Welcome to BBE!
Claire Wright-Coleman
Having previously worked in the Commercial Real Estate, Publishing and Hospitality industries, Claire brings her experience, curiosity and excitement to the Administrative position supporting Professors Paul Sternberg, Lulu Qian, Rebecca Voorhees and Zhen Chen in BBE. Outside of work, Claire enjoys painting, architecture/design, cooking and swimming in just about any body of water! As she finds her footing in this role, Claire looks forward to meeting more of the Caltech community, so feel free to reach out to her!
You may reach Claire at ext. 3570 or via email clairewc@caltech.edu
Please Also Welcome:
Martin Abt, Data Engineer Technician - Van Valen Lab
Yuanzhou Chen, Research Technician Assistant - Thomson Lab
Darren Chieng, Laboratory Technician - Glover Lab
Milla Freeman, Laboratory Technician - Aravin Lab
Noelle Huget, Research Technician - Parker Lab
Natalie Sim, Research Technician-Assistant - Sternberg Lab
Shelley Diamond Retires as Flow Facility Director
Forty years ago, the Caltech Flow Cytometry Cell Sorting Facility came together under Shelley Diamond and Pat Koen to provide Caltech with flow cytometry expertise and assistance as more and more researchers began to realize the value of flow cytometry.
Shelley has been the heart and soul of the operation ever since. She has shared her tremendous experience with every user of the facility, guiding them through their initial consultations and beyond. She has helped to mentor all the members of the facility staff and countless more in the greater cytometry community. Her willingness to embrace the “unconventional” side of flow cytometry has allowed the facility to provide essential services, guiding hundreds of Caltech researchers in their journeys along the edge of knowledge.
Shelley will remain the Laboratory Manager of the Rothenberg Lab, but has retired from her responsibilities as the Flow Facility Director. However, she intends to continue advising the facility and assisting incoming director Michael Gregory and users as needed. We are all grateful for her continued support, kindness, and generosity, in sharing her experience.
This highlights just a small portion of who Shelley is and does not even touch upon her vibrant and inspiring life outside of the facility, which includes decades of activism as well as membership in a vast number of community, mentorship, and inclusion-focused groups (including Out to Innovate) that reflect her caring and compassionate nature. Please have a look at Shelley’s bio on our facility website to learn more about her career – cellsort.caltech.edu!
Welcome Postdocs!
Laura Amaya - Zernicka-Goetz Lab
Lena Bögeholz - Voorhees Lab
Kevin Cherry - Qian Lab
Dhiraj Indana - Elowitz Lab
Jessica Griffiths - Mazmanian Lab
Mengyu Liu - Anderson Lab
Laura Luebbert - Pachter Lab
Kaito Nagashima - Bjorkman Lab
Ines Santos - Glover Lab
Xiaoyu Shan - Newman Lab
Postdoc Events
Game Night
BBE hosted its first Postdoc Game Night in February. The evening was filled with great food, drinks, music, and lots of fun games! If you're looking to connect with your colleagues through some friendly competition, join us at the next Game Night, Friday, April 26th, 5-7 PM, in the 2nd-floor common area in Chen. Board games, card games, and puzzles (or bring your own!) are provided to help recharge your problem-solving creativity!
Please contact Emma Boxer for more information regarding Game Night. Ext. 6845, eeboxer@caltech.edu
BBE Faculty/Staff and Postdoc Lunch Series
The BBE Faculty/Staff and Postdoc Lunch Series hosted at the Athenaeum provides a platform for faculty/staff members and postdoctoral scholars to come together over shared meals, engaging in lively discussions about science, research and navigating through academia. This February, BBE postdocs met with Dr. Ariane Helou, getting tips on publication and grant writing techniques, and with Dr. Zhen Chen to discuss his recent experience of being on the faculty job market. Look out for the April BBE Faculty/Staff-Postdoc lunch series invitation!
Please contact Pallavi Panda for more information regarding this series. Ext. 2341, ppanda@caltech.edu
BBE Core Facility Social
BBE postdocs are also gearing up to organize the 2nd BBE Core Facility Social in May 2024. It's an opportunity to connect with all the research core facilities in one place, learn about them, and discuss your projects! Stay tuned for the date and more updates.
Please contact Sayan Dutta for more information regarding the Core Facility Social. Ext. 6862, sdutta2@caltech.edu
Postdoc Fellowship Information
The division offers multiple fellowships for postdocs across a broad range of disciplines. These fellowships cover salaries at the current minimum including full health benefit institute costs. Every BBE faculty member can nominate one postdoc per year for one or any of the fellowships listed below.
