BiologyCURRENTS

2012 | The College Biology Alumni Newsletter | Volume 15, No. 1

Letter from the Editor John Dennehy Receives an NSF Career Award

I hope all of our bacteriophages readers are enjoying and their bacterial Biology Currents. hosts as a model It is one way of keeping abreast of system. These are the activities of the easy to manipulate Biology Department. in the laboratory, While the others and evolution ways may be more experiments can be up-to-date, Biology Corinne Michels ‘63 performed in weeks. Currents endeavors Fundamentally, the to give more of the backstory that would population dynamics be hard to tease out of our online sites. of bacteriophages Nonetheless, I encourage you to check is no different than the Department’s web page at http:// eukaryotic viruses biology.qc.cuny.edu/ or “Like” us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ from an ecological pages/Queens-College-CUNY-Biology- and evolutionary Department/133250930074226. Dr. John Dennehy with a few of his undergraduate perspective. You may note a theme to this issue— research students. Dennehy’s pro- the increasing role of student research posal specifically in our students’ educational experience. Dr. John Dennehy received a five-year addresses several hypotheses regarding Students at all levels are involved in faculty National Science Foundation Early Career the emergence of viruses into new host research, not just graduate students. This Development Award for $713,900 for types. The first aim is to ascertain whether can be seen here in Dr. John Dennehy’s his project Population Dynamics and initial virus fitness on the novel host is NSF-sponsored Career Award, in “Faculty Evolutionary Ecology of Viral Emergence. positively correlated to the probability of Scholarship” (page 10) that lists student The CUNY NSF Career Development emergence. The second aim is to deter- authors on several published journal mine whether virus adaptation is enhanced articles, and in “Student Highlights” (page Award Incentive program will supplement 11) that reports presentations made the NSF award in the amount of $50,000 in mixed host communities as compared and awards won. The Department also from Vice Chancellor for Research Gillian to communities containing a single host maintains several programs that focus Small. type. The third aim is to establish whether on supporting undergraduate original Dennehy’s proposal addresses the gene flow between virus populations research, summarized on our website question of how viruses jump from host to infecting different hosts enhances adaptive under “Student Resources.” In recognition host, which is called virus emergence. In evolution. The fourth aim is to investigate of the importance of original research in recent years, some emerging viruses, such the significance of translational adapta- quality education, the College has recently as HIV and West Nile, have significantly tion (i.e., evolution of phage codon usage initiated a program of undergraduate affected public health. On the other to match host tRNA abundance) in viral research grants that provides a small hand, other viruses, such as avian emergence. Together these experiments amount of funding to a select few influenza and SARS, have failed to gain a constitute one of the most comprehensive students in all fields, not just science. You should also be aware that the Biology foothold in human populations. Dennehy experimental approaches to the study of Alumni Fund (coordinated by Dr. Esther hypothesizes that fundamental differences virus emergence attempted. Successful Muehlbauer) has provided student travel in virus population dynamics govern completion of the work may allow more awards to undergraduates to present their whether an emerging virus is successful realistic models of virus emergence and research at national scientific conferences or not. enhance our ability to identify and coun- and, in other ways, supports the student Since testing this hypothesis in the teract potentially dangerous viruses. research effort. pathogenic viruses of animal hosts would Undergraduate students carry out much Why are we putting such emphasis be challenging because of time, space, of the research in Dennehy’s laboratory. on undergraduate student research? Be and ethical constraints, Dennehy uses Students work during the academic year, continued on page 6 continued on page 3 Dr. Esther Muehlbauer—Naturalist and Writer Appointed Lecturer of Biology

We are very pleased to announce that childhood summers in the seaside town Dr. Andrew Greller’s field botany course. Dr. Esther Muehlbauer recently became of Cutchogue on eastern ’s During trips to local parks he encouraged a permanent member of the Biology North Fork. With Peterson’s Field appreciation of the aesthetics of the parks Department faculty following over Guides in hand and a pair of binoculars along with plant identification. She still a decade of teaching in a variety of as her equipment, she stalked the salt has the herbarium created for the class. temporary positions. But this is a kind marsh habitat surrounding East Creek Dr. Muehlbauer studied poetry and short- of homecoming for her since she has and Peconic Bay, identified everything story writing with Dr. Sandra Schor, who been part of the Biology Department in sight, and kept detailed lists of all encouraged her efforts to incorporate community for far longer. sightings. Thus began Dr. Muehlbauer’s “organic elements” into her writing. Dr. Muehlbauer first arrived at love of field study and her dedication to Dr. Muehlbauer earned the master’s/ Queens College as an undergraduate the living environment. PhD degrees from University, student and graduated with a BA Dr. Muehlbauer fondly remembers her focusing her research on the salt marsh degree with a major in Biology and classes in Colwin Hall (called E Building estuaries of eastern Long Island. Her a minor in Creative Writing. To this at the time), including Dr. David Alsop’s master’s research was conducted at the day, she remains active in both fields. hissing cockroaches, en masse trips to NYU School of Environmental Medicine The combination may seem unusual, at low tide with Dr. at Sterling Forest (Tuxedo, NY) where, but Dr. Muehlbauer tells us that she is Jon Sperling, and Dr. Peter Chabora’s under the guidance of Dr. Joseph “the daughter of two poets/writers who ecology course field trips to diverse spots O’Connor, she studied the growth of the valued nature as both an inspiration and on Long Island and the New Jersey Pine salt marsh grass Spartina alterniflora. Dr. a mindset,” and it is from them that she Barrens. In particular, she remembers Herndon Dowling, a notable herpetologist developed her love of the diversity of a late night jaunt with the entire class (herpetology curator at the American living things and the natural environment to collect nocturnal insects. Her first Museum of Natural History and Bronx that shaped her career. exposure to laboratory research was with Zoo), was her doctoral thesis research While she grew up in an apartment Dr. Chabora working on Drosophila advisor. She studied the salt marsh in Queens, Dr. Muehlbauer spent parasitic wasps. She especially enjoyed turtle Malaclemys terrapin terrapin (the

