Department News
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Februrary 3, 2012
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A team of EEB investigators discovered that E. coli exposed to high heat over successive generations will quickly adapt at the genetic level in two markedly different ways, as reported in the current issue of the journal Science. The team included Brandon Gaut, Chair of EEB; Albert Bennett, Dean of the School of Biological Sciences; and Anthony Long, Professor of EEB. Press release | The Scientist
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January, 26 2012
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A study published in American Naturalist by EEB's Kailen Mooney and his collaborators reveals that caterpillars inhabiting trees with a rich source of nutrients are more susceptible to predation by birds. Thus these caterpillar have a choice between gaining strength through a good diet but being more vulnerable and remaining hungrier but more safe. Science Daily
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November 23, 2011
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The Editors of The Journal of Experimental Biology (the top journal in the field of comparative physiology) awarded Dr Cassondra Williams (Hicks Lab) the 2011 Outstanding Paper Prize. This prize recognises the junior author who made the most significant contribution of the year in an outstanding paper.
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September 29, 2011
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EEB Professor Francisco J. Ayala will donate $10 million to the School of Biological Sciences over the next decade. This gift, the largest ever by a UCI faculty member, comes just one year after Ayala donated the proceeds of the $1.5 million Templeton Prize to fund the Ayala Fellowships for graduate students in the biological sciences. The donation will establish an endowed dean's chair, four endowed professorships and it will double the endowment for the Ayala Fellowships.
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September 29, 2011
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EEB Assistant Professor Manny Azizi has been named the 2012 winner of the George A Bartholomew award. This prestigious prize is given to a young investigator for distinguished contributions to comparative physiology and biochemistry or to related fields of functional and integrative biology. The award is given by the Society for Comparative and Integrative Biology (SICB).
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July 25, 2011
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EEB Assitant Professor Bob Reed and his collaborators reported their findings on a single gene that controls mimetic wing pattern evolution in Heliconius butterflies in an article recently published in Science. This study makes a major contribution to understanding the genes that underlie the evolution of mimetic phenotypes and the extent to which genes drive convergent evolution. Mapping, gene expression, and population genetic work were used to identify a single gene, optix, that controls radically variable red wing patterns across multiple species of Heliconius. Their results show that a single gene can repeatedly drive the convergent evolution of complex color patterns in distantly related species, thus blurring the distinction between convergence and homology.
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July, 18, 2011
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Using powerful computer simulations, UCI's Rommie Amaro and Robin Bush (EEB) created a method to predict how pocket structures on the surface of influenza proteins promoting viral replication can be identified as these proteins evolve, allowing for possible pharmaceutical exploitation. Their results were reported in a recent edition of Nature Comunications.
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Hicks honored by the American Physiological Society
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May 31, 2011
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EEB Professor Jim Hicks was awarded the 2012 August Krogh Distinguished Lectureship of the American Physiological Society, Comparative and Evolutionary Section. This prestigious award is given to a distinguished scientist who has made major and meritorious contributions to Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology.
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May 5, 2011
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Jessica Pratt (Mooney Lab) was awarded the 2011 UCI Most Promising Future Faculty Award. This campus-wide award is granted to the graduate student deemed most outstanding each year. It reflects Jessica's outstanding scholarship, teaching and service contributions both on and off campus and includes a one semester fellowship. The award will be presented at the Annual Celebration of Teaching on May 26.
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EEB investigators reveal the scale-dependency of diversity
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May 4, 2011
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EEB Investigators Jen Martiny, Steve Allison, and their collaborators have tested how the causes of diversity vary with spatial scale in a manuscript published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. Their findings were reached by measuring bacterial beta-diversity patterns in salt marsh bacteria at spatial scales from centimeters to continental levels. This study suggests that, as for plant and animals, ecological drift may be an important mechanism driving the spatial heterogeneity of microbial diversity at local scales, even though microbes likely disperse much more widely than larger organisms. This conclusion has important ramifications for how researchers sample and interpret microbial diversity patterns.
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Avise elected to the American Philosophical Society
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May 4, 2011
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EEB Distinguished Professor John Avise was elected to the American Philosophical Society. The APS was founded by Ben Franklin in 1743 and is our country's first learned Society. The APS promotes knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications, library resources, and community outreach. The Society has about 1000 members in total, and John is one of about 35 members elected this year. Election to APS is an achievement of unusual distinction. Congratulations to John for this wonderful honor!
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Memorial tribute for Walter Fitch on May 26
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April 14, 2011
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EEB and the School of Biological Sciences remembers the remarkable life of our longtime colleague Dr. Walter Fitch, who passed away on March 11. Walter meant a great deal to countless people on our campus and beyond. We will hold a memorial tribute on May 26 at the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center of the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering. We hope you can attend and join in our reflection of a life well spent.
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NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Awards to two EEB grad students
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April 5, 2011
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Susan Finkbeiner (Reed Lab) and Kyle McCullough (Briscoe Lab) have been awarded NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Awards. Stephen Hatosy (A. Martiny Lab), Kristin Leigh Matulich (J. Martiny Lb), and Michell Nichole Ontiveros (Burley Lab) received honorable mention. Their success reflects well on their mentors and on our program.
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Bowler chosen as the Outstanding Professor of 2011
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March 30, 2011
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Peter Bowler, EEB Senior Lecturer SOE, was chosen by the Graduating Class of 2011 as this year's Outstanding Professor. Dr. Bowler will be honored by UCI Anthology Yearbook Staff at the Outstanding Professors Night on May 18, 2011.
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February 3, 2011
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The Francisco J. Ayala Fellowship and School of Medicine Dean's Fellowships will recruit and recognize academically superior doctoral students exhibiting outstanding promise as scientists, researchers, and public leaders. The fellows will receive a $15,000 award during the first year of graduate study. Each recipient will receive $5,000 during the first quarter of graduate study, and a second stipend of $10,000 will be made at the completion of the first year of study. These fellowships provide funding in addition to existing support, and may not be used as a substitute for other university support. Each department or program will nominate their top graduate applicants. The Associate Dean(s) for Graduate Studies will review the nominations and make the fellowship offers.