THE
Argo
Official Quarterly Newsletter of the Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology at The University of New Mexico School of Medicine
Spring 2023 Volume 1, Issue 5
MGM in the News: Notable recent grants, papers, and achievements
MGM Highlight--Women's Successes: Dr. Michelle Ozbun was interviewed by Technology Networks for the eBOOK Women in Science
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The Argo, MGM Quarterly Newsletter, Spring 2023
Welcome to the Spring 2023 edition of The Argo, the official newsletter of the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology (MGM) at The University of New Mexico School of Medicine.
Trainee Showtime: Our department welcomes Rebecca Sanchez, Brett Mabry, and Dr. Huayu Zheng!!
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MGM Highlight--Dr. Vojo Deretic gives the 67th UNM Annual Research Lecture!
MGM Funded Programs: MGM offers programs to department members to support research, travel, and equipment.
Welcome to MGM! Our department welcomes a new faculty member, Dr. Monica Rosas Lemus.
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MGM Highlight--Women's Successes: MGM women faculty secure research funding from the NIH.
Jing Pu, PhD - guest editor
MGM Highlight--The AIM Center Enters Phase II
Story Behind: Dr. Michael Mandell published graduate work 11 years after completing his PhD.
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Listen to the Voices: From our Admin Office
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Welcome to MGM!
MGM welcomes new faculty, Dr. Monica Rosas Lemus
Check out a story on Monica's research at the HSC Newsroom. Click here!
What brought you to UNM and MGM? My husband is an archeologist and a big fan of the Chaco culture, and I had planned a conference in Santa Fe, so we decided to plan a conference-vacation trip to New Mexico in 2020. We visited Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Albuquerque, and Chaco canyon. I was very impressed by the landscape, people and super tasty food. Two years later, I was looking for jobs when I saw an open position at MGM, UNM and start looking at the science done here. I was impressed by the high quality and impactful research conducted by the department and realized that this was a place where I would love to establish my research laboratory. I just got more excited when I learned about the AIM CoBRE and the opportunities to integrate my knowledge about metabolism and infectious diseases with the vision of the AIM center and the MGM department. I just felt like I could really fit here. Thus, I applied for the position and I’m glad to be part of an incredible team of scientists at MGM. Tell us about your research interests. I’m intrigued by the regulation of metabolic pathways of pathogens and host during infection, especially viruses. I did my PhD in the laboratory of Dr. Salvador Uribe Carvajal at the Universidad Nacional Autenoma de Mexico (UNAM), in Mexico City. I studied the regulation between glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation mediated by metabolites and protein-protein interactions. As a postdoc, first at Illinois Institute of Technology, and later at the Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases (CSGID) at Northwestern University, I studied the structure and activity of proteins related to antimicrobial resistance, and metabolism of pathogens. When COVID-19 started, I pivoted my career to the study of the structure and activity of a viral enzyme involved in the metabolism of viral RNA, which helps to prevent its degradation and to hide from the immune cell system. Now I will study the hybrid host-virus-RNA metabolism and its regulation by metabolites and protein-protein interactions. This knowledge could reveal new specific pathways, which could be used towards developing new therapeutics to treat the current, and future coronavirus diseases. What do you like to do when you aren't in the lab? I love cooking, hiking, and gardening, and spending as much time as possible with my husband and our children.
Dr. Monica Rosas Lemus
Dr. Jaya Rajaiya studies the mechanisms of eye infections by adenoviruses. She is on her third-cycle R01 grant. Click to Read HSC Newsroom Article
MGM Highlight - Women's Successes
When we celebrated Women's History Month in March, MGM embraced our successful woman faculty. Four junior faculty members, Drs. Monica Rosas Lemas (Page 2), Alison Kell, Jing Pu, and Kathryn Frietze received their first R01 or R01-level funding from the NIH. Newly hired faculty member Dr. Jaya Rajaiya renewed her R01 for the second time.
