Recent News

Members of the UVM Cancer Center/Stein-Lian Lab discover a distinct population of mesenchymal stromal/stem-like cells (MSCs) in invasive breast cancer tumors. 

 

Read more here

PLOS ONE

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Dr. Jane Lian, Dr. Janet Stein, and Dr. Mary Cushman Are Ranked Among Top U.S. Scientists

 

Jane Lian, Janet Stein, Mary Cushman

A new online ranking of the top female scientists in the United States conducted by Research.com includes three members of the University of Vermont faculty. Mary Cushman, M.D., M.Sc., professor of medicine, was ranked 124th nationally and 193rd in the world. Jane Lian, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry, was ranked 194th nationally and 305th in the world. Janet Stein, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry, was ranked 265th nationally and 430th in the world. All three scientists serve on the Larner College of Medicine faculty and are UVM Cancer Center members.

Dr. Paula Tracy is awarded the title Professor of Biochemistry Emerita

 

Professor of Biochemistry Emerita

 

Dr. Paula Tracy joined the University of Vermont Department of Biochemistry faculty in 1984. For the past thirty-eight years, she has made unequivocally valued contributions to research, teaching, and service. As a scientist, she, with extramural support, has an advanced understanding of coagulation biology and pathology. Her research contributions are documented by publications in highly recognized journals and awards that reflect the importance of her work.

As an educator, she been instrumental in medical, graduate, and undergraduate teaching and have been a driving force for the development of an innovative curriculum. As a mentor, she has guided students and fellows, who have been affected immensely from working with her, go on to develop successful careers in medicine and biomedical research.

Dr. Paula Tracy has  provided valuable service to the Department of Biochemistry as Interim Chair and has supported the LCOM and university as an active member of committees that are the fabric of our effective academic environment for learning and research. Her engagement in operation and oversight committees for professional organizations that include the American Heart Association, and the American Society for Hematology, have facilitated advocacy for advancing investigation in hemostasis and thrombosis.

Dr. Scott Morrical is awarded the title Professor of Biochemistry Emerita


Scott Morrical Emeriti Dinner 2022

For the past thirty years, Scott Morrical has contributed significantly as a scientist and educator as well as provided valuable service to the Department of Biochemistry, the University of Vermont, and the biomedical research community.

As an investigator, Dr. Morrical has made important discoveries that have an advanced understanding of genome replication. His work in mechanistically characterized DNA replication, recombination, damage, and repair have secured broad-based recognition. Publications and extramural research support document his effectiveness as a scientist.

He been a highly effective educator, playing a key role in undergraduate, graduate, and medical student teaching. His contributions to transitioning Biochemistry courses to remote learning presentations have been key to sustaining our teaching effectiveness as we navigate the complexities of the COVID pandemic.

Dr. Morrical has been a strong mentor to students who have received research training in his laboratory. His guidance has provided perspective and experience for the development of productive careers in biomedical research.

5 Year NIH grant awarded to the Northern New England Clinical and Translational Research Network

 

a teal square with a schematic of two people holding up a tree of the other NNE-CTR cores

A $20M five-year NIH grant was awarded to support the Northern New England Clinical and Translational Research Network. The program is committed to supporting an investigation that addresses the health and healthcare challenges of northern New England rurality. The NNE-CTR is a partnership between the University of Vermont, Main Medical Center/ MaineHealth, and the Northern New England Practice-Based Research Network.  Gary Stein is the Vermont Principal Investigator. The NNE-CTR leadership team includes Renee Stapleton, Gordon Jensen, Janet Stein, Charlie Irvin, Kimberly Luebbers, Peter Callas, Jan Carney, Valerie Harder, and Francis Carr. Administrative coordination is provided by Sheila Clifford-Bova and Melanie Sestokas.

