Tuesday 12 December 2006

Biochemistry Year-End Party

This year, Biochemistry's Year-End party was held on campus at beautiful Hart House. Highlights included terrific food, the inauguration of our annual "Biochemistry Video Contest", a Biochemistry quizz, entertaining songs about graduate and research life and a slide show of Department photos over the past 3 decades. All this plus a festive atmosphere resulted in one of our best parties ever.

For some photos of the party, click here.

Tuesday 12 December 2006

First Annual Biochemistry Video Contest

Biochemistry's Year-End party was highlighted by the inauguration of our annual "Biochemistry Video Contest". Graduate students were asked to make videos highlighting why they enjoy studying Biochemistry at the University of Toronto.

The result was 6 very creative, entertaining and remarkably diverse videos that were "judged" in the format of American Idol by our celebrity guests Susan Pfeiffer (Dean of Graduate Studies and Vice Provost, Graduate Education), former Biochem. grad. student Zayna Khayat (Boston Consulting Group) and our very own Roy Baker (Professor and master of extemporaneous speech).

For a look at what our students had to say, click here.

Enjoying the show are judges Susan
Pfeiffer (left), Roy Baker and Zayna Khayat.

Friday 20 October 2006

Farewell Party for Justin Theilman

Justin Theilman joined the Department a year ago as an office assistant and quickly became a terrific asset to the office staff and the Department as a whole. He has accepted a position as the Administrative Assistant Graduate Affairs in the Department of Medical Biophysics. Although we will miss him, this is a great opportunity for Justin and we wish him every success in his new job.

Justin enjoys a happy send-off compliments
of his friends in the Departmental office.

Wednesday 14 June 2006

Exceptional TA Awards

Each year the Department honours TAs who have demonstrated excellence in diverse areas such as clarity, knowledge base, adaptability, performance, approachability, and course development.

This year four of our TAs were honoured for their outstanding contributions to our lab courses BCH370, BCH371 and BCH471: Lisa Pell, Ghadeer Shubassi, Costin Antonescu and Eden Fussner.

Congratulations Lisa, Ghadeer, Costin and Eden!!

Left to right: Lecturer Roula Andreopoulous,
Lisa Pell, Ghadeer Shubassi, Senior Lecturer
Pat Bronskill, Costin Antonescu and Eden Fussner.

Tuesday 13 June 2006

Un-fore-gettable! - 4th Annual Biochemistry Golf Day
Beginners and experts alike had a great time at the 4th Annual Biochemistry Golf Day held at Dentonia Park Golf Couse.

If you'd like to putter through some photos, click here.

Happy biochemists swap
pipetmen for golf clubs.

Wednesday 06 June 2006

Retirement Party in Honour of Patricia Bronskill

The Department gathered to celebrate the 40 years that we have enjoyed having Pat Bronskill as a colleague and friend in the Department. Pat obtained her M.Sc. degree in the Department with Prof. Jeffrey Wong and then spent 17 years as a senior technician in the Wong lab. She accepted the post of Senior Lecturer in 1989 where she co-coordinated our three laboratory courses, BCH370, BCH371, and BCH471. Pat also spent 8 years as coordinator of INX 199Y a Trinity College-based course entitled Science and Social Choice. In all of the courses in which she taught, Pat was admired, respected and much loved by the students. Her knowledge, thoroughness, and compassion for students are a thing of legend.

In 1999, Pat's excellence in teaching were recognized by the highest teaching honour in the Faculty of Medicine, the W.T. Aikins Award.

For photos of the party, click here.

Patricia Bronskill
Senior Lecturer.

Tuesday 30 May 2006

Dept. of Biochemistry Annual Research Day

A hot sunny day, a beautiful air-conditioned! setting at the Old Mill Inn, great food and 200 biochemists discussing top-notch science combined to make for a very successful Research Day.

For Research Day photos, click here.

Department of Biochemistry
University of Toronto
May 2006

Thursday 25 May 2006

Protein Folding Symposium

The second "International Symposium on Protein Folding: Principles and Diseases" will be held Thursday, May 25 and Friday, May 26, 2006 in Room 3154, Medical Sciences Building.

