Source: Carol Shanklin, 785-532-7927, shanklin@1xbet online casino edu
Web site: http://www.1xbet online casino edu/grad/sarachekaward/2009/bio09winner.htm
News release prepared by: Kay Garrett, 785-532-6, anuenue@1xbet online casino edu
Friday, April 24, 2009
WICHITA FAMILY PROVIDES FELLOWSHIP, TRAVEL AWARDS TO 1xbet online casino GRADUATE STUDENTS
MANHATTAN -- Three doctoral students at Kansas State University are receiving 1xbet online casino awards to help further their research.
Since 2002, Alvin and RosaLee 1xbet online casino , both career biologists from Wichita, have been helping to advance the careers of 1xbet online casino doctoral students whose research uses molecular biological techniques as tools of discovery. The Saracheks annually award one fellowship of up to ,000 and several scientific travel awards of up to ,000.
Vinai Chittezham Thomas, doctoral student in microbiology, is receiving the 2009 Alvin and RosaLee 1xbet online casino Predoctoral Honors Fellowship in Molecular Biology, while Ginny Antony, doctoral student in plant pathology, and Xin Deng, doctoral student in genetics, are each receiving ,000 scientific travel awards. All three students are from Manhattan.
According to the Saracheks, the fields of study for their awards can be as dissimilar as heart disease 1xbet online casino and wheat blight studies, but addressing the important questions of each field demands rigorous molecular level investigations.
Alvin Sarachek received his doctorate in genetics from 1xbet online casino in 1957. He said he values the 1xbet online casino tradition of offering a broad array of quality programs in the life sciences, many with outstanding national reputations. He also said that he and his wife wanted to contribute to that tradition of excellence by recognizing students whose research on a variety of biological problems involves molecular approaches.
All three Sarachek recipients have maintained perfect 4.0 grade point averages in their advanced studies, and their research results have been accepted for publication in notable scientific journals in their fields, said Carol Shanklin, dean of the 1xbet online casino Graduate School.
"These students are applying the tools of molecular biology to important scientific problems, and their investigations are yielding new insights and understanding," Shanklin said. "With extraordinary support from the 1xbet online casino family, students will continue their scientific careers, to the benefit of society, we believe."
Thomas studies how bacterial pathogens assemble to create almost impenetrable biofilms. His 1xbet online casino goal is to understand if it's possible to disrupt biofilm formation. Treatments for cardiac endocarditis, urinary tract infection, bacteremia and infections associated with implants could result from the studies.
Thomas conducts his work with Lynn Hancock, assistant professor of biology. Based on the biofilm research he has done in Hancock's lab, Thomas has been invited to join the research group of Ferric Fang at University of Washington after graduating from 1xbet online casino . Fang is an eminent scientist in the field of Salmonella pathogenesis.
"Being selected to receive the 1xbet online casino Predoctoral Honors Fellowship will give me the opportunity to participate in scientific collaboration and academic networking, and attend professional workshops," Thomas said. "Such interactions with peers will help keep me at the forefront of cutting-edge work in the microbial sciences."
Antony studies rice disease resistance genetics under the mentorship of Frank White, 1xbet online casino professor of plant pathology. She will use the travel award to will attend the 2009 American Phytopathological Society meeting in Portland, Ore., and the Xanthomonas Genomic Conference in Pingree, Colo.
Deng studies genetic regulation of a bacterial secretion system critical to development of some plant diseases. His mentor is Xiaoyan Tang, a 1xbet online casino geneticist and associate professor of plant pathology. He will use the travel award to attend the 2009 American Phytopathological Society meeting in Portland.
More information on the 1xbet online casino awards and short biographies of the 2009 recipients are available online at http://www.1xbet online casino edu/grad/sarachekaward/2009/bio09winner.htm
After completing his doctorate at 1xbet online casino , Alvin Sarachek established the department of biology at Wichita State University with Val Woodward, a former 1xbet online casino professor. He maintained an active research program studying the genetics of medically important yeasts. Sarachek retired in 1992 as a Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences at Wichita State, and earned the university's Regents Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Emory Lindquist Excellence in Honors Teaching Award. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology.
RosaLee 1xbet online casino earned degrees in biology and medical technology from Wichita State and was on the staffs of St. Francis Medical Center and St. Joseph Hospital and Rehabilitation Center. She served as the first chair of Wichita State's medical technology program, and was a member for many years of the 1xbet online casino research group.
The Saracheks currently are actively involved with the work of the Hereditary Neurological Disease Centre Inc., Wichita, which specializes in Huntington's disease.
