In addition to the Chemistry-Biology Interface trainees and faculty, students from the Departments of Chemistry, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Biochemistry, Molecular and Integrative Physiology, and Microbiology attend CBI seminar series. The seminars series are unique at CBI Illinois and a bit different from regular speaking engagements as the focus leans heavily toward interaction with trainees and we have found that our speakers find this very refreshing. Our visitors participate in a few one-on-one meetings with faculty and the senior trainees get experience presenting their research presentation in a small collaborative setting.  Lastly, the visit is followed by a seminar presentation from our guest speaker.

Seminars AY22-23

Professor Hening Lin, Cornell University

9/22/22 -4:00pm 116 RAL
“Protein acylation-deacylation cycles regulate signaling pathways in cancer and inflammation”
Trainee Host: Andrew Rice, Mitchell lab

Professor Udayan Apte, University of Kansas Medical Center

9/30/22 -12:00pm B102 CLSL
“HNF4alpha: A Nuclear Receptor at the Interface of Chemical Interactions with Biological Systems”
Trainee Host: Nick Baker, Kalsotra lab

Professor Peter Mahaffy, The King’s University

1/19/23 -4:00pm 116 RAL
“Realizing Chemistry’s Role in the Emergence of Sustainability: A Systems Approach”
Trainee Host: Jorge Calderin, Fratti lab

Professor Adrian Keatinge-Clay, The University at Texas at Austin

2/16/23 -4:00pm B102 CLSL
“Engineering Polyketide Synthases Using the Correct Module Boundary”
Trainee Host: Angie Caserio, Metcalf lab

Professor Sara Sawyer, University of Colorado

4/6/23 -4:00pm 116 RAL
“TBD”
Trainee Host: Marya Ornelas, Mehta lab

Professor Adam Cohen, Harvard University

5/5/23 -12:00pm 116 RAL
“Optical tools for mapping brain dynamics: from synapses to circuits”
Trainee Host: Marisa Asadian, Han lab

Seminars AY21-22

Professor Channing Der, University of North Carolina

8/26/21 -4:00pm Virtual
“Targeting RAS for cancer treatment: what a long strange trip it’s been”
Trainee Host: Michael Mulligan, Hergenrother lab

Professor Matthew Francis, University of California, Berkeley

8/30/21 -4:00pm Virtual
“Efficient Synthesis of Multifunctional Proteins Using Enzymatic Oxidative Coupling Reactions”
Trainee Host: Jonnathan Marin-Toledo, Burke lab

Professor Melanie Ohi, University of Michigan

9/14/21 -4:00pm Virtual
“Cryo-EM studies of Type IV Secretion Systems of pathogenic bacteria”
Trainee Host: Megan Ringling, Blanke lab

Professor Eugenia Trushina, Mayo Clinic

10/18/21 -4:00pm, 116 RAL
“Mitochondria to the rescue: signaling in health and disease”
Trainee Host: Dylan Blaha, Kranz lab

Professor Virginia Cornish, Columbia University

10/21/21 -4:00pm, Virtual
“Expanding the Synthetic Capabilities of Yeast”
Trainee Host: Joenisse Rosado-Rosa, Mehta lab

Professor Michael Jewett, Northwestern University

11/18/21 -4:00pm Virtual
“Bioengineering beyond cells to enable a fair and sustainable 21st bio-century”
Trainee Host: Alex Battiste, Mitchell lab

Professor Erin Adams, University of Chicago

12/3/21 -4:00pm Virtual
“Exploring the antigenic universe; how the immune system recognizes diverse structural and chemical signals of disease”
Trainee Host: Dylan Blaha, Kranz lab

Professor Laura Kiessling, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

1/27/22 -4:00pm Virtual
“Carbohydrates at the Host-Microbe Interface”
Trainee Host: Sydney McKee, Hergenrother lab

Professor Lou Charkoudian, Haverford College

4/28/22 -4:00pm Virtual
“Unveiling the molecular underpinnings of natural product biosynthesis”
Trainee Host: Susanna Barrett, Mitchell lab