Dr. Muehlbauer on field trip with class

2 Diamondback Terrapin) and identified Biology 011 is taken by most Queens Dennehy Receives NSF Career Award an endogenous tidal activity rhythm College undergraduates to fulfill the continued from page 1 (namely, a biological clock in sync General Education science laboratory with the six-hour tidal cycle of the course requirement. About 1,000 often for credit in the Department’s estuary). Dr. Muehlbauer continues in students register for Biology 011 every research courses, and during the summer. an advisory role in eastern Long Island year. As if this were not enough, Dr. Dennehy’s Career Development Award salt marsh conservation efforts, working Muehlbauer teaches a number of smaller will support the summer salaries of with both the Town of Southold, seminar classes designed for the non- at least three undergraduate research Long Island, and the North Fork science major: “Evolutionary Biology” assistants each summer for five years Environmental Council. (Bio 025) and “Human Origins” (Bio and provides money for supplies and While her four children were young, 023). Over the past two years Dr. equipment. It will also pay for students to Dr. Muehlbauer spent several years Muehlbauer has taught a course through attend national meetings to present their away from college campuses, doing the Macaulay Honors College on “Salt results. In addition, Dennehy acquired textbook writing/editing for Navta Marsh Estuaries, and the Natural History funding to support a Phage Hunters Associates/Heath Publishing Company, of ,” hoping to enlighten but she missed teaching and campus life. a new generation about the important As her family grew older, she began role of salt marshes in coastal ecology. teaching part-time at Barnard College/ Dr. Muehlbauer is increasingly involved Columbia University in , in developing and teaching courses on and then briefly at Queensborough evolution, utilizing Darwin’s landmark Community College. Soon she decided texts and other important evolutionary to seek out adjunct positions within an writings. Most recently she developed easy commute of where her children “Writing in the Sciences— Evolutionary were attending school. Queens College Themes,” a course aimed to help was the obvious choice, but it was students hone their skills in writing for not until 1999 that an adjunct position different audiences while gaining an became available and Dr. Muehlbauer understanding of evolutionary principles. returned to her alma mater. Dr. Muehlbauer has translated her Phage Joe Dirt, which was isolated by For over a decade, Dr. Muehlbauer talent as a writer to the College’s Dr. Dennehy’s Phage Hunters class played a pivotal role in the Biology advantage by becoming active in Department as part of our adjunct the Queens College Writing Across initiative at Queens College. teaching staff and later as a substitute the Curriculum. She co-chairs the “Phage Hunters” is a two-semester Assistant Professor. Because of her College’s Writing Subcommittee of the course in phage genomics designed to broad-ranging expertise, the Department Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, introduce undeclared freshmen non- relied on her to teach lectures in large which oversees the writing-intensive majors to scientific research. Dennehy introductory courses and even advanced courses offered by all departments. collaborated with the HHMI’s Science majors-level courses. She was able In addition, Dr. Muehlbauer serves Education Alliance to develop and to take over for faculty on sabbatical on the Faculty Writing Committee offer the course at Queens College (see and fill in for recently retired faculty. that oversees the newly implemented 2011 issue of Biology Currents). In the In Fall 2009, the College offered “College Writing 2” courses (second course, students isolate phage from local the Department a Lecturer position semester of required writing). She soil, extract DNA for pyrosequencing, explicitly for Dr. Muehlbauer, in coordinates all campus-wide writing and incorporate the resulting genomic recognition of her long-term teaching activities and is the Division of Math data into a large-scale comparative efforts, and in 2014 she received tenure. & Natural Sciences’ “point person” to genomics study sponsored by HHMI. During these years, Dr. Muehlbauer’s help science/math faculty create College The initial iteration of the course focused primary responsibility has been as Writing 2 courses. on isolating phages of Mycobacterium course head for Biology 011, a non- Currently, Dr. Muehlbauer is smegmatis, a close relative of M. science major course entitled “An completing her own writing project: tuberculosis. The goal is to identify Introduction to College Biology.” a book on the historical development phages and genes relevant to the control With Dr. Muehlbauer at the helm, the of biological theory (Plato to Darwin of tuberculosis. Biology Department initiated a complete to DNA) that she hopes to utilize in restructuring of Biology 011: new texts some of her courses. She says, “I think (lecture and lab), new lecture content it is important for students to gain a and emphasis, and all new laboratory historical perspective on scientific exercises. This effort would not have ideas, which reinforces the concept that been possible without Dr. Muehlbauer’s science is an ongoing process—not a set dedication and pedagogical skills. of static facts.”

3 A MONTH IN SCHOLAR’S PARADISE This is a report from John Waldman on his 2012 Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Fellowship.

Inspiration may mostly be perspiration—but there is no downside to working in a provocative and well-appointed setting. I had the distinct privilege in July 2012 to spend a month writing in such a place: an Italian palace courtesy of a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Fellowship.

The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center’s mission is lofty—to promote innovation and identify impact-oriented solutions to critical global problems. Its various residen- cies offer opportunities for researchers in the humani- ties, natural sciences, social sciences, and other academic disciplines; artists, composers, fiction and nonfiction writers; and policymakers, nonprofit leaders, journalists, and public advocates. Indeed, this competitive fellowship may be the very best of all scholarly “retreats” available anywhere. The view from Dr. Waldman’s room

Bellagio Fellows overlap on their one-month visits, with partner, if desired, my wife Carol enjoyed the experience a dozen or more present at one time. It’s meant to be an immensely) arrives at the gates of the 53-acre estate named eclectic mix; my colleagues included an Oxford professor Villa Serbelloni, high on the promontory that overlooks the theorizing on the nature of reality, novelists from Chile ancient and exquisite village of Bellagio. Fellows are assigned and Singapore, a New Yorker magazine writer working on luxurious bedrooms and offices that overlook Lake Como a medical book, a Johns Hopkins professor writing on the or the villa’s many gardens. Breakfast is informal, lunch or- emotions of touch, a Vietnamese artist crafting outdoor ders are packed so that one can carry them and dine in the displays, an NYU economist developing a new model many gazebos, overlooks, caves, and even the ancient castle for international trade, and a Cuban artist painting from that tops the rise. And cocktail hour precedes a formal photos made by Che Guevara. Once per week the fellows dinner, followed by aperitifs enjoyed while watching the sun dine with other participants present for weeklong topical settle behind the mountains. conferences. Fellows also present an informal workshop on their project, which often benefits from the markedly Downtime for us was pleasurable too. This included non-parochial feedback. swimming the lake, catching concerts in Bellagio and other

villages, hiking down to town for gelato, riding ferries to To be among the Bellagio Fellows is to hear the word explore the many lakeside communities, visiting villas, and “paradise” invoked over and over again. A fellow (and making a day trip to the Swiss Alps.

The fellowship was invaluable to me. After working for five years in fits and starts on my book, Running Silver: Restoring Atlantic Rivers and their Great Fish Migrations, I experienced the epitome of “quality time” to move it forward, the momentum allowing me to complete the work just months after. And, while there, I fell into the classic Bellagio fellow pattern: a few light-headed days of not quite believ- ing my good fortune, more than two weeks of phenomenally high produc- tivity, and then some burnout and also sadness at leaving new friends and, yes—paradise.

Dr. Waldman on the lakeshore with the Bellagio Center in background.

