GSA to bring speakers to campus. (photo)
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Department Receives Award
On April 24th, 2008, School of Medicine Dean Steven Berk hosted his Faculty Appreciation Dinner at the Frazier Pavilion on the Texas Tech Campus. During the ceremony, he recognized the Department of Cell Physiology with an 'Award of Excellence for Research' based upon grant dollars received by the Department this past year. (photo)
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Service Award to Dr. Lutherer
Dr. Lorenz Lutherer, Professor of Cell Physiology, received his award pin for 35 years of service on Monday, April 21. Thanks, Dr. Lutherer, for keeping the HSC going for so many years! (photo)
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Student Research Day Winner!
Congratulations to Rick Bliss! Rick was awarded 1st place in the Graduate Students - Third Year and Above category of the Student Research Week poster competition after presenting his work on AMPA-induced toxicity is exacerbated by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) in cerebellar acute slice model. Rick is a student in Dr. Jean Strahlendorf's lab. Great showing Rick! (photo)
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Ward Defends Masters
The Cell Physiology Department congratulates Todd Ward, who successfully presented his Masters Thesis Defense February 29, 2008. Todd's thesis title was "Rodent Sodium Potassium-ATPase Alpha-1 and Alpha-3 Catalytic Subunit Regulation Involves Conventional Protein Kinase C Subtypes."Todd's mentor is Dr. Thomas Pressley.
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| Contact Information: |
| Cindy Rolfe, Administrator |
| Department of Cell Physiology |
| Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center |
| 3601 4th Street at Indiana Avenue |
| Lubbock, TX 79430-6551 |
| 1-(806)-743-2520 |