Recognition & Honors
Accolades & Acknowledgements
Scott Gilbertson: Gilbertson, M.D. Anderson Professor of Chemistry, is a co-investigator on a collaborative research project targeting mitochondrial dysfunction in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The team, led by Rice University’s Natasha Kirienko and supported by a High Impact/High Risk grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), is developing novel mitochondria-targeting therapies aimed at selectively eliminating cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. Gilbertson’s contributions focus on optimizing drug candidates and advancing them through preclinical models, with the goal of improving treatment outcomes and reducing side effects for patients with drug-resistant leukemia.
Publications
Quentin Vicens: Vicens, research associate professor in the Department of Biology and Biochemistry, is a co-author of a new study published in Nature Communications that identifies a novel RNA structure in tick-borne flaviviruses, including Powassan virus. The team discovered a unique “double-loop” configuration in exoribonuclease-resistant RNAs (xrRNAs), which play a key role in viral replication and evasion of host immune defenses. This structural insight advances the understanding of viral RNA biology and may inform the development of future antiviral strategies targeting RNA architecture.
Melissa L. Zastrow and Uyen Huynh: Zastrow, associate professor, and Huynh, research associate, in the Department of Chemistry, are co-authors of a new study published in Scientific Reports that reveals calcium enhances the growth and biofilm formation of Lactobacillus acidophilus, a widely used probiotic species. The study is the first to demonstrate a positive impact of calcium on this organism while proposing a potential molecular mechanism involving S-layer proteins. These findings offer insight into how calcium may improve probiotic colonization in the gut, contributing to more effective microbiome-targeted therapies.