4 BIOLOGY RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM 2012

The Fourth Annual Biology Research Symposium took place on January 25 and, as has become the tradition, a mix of both faculty and students gave presentations. The symposium is valued by all of us not only because it allows us to stay abreast of our colleagues’ research activities, but also because it builds community spirit. Funds generated by the Biology Alumni Endowment Fund were used to provide a buffet lunch and refreshments for coffee breaks. Thank you, alums. Topics ran the gamut from molecular genetics and cell biology to ecology and evolution, illustrating the diversity of research interests in the Department. A sampling of topics is given below along with a group photo of the participants. Biology Research Symposium 2012 attendees

Xenia Freilich, whom most of you know Kristina Ames told us about the Dr. John Dennehy described his as the Department’s Chief College Lab regulation of the Notch signaling pathway research using bacteriophage evolution, Technician, is also a doctoral student by autophagy and the retromer, a newly “Threshold for migration load revealed in the Boissinot lab. She updated us on defined protein complex involved in among bacteriophage populations progress on her thesis research, giving recycling membrane proteins. evolving in an ecological sink.” a talk entitled “Hiding in the highlands: Melissa Silvestrini updated us on her Dr. Karl Fath described his studies on Unexpected diversity of Anurans in research showing that “Autophagy is the “Development of scaffolds for tissue Ethiopia.” required for lipid storage.” engineering.” This work has resulted in Sana Khan, a doctoral student in the several publications over the past few Holtzman lab, described progress on her Colin Grubel (master’s student in the years and is being done in collaboration thesis research, “Elucidating mechanisms Waldman lab), whose research has been with researchers in the Chemistry underlying epicardial development,” a popularized in , Department of Fordham University study being carried out using the genetic described his work on the foraging (see “Faculty Scholarship,” p. 10). model Danio rerio (zebrafish). ecology of double-crested cormorants in NY harbor. Dr. Tim Short presented an update on Franny Gellar (Lahti lab) spoke on the his studies of light-regulated growth and work she and Dr. Lahti are doing with the Dr. Tomomi Haremaki is a postdoctoral development in the fern Ceratopteris late Prof. Paul Mundinger’s data on house research associate in the Weinstein lab, richardii. finches. Her talk was entitled “Mechanisms which works on early development of the Dr. Cathy Savage-Dunn summarized her of cultural divergence in the eastern house African claw-toed frog Xenopus laevis. laboratory’s progress on understanding finch population.” He presented an overview of his recent research on the “Regulation of vertebrate the mechanisms by which the TGFβ signaling controls growth and metabolism The Meléndez lab uses the genetic model development by the exon junction in the genetic model C. elegans. Caenorhabditis elegans to study the role complex protein Eif4a3.” of autophagy in early development and Emmanuel Datan, an outstanding The final speaker of the day, metabolism. Two doctoral students from undergraduate researcher from the NIH Dr. Mitchell Baker, presented an over- the Meléndez lab spoke on their thesis MARC U*STAR program, represented view of his research on the Colorado research. the Zakeri lab and spoke on his research potato beetle and insecticide usage on “Viral interaction with cell death entitled “Behavior and evolution in machinery.” agroecosystems.”

5 Faculty in the news

Professor Emeritus Andrew Greller was a tour of the Point featured in an article, “Nature Notes: Woods, a forest with a The Riches of Point Woods,” by Larry unique ecology located Penny that appeared in the East Hampton in Long Island’s South Star on April 4, 2012. You can check Fork. The article it out at http://easthamptonstar.com/ includes the photo of Outdoors/2012404/Nature-Notes-Riches- Dr. Greller at work in Point-Woods. The article describes Dr. the field shown here. Greller as “the living botanist most Professor Emeritus familiar with Long Island’s diverse flora Uldis Roze is on the and has described it in copious scientific public relations circuit works.” Dr. Greller takes the author on to introduce his latest book, Porcupines: The Animal Answer Guide

published by Johns Photo: Laura Waldman Hopkins University Dr. John Waldman, George Jackman, with colleagues, students, Press. He spoke at and French filmmaking crew in Bronx River Park. the White Memorial Conservation Center, Litchfield, CT. Fordham University Press blog (http:// The text of his talk, entitled “Looking www.fordhamimpressions.com/?p=3808). at porcupines,” and a few wonderful The article describes a field trip to River photos can be found at the following Park, a section of the Bronx River located link: http://www.litchfield.bz/news/ in the West Farms area of the South Bronx. prickly-talk-at-white-memorial/. Jason Filmmaker Mathias Frantz and his crew,

Photo: Vicki Photo: Bustamante Bittel entertainingly presents Dr. Roze’s who are making a documentary called Dr. Andrew Greller in Point Woods extensive field studies of porcupine Naturopolis that profiles the wildlife of reproduction in an article for Slate.com four international cities, accompanied entitled “How Do Porcupines Mate? Dr. Waldman. Previously, they had gone Very Carefully.” With the subtitle fishing on the and Hell Gate and “Their stark, night-piercing shrieks viewed the colony of nesting cormorants aren’t just about the quills.” It is a must- on Island. As the title of the article read at: http://www.slate.com/articles/ suggests, the group captured a few fish, health_and_science/science/2012/11/ mostly eels, and a 10mm Glock handgun, porcupine_sex_mating_behaviors_ found by former NYC Police Lieutenant involve_quills_musk_penis_spikes_ George Jackman. No, the gun was not a fights_and.html. plant, and it turned out to have been used in Photo: BZ Photo: Professor John Waldman and his a shooting the prior week. What an exciting Dr. Uldis Roze and Gerri Griswold, his host at White Memorial Conservation Center, students are featured in an article entitled field trip for budding naturalists! We with her pet porcupine Skitur “Guns ’n’ Eels” that appeared on the cannot wait to see the movie.

Letter from the Editor continued from page 1 assured, student research does in no way to present their work in research reports, in being one of these alums, please let me interfere with the rigorous requirements seminars, and posters in various public venues. know. Alternately, if you have an update that of the Biology major. Rather, we feel that These are unique experiences and develop you would like included in a section entitled an original research experience teaches confidence and poise that will benefit them Alumni Updates, please send me a brief text in critical thinking skills, informs students how throughout life. the body of an email that I can copy and paste. scientific information is generated, and teaches Several more issues of Biology Currents My email address is [email protected]. them how to critique their own and others’ will be published this year in order to bring edu and use “Biology Alum” in the subject results. Developing and testing an hypothesis the newsletter up to date by 2016. It would line. I look forward to hearing from you. be great to include a feature on alumni is the foundation of the scientific method Regards, and is an essential component of training an news. Plans are in the works to report on Dr. Corinne A. Michels, Class of ’63 the career progress of a few of our alums independent thinker, whether a scientist or Distinguished Professor Emerita not. Finally, our students are encouraged for these next issues. If you are interested

6 Faculty NOTES 2012

This section reviews some highlights of the extracurricular scholarly activities of Biology Department faculty mem- bers, staff, and students in 2012. The diversity of these activities is a clear indicator of the international recognition of our dedicated faculty. You should note the extent to which undergraduate students are integrated into their research programs.

