Science Seminar Series:  The series which was started in September 2005 is expected to be an annual tradition with the seminar year running from September – June. The 2008-2009 series concludes in June 2009 with the next series beginning in September 2009. The 2008-2009 lineup included scientists from all over the United States. The series “Structural Biology in the 21st Century” covers a wide variety of topics in the area of structural biology including crystallography and its applications to biological problems, electron microscopy, NMR, and emerging techniques such as single molecule studies and whole cell imaging. The seminars are open to all Western New York scientists and biotechnology companies.

Jack Johnson, Ph.D., is scheduled to lecture at the Hauptman-Woodward Institute (HWI) on Thursday, October 8, 2009. Johnson plans to present a seminar entitled, “Biophysical Studies of Virus Particles and their Maturation: Insights into Elegantly Programmed Nanomachines”. The lecture will begin at 4 p.m. at 700 Ellicott Street immediately followed by a reception.

Johnson is currently a professor in the Department of Molecular Biology at Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, Ca. Prior to joining Scripps, he was a professor at Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana. Johnson examines the structure and function of viruses, with interests in modes of viral entry, disassembly, assembly, and maturation and in the recognition events associated with each of these processes.

He received his bachelor's degree at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin and his Ph.D. at Iowa State University. Johnson then completed his post doctoral research in Virus Crystallography at Purdue University.

Gregory Beaucage, Ph.D., is scheduled to lecture at HWI on Thursday, October 22, 2009. Beaucage plans to present a seminar entitled, “Biomolecular Structure Using Small Angle Scattering” The lecture will begin at 4 p.m. at 700 Ellicott Street immediately followed by a reception.

Beaucage is currently an associate professor in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Cincinnati. His expertise is in structural studies involving small angle scattering; Thermodynamic Investigations using zero angle limit of small angle scattering or kinetic studies of spinodal decomposition and surface studies using ellipsometry, x-ray and neutron reflection.

He received his Ph.D. in polymer science and engineering at the University of Massachusetts. Beaucage was a postdoctoral fellow at the Sandia National Laboratory where he focused the characterization of multi-component materials using scattering and the development of scattering theory.

For more information about the 2009-2010 seminar series click here.