Dr. Jing Pu was awarded an NIH MIRA (Maximizing Investigators' Research Award) for her research on lysosome-lipid droplet interactions in fatty acid metabolism. Click to Read HSC newsroom Article
Dr. Kathryn Frietze received her first R01 to study the vaccine for Chalomydia infection. Click to Read HSC Newsroom Article
Dr. Alison Kell received her first R01 to study the role of type I interferon signaling in Seoul orthohantavirus pathogenesis. Click to Read HSC Newsroom Article
"We need your creative ideas and your unique perspective! I welcome you. Join or form a constructive peer support group during all parts of your training" said Dr. Michelle Ozbun, when she was asked a question "What advice would you give to women contemplating a career in STEMM" by Kate Robison, an editor for Technology Networks. Technology Networks is a scientific news publication launched in 2000, providing coverage of analytical chemistry, life sciences, drug discovery and neuroscience. The editorial team comprises scientists from diverse backgrounds. "February 11, 2023, marks International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a day created to celebrate the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM). Each year, Technology Networks acknowledges this day with an eBook containing interviews with female scientists working across many disciplines, to learn about their experiences and hear advice for forging a career in STEMM" Technology Networks introduces this year's eBook in their website. Dr. Michelle Ozbun is the Maralyn S. Budke Endowed Professor, the MGM director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and the director of Scholarship and Mentoring. Her laboratory is focused on human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, including the molecular mechanisms of the infectious process and how HPVs can cause infections that can progress to malignancies. In March, Dr. Ozbun was awarded a UNMCCC Translational Science Initiative pilot grant with Dr. Colleen McCormick, entitled “Evaluating Treatment Combinations with MEK Inhibitors for Cervical Cancer ", a fantastic way to celebrate the Women's History Month.
“If there is one thing I’ve learned in my career, it’s that it’s not what you do but the way you think while doing it. Throughout my time here in New Mexico, I have felt obliged to give back to this state and all the people in it and I really hope through my work, I’ve done just that.” - Dr. Vojo Deretic
MGM Highlight - Dr. Vojo Deretic 67th UNM ANNUAL Research Lecture Award RECIPIENT
Dr. Vojo Derect presented his groundbreaking work on the Annual Research Lecture event on March 30, 2023. Photo by Dr. Li Chen.
The Annual Research Lecture (ARL) is the highest honor The University of New Mexico bestows on its faculty in recognition of their research and creative activity. MGM Chair Dr. Vojo Deretic is recognized as UNM's 67th ARL Award Recipient. "Dr. Deretic's main contribution to science comes from the initial report and sustained follow-up studies by his team on the role of autophagy in infection and immunity in which he and his group pioneered and developed this area into a now burgeoning filed of study." - from UNM Research Celebration
Dr. Vojo Deretic AIM Center Director MGM Chair & Professor
MGM Highlight - AIM Center Enters Phase II
Lee Allers AIM Center and MGM IT Support
Sally Ann Garcia AIM Center CFO & MGM Administrator
Dr. Michael Mandell AIM Center Mentoring Director MGM Associate Professor
Autophagy, Inflammation & Metabolism Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (the AIM Center) is an NIH-funded, locally, nationally, and internationally important center for the advancement of research on autophagy and its intersections with inflammation and metabolism in the disease process. During the phase I period (2017-2022), the AIM Center fulfilled her missions on promoting the research in the autophagy and related fields, supporting junior investigators, providing resource and accesses to the community, and connecting the scientists in the world. With all these achievements, the AIM Center made phase II renewal successful and is keeping supporting and connecting the researchers, staff, students, and trainees inside and outside the UNM HSC community. MGM is the home of the AIM Center. MGM faculty and staff play a leading role in the AIM Center's success. Cheer for them!
