asbmbnews

Please submit member-related news to asbmbtoday@asbmb.org.
Scenes from the special symposia
The 2011 American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Special
Symposia Series kicked off in July with meetings held in Guangzhou, China,
and Richmond, Va. The Symposia Series continues with four fall meetings
scheduled for September and October.
To learn more about the Special Symposia Series, visit www.asbmb.org/
specialsymposia.
Journal of Biological Chemistry Editorin-Chief
Martha Fedor and Associate
Editor Charles Samuel talk to keynote
speaker Michael M. C. Lai of Academia
Sinica and Ping Zhang of Sun Yat-sen
University, Zhongshan School of
Medicine, at the “Recent Advances in
Pathogenic Human Viruses” meeting in
Guangzhou, China, held July 24 – 26.
PhoTo CourTESy oF JLynn FrAziEr
Suh-Chin Wu of National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan
presents his poster at the “Recent Advances in
Pathogenic Human Viruses” meeting at the Guangzhou
Baiyun International Convention Center. The
meeting was organized by Kuan-Teh Jeang of the
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
and Douglas Lowy of the National Cancer Institute.
PhoTo CourTESy oF JLynn FrAziEr
About 100 people attended the education symposium “Student-Centered Education in the Molecular Life Sciences II” at the
University of Richmond from July 20 – 23. The meeting was organized by J. Ellis Bell. PhoTo CourTESy oF JESSiCA BELL
he joined the laboratory of Severo Ochoa
at New York University, where he purified
and crystallized biotin-dependent propionyl-CoA
carboxylase. Kaziro had the
opportunity to establish his own lab in the
U.S. but instead returned to the University
of Tokyo in 1963. His research focused on
GTPases functioning in translation and in
cell signaling. In 1992, he was appointed
president of Sanyo Gakuen University.
Recently, Kaziro mentored young life scientists
at Kyoto University.
IN MeMoRIaM
Gary K. Ackers
Gary K. Ackers, professor emeritus at the
Washington University in St. Louis, died
May 20 at the age of 71. Born in Dodge
City, Kan., Ackers attended Harding
College and earned an undergraduate
degree in chemistry and mathematics. He
received his Ph.D. in physiological chemistry
from the Johns Hopkins University
in 1964. Ackers joined the faculty at the
University of Virginia before returning to
Johns Hopkins University as a professor
of biology. He then became the biochemistry
department head at Washington
University School of Medicine. Ackers was
instrumental in establishing the molecular
biophysics program and expanding the
department of biochemistry and molecular
biophysics. He was known for his sense
of humor and his many contributions in
biophysics.
IN MeMoRIaM
Jack D. Herbert
Jack D. Herbert, founding member
of the board of directors of the Blue
Ridge Institute for Medical Research
and professor emeritus at Louisiana
State University Health Sciences
Center, passed away June 22 at the
age of 70. Herbert was born Aug. 2,
1940, in Hammond, La. He graduated
from Rhodes College and then
received his Ph.D. in biochemistry in
1967 from Louisiana State University
Health Sciences Center. Herbert spent
the entirety of his career at LSUHSC
teaching and researching biochemistry
and molecular biology. Herbert’s
main research interests included the
intermediary metabolism of amino
acids, amino acid nutrition, uric acid
production and excretion, and gout.
He was known for his distinctive
lecturing style and his love for New
Orleans’ culture.
September 2011 ASBMB Today 13