Baxter Senior Postdoctoral Fellowship: Biomedical research. Requirements - funding for a senior postdoctoral fellow during years three and four or years five and six of the postdoctoral appointment. Fellowship funds two years automatically.
Della Martin Fellowship in Mental Illness: Funding for a postdoc to conduct research that will advance the study of the causes and cures of mental illness. Fellowship funds two years automatically.
BBE Research and Outreach Fellowship: Combining research with outreach activities within any BBE research area. Requirements - a combination of research and outreach activities to be conducted during the 1-2 year fellowship period. The application narrative must include a description of proposed outreach activities. Outside letters would preferably discuss the applicant’s previous experience in outreach.
Alcott Postdoctoral Fellowship: Sensory perception; emphasis on visual perception. Fellowship funds 1-2 years depending on proof of outside fellowship applications for year two.
Chen Senior Postdoc Fellowship: Area: Neuroscience research. Requirements - funding for a senior postdoctoral fellow during years four and above of the postdoctoral appointment. Fellowship funds two years automatically. (This fellowship is not funded by the division, but the division selects the awardees.)
Nemko Postdoc Fellowship: Requirement - International postdocs. Area - Genomic Research in biomedical areas. Fellowship funds two years automatically.
Colvin: Emphasis in Biotechnology. Fellowship funds one-two years depending on proof of outside fellowship applications for year two.
Cordes: Emphasis in Biology. Fellowship funds 1-2 years depending on proof of outside fellowship applications for year two.
Curci: Preference for International postdocs, women, and under-represented minorities. Fellowship funds 1-2 years depending on proof of outside fellowship applications for year two.
Divisional: Biologist who have a PhD. Fellowship funds 1-2 years depending on proof of outside fellowship applications for year two.
Ross: Postdocs in any area. Fellowship funds 1-2 years depending on proof of outside fellowship applications for year two.
Please contact Stefany Nielsen, Postdoctoral and Visitor Programs Manager, for questions or additional information regarding BBE Postdocs.
BBE Spring Party 2024
Friday, May 10, 2024
We have had numerous requests from research and non-scientific staff—who are the backbone of the division—to learn more about the main goals and findings of the various research projects in BBE. It is in this spirit that we introduce the first “BBE Spring Party 2024” where we invite faculty, postdocs, students and staff to share 3-5 minute talks about the interesting work happening in their areas. These should be “anti-slick”, no slides required, more like a TED talk: a relaxed venue to stimulate and satisfy curiosity. There are so many efforts underway to discover and engineer great things – let’s share them!
We are seeking 9 brief presentations where people can feel comfortable sharing their stories of failure or success, serendipity or luck, opportunities that may have unexpectedly changed the course of your project. We are looking for a hearty cross-section of presenters: whether you're a seasoned presenter or a first-time speaker, we would like to offer a platform to showcase your expertise, spark meaningful discussions, and inspire others with your ideas.
Submit your presentation proposal by 19 April 2024 for consideration. Include a brief abstract outlining your topic. Selected presenters will have the opportunity to share their insights during the “BBE Spring Party 2024” and contribute to an enriching experience for all attendees.
The date of this event will be Friday, May 10th from 3PM to 4PM. The event will take place in Chen 100 and will end with the announcement of the 2024 Alice Huang Award, followed by curated refreshments in the Chen Breezeway and an opportunity to mix-and-mingle with your colleagues.
For submission guidelines and inquiries, contact Tish Cheek, lcheek@caltech.edu. Space is limited to 9 presentations of 3-5 minutes each.
Dr. Gerry Rubin Visits Caltech
BBE hosted Gerry Rubin, Senior Group Leader at Janelia Research Campus as the first Wiersma* Visiting Professor in Neuroscience for 2024 on February 6th. Dr. Rubin’s Wiersma Lecture, “Illustrating the power of connectomics: circuit mechanisms that gate the salience of visual cues in Drosophila,” was given to a packed house.
During Rubin’s weeklong visit, he also provided a lecture on his “Reflections on 50 Years in Science.” Fun fact: Rubin is responsible for founding and designing Janelia! Additionally, Rubin spent time with the NeuroTechers for a Fireside Chat where he fielded challenging questions from our grad students.
Dr. Kathleen Rockland, Research Professor in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology Senior at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, will give the next Wiersma Lecture on May 21 at 4:00PM in Chen 100.