Mitchell Baker’s research on the a poster entitled “Multi-locus phylogeog- 2011.) There they made two presenta- “Geographic variation raphy and historical demography of the tions: the class’s results, “Isolation and among Colorado potato green anole (Anolis carolinensis).” Dr. annotation of Mycobacteriophage breeni- beetle populations and Boissinot and a number of his under- ome,” and the work of Lauren Esposito its implications for graduate and graduate research students and Lauren Mordukhaev, who carried managing insecticide attended the First Joint Congress on out an independent project, “Identifying resistance” was Evolutionary Biology, Ottawa, Canada, mycobacteriophage: DNA primer design presented as a poster and made poster presentations of their for phage cluster identification.” Dr. at the International work, including Xenia FreilichD, Ronveer Dennehy has been extraordinarily suc- Congress of Entomology held in Daegu, ChakrabortyU, Sela SherrU, Ian FishD, and cessful at involving students in original South Korea by his co-author Andrei Ioannis DemopoulosU. research projects. Two high school stu- Alyokhin. dents working under his direction were John Dennehy received a five- finalists at the 2012 Intel International Stephane Boissinot continued year National Science Science and Engineering Fair in work on his National Foundation Faculty Pittsburgh, PA (see “Student Highlights,” Institutes of Health grant Early Career Award p. 11). Dr. Dennehy and several under- to study the “Population for his project entitled graduate and master’s students, including genomics of non-LTR Population Dynamics Lauren Esposito and Lauren Mordukhaev, retrotransposons in ver- and Evolutionary presented their research at the 2012 tebrates.” His research Ecology of Virus National Council on Undergraduate group’s article on the Emergence. The Research Annual Conference held in antiviral gene OAS1 very prestigious CAREER awards are Ogden, UT. Also, Dr. Dennehy and his that appeared in the journal Molecular designed to identify outstanding junior research students submitted several poster Biology and Evolution was recommended faculty to support their novel college presentations at the Northeast Regional by the Faculty of 1,000, an indica- student education programs and research. Sigma Xi meeting, Undergraduate tion of its significance in the field. Dr. Dr. Dennehy describes the project in an Research and Mentoring Education, Boissinot spoke on the “Mechanisms of article in this issue of Biology Currents. He and Queens College Sigma Xi Research genome size evolution in vertebrates” spoke at the EMBO Viruses of Microbes Symposium, all held at Queens College. at Langebio, the National Laboratory of conference, Brussels, Belgium, on Genomics for Biodiversity of the sci- “Partial characterization of Enterococcus Andrew Greller remains very ence research center Cinvestav located faecalis bacteriophage vB-EfS-3 and active in studies of native flora and forests, in Irapuato, Mexico. He also spoke Streptococcus mitis.” He attended the particularly those found locally on Long at the American Museum of Natural First Joint Conference on Evolutionary Island, and educational activities on tree History on “Mechanisms of genome size Biology, Ottawa, Canada, and presented and forest preservation. He spoke on “Flora evolution in vertebrates” and lectured a poster entitled “Frequency and fitness and Vegetation of the North Shore of Long on “Variations in the rate of DNA loss consequences of host range expanding Island,” presented to the Teachers Summer among vertebrates account for differ- mutations of Bacteriophage ф6.” Workshop of Seatuck Environmental ences in genome size” at the First Joint Dr. Dennehy, the coordinator of Association, at “Greentree” in Manhasset, Congress on Evolutionary Biology, the Department’s two-semester course NY. He also presented a lecture entitled Ottawa, Canada. Dr. Boissinot attended “Genome Research” (Biology 034/035), “A Botanist Looks at the Trees and the annual meeting of the Society for and the course’s graduate assistant James Shrubs of Nassau County Streets, Parks, Molecular Biology and Evolution, Carpino attended the Science Education and Gardens” at the Nassau County Dublin, Ireland, with his doctoral student Alliance Fourth Annual Symposium of Cornell University Agricultural Extension Marc Tollis, who presented a lecture on the Howard Hughes Medical Institute conference, Urban Forestry Education his doctoral thesis research (see “Student held in Ashburn, VA. (The course was Day: Lessons to Learn to Lessen Tree Highlights,” p. 11). They also presented described in detail in Biology Currents Loss, held at Old Bethpage Village.