Professor Hening Lin, Cornell UniversityProfessor Hening Lin, Cornell University

TBD -4:00pm 116 RAL
“TBD”
Trainee Host: Andrew Rice, Mitchell lab

Seminars AY20-21

Professor Christopher Chang, University of California, Berkeley

9/15/20 -3:30pm Virtual
“Activity-Based Sensing Approaches to Decipher Transition Metal Signaling”
Trainee Host: Sophie McClain, Murphy lab

Dr. Amy Ripka, Lucy Therapeutics

9/21/20 -4:00pm Virtual
“It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World: Planning for a Career in Science”
Trainee Host: Matthew Boudreau, Hergenrother lab

Professor Tom Poulos, University of California, Irvine

10/9/20 -12:00pm Virtual
“Structural Biology of Redox Complexes, Allostery, and Dynamics in P450 Catalysis”
Trainee Host: Rachel Martini, Lu lab

Professor Pieter Dorrestein, University of California, San Diego

10/12/20 -4:00pm Virtual
“Connecting the World’s Mass Spectrometry Data to Understand the Chemistry of Life – a Big Data Strategy”
Trainee Host: Sara Eslami, van der Donk lab

Professor Yolanda Vasquez, Oklahoma State University

10/26/20 -4:00pm Virtual
“A Soft Lithography Method to Generate Arrays of Microstructures on Hydrogel Surfaces”
Trainee Host: Jazmin Aguilar-Romero, Zimmerman lab

Professor Edward Botchwey, Georgia Institute of Technology

12/3/20 -4:00pm Virtual
“Towards Regenerative Immunotherapy: Using Biomaterials for Local Delivery Bioactive Lipids and Pro-resolving Lipid Mediators”
Trainee Host: Aliki Kolliopoulos, Harley lab

Professor James Ferry, Pennsylvania State University

2/4/21 -4:00pm Virtual
“Electron Transport in the Model Acetotrophic Methanogen Methanosarcina acetivorans”
Trainee Host: Roy Rodriguez Carrero, Metcalf lab

Professor Joe Petrosino, Baylor College of Medicine

2/26/21 -12:00pm Virtual
“The human microbiome in the era of personalized medicine… and a SARS-CoV-2 origin story”
Trainee Host: Andrew Blake, Burke lab

Professor Tatiana Segura, Duke University

3/1/21 -12:00pm Virtual
“Granular Biomaterials for endogenous repair”
Trainee Host: Gabriela Ibarra, Chan lab

Professor Alanna Schepartz, University of California, Berkeley

5/17/21 -4:00pm Virtual
“Delivery proteins to cells and animals”
Trainee Host: Lindsay Chatkewitz, Hergenrother lab

Seminars AY19-20

Professor Shahriar Mobashery, Notre Dame

09/23/19 -4pm, 116 RAL
“Cell-Wall Recycling in Gram-Negative Bacteria and the Nexus to Antibiotic Resistance”
Trainee Host: Kristen Munoz, Hergenrother lab

Professor Gregory Bowman, Washington University in St. Louis

10/29/19 -2pm, 116 RAL
“Protein dynamics for precision medicine”
Trainee Host: Jiming Chen, Shukla lab

Professor Amy Rosenzweig, Northwestern University

02/27/20 -3:30pm, 116 RAL
“Biological methane oxidation”
Trainee Host: Tim Precord, Mitchell lab

Professor Squire Booker, The Pennsylvania State University

03/02/20 -3:30pm, 116 RA
“The Biosynthesis of Lipoic Acid: A Saga of Death, Destruction and Rebirth”
Trainee Host: Kyle Shelton, Mitchell lab

Seminars AY18-19

Professor Cecilia Tommos, University of Pennsylvania

09/18/18 – 4pm, 1024 Chem Annex
“Climbing E°’verest to study amino-acid radicals in biological (proton coupled) electron transfer”
Trainee Host: Claire Merchen, Lu lab

Professor Helen Blackwell, University of Wisconsin-Madison

10/04/18 -4pm, 116 RAL
“Chemical Interception of Bacterial Communication: New Languages, New Outcomes”
Trainee Host: Martin Chavez, Hergenrother lab

Professor Myles Brown, Harvard University

10/09/18 -12pm, B102 CLSL
“Essential Genes and Cistromes in Hormone-Dependent Cancers”
Trainee Host: Valeria Sanabria Guillen, Katzenellenbogen lab

