Recent things science and science-related at UGA

In the past several weeks, I've been excited to attend several awesome events on the UGA campus.  Our Cellular Biology grad students hosted their first Research In Progress seminar.  Members of the Farmer and Muralidharan labs presented and it was a great kickoff for the series.  I'm really looking forward to future RIPs and getting to know the students in the department better.  The CBIO department has also hosted some really great speakers in our departmental seminar series.

The Regenerative Bioscience Center also hosted its first Connection Series event of the year.  These events will be an opportunity for RBC members to discuss current research efforts in an informal and interactive setting.  Drs. Peter Kner and P.S. MohanKumar kicked off the series, stimulating great discussion.

The (new) Center for Molecular Medicine at UGA also hosted an inaugural symposium, featuring a slate of fantastic speakers.  The talks focused on approaches that can take fantastic basic science and move it toward translational applications.  Highlights included Michael Rudnicki talking about the asymmetric cell division of satellite cells in the muscle, Sally Temple presenting her work on regeneration/stem cells in the retinal pigment epithelium, and Jim Wells presenting an overview of his lab's work on organoids. It was a lovely two days of talks at the new CMM building (see photo attached).

On the teaching/science education side, I have really been enjoying the Faculty Learning Community I joined for junior STEM faculty.  It is led by the excellent educators Julie Luft and Alice Hunt.  I was able to observe some excellent science classes (including Erin Dolan's Biochemistry class).  I am really inspired (and excited) to be in a place where I know that my future teaching endeavors will be supported and enriched just as I have a great environment in which to launch my research program.

So a great few weeks of science and science education at UGA!

First student!

We have enlisted our first new lab member, an undergraduate student named Yamini who will join us in January.  (More accurately, I guess, she will mean the lab is now becoming an "us" rather than a "me.")  She is a sophomore Cellular Biology major and I'm really excited to have her join!  Welcome, Yamini!

Renovations have begun!

I moved out of my office into a temporary space for a week (or a couple of weeks) until the construction of the office/lab is completed.  All of the Facilities Management Division folks have been super kind and helpful.  We have painting and flooring going on and new LED lights being installed.  There are a few minor construction projects and the biggest is the installation of kneeholes in each bench.  Evidently the lab was built in a standing work only era!

I'm also eyeballs deep in ordering new lab equipment. I need an organizational system to keep track of all the quotes and emails I have up in the air.  Incubators have arrived on campus and I just bought a terrarium for the land planarians.  Lots of other things on the way!

I also have started paperwork to hire a technician sometime in the coming months.  We will be looking for a motivated, organized individual who is enthusiastic about science and enjoys helping others.  If you are interested, keep an eye out for a job posting or send me an email!

Land planarians

In our lab, we will study planarians of the aquatic variety, but there also land planarians that can regenerate, too!  John Wares, a professor in Genetics at UGA, had informed me that there were some land planarians roaming around in Athens.  My dad was visiting last weekend, so we went out the day after a big rain to take a look under some logs in my yard.  

Wow!  We found a few land planarians that were about 8 inches long (species Bipalium kewense). We also spotted some tail pieces that were crawling around.  These land planarians have beautiful stripes and an interesting broad head.  These worms are not native to North America and are thought to have been brought here from Southeast Asia in potted plants.  

We didn't see these land planarians feasting, but they are reported to eat earthworms.  Indeed, we found some earthworms and slugs on the same log.  Terrestrial planarians use tetrodotoxin to paralyze their prey.  If you are brave, you can search for some videos of land planarians eating.

So now I'm searching for a terrarium and a brave undergraduate student to see if we can do anything with these worms in the lab!

Off to a great start!

Rachel arrived at the University of Georgia in August 2017.  Our space is being renovated, but is in a great location in the Biological Sciences building, within a stone's throw of Sanford Stadium.  

Some highlights from the first month include:

1. The fantastic Cellular Biology administrative support team, who have been friendly, knowledgeable, and generally wonderful.

2. The other UGA faculty members, who have been welcoming and supportive.

3. The annual Cellular Biology retreat, hosted by the Graduate Student Association.  Great science and a lovely time!

4.  Starting to meet with students!  

5.  Getting to know the campus and its many wonderful sights and people.  Rachel is especially grateful to Judy Willis (entomologist and professor emeritus in Cellular Biology) who has offered great advice and introduced her to some fantastic spots on campus.