Dr. Judy Cannon AIM Center Scientific Core Director MGM Education Chief & Associate Professor
Story Behind A Journey of 11 Years
Faculty member Dr. Michael Mandell recently published one of the works in his graduate study, which was completed in 2011. Here, he tells his story. Mike, first, congratulations for your new publication! I learned that you started this work in your graduate study and published it last year. I am very curious about the story behind. Could you tell us something about your graduate research? "My graduate studies focused on a protozoan parasite called Leishmania that causes an arthropod-transmitted neglected tropical disease. I used quantitative imaging to address basic questions about the biology of the parasite in the initial hours after infection and during a phase of infection in which the parasite can persist indefinitely in the host despite the host having strong protective immunity against new infection." Why did it take so long to publish? "The reason was entirely because my graduate mentor was chronically slow at getting everyone’s manuscripts submitted – not just mine. The experiments were all completed in 2011. I was already faculty here before my other first-author papers from grad school came out (2016 and 2017). For all of these studies, I had to continually push my boss to keep these manuscripts on his radar. Part of this 'pushing' involved applying lessons that I had learned in my time as a postdoc and afterwards about data presentation, statistical analysis, and manuscript writing to provide my graduate PI with increasingly sophisticated manuscripts." Were you worried that other groups might report similar results before you could publish it? "No, which is probably what allowed my graduate advisor to be so slow to submit the manuscript. Part of this was because we worked on a “neglected” tropical disease, and part of it was because my project required a sort of analysis that no one else was going to be willing to do. My main fear was that the findings of my research would never fully be available to the field." What do you want to say to our students and trainees, who may be under a “publication stress?” "My thesis had the word 'persistence' in the title. I think trainees need to be persistent to ensure that their good science enters the public domain. Don’t give up!"
Mike and his son, near the time that the paper was first submitted to a journal.
Mike and his son, near the time that experiments for this study were completed.
Brett Mabry (Pu Lab) I’m a trainee under the mentorship of Dr. Jing Pu. My personal project is searching for specific amino acids that regulate lysosomal movement within cells. Targeting the proteins that involve the mechanisms of lysosome movement may aid in understanding the lysosome aggregations in tumorigenesis, neurodegenerative diseases, and lipid storage disorders. As a senior undergraduate in biochemistry, I’m very fascinated with basic science, but my deeper reason for following this path is to apply discoveries in cellular functions toward disease interventions. My interests include neurological, metabolic, and psychiatric disorders, and I’m especially curious about leveraging epigenetic cascades for personalized treatments. Changing focus during the pandemic after being in a technical support career for several years has been a blessing. Although many challenges have made this transition feel more like a leap of faith, my passion for biomedical sciences grows stronger through it all. I’m grateful for the opportunity to collaborate in this search within such a diverse and dedicated professional network. I’m humbled by the collective talent and heartened by the culture of care I’ve seen and hope to continue learning from everyone here beyond graduation.
Rebecca Sanchez (Ozbun Lab) My name is Rebecca Sanchez, and I am working in the lab with Dr. Michelle Ozbun! I am a first generation, first year, college student working towards a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry. One day I had reached out to Michelle to seek advise and advisement and now I have been given the amazing opportunity to be in the lab with her. I am extremely grateful for being able to work with Michelle and her team, and I look forward to seeing the benefits of this in the continuation of my education in.
Dr. Huayu Zheng (Pu Lab) As a postdoc in Pu lab, I focus on the study of lysosome-lipid droplet (LD) interactions which are playing a significant role in fatty acid metabolism. We utilize cell biology, molecular biology, and biochemistry methods to decipher the pathway mediating free fatty acid transportation between lysosomes and lipid droplets in human immortalized liver cell lines. In my spare time, I enjoy walking and hiking so I can connect with nature through exploration. I also like to travel, which offers me the opportunity to learn about different cultures by meeting new people and experiencing different ways of life.
Trainee Showtime - Welcome to MGM!
