March 31, 2012

Brian Robinson Retires from SickKids and the U of T

Dr. Brian Robinson has decided to retire from SickKids and the University of Toronto, effective March 31, 2012. Brian was first appointed to the Department of Biochemistry in 1973. His association with the Department goes back even further to 1968-70 when he was an MRC Post-doctoral Fellow with Ron Williams.

Brian has been involved in our teaching of medical students since 1980; teaching that continued until the present. He also taught in the BCH 423 Metabolic Enzymology and Control Mechanism undergraduate course. Brian's research on lactic acidosis has been funding by MRC/CIHR since 1979. He has published over 250 articles and reviews and has spoken on lactic acidemia and related topics around the world. Brian is well-known for the identification of mutations in metabolic enzymes like pyruvate carboxylase and dehydrogenase and of new drugs for the treatment of mitochondrial diseases. He was awarded a Canada Research Chair in Metabolism & Nutrition in 2001.

Fifteen graduate students and a similar number of post-doctoral fellows were supervised by Brian over his many years at the Research Institute at the Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto. Like many of our colleagues at SickKids, Brian Robinson has been a model citizen in the Department, doing great research and contributing to the education of our graduate students, undergraduate Arts and Sciences students and Medical students. He will be missed.

Brian Robinson enjoys lunch with Ron Williams (left), Roy Baker and Reinhart Reithmeier where he was presented with at U of T tie to add to his collection, and a bottle of Irish Whiskey with a U of T glass into which to pour it.

March 09, 2012

First Roy Baker Award Recipient Announced

The Dr. Roy Baker Award is given on an annual basis to the Biochemistry Major student with the highest final grade in BCH 210H). This award is in recognition of the many years of service Dr. Roy Baker provided to the Department of Biochemistry, the excellence of his teaching particularly in BCH 210H, and the leading role he played in the creation of the Biochemistry Major program. The name of the winning students appear on a plaque in the Biochemistry Department and they receive a $100 gift certificate of their choice.

The first recipient of the Roy Baker Award is Vanathy Easwaran, seen at right with Dr. Roy Baker. Congratulations Vanathy!

December 09, 2011

Year-End Celebration at Hart House

Today the Department wound up the 2011 season with its annual Year-End Party at Hart House. This year saw a terrific mix of songs, games and the increasingly competitive and always popular Biochemistry Idol video contest. Coupled with great food, drinks and exceptional company, we saw the year out in fine style

Click here for some photos of the party.

Winding up another great year for the Department at Hart House

December 06, 2011

Celebrating Professor Roy Baker's Retirement!

The Department gathered this afternoon to celebrate the accomplishments of Dr. Roy Baker who decided to take early retirement effective January 1, 2012.

Roy started at U. of T. in the Department of Medicine in 1976 and switched his primary appointment to Biochemistry in 1998. Roy ran an active research program on lipid metabolism for many years, publishing over 50 articles and reviews.

An award-winning lecturer, Roy teaches countless medical and A&S undergraduates every year. Since 2003, in his role as Undergraduate Coordinator, Roy has played a large part in the creation of our Major Program, a research-intensive Specialist Program, and an on-line Biochemistry course. He has also served as a most able and trusted Associate and Acting Chair. Needless to say, Roy will be greatly missed!

Click here for some photos of the celebration.

Celebrating 35 years at U. of T., Roy Baker serves
up his delicious retirement cake!

October 19, 2011

Biology and Structure of Yeast Prions

Dr. Reed Wickner, Chief, Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, NIDDK, NIH, presented the above lecture in our George Connell Seminar Series.

Reed Wickner (right) relaxes after his seminar with host
Avi Chakrabartty (centre) and Alex Palazzo

October 05, 2011

Seventh Annual Benjamin Schachter Memorial Lecture

The Biochemistry Grad Students Union invited back alumnus Dr. Tony Cruz for the 7th annual Benjamin Schachter Memorial Lectureship. Fraser's talk was entitled "From Academia to Biotech in Business: An Easy Transition!".

In a fascinating retrospective, Tony described his path from graduate school, to postdoc, to academic, to biotech CEO, emphasizing the unexpected events that he capitalized on to influence his directions. He provided an insider's view of the factors that influenced the success of many of his start-up companies as well as the failures. Most importantly, Tony offered advice to students to take risks at an early stage when the consequences of failure are minimal, to seek opportunities for exposure to different facets of research, industry and business, and not to be afraid to seize opportunities when they arise.

