UNC Biochemistry and Biophysics department

Keep up with news from Biochemistry Biophysics at University of North Carolina School of Medicine. We are proud to support the mission, vision, and values of the UNC School of Medicine & grateful to serve the people of North Carolina. www.med.unc.edu/biochem/

Join us for our next Student Thesis Defense: Dillon Sloan, a Ph.D. student in Dr. Rick Baker’s lab, will present his dissertation defense "CCDC32 and the membrane mediate AP-2 assembly” on Wed. July 1, 11:30 AM in 1131 Bioinformatics. Support Dillon as he shares his research.

Congratulations to the newest official PhD Candidate in the Starbird lab, Johnna Bingham!!! 🍾🎉

Congratulations to our faculty and staff celebrating state service awards! 14 of our members in Biochemistry and Biophysics reached milestones. www.med.unc.edu/biochem/news...

Congratulations to our faculty and staff celebrating state service awards! 14 of our members in Biochemistry and Biophysics reached milestones. www.med.unc.edu/biochem/news...

BCBP New Student talks on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 1:30-3:00pm. Please welcome & support our newest students. 1131 Bioinformatics. 1:30 PM: Welcome remarks 1:35 PM: Jimmy Pratas 1:50 PM: Sydney D'Amaddio 2:05 PM: Maria Lopez Vasquez 2:20 PM: Garrett Chappel 2:35 PM: Rohan Shah

Come out and support our new students

Come out and support our new students

New Student talks on May 19 1:30-3:00pm in Bioinfo. 1131

Join us on May 18, 2026, for a 1‑day symposium honoring the life and scientific legacy of Richard (Dick) Wolfenden—renowned enzymologist, NAS member, and beloved mentor. Speakers include Charlie Carter, Vernon Schramm, Daniel Herschlag, John Richard & George Rose. Bioinformatics 1131. 9 am-5 pm. 1/2

May 5, 2025, 1 PM Student Thesis Defense: Sierra Cole (student of Dr. Amy Gladfelter) "Sequence and structure of protein binding sites in RNA impact biomolecular condensates" Bondurant 2020

Today is the deadline to submit a nomination for Biophysical Society Awards! If you're working on a nomination, make sure you finish up today! www.biophysics.org/awards-fundi...

Student Thesis Defense: Thursday 4/30/26 Matthew Vander Ploeg Title: "Integrin signaling and platelet migration: mechanistic insights and pathophysiological relevance" April 30, 2026, 3:00 PM Bioinformatics 1131 UNC SOM Biochemistry and Biophysics & Blood Research Center (Bergmeier lab)

Student Thesis Defense: Thursday 4/30/26 Matthew Vander Ploeg Title: "Integrin signaling and platelet migration: mechanistic insights and pathophysiological relevance" April 30, 2026, 3:00 PM Bioinformatics 1131 UNC SOM Biochemistry and Biophysics & Blood Research Center (Bergmeier lab)

🩸 New paper in Blood from the Bergmeier Lab! David Paul and David Rocco (co–first authors) identify a new signaling pathway critical for platelet adhesion under arterial shear—advancing insights into platelet function and cardiovascular disease. @bloodjournals.hematology.org

New pub! Yasemin Kubra Akyel and Kaan Arslan (co–first authors), with Cansu Kose & Aziz Sancar, map age-specific circadian transcription in mice using XR-seq—revealing tissue-specific rewiring with implications for chronotherapy. mdpi.com/3835092 #mdpiijms via @IJMS_MDPI

Great night out at Boshamer Stadium cheering on the Tar Heels🐏⚾Perfect spring weather, good company, & a little friendly rivalry in the stands (still wondering about that black cap… 👀). Thanks to everyone who joined us for UNC vs. High Point! #GoHeels #FacultyOuting #GDTBATH

Great night out at Boshamer Stadium cheering on the Tar Heels🐏⚾Perfect spring weather, good company, & a little friendly rivalry in the stands (still wondering about that black cap… 👀). Thanks to everyone who joined us for UNC vs. High Point! #GoHeels #FacultyOuting #GDTBATH

Join us for our last seminar of the Spring semester. “Spatial Organization of Epigenetic Information by Phase Separation” presented by Xiaojun (XJ) Ren, Ph.D. on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 – 11:00 am – 12:00 pm UNC-CH 1131 Bioinformatics building Host: Jill Dowen

Postdoc Portrait: Ajit Prakash @unc-bcbp.bsky.social This postdoctoral researcher uses NMR spectroscopy to uncover how G proteins act as molecular pH sensors, offering new insights into signaling and disease www.the-scientist.com/postdoc-port... #NMRchat 🧲

New pub! Yasemin Kubra Akyel and Kaan Arslan (co–first authors), with Cansu Kose & Aziz Sancar, map age-specific circadian transcription in mice using XR-seq—revealing tissue-specific rewiring with implications for chronotherapy. mdpi.com/3835092 #mdpiijms via @IJMS_MDPI

Join us for our last seminar of the Spring semester. “Spatial Organization of Epigenetic Information by Phase Separation” presented by Xiaojun (XJ) Ren, Ph.D. on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 – 11:00 am – 12:00 pm UNC-CH 1131 Bioinformatics building Host: Jill Dowen