Listen to the Voices - From Admin Office
From an administrative standpoint, numerous things are completed in the background, which we hope enables our faculty and staff to conduct their research efficiently and as effortlessly as possible with reassurance that they have support from the departmental administrative team. Our team includes Michael Zamora, Grant Coordinator who on top of all his responsibilities is extremely resourceful; Melissa Ebode, Department Accountant who is a math whiz; Lee Allers, Information Technology Technician 3 who is always readily available and experienced in helping our department with any and all inquiries related to IT topics; Shaina Aguirre, Program Coordinator for the AIM Center, an excellent writer, who assists faculty and staff from MGM as well as external departments in relation to AIM and Sally Ann Garcia, Department Administrator who brings numerous years of experience in leading our team. As departmental needs arise, our team has been able to apply all our skills and experiences to create an ordering system for our department via Smartsheet. Through great feedback from faculty, post docs and staff, we have been able to update our ordering system to fit the needs of our department. The admin team have requested that all lab orders go through the admin office as it aids in tracking faculty spending and ensuring that PCard Exceptions and/or other needed documents are included in the process i.e. special exception requests, quotes, etc. This new ordering system launched on November 10, 2022 and has already tracked over 650 orders with more than $360,000 spent! With this new system, we enable our faculty, post docs, and staff members to have access to their order confirmations in the event that they need to get a hold of a vendor and request an update. They can also follow up with an order themselves while the admin team continues to take care of other administrative responsibilities or place more orders. We realize that it is important for our faculty, post docs and staff to also have a relationship with vendors and encourage them to seek information from our vendors as needed. Change may be inevitable as new approaches arise, but growth itself is an option and we as an admin team choose to help support our department in a most efficient time saving way.
By Shaina V. Aguirre
Shaina V. Aguirre AIM Center Program Coordinator
MGM in the News
Jonathan Hulse, MD/PhD Candidate, UNM School of Medicine, is the recipient of the 2023 BNGAP National LGBT Health Workforce Conference Junior Leadership Award given on April 21, 2023. The award recognizes an individual that as a health-related graduate school trainee (enrolled anytime after August 2018) has led activities to promote the development of a health workforce responsive to the needs of LGBT communities. Dr. Kathryn Frietze won the BSGP Outstanding Mentor Award. Dr. Bryce Chackerian was awarded an R01 grant for his research on malaria vaccines. Zoe Wilton (BSGP student, Frietze Lab) and Julianne Peabody (BSGP student, Chackerian Lab) are the latest recipients of the Ruby Graduate Travel Fellowship. Stefan Klimaj (BSGP student, Kell Lab) passed his comprehensive exam in January. Dr. Jingyue Cassano (former Research Assistant Professor in MGM) started her faculty appointment with Department of Internal Medicine in January.
Stephanie Ruby Graduate Student Travel Award Dr. David Peabody This travel award (up to $1500) supports graduate students in the department to attend and present at a scientific conference of their choosing. Applications are due September 1 and February 1. Named after the late Dr. Stephanie Ruby who spent her career in MGM studying RNA. Postdoctoral Travel Award Dr. Kathryn M. Frietze This travel award (up to $1000) supports postdoctoral fellows in the department to attend and present at a scientific conference of their choosing. Applications are due September 1 and February 1. Intradepartmental Collaboration Grant Dr. David Peabody This grant is awarded to 2 or more MGM faculty members to support a new collaborative research project. Funds up to $12,500 are available. Application deadline varies and interested faculty should contact Dr. Dave Peabody for more information. MGM START Award Dr. Kathryn M. Frietze The START Award provides seed money of up to $3000 for promising senior postdocs (at least 1.5 years in PI lab) to start their own project. The START Award is intended to help promising postdocs transition to independence while remaining in their mentor's laboratory. The "Dave Fund" Dr. David Peabody MGM Faculty members can access the "Dave Fund" which is organized by Dr. Dave Peabody. The "Dave Fund" provides easy and quick access to money for a variety of uses, including for repairing or replacing broken equipment or unexpected expenses that cannot otherwise be covered by grants or other funds. Shared Resources Dr. Xuexian Yang MGM maintains a variety of shared resources that benefit MGM department members. This includes (but is not limited to): Autoclave Liquid Nitrogen Storage MilliQ Water dispenser Cold Room Warm Room BioRender Premium License
MGM Funded Programs The Department of MGM has a number of programs that fund research, travel, and provide other resources to help with ease of practice for the department. Below is a list of these programs and the contact person for each.
We want to share your stories. Please contact jpu@salud.unm.edu so that The Argo can cover this news item in the next issue!