Genetics Seminars Bring Distinguished Scientists to UK

By Whitney Harder

(March 26, 2015) — Throughout the next four weeks, experts in the fields of molecular and cellular genetics will visit the University of Kentucky each Monday to deliver lectures on exciting new research in the field.

As part of the course "Special Topics in Molecular and Cellular Genetics," offered by the UK College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Biology, the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, and the UK Graduate School, the seminars will include informal discussions with UK graduate students, but are also open to the public.

The course has brought leading scientists to the UK campus to deliver lectures for more than 25 years.

All lectures will be begin at 4 p.m. Seminar speakers, topics and dates include:

Monday, March 30

Harry Klee - professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

•  Topic: Molecular, genetic and biochemical approaches to understanding and improving tomato flavor

•  Location: Cameron Williams Lecture Hall in the Plant Science Building

•  Host: Seth DeBolt, sdebo2@email.uky

More information about Klee: http://hos.ufl.edu/kleeweb/

Monday, April 6

Jeffrey Harper - professor and chair, Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Nevada, Reno. 

•  Topic: Coding and decoding calcium signals in plants

•  Location: Cameron Williams Lecture Hall in the Plant Science Building

•  Host: Seth DeBolt, sdebo2@email.uky

More information about Harper: http://www.unr.edu/molecular-biosciences/faculty/jeff-harper#Biography

Monday, April 13

Barry Ganetzky - professor, Department of Genetics and Medical Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison

•  Topic: Neuronal regeneration and degeneration in long-lived Drosophila larvae

•  Location: Room 116 in the Thomas Hunt Morgan Biological Sciences Building

•  Host: Brian Rymond, rymond@uky.edu

More information about Ganetzky: http://genetics.wisc.edu/Ganetzky.htm

Monday, April 27

Nathaniel Heintz - investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute,
James and Marilyn Simons Professor, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Rockefeller University

•  Topic: Molecular mechanisms that control development and dysfunction of the mammalian cerebellum

•  Location: Room 116 in the Thomas Hunt Morgan Biological Sciences Building

•  Host: Brian Rymond, rymond@uky.edu

More information about Heintz: http://www.rockefeller.edu/research/faculty/labheads/NathanielHeintz/