D = Doctoral student M = Master’s student U = Undergraduate student

7 Faculty NOTES 2012

Nathalia Holtzman continued he spoke on “The genetics of human and Development. She also serves on the her research on early behaviour.” He also gave a talk on American Federation of Aging Research heart development “Is morality adaptive?” at the Indiana National Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. with the support of University College of Arts and Sciences Meléndez was invited to speak at the research awards from Themester, Bloomington, IN, and was Ellison Medical Foundation Colloquium the National Heart involved in panel discussions. Dr. on the Biology of Aging held in Woods Institute of the NIH. Lahti was invited to speak at the City Hole, MA. This was one of the last She is also involved in University of New York Animal Behavior meetings on this topic for the Foundation, the College’s Teaching Initiative’s First Annual Conference, New as Ellison has decided not to continue and Learning Center and spoke of her York. His topic was “How bird song has to fund research on aging. She also was work on “Experiential Learning in a influenced human music.” invited to speak at the Gordon Research Large Classroom Setting” as part of the Dr. Lahti is a reviewer for sev- Conference on Autophagy in Stress, Queens College–CUNY experiential eral journals specializing in behavior Development, and Disease, Ventura, learning workshop. Dr. Holtzman and and behavioral ecology, including the CA. At both meetings she spoke about her students (undergraduates Gabriella Australasian Journal of Philosophy, The “Autophagy in C. elegans development Kigler, Ariel Karp, Shoshana Reich, Auk, Ecology Letters, Ethology, Animal and aging.” Jamie Estevez; master’s student Diane Behaviour, and Behavioral Ecology Esther Muehlbauer edited six Gutierrez; doctoral student Sana Khan; & Sociobiology. He also reviewed an chapters for a new edition of Essentials and high school student Alanna Leung) academic book proposal for Oxford of Biology Laboratory Manual by Sylvia presented their work on zebrafish heart University Press and reviewed a com- S. Mader (McGraw-Hill). She was an development at the following venues: pleted textbook from John Wiley & Sons. INTEL and NYSEF Research Adviser the Zebrafish Development and Genetics Moreover, Dr. Lahti reviewed grant pro- for the Forest Hills High School Science Conference held in Madison, WI, and posals from the American Philosophical Research Program. Dr. Muehlbauer is the Society for Developmental Biology Society, John Templeton Foundation, a North Fork Environmental Council/ Conference held in Montreal, Canada. All Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Nature Conservancy—Estuarine/Wetlands of their presentations were published as Research Council (UK), and Netherlands Consultant for Eugene’s Creek/Mud proceedings. Organization for Scientific Research. Creek in Cutchogue, Long Island. David Lahti maintained his collabora- Alicia Meléndez received a three- Cathy Savage-Dunn contin- tion with co-Principal year NIH Area grant ued her NIH-funded Investigator Stefano entitled “Genetic research investigating Ghirlanda of Brooklyn analysis of autophagy the “Genetics of cell College, which is funded in C. elegans germline signaling in C. elegans by the National Science development.” The growth regulation.” This Foundation research goal is to define the project studies body grant entitled “Multi- role of autophagy size control genes and ancestor coalescent (programmed cell TGFβ signaling in C. theory for cultural evolution.” Dr. Lahti death) in stem cell specification and elegans, a model for human diseases like spoke in a variety of national and interna- proliferation in the germ line and other cancer and aortic aneurysms. Dr. Savage- tional venues. He gave a lecture entitled early developmental processes and to Dunn attended the Genetics Society of “Towards a macroevolutionary perspec- identify molecular details of the process America’s meeting on Model Organisms tive on defenses against brood parasit- at the subcellular level. She continues to Human Biology—Cancer Genetics ism” at the International Symposium on to collaborate with Malene Hansen of in Washington, DC, where she and her Avian Brood Parasitism in Honour of the Sanford Burnham Medical Research doctoral student Sheng Xiong presented Significant Brood Parasitism Scientists Institute, La Jolla, CA, on another study a poster entitled “Identification and char- held in Hainan, China. entitled “Role of autophagy and lipid acterization of protein phosphatases that He spoke on “Naturalism and design metabolism in organismal aging,” a regulate TGFß signaling in C. elegans.” in biology” for the Gordon College project funded by a research grant from She also spoke on her TGFß signaling Hermann Lectures. Dr. Lahti partici- the NIH National Institute on Aging. Dr. research at the College of – pated in panel discussions as part of a Meléndez served on the grant review CUNY. Cambridge University Faraday Institute panel of the NIH’s National Institute of summer course, Cambridge, UK, where Aging: Cellular Mechanism in Aging

D = Doctoral student M = Master’s student U = Undergraduate student HS = high school

8 Faculty NOTES 2012

John Waldman was awarded “Genetic mixed-stock analysis of coastal long-standing NIH Minority Access to the very prestigious American shad fisheries.” His review of Research Careers (MARC) Award that Rockefeller Foundation the book Ecology of Estuarine Fishes: encourages minority students to become Bellagio Arts and Temperate Waters of the Western North involved in scientific research. Dr. Zakeri Literary Arts Residency Atlantic by Kenneth W. Able and Michael is the Queens College coordinator of a Fellowship. This P. Fahay appeared in the Quarterly Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program, fellowship allowed Review of Biology. Dr. Waldman and his a grant administered by Queensborough him to reside in a master’s student Colin Grubel presented Community College. She serves on the beautiful lakeside villa reports on their “Rapid assessment of editorial board of the following journals: in Bellagio, Italy where he could work habitat and wildlife losses from Hurricane Apoptosis, Cell Death and Disease, and on his latest book while enjoying the Sandy in the Hudson-Raritan estuary” to Gastroenterology and Hepatology from company of other fellowship awardees the Hudson River Foundation Board of Bed to Bench. (see Dr. Waldman’s article “A Month Directors Meeting, New York, and to the Dr. Zakeri was invited to chair a ses- in Scholar’s Paradise,” p. 4). During his National Fish & Wildlife Foundation in sion at the Death, Danger, Inflammation stay at the Rockefeller Bellagio Center, Washington, DC. Along with colleagues and Immunity Conference held at the he spoke on his “Running Silver Project” of CUNY’s Institute for Sustainable Institute Pasteur, Paris, France, and at and the book he was working on. You can Cities, Dr. Waldman presented a report the 20th Euroconference on Apoptosis, watch this 10-minute talk at https://www. to the New York City Department of From Death to Eternity, held in Rome, youtube.com/watch?v=nybXkD61tsw. Dr. Environmental Protection entitled “The Italy. She was also invited to speak about Waldman was also the recipient of the feasibility of restoring salinity gradients her research on viral manipulation of cell 2012 Marine Conservation Society Award to an isohaline urban estuary, Jamaica death machinery at several national and from the Wildlife Conservation Society. Bay, New York.” He also co-authored a international academic venues, includ- Additionally, he convened a workshop for report on “Coasts and Oceans” that was ing the Department of Microbiology/ the Hudson River Foundation on “Bight presented to the U.S. National Climate Division of Infectious Diseases Seminar of Herring: New York Region River Assessment and appeared in Climate Series of Boston University’s School of Herring Restoration Workshop.” Change in the Northeast: A Sourcebook, Medicine; Mount St. Mary’s University Dr. Waldman spoke at the Mongolian edited by Horton, R., W. Solecki, and C. in Los Angeles, CA; the Programmed Ecological Research Symposium, Rosenzweig. Cell Death in Biology and Medicine Tuckerton, NJ, on his study “Estimating Conference at Moscow State University, Daniel Weinstein presented his times of postglacial recolonization of Moscow, Russia; the University of Malay, work on the “Role of Xtox1 (Xenopus Lake Hovsgol by fishes using mtDNA Department of Medicine, Kuala Lumpur, Target of Xema1), a novel Mab-21 family coalescent analysis.” He was the plenary Malaysia; and for the Department of protein, in vertebrate development” at speaker at the Collaboration Through Biology, University of Cork, Cork, the Society for Developmental Biology’s Fisheries Networks: Restoration of Ireland. Dr. Zakeri was a member of the 70th Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL. His Sturgeon and Paddlefish Populations at grant review committees of the Belgium research was also the subject of a poster the American Fisheries Society Annual Cancer Society, the international unit of presentation at the 30 Years of Wnt Meeting held at St. Paul, MN, where he the National Research Foundation South Signaling (EMBO Conference), Egmond gave a talk entitled “Restoring an Ancient Africa, and the Associazione Italiana per aan Zee, Netherlands. Fish in a Modern World.” Dr. Waldman la Ricerca sul Cancro (AIRC) of Italy. participated in a panel discussion on Zahra Zakeri’s NIH-funded research the Culinary and Literary Importance on “Characterization of Oysters in New York—New Jersey of flavivirus NS4A PSC-CUNY Research Harbor; his topic: “The Je Ne Sais Quoi induced autophagy” Awards continued. She was of the New York Oyster.” The talk was were received by: one of a series of public lectures, and the co-organizer was followed by a feast of raw oysters of a meeting of Stephane Boissinot and some excellent wine. He also spoke the International John Dennehy at the Chinese American Academic and Cell Death Society Cathy Savage-Dunn Professional Society, Flushing, NY, on on Metabolism of Cell Death: Its Timothy Short “Suddenly cormorants: A curse, or a sign Ramifications for Therapeutics and John Waldman of a recovering New York Harbor?” and Drug Development held in Singapore. at the Hudson River Foundation, NY, on She is also the director of the College’s