From 1934-1939 Dr. Benjamin (Benny) Schachter worked in the Department of Biochemistry conducting research on female sex hormones, isolating and identifying conjugated oestrone sulphate (Premarin).To honour Benny Schachter's memory, a donation was made to the Department by his family. The funds are being used to support an annual lectureship in his memory. The BGSU and graduate students select and host the speaker who is a graduate from our Department.

(From left) Stephen MacKinnon (BGSU Host), Chair Reinhart Reithmeier, Schachter Lecturer Dr. Tony Cruz, Benjamin Schachter's son Dan Schachter, Peter Druxerman, Benjamin Schachter's daughter Bonnie Druxerman, Reva Schachter and Cobi Druxerman

August 22, 2011

Another great season by the Biochemistry Softball Team!

The Mutants enjoyed another great summer softball season filled with sunshine, comraderie and triumphant wins. There were some amazing diving catches, stollen bases and even a few collisions, but it was all worth it as the mutants ended their season with 4 wins and 4 loses.

From R to L, front row: J. Huen, H. Zhao, K. Foley, J. Dumelie, D. Little, K. Han. Back row: K Fung, S. Wiber, N. Torres, S. MacKinnon, M. Cheng, A. Thomson, D. Chapman, B. Eger, R. Lum, and S. Patterson. Absent: T. Chiu, S. Doyle, C. Neale.

June 28, 2011

Departmental Golf Day

Twenty-six faculty, staff, and students (plus a few ringers) gathered at the beautiful Flemingdon Park Golf Course for our annual golf day. Beginners and pros alike teamed up for an afternoon of fresh air, good times and a little friendly competition.

A major downpour failed to dampen spirits and a great time was had by all. Now back to the reality of pipettes, PCRs, and SDS-PAGE gels. However, no need to FRET, only 358 days until next year's golf event!

For some photos of Golf Day, click here.

Chair Reithmeier presents the Biochemistry Cup to this year's winners, the "One-Putts", who breezed through 9 holes at an incredible 5 under par!

June 06, 2011

Symposium in Honour of David Isenman

The Departments of Biochemistry and Immunology as well as many guests gathered this morning to honour the scientific, teaching and administrative contributions of Prof. David Isenman who retired Dec. 31, 2010.

The David Isenman Symposium brought together current faculty, staff, postdocs, and students as well as scientific collaborators and former trainees of David's in a touching tribute to his many accomplishments over a 43 year association with the University.

For some photos of the Symposium, click here.

David Isenman serves up his delicious retirement cake

May 17, 2011

Department of Biochemistry Annual Research Day

About 200 of our faculty, trainees and staff gathered once again at the Old Mill Inn in Toronto to celebrate the Department's research accomplishments.

Terrific trainee talks and poster session combined with faculty lectures and the convivial setting of the Old Mill made for another highly successful event.

Click here for some photos of Research Day.

Gearing up for the poster session during Research Day

May 02, 2011

Business Officer Carol Justice Retires after Four Decades with the Department of Biochemistry!

Faculty, Staff and Trainees gathered today to celebrate the retirement of our Business Officer Carol Justice (Avola) and also to thank her for her many years of dedicated and exceptional service to the Department.

Carol started in Biochemistry in the old Medical Building in 1966 as a Clerk-typist (100 + wpm) and moved into the Medical Sciences Building when it opened in 1968. With a few breaks to raise her family Carol remained in the department for over 40 years, filling many roles and moving up the ranks to Business Officer. Her work ethic, dedication and loyalty were inspiring to all around her. Carol considered Biochemistry her second family. We all wish Carol well in her retirement, which will allow he to spend more time with her real family. Carol will be greatly missed!

Click here for some photos.

Carol Justice

April 29, 2011

Celebrating the End of Renovations!

New CERC Chair Prof. Oliver Ernst (see Jan 4th listing below) invited the Department to a lab Open House to celebrate an end to the seemingly endless process of getting his lab up and running.

Oliver and his wife Prof. Cordula Enenkel were gracious hosts, serving up delicious cake, coffee and champagne from their shiny new benchtops.

Cordula, who was hired at the same time as Oliver, is now looking forward to the process of renovating her own lab. Hopefully we will be invited to celebrate that event in the near future!

Oliver, Cordula and their lab members.
(mouse-over to see our hosts in action)

March 22, 2011

Roula Andreopoulos Wins Teaching Award!

We were delighted to learn that Senior Lecturer Dr. Roula Andreopoulos has won the 2011 Faculty of Medicine Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching in Life Sciences Award.

This award is presented each year to a faculty member in recognition of sustained excellence in the teaching, coordination and development of undergraduate courses in Arts and Science offered by the Basic Sciences Departments in the Faculty of Medicine.