*The lecture and visiting professorship are named for Cornelius Wiersma who came to the Biology Department at Caltech in 1934, representing the field of neurophysiology, a precursor to the field of neurobiology. Wiersma’s scientific career focused first on the neuromuscular system, then on the central nervous system, and finally on the visual system.
CEMI Microbial Sciences Symposium 2024
The Center for Environmental Microbial Interactions (CEMI) Symposium held another well-attended and successful event on March 8th. The festivities began with a poster session at Dabney Gardens, followed by an amazing list of speakers at the Hameetman Center that included, Joe and Kit Poglino (Keynote), Annie Rowe, Rustem Ismagilov, and Jason Stajich.
The Symposium concluded with a festive Gala that included time for socializing, music, games, and an elegant dinner in the beautiful Rose Hills Foundation Garden Court at the Huntington Gardens.
CEMI’s mission is to enable Caltech researchers to tackle important problems involving microbes in bold and innovative ways.
You may find more information on CEMI HERE
Save the Date! Caltech Bioscience Industry Connections
Friday, May 17, 2024 | 4:00pm to 6:00pm PT
Please join the Caltech Bioscience Industrial Partners Program (CBIPP) on Friday, May 17th for the inaugural Caltech Bioscience Industry Connections! This event bridges the divisions of Biology & Biological Engineering (BBE), Chemistry & Chemical Engineering (CCE), and Engineering & Applied Science (EAS) for an evening of connection and collaboration between members of the life sciences community, held in the Chen breezeway and garden. Snacks and refreshments provided. Music by the Caltech Jazz Quartette.
Questions? Email recruit@caltech.edu
BBE Graduate Recruitment
Our option managers Liz Ayala (Biology), Lauren Breeyear (NB/CNS), and Kenya Zeigler (BE) put together amazing visits for BBE graduate recruits that included meet and greets, poster sessions, lab tours, faculty interviews, hosted meals, food trucks, and even a dinner at the Alumni House and Athenaeum! New Grad students will be introduced in the next Newsletter, Summer edition.
Grad Students Happy Hour Now Monthly
Grad student happy hours are now being held on Friday once a month at 5:30pm in the Chen Breezeway (weather permitting). The upcoming dates and are as follows:
- April 12
- May 10
- June 7
- July 12
- August 2
- September 13
- October 11
- November 8
- December 13
Dates are subject to change. Please check the events calendar for up-to-date information.
Thank You Olivia!
A special thank you to Olivia Eliopoulos who has been instrumental in running the BBE Happy Hours and is always ready to help!
Student Wellness Services for Grads and Undergrads
Student Wellness Services is offering several classes, workshops, events, and group therapy during Spring Term. Check out their many offerings!
Lily DeBell Named Gates Scholar
Senior Lily DeBell has been named to the 2024 class of Gates Cambridge Scholars at the University of Cambridge. The Gates Cambridge Scholarship program, established in 2000 through a donation to Cambridge University from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, recognizes young people from around the world who not only excel academically but display a commitment to social issues and bettering the world.
Science Journeys
Science Journeys is a group of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars who explore a range of scientific topics intended to spark student's curiosity and provide educators with supplemental resources to continue that exploration in the classroom.
Programs are designed especially for middle and high school students, but everyone is welcome to attend. All events are free through the generosity of the Friends of Beckman Auditorium, but registration is required.
Crossing Over: Art and Science at Caltech, 1920–2020
A PST ART: Art & Science Collide Exhibition September 27 – December 15, 2024
In fall 2024, Caltech will host Crossing Over: Art and Science at Caltech, 1920–2020, an expansive public exhibition which will weave together the history of science with historical and contemporary art. How, it will ask, have science and engineering institutions like Caltech used visual culture—scientific images, art, and architecture—to construct themselves and produce discovery and invention?
The exhibition will answer this question using displays of approximately 400 objects, most drawn from the Caltech Archives and Special Collections, including rare books, paintings, drawings, photographs, scientific instruments, molecular models, and films.
Among six other installations, Chen Institute will host an optical lens sculpture by Helen Pashgian, who was an artist-in-residence at Caltech from 1969 to 1971.
Crossing Over is a part of the Getty Foundation’s major initiative PST Art: Art & Science Collide, along with JPL’s The Stars Are Calling, CaltechLive performances, and about 50 other exhibitions at Southern California art museums and other institutions.