Join us for a seminar on “The picornaviral 3C protease and its precursor 3CD: Central components to virus replication and survival” with David Boehr, Ph.D., Prof. of Chemistry, Eberly College of Science, Penn State Univ., 1131 Bioinfo., Tues., April 14, 2026, 11:00 AM

Join us for a seminar on “The picornaviral 3C protease and its precursor 3CD: Central components to virus replication and survival” with David Boehr, Ph.D., Prof. of Chemistry, Eberly College of Science, Penn State Univ., 1131 Bioinfo., Tues., April 14, 2026, 11:00 AM

Scientists in industry: what does a day in your lab—or office—look like? How do you tackle research questions that shape medicine, technology & society? Share your story in the ASBMB Today Summer 2026 essay series. 📅Deadline: April 15 www.asbmb.org/asbmb-today/... #ScienceInIndustry

Student Defense on Wed., April 8, 2:00 PM Student: Uriel Jean-Baptiste Title: "Navigating New Frontiers in Lipase Regulation" Location: Marisco 5004, UNC-CH Uriel is mentored by Dr. Saskia Neher

How close are we to an HIV cure? Join us for a seminar on “Targeting Stable HIV Reservoirs for HIV Cure” with Guochun Jiang, PhD, Assistant Professor, UNC Biochemistry & Biophysics. 1131 Bioinformatics Tues., April 7 | ⏰ 11:00 AM #HIVResearch #HIVCure #SeminarSeries #UNC_BCBP

How close are we to an HIV cure? Join us for a seminar on “Targeting Stable HIV Reservoirs for HIV Cure” with Guochun Jiang, PhD, Assistant Professor, UNC Biochemistry & Biophysics. 1131 Bioinformatics Tues., April 7 | ⏰ 11:00 AM #HIVResearch #HIVCure #SeminarSeries #UNC_BCBP

Don’t miss this Seminar on March 31, 2026 (11am)! Silvia Ramos, MD, PhD on "RNA-binding protein ZFP36L2 and gene regulation across tissues"1131 Bioinformatics | Host: Dr. Bill Marzluff #HematoImmunology #GeneRegulation #ReproductiveBiology @unclineberger.bsky.social @rnadiscoverycenter.bsky.social

We’re hiring! The Training Grant Project Manager supports NIH‑funded training grants for the School of Medicine, coordinating data, reporting, and applications. Be the central point person advancing best practices and shared resources. Apply: unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/315...

Don’t miss this Seminar on March 31, 2026 (11am)! Silvia Ramos, MD, PhD on "RNA-binding protein ZFP36L2 and gene regulation across tissues"1131 Bioinformatics | Host: Dr. Bill Marzluff #HematoImmunology #GeneRegulation #ReproductiveBiology @unclineberger.bsky.social @rnadiscoverycenter.bsky.social

10th Annual Oliver Smithies Nobel Symposium Featuring Dr. Jennifer Doudna, March 26 @ 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm www.med.unc.edu/oor/event/10...

10th Annual Oliver Smithies Nobel Symposium Featuring Dr. Jennifer Doudna, March 26 @ 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm www.med.unc.edu/oor/event/10...

Seminar: “Monitoring and Manipulating DNA Damage Responses in Human Skin” presented by Michael Kemp, PhD, Pharmacology & Toxicology, Wright State Univ. at the Boonshoft School of Medicine. Hosts: Drs. Sancar & Lindsey-Boltz. Tuesday March 24, 2026 @ 11 AM, UNC-Chapel Hill, 1131 Bioinformatics bldg

As a child, @phosphotig.bsky.social dreamed of being an astronaut, but her curiosity led her to scientific research. Now, she leads her own lab at UNC-Chapel Hill, & studies oxidative stress to find better therapies for triple-negative breast cancer. #WomensHistoryMonth www.asbmb.org/asbmb-today/...

Congrats to our newest PhD! Jingting Chen of Elizabeth Brunk’s lab successfully defended his thesis entitled, “Evolution on Fast-Forward: EcDNA-Driven Adaptive Trajectories at Single-Cell Resolution” and earned his PhD. go.unc.edu/Si46Q

Join us this Friday for the Third Friday Microbiome Analysis Seminar! 🧬 Dr. Jeffrey Roach will cover how WGS microbiome data go from raw reads → taxonomic & functional insights. 📅 Mar 20, 2 PM 📍 1131 Bioinformatics Building In-person only (recording available after). #Microbiome #Bioinformatics

Seminar: “Monitoring and Manipulating DNA Damage Responses in Human Skin” presented by Michael Kemp, PhD, Pharmacology & Toxicology, Wright State Univ. at the Boonshoft School of Medicine. Hosts: Drs. Sancar & Lindsey-Boltz. Tuesday March 24, 2026 @ 11 AM, UNC-Chapel Hill, 1131 Bioinformatics bldg

🎓 Student Thesis Defense Jingting Chen (student of Dr. Elizabeth Brunk) Defense title “Evolution on Fast-Forward: EcDNA-Driven Adaptive Trajectories at Single-Cell Resolution” 📅 March 17, 2026 | ⏰ 9:30 AM 📍 MBRB G-202 UNC School of Medicine Biochemistry & Biophysics

The Postdoctoral Association (PDA) is an independent, postdoc-led organization dedicated to serving postdoctoral scholars at UNC Chapel Hill by fostering connection, sharing resources & strengthening communication across campus. research.unc.edu/2026/02/09/t...