Kansas State University

Professor John Tomich received a little more attention than he was expecting when Science featured some of his research this September. Here’s what they had to say:

“Newly Discovered Molecule Could Deliver Drugs to Treat Diseases”
ScienceDaily (Sep. 24, 2012)

Kansas State University researchers have discovered a molecule that may be capable of delivering drugs inside the body to treat diseases.

For the first time, researchers have designed and created a membrane-bounded vesicle formed entirely of peptides – molecules made up of amino acids, the building blocks of protein. The membrane could serve as a new drug delivery system to safely treat cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.

A study led by John Tomich, professor of biochemistry at Kansas State University, has been published in the journal PLOS ONE in September, and a patent for the discovery is pending. Continue reading “Science Notices K-State Professor John Tomich” →

Jeff Fabrick, a 1995 bachelor’s graduate in biochemistry and a 2003 doctoral graduate in biochemistry, received the Young Alumni Award in Science from the College of Arts and Sciences last October.

Continue reading “Jeff Fabrick Wins Young Alumni Award from A&S” →

Beibei Li (undergraduate, Muthukrishnan)
received the Star Trainee Award
from the Kansas IDeA Network of Biomedical
Research Excellence (KINBRE)
to conduct research on the
role of cuticular proteins with peritrophin
A domains in the red flour beetle.

Sarah Duhachek Muggy (graduate,
Zolkiewska) received the 2010-2011
Biochemistry Graduate Teaching
Award from the department.

Sujata Chaudhari ’11 (Ph.D. Muthukrishnan)
and Sam Molina (graduate,
D. Takemoto) received the 2010-2011
Biochemistry Graduate Research
Award from the department.

Joining the K-State faculty in 1991, Dr. Michael Kanost is an international authority in insect biochemistry in the areas of innate immunity and synthesis of the insect exoskeleton. He has been the principal investigator of studies supported by more than $15 million in federal grants. He is the author of more than 150 publications and his research has been cited more than 5,900 times in other publications. Kanost also has been the research mentor for 20 graduate students, 17 postdoctoral assistants and 37 undergraduate students, and until recently the Department head for Biochemistry. Continue reading “Kanost No Longer Department Head, Still Busy” →