D = Doctoral student M = Master’s student U = Undergraduate student HS = high school

9 Faculty Scholarship 2012

D = Doctoral student M = Master’s student U = Undergraduate student HS = high school

BOOKs Biology. Article ID 396165, http://dx.doi. Barnaby, S.N., N. Nakatsuka, S.H. Frayne, Roze, U. (2012). Porcupines: The Animal org/10.1155/2012/396165. K.R. Fath, and I.A. Banerjee (2012). Answer Guide. Johns Hopkins University Formation of hyaluronic acid–ellagic acid Press, Baltimore, MD. 203 Pages. Hatfull, G.F., Dennehy, J.J., and the microfiber hybrid hydrogels and their Science Education Alliance Phage Hunters applications. Colloid and Polymer Science BOOK CHAPTERS and REVIEW Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary 291:1–11. ARTICLES: Science Program, the KwaZulu-Natal Nakatsuka, N., S.N. Barnaby, A. Tsiola, TollisD, M. and S. Boissinot (2012). The Research Institute for Tuberculosis, and K.R. Fath, B.A. Williams, and I.A. Evolutionary Dynamics of Transposable HIV Mycobacterial Genetics Course Banerjee (2012). Self-assembling peptide Elements in Eukaryote Genomes. In: Students, and the Phage Hunters Integrating assemblies bound to ZnS nanoparticles and Genome Dynamics Vol. 7: Repetitive DNA, Research and Education Program (2012). their interactions with mammalian cells. edited by Garrido-Ramos, M.A., Karger The complete genome sequences of 138 Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces Medical and Scientific Publishers, Basel, mycobacteriophages. Journal of Virology 95:154–161. Switzerland. Pp. 68–91. 86:2382–2384.

HS Morgan, Eric C. and A.M. Greller (2012). Lahti, D. C. and C. Pytte (2012). Sleep Ching, J., S.A. Musheyev , D. HS M Phellodendron amurense and the woodlands and Bird Songs. In: Encyclopedia of Sleep Chowdhury , J.A. KimM, Y. Choi , of Long Island. Quarterly Newsletter of the and Dreams, edited by D. Barrett and P. and Dennehy, J.J. (2012). Intermediate Long Island Botanical Society 22:29; 33–34. McNamara, ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara, dispersal rate maximizes adaptation in CA. Pp. 596–597. bacteriophage populations evolving in an ecological sink. Evolution 67:10–17. Greller, A.M. and E.E. Lamont (2012). Waldman, J. (2012). Ecology of Estuarine The Story of St. Ronan’s Well, Flushing Fishes: Temperate Waters of the Western Nakatsuka, N., S.N. Barnaby, K.R. Fath, Bay, Queens, New York: Once a Premier North Atlantic. The Quarterly Review of I.A. Banerjee (2012). Fabrication of Collecting Site for Now-Uncommon Long Biology 87:381. collagen-elastin-bound peptide nanotubes Island Plants. Quarterly Newsletter of the for mammalian cell attachment. Journal Long Island Botanical Society 22:13; 15–18. PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS Biomaterials Science Polymer Education SinglemanD, C. and N. G. Holtzman TollisD, M., G. Ausubel, D. Ghmire, 22:1843–1862. (2012). Analysis of Post-Embryonic and S. Boissinot (2012). Multi-locus Heart Development and Maturation in the phylogeographic and population genetic Barnaby, S.N., K.R. Fath, A. Tsiola, I.A. Zebrafish, Danio rerio. Developmental analysis of Anolis carolinensis: Historical Banerjee (2012). Fabrication of ellagic Dynamics 241:1993–2004. demography of a genomic model species. acid incorporated self-assembled peptide PLoS ONE 7:e38474. microtubes and their applications. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces Johnson, N. A., D. C. Lahti, and D. T. BlassU, E., M. Bell, and S. Boissinot 95:154–161. Blumstein (2012). Combating the assumption (2012). Accumulation and rapid decay of of evolutionary progress: lessons from the non-LTR retrotransposons in the genome of Sarker, N.H., S.N. Barnaby, K.R. Fath, decay and loss of traits. Evolution: Education the three-spine stickleback. Genome Biology S.H. Frayne, N. Nakatsuka, I.A. Banerjee & Outreach 5:128–138. and Evolution 4:687–702. (2012). Biomimetic growth of gallic acid–ZnO hybrid assemblies and their Lapierre, L. R., A. Meléndez, and M. Hansen FergusonD, W., S. DvoraU, R. FikesU, applications. Journal of Nanoparticle (2012). Autophagy links lipid metabolism to A.C. Stone, and S. Boissinot (2012). Research 14:1–12. longevity. Autophagy 8:144–146. Long-term balancing selection at the anti- viral gene OAS1 maintains functionally Barnaby, S.N., K.R. Fath, N. Nakatsuka, Hong, R., T.Y. Kang, C.A. Michels, and N. different alleles in chimpanzees. Molecular N.H. Sarker, I.A. Banerjee (2012). Gadura (2012). Membrane lipid peroxidation Biology and Evolution 29:1093–1103. Formation of calcium phosphate-ellagic acid in copper alloy mediated contact killing of Recommended by the Faculty of 1,000. composites by layer by layer assembly for Escherichia coli. Applied and Environmental cellular attachment to osteoblasts. Journal Microbiology 78:1776-1784. Dennehy, J.J. What can bacteriophages tell of Biomimetics, Biomaterials & Tissue us about host-parasite coevolution? (2012). Engineering 13:1–17. Barnaby, S.N., N.H. Sarker, A. Tsiola, I.A. International Journal of Evolutionary Banerjee (2012). Biomimetic formation of