This Symposium, organized by John Glover, features a stellar cast of speakers, as well as presentations by trainees. It begins with breakfast at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday and ends just past noon on Friday. Everyone is welcome to attend. No registration is required, just show up.

For a Symposium poster and complete program information, click here.

CIHR Training Program in Protein Folding presents:

The Second International Symposium on Protein Folding: Principles and Diseases

Monday 22 May 2006

Jeff Lee Wins Governor General's Gold Medal

Jeff Lee, a Biochemistry graduate student supervised by Dr. Lynne Howell, has been awarded the Governor General's Gold Medal. The Gold Medal is awarded to the student with the highest academic standing at the graduate level. Jeff's thesis was entitled "Structural and functional studies of 5'-methylthioadenosine/S-adenosylhomocysteine nucleosidase". Jeff published an incredible 9 papers during his Ph.D. studies and he won three poster awards.

Jeff is currently a post-doctoral fellow at Scripps in the Department of Immunology.

Congratulations Jeff (and Lynne)!

Tuesday 16 May 2006

Benjamin Schachter Memorial Lectureship

The second annual Benjamin Schachter Memorial Lectureship invited back one of
the Department's graduates, Zayna Khayat, to speak on the topic, 'I have my
grad degree... now what?!

Zayna provided much sought after advice on succeeding as a graduate student as
well as getting involved in extracurricular activities. An engaging speaker,
Zayna inspired students to create their own luck both in their personal lives
and in finding a job. She also provided insight into the world of consulting
at the The Boston Consulting Group, an alternate career path for future science
grads.

From 1934-1939 Dr. Benjamin (Benny) Schachter worked in the Department of Biochemistry conducting research on female sex hormones, isolating and identifying conjugated oestrone sulphate (Premarin). He worked from 1939-1949 at Canada Packers, starting the Research and Development Department, researching hormones and vitamins and set up and headed a plant for the synthetic production of vitamin D3, essential to the war effort. From 1951-1972 Dr. Schachter founded and then operated Superior Biochemicals producing cortisone and other pharmaceutical and industrial chemicals. To honour Benny Schachter's memory, a donation was made to the Department by his family. The funds are being used to support an annual lectureship in his memory. The BGSU and graduate students select and host the speaker who is a graduate from our Department.

 

From left, Chair Reinhart Reithmeier, Schachter Lecturer Dr. Zayna Khayat, Benjamin Schachter's son Dr. Dan Schachter and BGSU President Costin Antonescu

Wednesday 05 April 2006

Biochemistry's New Business Officer

A reception was held today to celebrate Carol Justice's appointement to the position of Business Officer in the Department of Biochemistry. Carol replaces Suzanne D'Alvise who has taken the position of Business Officer in the Department of Medical Imaging.

Carol Justice is of course no stranger to the Department. Carol started her career in Biochemistry in 1973 as a Clerk and steadily rose up through the administrative ranks to the position of Administrative Assistant-Finance, a position she has held for many years. We all appreciate Carol's attention to detail and her ability to handle the every increasing demands made on her time. Her vast experience in financial matters and her ability to deal with all personnel issues in a timely and professional manner will serve us well.

For some photos of the celebration, click here

Cake-cutting rather than budget-cutting was
a welcome change for Carol today.

Wednesday 10 March 2006

Biojeopardy

Undergraduates from Biochemistry, Immunology, and Medical Genetics & Microbiology match wits, foosball skills, and baking prowess in this annual rivalry.

Click here for some photos.

Fielding tough questions
at Biojeopardy.

Wednesday 22 February 2006

Biochemistry Ski Day

Great weather, super snow conditions, and the organizational talents of Costin Antonescu combined to make a memorable ski trip to Blue Mountain in Collingwood.

Click here for some photos.

Ready for another run.

Saturday 14 January 2006

Department of Biochemistry Graduate Open House

Our Annual Open House was a great success, attended by 80 students from various universities in Ontario and further afield. Attendees learned about the admissions process, had many opportunities to discuss graduate life over lunch and dinner, and toured research facilities both on campus and in hospital research institutes.

Click here for some photos.

Getting a 3-D inside view of proteins during
the Biochemistry Open House.