Professor Nathaneal S. Gray, Harvard University

11/05/18 -4pm, 116 RA
“Targeted Protein Degradation as a new Drug Development Strategy”
Trainee Host: Matthew Boudreau, Hergenrother lab

Professor Ronald Raines, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

01/28/19 -4pm, 116 RAL
“Protein Prodrugs”
Trainee Host: Nicholas Pino, Chan lab

Professor Bradley Moore, University of California

02/08/19 -12pm, B102 CLSL
“Connecting Genes to Chemistry to Empower Small Molecule Discovery and Production”
Trainee Host: Imran Rahman, van der Donk lab

Dr. Mary Maxon, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

02/14/19 -4pm, 116 RAL
“Adventures in Science and Science Policy: From Industry to the White House and Beyond”
Trainee Host: Libby Haywood, Wilson lab

CANCELED! – Dr. Squire Booker, PennState University

02/21/19 -4pm, 116 RAL
“Moving beyond Methionine Synthase: New Insight into Cobalamin-Dependent Methylation Reactions”
Trainee Host: Kyle Shelton, Mitchell lab

Professor Rebecca Senkowicz, Community College of Allegheny County

05/16/19 -10am to 2pm, 116 RAL
Chemisty Biology Interface Biostatics Workshop

Seminars AY17-18

Professor David Kokel, University of California San Francisco

09/05/17 – 4pm, 116 RAL
“High-throughput behavior based neuroactive drug discovery in the zebrafish”
Trainee Host: Riley Svec, Hergenrother lab

Professor Eric Gaucher, Georiga Institute of Technology and Georiga State University

09/22/17 – 12pm, B102 CLSL
“Engineering Ancient Proteins for Biotherapeutic Development”
Trainee Host: Maxwell Baymiler, Martinis lab

Professor Alan Saghatelian, Salk Institute for Biological Studies

10/05/17 – 2pm in B102 CLSL
“Discovery and Characterization of Lipids and Peptides”
Trainee Host: Effie Zhou, Chan lab

Dr. Kevan Shokat, University of California, San Francisco

10/17/17 – 4pm in 116 RAL
“Chemical Tricks for Drugging the Undruggable”
Trainee Host: Aaron Roth, Denmark lab

Professor Peter C. Dedon, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

11/17/17 – 12pm, B102 CLSL
“The tRNA epitranscriptome coordinates with a code of codons to schedule translation of survival proteins in eukaryotes, prokaryotes and viruses”
Trainee Host: Andrew Buechler, Martinis lab

Professor Sarah E. Reisman, California Institute of Technology

11/27/17 – 4pm, 116 RAL
“Necessity is the Mother of Invention: Natural Products and the Chemistry They Inspire”
Trainee Host: Lucas Hernandez, Sarlah lab

Professor Kenneth M. Merz, Michigan State University

12/13/17 – 2pm, B102 CLSL
“Exploration of Molecular Recognition Processes Encountered in Structure-based Drug Design”
Trainee Host: David Stevens, Hammes-Schiffer lab

Professor Victoria D’Souza, Harvard University

01/29/18 – 4pm, 116 RAL
“Unraveling viral RNA genomes: One segment at a time”
Trainee Host: Lauren Hagler, Zimmerman lab

Dr. Vern L. Schramm, Yeshiva University

02/08/18 – 4pm, 116 RAL
“Transition states and transition state analogues”
Trainee Host: Christopher Reinhardt, Chan lab

Dr. Laura Lowe Furge, Kalamazoo College

02/16/18 – 12pm, B102 CLSL
“The Small Liberal Arts College Experience: A Sweet Spot for Total Professional Development”
Trainee Host: Mara Livezey, Shapiro lab

Professor Baldomero M. Olivera, University of Utah

03/26/18 – 4pm, 116 RAL
“Biodiversity, Natural Products and Drug Development: Fish-hunting Cone Snails, A Case Study”
Trainee Host: Imran Rahman, van der Donk lab