The exhibition is a project of Caltech Library. It is directed by University Archivist Peter Collopy, curated by independent curator Claudia Bohn-Spector, and designed by architect and ArtCenter professor Tim Durfee.
More information on all installations and performances will be advertised closer to launch date.
Caltech on Path to Decarbonize
President Thomas F. Rosenbaum has endorsed recommendations by the Caltech Sustainability Advisory Council to decarbonize the Institute’s purchase and production of electricity.
Under a plan approved by Rosenbaum last year, Caltech intends to source largely carbon-free electricity. Simultaneously, a detailed engineering study will evaluate a potential transition from natural gas to electricity to power the campus heating system. That transition and the carbon-free-power purchase could reduce by more than 85 percent the greenhouse gas emissions produced on campus and in the electricity Caltech buys.
Caltech Giving Day 2024
Join the Caltech Fund for a 24-hour Giving Challenge to support the Institute and community of students, research, and faculty. Help us celebrate the Institute that makes all of our research possible. Make your gift today!
Ways to Participate on Tuesday, April 30th:
- Make a gift!
- Post a photo on social media wearing Caltech orange, using #CaltechGivingDay.
- CALLING ALL ADVOCATES! Become a Caltech Giving Day advocate and spread the word with other students, parents, faculty, staff, and alumni to join you in supporting #CaltechGivingDay 2024. Email caltechfund@caltech.edu for details.
BioRender Premeium for BBE
BioRender Premium is available to faculty, staff, and graduate students at a discounted rate through the California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology & Biological Engineering.
Join your colleagues already using BioRender premium to create scientific illustrations and posters, taking your visual communication to the next level!
With BioRender you can create figures, pair figures with uploaded data, and communicate your research at the next level.
Learn more by joining a special BioRender 101 webinar for BBE on Thursday, April 11, 1pm PST. Register HERE.
BioRender is a web-based program that helps you create scientific figures up to 50x faster than traditional tools. The tool combines a library of over 50,000 scientifically accurate, expert-validated life science icons and templates with intuitive drag-and-drop functionality. Create publication-quality figures in minutes - no drawing skills required!
Library News
SFL Shush Booths
Come by Sherman Fairchild Library and check out their new Shush Booths! The two booths on the first floor of Sherman Fairchild Library (SFL)—modeled on vintage phone booths—provide a quiet space to make a call, attend a Zoom meeting, or collect your thoughts in private. The Shush Booths are available on a first come, first served basis or via reservation.
Google Casa
Google CASA (Campus Activated Subscriber Access) is a recently enhanced service from Google that records your institutional subscriptions or entitlements so that you can access them off campus, wherever you may be. The Library highly recommends configuring your Google Scholar settings so that you can get better access to their licensed resources. Click through the link below to access a quick FAQ with instructions.
Library Events, Classes, & Workshops
Check out upcoming Library events including:
- You and Your Thesis - 4/10, 5/9
- Introduction to ArcGIS Online - 4/30, 5/16
Join the monthly BBE Library newsletter to learn more about Library news, events, and resources.
Kristin Briney specializes in helping scientists navigate information resources and in managing research data. You may contact her at briney@caltech.edu.
Rebecca Voorhees Named 2024 KNI-Wheatley Scholar
The KNI-Wheatley Scholarship provides $25,000 in seed funding for an early-career faculty member at Caltech to pursue novel research in nanoscience. Dr. Voorhees will use the funds to conduct research using "single particle cryo-EM to study two recent biological discoveries from [her] lab: how membrane proteins are made in mitochondria, and how unassembled protein subunits are degraded in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). A detailed understanding of the rules governing membrane protein biogenesis and quality control will provide the insight for [her] long-term vision of manipulating protein flux, first in cells, then in organisms, and finally as a strategy to treat human disease."
Paul Sternberg Awarded GSA Thomas Hunt Medal
Paul Sternberg, the Bren Professor of Biology, has received the Thomas Hunt Morgan Medal from The Genetics Society of America (GSA). The award, given for lifetime contributions to the field of genetics, is named after Nobel Laureate Thomas Hunt Morgan, who founded the Division of Biology at Caltech (now the Division of Biology and Biological Engineering) in 1928.
Shu-ou Shan Wins National Academy of Sciences Award
This year, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has given 20 awards to scientists for major contributions in fields as diverse as neuroscience, computational astrophysics, and evolutionary genetics. Among those recognized is Shu-ou Shan, the Altair Professor of Chemistry and executive officer for biochemistry and molecular biophysics at Caltech. Shan's principal area of research tracks protein biogenesis from its molecular beginnings to the biological pathways proteins follow on their way to their cellular destinations.