10 Faculty Student Highlights We are pleased to tell you about some of the activities that the Biology Scholarship 2012 Department’s students have been involved in and the honors earned. Elliot Aguilar (doctoral student in the Lahti ed their research, “Do you have the guts to chicoric-acid directed luminescent silver lab) was awarded the NSF Nordic Research lose weight: correlation between mouse body nanodendrites. Nanotechnology 23: Opportunity fellowship to spend an academic mass index and Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes 294011. year working abroad at the Centre for the frequencies in the gut.” They also received Study of Cultural Evolution at Stockholm the First Prize Award at the NYC Science and Waldman, J., L. Maceda, and I. University. Engineering Fair for high school students and Wirgin (2012). Mixed-stock analysis of First Prize Best High School Student Poster Frances Geller (doctoral student in the wintertime aggregations of striped bass at Northeast Regional Sigma Xi meeting, Lahti lab) gave a presentation at the American along the mid-Atlantic coast. Journal of Flushing, NY. Museum of Natural History Lang Science Applied Ichthyology 28:1–6. Program entitled “Mechanisms of cultural Insight as to the impact of the under- divergence in the eastern house finch graduate research experience on a student’s Wirgin, I., L. Maceda, J.R. Waldman, (Carpodacus mexicanus) population.” career path is made clear from Roy’s mes- S. Wehrell, M. Dadswell, T. King sage, taken from his Linked-In page. “I Colin Grubel (master’s student in the (2012). Stock origin of migratory am a student researcher at Department of Waldman lab) participated in a variety of con- Atlantic sturgeon in the Minas Basin, Gastroenterology-Hepatology at Stony Brook ferences and was invited to speak at the 2012 Inner Bay of Fundy, Canada, determined Medicine. I am currently exploring the rela- Northeastern Natural History Conference in by microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA tionship between gut bacteria and colorectal New York, NY, and the American Fisheries analyses. Transactions of the American cancer. My long-term career goal is to work Society Annual Meeting in St. Paul, MN, Fisheries Society 141:1389–1498. at a university hospital where I will do clini- where he lectured on “Diet composition of cal studies on gastroenterological diseases, Double-crested Cormorants, Phalacrocorax Haremaki, T., and Weinstein, D.C. teach some classes, and tend to patients. My auritus.” He spoke on his “Rapid assess- (2012). Eif4a3 is required for accurate prior research experience and exposure to ment of habitat and wildlife losses from splicing of the Xenopus laevis ryanodine medicine has led me to such a decision.” receptor pre-mRNA. Developmental Hurricane Sandy in the Hudson-Raritan estu- Rita Monfort Biology 372:103–110. ary” at the NY-NJ Harbor Estuary Program (doctoral student in the in New York, NY, and at the Hudson River Boissinot lab) gave an oral presentation on the results of her research on “The determi- Kim, K., B.B. Lake, T. Haremaki, D.C. Foundation, Board of Directors meeting. nants of helminth infestation in baboons” at Weinstein, and S.Y. Sokol (2012). Kevin Jhun, an undergraduate in the the annual meeting of the American Society Rab11 regulates planar polarity and Macaulay Honors College and Biology of Parasitologists, Richmond, VA. migratory behavior of multiciliated major from the Class of 2012, received cells in Xenopus embryonic epidermis. several awards resulting from his research M. Aaron Owen (doctoral student in Lahti Developmental Dynamics 241:1385– carried out in the Dennehy lab. His poster lab) published two papers based on research 1395. entitled “Absolute fitness and host attachment carried out at Northern Illinois University of bacteriophage ф6 host range mutants” and Purdue University, where he was an SridharanD, J., T. Haremaki, Y. JinD, received First Place Best Undergraduate undergraduate and master’s student, respec- S. TeegalaD, and D.C. Weinstein Student Poster at the Northeast Regional tively. The full references are: King, B.H. (2012). Xmab21l3 mediates dorsoventral Sigma Xi meeting, Flushing, NY. Kevin and M.A. Owen (2012). Post-mating changes patterning in Xenopus laevis. Mechanisms received the Biology Department’s Muriel in restlessness, speed and route directness of Development 129:136–146. & Philip Feigelson Award, given to the in males of the parasitoid wasp Spalangia graduating Biology major with the strongest endius (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). Journal Maghsoudi, N., Z. Zakeri, and R.A. academic and research record. At graduation, of Insect Behavior 25: 309–319; and Owen, Lockshin (2012). Programmed cell death Kevin received the University Scholar Award M.A., K. Rohrer and R.D. Howard (2012). and apoptosis: Where it came from and and graduated with Honors in Mathematics Mate choice for a novel male phenotype in where it is going: from Elie Metchnikoff and Natural Sciences. This outstanding young zebrafish (Danio rerio). Animal Behaviour to the control of caspases. Experimental scientist is currently a PhD student at Mt. 83:811–820. Sinai Medical College. Oncology 34:146–152. Marc Tollis (doctoral student in the Shanawaj (Roy) Khair and Daniel Arango, Boissinot lab) was invited to speak on his D = Doctoral student both John Bowne High School students of the thesis research at the First Joint Congress on M = Master’s student Class of 2012 doing research in the Dennehy Evolutionary Biology, Ottawa, Canada. His U = Undergraduate student lab, were recognized as “Finalists” at the 2012 lecture was entitled “Multi-locus phylogeog- HS = High school Intel International Science and Engineering raphy and historical demography of the green Fair in Pittsburgh, PA, where the two present- anole (Anolis carolinensis).”

11 Graduation Award Honorees & Degree Recipients

BIOLOGY GRADUATION AWARD HONOREES

Laura H. and Arthur L. Colwin Prize Kristina C. Zabierek Charles Darwin Prize Avi Bitterman Muriel and Philip Feigelson Award Lauren M. Alvarez, Kevin Jhun, Maureen Pereyra Donald E. Lancefield Award Heng Qi

BACHELOR’S DEGREE RECIPIENTS HH—with High Honors; H—with Honors; ΦΒΚ—Phi Beta Kappa, the national honor society; ΒΔΦ—Beta Delta Phi, the national Biology Honor Society