Seminars AY16-17

Dr. Samie R. Jaffrey, Cornell University

10/07/16 – 12pm in B102 CLSL
“Imaging RNA and RNA biology using RNA mimics of green fluorescent protein”
Trainee Host: Joseph Seimetz, Kalsotra lab

Dr. E. Peter Greenberg, University of Washington

10/28/16 – 12pm in B102 CLSL
“The Social Life of Microbes: Communication, Cooperation and Conflict in Bacteria”
Trainee Host: Philip Olivares, Nair lab

Professor Amy E. Palmer, University of Colorado at Boulder

02/02/17 – 4pm, 116 RAL
“Quantitative Biology with Genetically Encoded Sensors: Opportunities and Challenges”
Trainee Host: Chelsea Anorma, Chan lab

Professor John A. Porco Jr., Boston University

03/06/17 – 4pm, 116 RAL
“Recent Studies Towards the Synthesis of Bioactive Natural Products”
Trainee Host: Sarah Perlmutter, Hergenrother lab

Dr. Shirley M. Malcom, American Association for the Advancement of Science

04/07/17 – 12pm, B102 CLSL
“A Funny Thing Happened to Me on the Way to the Faculty”
Trainee Host: Mara Livezey, Shapiro lab

Professor Leonid A. Mirny, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

04/13/17 – 2pm, 116 RAL
“Genome in 3D: models of chromosome folding”
Trainee Host: Katelyn Dahlke, Sing lab

Professor Anna K. Mapp, University of Michigan

05/01/17 – 4pm, 116 RAL
“Capturing Transcriptional Co-Activators with Small Molecules”
Trainee Host: Emma Southgate, Sarlah lab

Seminars AY15-16

Professor Michael D. Burkart, University of California, San Diego

09/24/15
“Protein interactions in modular synthases”
Trainee Host: Kenton Hetrick, van der Donk lab

Dr. John R. Barr, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

10/05/15
“Mass spectrometry to improve diagnostics and further our understanding of infectious and chronic diseases”
Trainee Host: Joanthan Tietz, Mitchell lab

Professor Shota Atsumi, Unviersity of California, Davis

02/15/16
“Systematic construction of biosynthetic pathways for chemical production”
Trainee Host: Lisa Della Ripa, Rienstra lab

Professor David G. Lynn, Emory University

03/10/16
“From Disease and Soft Condensed Matter to Dual-Phase Evolution”
Trainee Host: Elizabeth Haywood, Wilson lab

Dr. Peter G. Schultz, The Scripps Research Institute

05/11/16
“A Funny Thing Happened to Me on the Way to the Faculty”
Trainee Host: Mara Livezey, Shapiro lab

Seminars AY14-15

Professor Richard M. Caprioli, Vanderbilty University

10/10/14
“Imaging Mass Spectrometry: Next Generation Molecular Microscopy for Biological and Clinical Research”
Trainee Host: Troy Comi, Sweedler lab

Professor David V. Schaffer, University of California, Berkeley

10/28/14
“Molecular Elucidation and Engineering of Stem Cell Fate Decisions”
Trainee Host: Yelena Ilin, Kraft lab

Professor Jason A. Burdick, University of Pennsylvania

11/11/14
“Engineering Injectable Hydrogels to Alter Biological and Mechanical Signals after Infarction”
Trainee Host: William Grier, Harley lab

Professor Emily Balskus, Harvard University

02/16/15
“Gut Reactions: Exploring the Chemistry of the Human Microbiota”
Trainee Host: Jonathan Tietz, Mitchell lab

Professor Daniel G. Nocera, Harvard University

02/27/15
“The Artificial Leaf”
Trainee Host: Julian Reed, Lu lab

Professor David A. Tirrell, California Institute of Technology

03/30/15
“Time-Resolved and Cell-Selective Analysis of Protein Synthesis in Complex Biological Systems”
Trainee Host: Brandon Burkhart, Mitchell lab

Seminars AY13-14

Dr. Quinn P. Peterson, Harvard University

09/20/13
Chemistry-Biology Interface Workshop
Trainee Host: Michael Lambrecht, Hergenrother lab

Professor Pieter Dorrestein, University of California, San Diego

11/05/13
““GoogleMAP”-type molecular view of microbes and biofilms – from culture to people”
Trainee Host: Chantal Garcia De Gonzalo, van der Donk lab

