04 December 2008

Biochemistry Year-End Party

Our annual year-end party was held again at Hart House this year. Good food, wonderful dessert and (mostly) excellent music heralded the end of 2008.

For something different we held a free-for-all karaoke event that provided some surprises and a lot of entertainment.

Click here to see some photos and videos.

Members of the Deber lab do a spirited
karaoke rendition of White Christmas.

27 November 2008

Fourth Annual Benjamin Schachter Memorial Lecture

The Biochemistry Grad Students Union welcomed back two of their alumni, Walter Kahr and Carolina Landolt-Marticorena, for the 4th annual Benjamin Schachter Memorial Lectureship. Both are clinician scientists, Carol in the Division of Rheumatology at Toronto Western Hospital and Walter in the Division of Haematology/Oncology at SickKids.

Their tag-team styled talk, entitled “Remembrance of Experiments Past” chronicled their transition from grad school, to medical school, through residency and finally their careers as clinical researchers. Their memories of grad school in the Department of Biochemistry were surprisingly much the same as we experience now, however, back then the beards were bushier and eyeglasses were bigger. This dynamic duo shared their experience as a scientific couple, the advantages of having someone who understands the challenges and small triumphs, and someone who can accompany you to the lab at all hours of the day, even spending a memorable New Years Eve together in the lab! They also shared with us their five stages towards financial acceptance, warning us to never, ever calculate our hourly wage. It’s their passion for science and discovery that has pulled them through life, juggling the many tasks of clinic duty, research and being parents of twins. In their world, balance can never really fully be achieved …

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).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, Walter's Ph.D. supervisor David Pulleyblank, Benjamin Schachter's son Dan Schachter, Walter Khar, Carol Landolt-Marticorena, and Chair Reinhart Reithmeier

September 18, 2008

First Annual Biochemistry-Immunology Challenge Baseball Match

The mighty Biochemistry "Mutants" squared off against the "Yet-to-be-Named" Immunologists in our first annual faculty-student interdepartmental match. Spirits were high on both sides (as was the score!!) but, at the end of the day, the Immunologists squeaked out a win in a very close contest. The event was such a success that both sides vowed to be back next year to make this an annual contest.

As can be seen by the photos to the right, both Chairs Reithmeier and Ratcliffe showed questionable form but outstanding enthusiasm and leadership. Our local pub saw a fitting end to the day as rivals rubbed shoulders and recapped the game highlights (run mouse over the photos at right).

August 2008

Biochemistry Summer Baseball draws to a close

The Biochemistry Baseball Team "They Might be Mutants" celebrated the end of an (almost) winning season. Ably led by co-captains Steve Doyle and Sian Patterson, the Mutants took on a host of opponents throughout the summer. Despite many rainouts and spectacular wipe-outs on wet fields, spirits remained high and the team thoroughly enjoyed the season. Our secret weapon was Karen Rothfels who, being pregnant with twins (see pic Aug. 22nd entry), scored 3 runs every time she passed home plate!

The call is out for players for our faculty-student challenge match with Immunology on September 18th, 5 pm. All aspiring players are welcome!

For a photo of the team, click here

26 August 2008

Not to be fore-gotten.... our 6th Annual Golf Day!

This year, Golf Day moved to a full-scale course at Scarlett Woods. Twenty- four faculty, staff, post-docs and students divided into 6 teams to play a good-natured "best ball" round of golf. Each team was composed of novices and experienced golfers. The camraderie, fantastic weather and a beautifully scenic course combined to make a terrific day.

For some photos of the event, click here

A contented group of golfers enjoy
some post-game socializing.

22 August 2008

Biochemists of Tomorrow!!

Postdocs Karen Rothfels and Johnny Tkach celebrate their most successful cloning experiment - the birth of twin boys Nicholas and Jessie on August 22nd.

Here the happy (and somewhat tired) parents bring the boys in for a visit when just 12 days old.

Karen and Johnny with
Jessie (left) and Nicholas.

28-30 May 2008

Celebrating 100 Years of Biochemistry at the University of Toronto

Founded in 1907-08 by Professor Archibald Byron Macallum, the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Toronto was the first department dedicated to this discipline in Canada, and amongst the very first in the world. During the ensuing century, the Department has flourished in its missions in research and education, graduating over 350 Ph.D. and 370 Masters degree students and teaching thousands of undergraduate life science and medical students. The present day Department has 56 faculty members and about 200 graduate student and postdoctoral trainees. A research powerhouse, the Department has published over 1000 papers in the last five years alone.

To celebrate this event, we held a 100th Anniversay Symposium which featured 2.5 days of talks by alumni and current faculty members, keynote presentations by James Rothman and Gregory Petsko, a poster session to highlight the research of our student and postdoctoral trainees and a gala birthday party at Hart House.

Click here for a Symposium Program and for photos of the celebration!

Two bronze plaques were created for the event and placed
in the Biochemistry Department and in the lobby of the MSB.

Thursday 13 March 2008

Mechanisms of CD4 Downregulation by the Nef Protein of Immunodeficiency Viruses

Dr. Juan Bonifacino, Chief of the Cell biology and Metabolism Program, NICHD, NIH, presented the above lecture in our George Connell seminar series. Juan also lectured in our BCH 2021 graduate course with a fascinating overview of protein traffic between the trans Golgi network and the endosome/lysosome system.

Juan Bonifacino (centre) with course
coordinators Allen Volchuk (left) and David Williams.

Thursday 06 March 2008

Where Do Little Golgi Stacks Come From?

Dr. Benjamin Glick, Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, presented the above lecture in our Biomolecular Structure Seminar Series. He also took students in our BCH2021 graduate course on a wonderful historical tour of the Golgi apparatus and discussed the remarkably dynamic nature of this organelle.

Benjamin Glick

Wednesday 27 February 2008

Organelle Biogenesis from the ER

Dr. Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz, NICHD, NIH, presented the above lecture in our BCH2021 graduate course in "Protein Quality Control and Trafficking within the Secretory Pathway". Jennifer kept the class riveted with her videos of the dynamic nature of the ER, nucleus, peroxisomes and Golgi apparatus.

Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz with course
coordinators Allen Volchuk (left) and David Williams.

Friday 22 February 2008

Biochemistry - Immunology Joint Ski Day

Perfect snow and a wonderful sunny day greeted biochemists and immunologists at the Blue Mountain ski resort in Collingwood on Georgian Bay.

For photos of the event click here.

A happy group of biochemists and immunologists
head back to Toronto after a great day of skiing.

Thursday 06 February 2008

A physiological perspective on unfolded protein responses.

Dr. David Ron, Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Cell Biology, Skirball Institute, NYU Medical Center, presented the above titled seminar in our George Connell Seminar Series.

David Ron

Thursday 24 January 2008

The translocation of virus and their components across cellular membranes.

Dr. Daniel Hebert, Assoc. Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts - Amherst, presented the above titled seminar in our Biomolecular Structure Seminar Series.

Dan Hebert (right) with host David Williams
following the seminar.

Saturday 12 January 2008

Graduate Programs in Basic Biomedical Research Information Day.

Biochemistry and seven other Biomedical Departments jointly hosted the Faculty of Medicine's First Research Information Day. Visiting students heard presentations from Departments about specific programs and how to apply, enjoyed lunch while chatting with grad students and faculty, viewed posters and research presentations and then embarked on very enjoyable grad student-run tours of research facilities both on campus and at hospital research institutes.

Biochemistry graduate students Garnet Lau and Patrick Kim Chiaw
field questions from visiting students at the Biochemistry display.