The award will be presented at the Faculty of Medicine Annual Education Achievement Celebration on April 26, 2011.

Dr. Andreopoulos is coordinator and lecturer in our very large Introductory Biochemistry Course BCH210 as well as coordinator and lecturer in BCH311, Nucleic Acids and Biological Information Flow, and coordinator of our new Online Biochemistry course.

Dr. Roula Andreopoulos

March 22, 2011

Longevity-associated gene in Toronto Biochemists?

The University of Toronto community gathered at the Edward Johnson Music Bldg. today to celebrate the dedicated service of its members.

An impressive cadre of Biochemists was honoured this year with Dedicated Service Awards: Dr. Charles Deber and Dr. Roy Baker for 35 years of service to the University and their "junior" colleague, Chair Reinhart Reithmeier, for 25 years of service.

All three received elegant certificates mounted behind weighty plexiglass blocks.

No strangers to the stage, these three. They lecture to our large BCH210 class of over 1000 students in Convocation Hall and, at the same venue, occasionally swap their teaching garb for tuxes as they transform themselves into the 50s Doo-Wap group the "Pro-Teens", featuring geeky but endearing science parody songs.

From left, Charles Deber, Reinhart Reithmeier and Roy Baker with University of Toronto President David Naylor

(mouse-over the photo above to view their alter-egos, "The Pro-Teens" in action at Convocation Hall)

Feb 16 2011

The quipucamayocs of ubiquitin: deciphering a cellular code

Dr. Michael Rape, Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, UC Berkeley, presented the above lecture (along with an unexpected primer on Incan bookkeeping) in our George Connell Seminar Series.

Michael Rape (right) with host Alex Palazzo

Jan 21 2011

Saying farewell to Brenda Bradshaw!

The Department gathered today to bid a fond farewell to Brenda Bradshaw as she begins her retirement. Many of us have known Brenda throughout her long association with the Faculty of Medicine. She began her 30-year career at U. of T. in 1981 as a mail sorter at the Banting and Best Institute and then worked in the purchasing division of Medstores from 1986 to 2000. Brenda then joined the Biochemistry Department in 2000 as the Secretary for Undergraduate Affairs.

Brenda's outgoing personailty served her well in this position and a decade of undergrads benefitted from her sound advice and good humour. At an afternoon gathering over cake and coffee, a string of testimonials from Chair Reinhart Reithmeier, past Chair Peter Lewis, Undergrad Coordinator Roy Baker and Business Officer Carol Justice, described Brenda's accomplishments and noted the many lives she touched during her time here.

Brenda will be greatly missed but we are deligted that she will be enjoying her retirement doing the gardening, reading and relaxing that there never seemed to be enough time to do before.

Happy Retirement Brenda and Congratulations!

Click here for some photos of the party

Brenda Bradshaw as she is about to discover her retirement gift of a trip to Las Vegas to see her favourite Cirque de Soleil.

Jan 04 2011

Leading scientists, Oliver Ernst and Cordula Enenkel join U. of T.

The Faculty of Medicine was successful in recruiting Oliver Ernst from Charité-Universitätmedizin in Berlin as part of the inaugural Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) program. For each CERC, universities receive $10 million over seven years to support chair holders and their research teams. The CERC program is designed to attract leading researchers to Canada in areas of priority aligned with the Federal Government’s Science and Technology Strategy. The complete list of CERCs is available at: http://www.cerc.gc.ca/cpch-pctc-eng.shtml

Oliver will continue his groundbreaking work on rhodopsin, one of the most studied G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and will establish a membrane protein expression and crystallization facility in the Medical Sciences Building. He will also lead a CERC Unit, a local network of collaborators working in the area of structural neurobiology. Oliver will hold a joint full Professor position in the Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics.

The CERC program has also enabled U of T to recruit Cordula Enenkel, who is married to Oliver. Cordula is an outstanding scientist studying proteasome assembly and protein degradation, an area of critical importance to diseases such as Alzheimer's. Cordula will be an Associate Professor in Biochemistry and will join a large group of scientists in the Department working on protein folding and interactions in health and disease.

Oliver and Cordula have just arrived at the beginning of January and are keen to become part of the growing research enterprise at the U of T. As Oliver declared in an interview: "I am thankful to the federal government for creating the Canada Excellence Research Chairs program and I am eager to become part of the Canadian research success story."

A very warm welcome to Oliver, Cordula, and their family to Biochemistry and to Canada!

Cordula Enenkel and Oliver Ernst (right) are welcomed to the
Biochemistry Department by Chair Reinhart Reithmeier.