Professor Sergey Kozmin, University of Chicago

12/17/13
“Exploring Energy Metabolism with Small Molecules”
Trainee Host: Michael Lambrecht, Hergenrother lab

Dr. Derek Lowe, Vertex Pharmaceuticals

03/04/14
“What A Chemist Can Learn From 25 Years of Talking to Biologists”
Trainee Host: Jonathan Tietz, Mitchell lab

Professor Gleen D. Prestwich, University of Utah

03/20/14
“From Organic Chemistry to Regenerative Medicine:Realizing the Promise of Translational Research”
Trainee Host: Cartney Smith, Kong lab

Professor Ming Hammon, University of California, Berkeley

04/01/14
“Privileged RNA scaffolds for in vivo sensing functions”
Trainee Host: Benjamin Brandsen, Silverman lab

Professor Craig Townsend, Johns Hopkins University

05/06/14
“Biosynthesis of β-Lactam Antibiotics and the Force of Convergent Evolution”
Trainee Host: Christopher Schwalen, Mitchell lab

Professor Rebecca Senkowicz, Community College of Allegheny County

05/14/14
Chemisty Biology Interface Biostatics Workshop
Trainee Host: Rachel Botham, Hergenrother lab

Seminars AY12-13

Professor Dane Wittrup, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

11/09/12
“Multitasking Anti-Cancer Biotherapeutics”
Trainee Host: Sheena Smith, Kranz lab

Dr. Lisa Balbes, Balbes Consultants

12/12/12
“Nontraditional Careers for Scientists: Thinking Outside the Lab”
Trainee Host: Patrick Knerr, van der Donk lab

Professor Erik Alexanian, University of North Carolina

02/15/13
Career Development Workshop: “Pursuing a Career in Academia”

Professor Gerry Wright, McMaster University

02/19/13
“Resisting Resistance: Overcoming Antibiotic Resistance with Small Molecules”
Trainee Host: Tucker Maxson, Mitchell lab

Professon Lingjun Li, University of Wisconsin-Madison

04/04/13
“Expanding the Chemical Toolbox to Probe Neuronal Signaling”
Trainee Host: Itamar Livnat, Sweedler lab

Professor Robert Cichewicz, Oklahoma

05/10/13
“Application of Fungi and Bacteria as Biological Factories for the Production of Bioactive Secondary Metabolites”
Trainee Host: Manuel Ortega, van der Donk lab

Seminars AY11-12

Professor James Williamson, The Scripps Research Institute

09/23/11
“Dynamics of Ribosome Biogenesis: A Chemist’s Omnibus of Approaches”
Trainee Host: Crystal Randall, Shisler lab

Dr. Stacey Schultz-Cherry, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

10/20/11
“Pathogenesis of RNA Viruses: New Insights into Influenza and Astroviruses”
Trainee Host: Patrick Knerr, van der Donk lab

Professor Charles Sanders, Vanderbilt University

01/23/12
“Structure of the transmembrane amyloid precursor protein and implications for Alzheimer’s Disease”
Trainee Host: Michael Brothers, Rienstra & Wilson labs

Professor Squire Booker, Pennsylvania State University

02/27/12
“Enzymatic functionalization of unactivated sp2-hybridized carbon centers”
Trainee Host: Spencer Peck, van der Donk lab

Professor Sylvie Garneau-Tsodikova, University of Michigan

04/09/12
“Towards understanding and combating resistance to aminoglycoside antibiotics”
Trainee Host: Kyle Dunbar, Mitchell lab

Professor W. Mark Saltzman, Yale University

04/17/12
“Drug delivery systems for treatment of brain tumors”
Trainee Host: Steven Caliari, Harley lab

Trainee Host: Steven Caliari, Harley lab

05/24/12
“Identification and Detection of Impurities and Contaminants in Heparin Sodium”
Trainee Host: Tucker Maxson, Mitchell lab

Dr. Jason Thomas, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research

06/07/12
“Affinity Proteomics and Target Identification for Small Molecule Drug Candidates”
Trainee Host: Rachel Botham, Hergenrother lab