Jason Abella Annick Fremont Anika Paul—H Muhammad Ali Kelly Garces—H Maureen Pereyra—H Guylsda Alphonse Jonathan A. Goldstein—H, ΒΔΦ Valini Persaud Lauren Alvarez—HH, ΒΔΦ Jin Hee Gwon Lauren Peyer—H, ΒΔΦ Maria Anjum Dinah Han Antanas Planutis—H Shabana Ansari Kevin Jhun—HH, ΒΔΦ Prakash Prasad Vaghasrsh Antanesian In Kang Heng Qi—HH, ΦΒΚ Jessica Arias—H Christine Katwaru Omar Qureshi Mohammad Awan Khaleda Khan Emily Raghubir Chris Azarnejad Cynthia Komar Jaspreet Saini Nadezhda Bababekova Marina Konta Munaff Shadick Miriam Ben-Dayan—H, ΒΔΦ Joseph Kooran Enobong Shammah Austin Bennett Jenny Lai—H Harmandeep Singh—H, ΒΔΦ Esi Benn Cathy Le—H, ΒΔΦ Harminder Singh Avi Bitterman—HH, ΦΒΚ Jinyu Li Sharon Slomovich—H Lindsay Cahn Thomas Li Jessica Sodhi Jessica Chandhok Fizza Mahmud Michael Spigner—HH, ΒΔΦ Jane Ching—H Richard Martirosian—H Susan Stanley Sarang Choi Bushra Meraj—H Lev Starikov Stella Chow Oren Michaeli—H Henry-Robert Thomas—H Wontaek Chung Jacob Noveck—H, ΒΔΦ Luis Vega—H David Clarke Lizbeth Nunez Kaiser Wang Francois Desinor Mansoor Pandhair Tazio Whyne Stephanie Eccles Brianna Paolino Kristina Zabierek—HH Wilson Echeverria Amy Park

MASTER’S DEGREE RECIPIENTS Marina Konta Enobong Shammah Jinyu Li Susan Stanley Lizbeth Nunez Samantha Zieran Amy Park

12 BIOLOGY Alumni Fund DONATIONS FY2011

Starting with this issue, we will report alumni donations according to the College’s fiscal year, which is July 1 to June 30, in order to be con- sistent with the way the Queens College Foundation records donations. As a result, donations made in Fall 2010 that appeared in the 2010 issue of Biology Currents are also listed here. In FY2011, 78 alumni donated a very generous $14,712.50, including matching contributions from two corporations. Your gifts are greatly appreciated. The funds enhance discretionary activities of the Department, including presenta- tions by visiting scientist and faculty recruitment candidates, support of student and faculty research, student travel to scientific conferences, as a supplement to student graduation awards, and for special events like the annual Biology Symposium. Alumni Funds Awards are reviewed by the Department’s Alumni Funds Advisory Committee, which makes recommendations to the Chair. We greatly appreciate your support.

DONorS list FY2011

$1,000+ $100–199 Robert S. Scheinberg Michael Gottlieb Barry D. Bass Janet A. Schneller Erwin London Jay M. Berman Paul Shaman Jeffrey D. Miller Marc D. Citrin Marjorie B. Smith Linda Dollard Carol Strahler $500–999 Neil P. Dreyer Shirley C. Tabenkin Robert H. DeBellis Howard J. Edenberg Eric S. Treiber Eileen C. Frey Domenick J. Falcone Andrew A. Wallman Ferda Isik Marie I. George $10–99 Kenneth H. Jones GlaxoSmithKline Irwin Arluk Otto F. Sabando Carol E. Gohari Lisa C. Bogdonoff Alfred M. Sils Raziel S. Hakim Marian B. Bressel Judith S. Steinman Herbert Jernow Creative Capital Management, Inc. Kevin Tehrani Stanley M. Kalter Robert A. Dubin Arthur D. Kay $200–499 John J. Foti Lester J. Krasnogor Arnold Alfert Joel Gonchar Stephen Kreitzer Rosalind E. Cohen Rosalynd W. Klipper Evelyn C. Link Arlene F. Hoffman Arthur H. Kopelman Lynn G. Mark Martin E. Kessler Elliot M. Levine Alan B. Marks Behnam Kohanim Eugenie R. Mendis Jeffrey R. Mollin Stewart B. Levine Esther Muehlbauer Joseph N. Muzio Robert Madden Michael Riccardi George Pardos Jerome Margolin Alan L. Rosenberg Eileen G. Peers Corinne A. Michels Marian G. Schwartz Steven C. Port Samuel M. Paskin Barbara Soloway Eva R. Rifkin Kenneth L. Stoler Susan B. Spring Peter Sacks Harris C. Taylor Meru Wei Hilda A. Satran Anne S. Zeger Gilbert R. Scalone

13 BIOLOGY Alumni Fund DONATIONS FY2012

In FY2012, 58 alumni (names listed below) donated a very generous $16,392.50, the largest Biology Department total since the College began its fund-raising activities over 20 years ago. Thank you all very much. Your gifts enhance the Department’s discretionary activities including our weekly colloquium series of research presentations by visiting scientists, support for student research and travel to scientific conferences, and student graduation awards, among other activities. Alumni Funds Awards are reviewed by the Department’s Alumni Funds Advisory Committee, which makes recommendations to the Chair. We greatly appreciate your support.

DONorS list FY2012

$5,000+ $100–199 $10–99 Andrea Scheidt Jeffrey M. Behar Phyllis L. Baskin Allen I. Berliner Robert A. Dubin $2,000–4,999 Jay M. Berman Elisa Giglio-Siudzinski Michael Gottlieb Michael N. Cosenza Joel Gonchar Christopher M. Criscuolo Brenda J. Jahn $1,000–1,999 Howard J. Edenberg Herbert Jernow Jeffrey D. Miller Domenick J. Falcone Arthur H. Kopelman Robert A. Petersen Marie I. George Esther Muehlbauer $500–999 Carol E. Gohari Francine Reff Jerome S. Haller Kenneth S. Rowin Harry M. Rosenberg Saul R. Hilfer Marvin J. Schissel Judith S. Steinman Arnold Honig Marian G. Schwartz $200–499 Arthur D. Kay Anne S. Zeger Antoinette Abballe Victor R. Klein Betty Borowsky Stewart B. Levine Rosalind E. Cohen Jeffrey R. Mollin Steven E. Cross Eva R. Rifkin Raziel S. Hakim Peter Sacks Kenneth H. Jones Jack A. Schmetterling Robert Madden Janet A. Schneller Lynn G. Mark Paul Shaman Corinne A. Michels Kenneth L. Stoler Jose D. Murga Marie V. Tangredi Elizabeth F. Neufeld Andrew A. Wallman Samuel M. Paskin Gary R. Weine Harris C. Taylor Eric S. Treiber

14 ALUMNI Questionnaire

We want to keep in touch! If you just wish to say hello, or tell us what is new in your life, please fill in the information below and return to: Distinguished Professor Corinne Michels, Department of Biology, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Queens, NY 11367-1597. Alternately, just provide the information below in an email ([email protected]) and be sure to write “Biology alum” in the subject line.

NAME

ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP

HOME PHONE BUSiness PHONE EMAIL

Make address/telephone available to Alumni? Yes No

Education/Employment History

Personal Highlights and Comments

15 Biology Non-Profit org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID FLUSHING, NY 65-30 Kissena Boulevard Queens, New York 11367-1597 PERMIT NO. 48