News from the PBS Section

Notices of grant and contract awards
Pam Weathers at WPI just received an ARRA (Stimulus Fund) Supplemental award to her NIH grant to further study the role that roots play in stimulating the production of the antimalarial drug, artemisinin, in the shoots of Artemisia annua.

Committee member news
The SIVB Public Policy Committee recently added a second student to their membership. Patrick Arsenault, a molecular biologist with expertise in plants, is the newest member. He is a PhD student with Professor Pam Weathers in the Department of Biology & Biotechnology at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA. He joins the other student member, undergraduate Kevin Knockenhauer, from Stony Brook. Welcome, Patrick!

Pam Weathers Crosses the Globe for Education
Pam Weathers just returned from a 16-day trip to Uganda and the Canary Islands. In Kampala, Uganda she attended the inaugural meeting of the Council for Frontiers of Knowledge (CFK - http://knowledgecouncil.org/ ), Sept. 12-19. She was invited to join the founding CFK Advisory Board of international scientists and policy makers and to also give the inaugural address on, “Rethinking plant and field production towards a novel delivery method for artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) for malaria.” CFK is a Ugandan-based organization begun by young East African academics whose aim is to improve the level of graduate research and education ultimately throughout Africa.

In the Canary Islands, Professor Weathers was invited to attend the meeting of the Phytochemical Society of Europe and give a Plenary talk on the “Dynamics of artemisinin production and regulation in Artemisia annua.” The meeting was held in La Palma, Canary Islands, Sept. 20-26.

Mike Bosela moves to Columbia, KY for new position at Lindsey Wilson College

Mike Bosela has taken a position as an assistant professor of biology at Lindsey Wilson College (LWC) in Columbia, Kentucky.  Lindsey Wilson College is a small liberal arts college (about 2000 students) in south central Kentucky. The college provides an important service in the region since most of our students come from families with modest income (nearly 70% qualify for Pell grants) and are also first generation college students.  The college takes it motto, 'Every Student, Every Day' seriously and is committed to making sure these students are as successful as possible. 

Mike says he is fortunate to have wonderful facilities for both teaching and research at my disposal.  The biology department is housed in a brand new science building, and the dean of the college is committed to creating a strong undergraduate research program.  “I am planning to continue to maintain a plant tissue culture research program at LWC among other pursuits.  I have bought back some tissue culture equipment from my former employer (Purdue University, Fort Wayne), most notably my Baker Edgegard hood, and am looking forward to transferring my first cultures at LWC later this week”.

Department of Biology
Title: Assistant Professor of Biology
e-mail: boselam@lindsey.edu
Office: Jim and Helen Fugitte Science Center - Room 205
Phone: (270) 384-8192