Seminars AY10-11

Professor Tom W. Muir, Rockefeller University

01/21/11
“Chromatin Structure and Function Explored Through Chemical Synthesis”
Trainee Host: Patrick Knerr, van der Donk lab

Dr. Nitin Baliga, Institute for Systems Biology

02/08/11
“Single Cells to Communities: Understanding the Biology of One Organism at Multiple Scales”
Trainee Host: Caroline Milne, Price lab

Professor Catherine Drennan, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

02/25/11
“Mononuclear Nonheme Iron Enzymes: What Can’t They Do?”
Trainee Host: Christine Herman, Bailey lab

Seminars AY09-10

Professor Eric Kool, Stanford University

10/09/09
“Mimicking Biological Functions with DNA Base Replacements: Synthesis, Applications, and Cellular Activity”
Trainee Host: Kristin Finch, Hergenrother lab

Professor Judith P. Klinman, University of California, Berkeley

10/23/09
“The ‘Tricky Business’ of Oxygen Activation in Enzymes”
Trainee Host: Nicholas Marshall, Lu lab

Professor Milan Stojanovic, Columbia University

11/13/09
“Some Experiments in Molecular Computing and Robotics”
Trainee Host: Raymond Morales, Cann lab

Professor Jon Clardy, Harvard Medical School

04/13/10
“Bacterial Symbioses and the Discovery of New Molecules”
Trainee Host: Juan Velasquez, van der Donk lab

Seminars AY08-09

Professor Samuel Gellman, University of Wisconsin-Madison

11/06/08
“Structure and Biological Function in Peptidic Foldamers”
Trainee Host: David Knapp, Burke lab

Professor Timothy Mitchison, Harvard Medical School

01/21/09
“Pharmacology of the Mitotic Spindle”
Trainee Host: Quinn Peterson, Hergenrother lab

Professor Dennis Dean, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

02/12/09
“Assembly of Simple and Complex [Fe-S] Clusters”
Trainee Host: Matthew Olsen, Rauchfuss lab

Professor David Sherman, University of Michigan

05/14/09
“Chemical Diversity and Enzymatic Versatility in Natural Product Biosynthesis”
Trainee Host: Matthew DeSeino, Zhao lab

Seminars AY07-08

Professor Brent Iverson, University of Texas at Austin

10/11/07
“New Protein Engineering Platform Technologies; From Antibodies to Enzymes”
Trainee Host: Ian Gut, van der Donk and Imlay labs

Professor Robert Hausinger, Michigan State University

10/18/07
“Mechanism and versatility of Fe(II)/alpha-ketoglutarate dependent dioxygenases”
Trainee Host: Julia Martin, Imlay lab

Professor Carolyn Bertozzi, University of California, Berkeley

04/17/08
“Assembly of Simple and Complex [Fe-S] Clusters”
Trainee Host: Jessica Frisz, Bailey lab

Seminars AY06-07

Dr. Olke Uhlenbeck, Northwestern University

09/22/06
“Idiosyncratic Tuning of tRNAs in Translation”
Trainee Host: Alexis Black, Schulten lab

Professor Kim Janda, The Scripps Research Institute

03/15/07
“Interfacing Chemistry with Biology for the 21st Century”
Trainee Host: Alexander Parent, Katzenellenbogen lab

Professor Squire Booker, Pennsylvania State University

04/12/07
“Taking a Hit for the Team: Self-Sacrifice as an Enzymatic Strategy in the Biosynthesis of Lipoic Acid”
Trainee Host: Quin Christensen, Cronan lab

Seminars AY05-06

Professor Tadhg P. Begley, Cornell University

09/15/05
“Tryptophan, cysteine and thiamin metabolism: gene assignment and mechanistic studies”
Trainee Host: Lisa Cooper, van der Donk lab

Professor Craig M. Crews, Yale University

10/13/05
“Chemical Genetics: Probing Cell Biology with Small Molecules”
Trainee Host: Jillian Gunther, Katzenellenbogen lab

Professor Ben Shen, University of Wisconsin-Madison

04/20/06
“New Opportunities in Natural Products Chemistry: Biosynthesis and Engineering”
Trainee Host: Ben Circello, Metcalf lab