  • UVM & Maine Partners Awarded $20 Million to Continue NNE-CTR Work
    The Northern New England Clinical and Translational Research Network has received a $20 million-dollar renewal grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue work to ensure residents in Vermont and Maine – and particularly the elderly, New American and Indigenous populations – receive greater support to address chronic and life-threatening diseases.
  • Representing Graduate Student Interests at the Larner College of Medicine
    University of Vermont graduate students Dorcas Lohese, Sean Lenahan, Joseph Owuor, and Matt Mullen are the newest representatives for the UVM Larner College of Medicine Graduate Student Council. Hannah Despres, who served on the council for the 2020-2021 term, has been re-elected for another year.
  • UVM Cancer Center Investigators Publish the Breast Pre-Cancer Atlas
    UVM Cancer Center researchers contributed to the establishment of a breast pre-cancer atlas, which establishes the molecular and cellular properties of early-stage breast cancer and is the result of a six-year, National Cancer Institute-funded, collaborative initiative.

 

Announcements

November 2023

Dr. Tom Orfeo is awarded Emeritus status in recognition of his significant contributions as a scientist and mentor

May 2023

Dr. Gary Stein receives the 2023 University Distinguished Professor Award 

April 2023

Dr. Michael Godsey joins the graduate faculty in the practitioner-based membership category

Manuscript "The Shared Core Resource as a Partner in Innovative Scientific Research: Illustration from an Academic Microscopy Imaging Center" receives the JTB Manuscript of the Year Award

November 2022

Dr. Jane Lian receives the Dean's Faculty Research Mentorship Award

August 2022

Chris Pung accepts position as senior lab technician in the Stein/Lian Lab

July 28th, 2022

Dr. Paula Tracy and Dr. Stephen Everse are awarded Larner College of Medicine Professionalism Accolades

July 14th, 2022

Dr. Rob Hondal attends the Thiol Gordon Conference and gives talk entitled "Cheating on Selenium"

July 2022

Dr. Jessica Heath becomes the vice-chair of Pediatrics

June 2022

Andrew Fritz is appointed faulty scientist

May 10th, 2022

Dr. Delphine Quenet is accepted as a faculty fellow in the Malate Dehydrogenase CUREs Community Faculty Fellow Cohort 2022 and to the Eastern regional hub

April 14, 2022

Dr. Jay Silveira is the recipient of the AY 2021-2022 Kroepsch-Maurice Excellence in Teaching Award at the rank of Assistant Professor.

March 10, 2022

Dr. Paula Tracy and Dr. Scott Morrical are both appointed as Professor of Biochemistry Emerita.

March 2, 2022

Dr. Paula Tracy has been recognized for her effectiveness in supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion and is the recipient of the UVM 2022 Gender Equity Lifetime Achievement Award.

February 2022

Dr. Christopher Francklyn is named Director of the Vermont Biomedical Research Network (PBRN)

 

Spotlight

 

Student Spotlight:

Olivia Stanley, an Honor’s student performing research in Dr. Bouchard’s laboratory, was the recipient of 2022 Summer Research Funding through the UVM undergraduate program

Isaac Goetzke receives the Bernd Heinrich Award in Physiology or Evolution

Isaac Goetzke successfully defended his Honors College Senior Thesis entitled, Identification of Factor V Nanobodies from a Synthetic Yeast Surface Display Library in December of 2021

Education:

Learn more about our Accelerated Master's Program in Biochemistry here.

Research:
  • With nearly 1,200 impressions highlights, the pre-cancer atlas published in Nature Portfolio: npj Breast Cancer co-authored by a team of six UVM Cancer Center investigators, Janet Stein, Ph.D., Donald Weaver, M.D., Gary Stein, Ph.D., Brian Sprague, Ph.D., Jonathan Gordon, Ph.D., and Mark Evans, Ph.D. Read here.
  • The Bouchard lab works on blood coagulation and mechanisms regulating factor V endocytosis by megakaryocytes.
Featured Publication:

Hinfp is a guardian of the somatic genome by repressing transposable elements

Nirala NK, Li Q, Ghule PN, Chen HJ, Li R, Zhu LJ, Wang R, Rice NP, Mao J, Stein JL, Stein GS, van Wijnen AJ, Ip YT. Hinfp is a guardian of the somatic genome by repressing transposable elements. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 Oct 12;118(41):e2100839118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2100839118. PMID: 34620709; PMCID: PMC8521681.

Recent Publications:

View the most recent Department of Biochemistry publications on PubMed