Henry Lester Receives Langley Award for Basic Research on Nicotine and Tobacco
Professor of Biology Henry Lester has been named the 2024 recipient of the Langley Award for Basic Research on Nicotine and Tobacco from the Society for Research on Nicotine & Tobacco (SRNT). The Langley Award Honors scientists who have made groundbreaking advances in basic nicotine research in the areas of pharmacology, neuroscience and/or genetics.
Caltech Heritage Project
In 2022 President Rosenbaum asked David Zierler, the director of the Caltech Heritage Project, to design a new display to be featured in the four glass display cases on the second floor of Parsons-Gates. Drawing on his collaborations with Professor David Glover, Zierler decided that a history of genetics research at Caltech would be the ideal topic.
After two years of research and art design, the displays are now completed and available for viewing. The presentation begins with the origins of the Division of Biology at Caltech in 1928 (for its first eight years, there was no formal biology program at the Institute), and the recruitment of Thomas Hunt Morgan from Columbia and the relocation of the famous “Fly Room” to Caltech.
The panels go on to document how Caltech quickly became a world-leading center in genetics research, with the transition from the classical to the molecular age, with highlights that include the work Institute luminaries including George Beadle, Linus Pauling, Max Delbrück, and Ed Lewis, among others. The displays explain Caltech’s leading role in orienting genetics research toward the search for life beyond Earth, and for helping to create the revolution in recombinant DNA and the resulting launch in biotechnology.
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The displays also feature the numerous Nobel Prize Laureates whose research in genetics and association with Caltech underscore the Institute’s leading role in science, along with 3D printings of a Drosophila Melanogaster (the common fruit fly), a Bacteriophage virus, and a DNA double helix, courtesy of the Institute’s TechLab.
The display presentation concludes with an artistic presentation of current and emeritus BBE faculty engaged in genetics research, which conveys that this is an ongoing story, and that the field has benefited by a diversification both of the research itself and the professors who continue to lead and redefine the field.
A reception celebrating the display and the history is planned for early May.
David Zierler, Caltech Heritage Project Director and Senior Strategist.
Mutant Newts Can Regenerate Previously Defective Limbs - Marianne Bronner, Miyuki Suzuki "Fgf10 mutant newts regenerate normal hindlimbs despite severe developmental defects" (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences March 5)
Measuring Stress - Wei Gao "A physicochemical sensing electronic skin for stress response monitoring" (Nature Electronics Jan 19)
Molecular Self-Assembly Can "Think" Like a Neural Network - Erik Winfree (Nature Jan 18)
Aided by AI, New Catheter Design Prevents Bacterial Infections - Paul Sternberg (Science Advances Jan 3)
Subscribe HERE to receive communications from the Merkin Institute for Translational Research. In addition to a quarterly Newsletter, you’ll receive other updates on activities related to translational research activities involving members of the Caltech community.
Please contact George Tolomiczenko with any questions regarding Merkin Institute for Translational Research. gtolomic@caltech.edu, Ext. 4471
Construction and Building Updates
Alles -To facilitate outdoor meetings and classes, three wifi ports have been added to the courtyard along with six weatherproof electrical boxes. Existing furniture in the courtyard is being refurbished and additional tables and chairs added to provide more seating.
Braun - The Braun Garden is expected to be finished in July. The north doors have been re-opened.
Chen - All autoclaves are now fully operational in the lab areas. Please help by providing feedback to bbereceiving@caltech.edu
Chen Breezeway – To support events held outside Chen, one electrical spider connection located by the bike racks is now active. Additional spider boxes can be requested from the electric shop via Facility Service Request on Caltech Access. Three more will be added in the near future. A new BBE refrigerator and ice machine is now in place and ready for use in the control room attached to the breezeway kitchen.
Kerckhoff - The ADA and women's restrooms are now open! Tenants celebrated with a "Tissue" Cutting Ceremony.
Three hydration stations have been added near the restrooms. The retro-fitting of the fire sprinkler system is now underway and will continue until Fall 2024. The Kerckhoff main power switch and logistical planning is ongoing with a target end date during Summer 2024.
As a result of new laboratory space and other related construction, Norman Davidson Hall (Kerckhoff 119) is now room 125. To follow convention, other offices and lab spaces in the area have also been renumbered. New Caltech signage is in place throughout.
Resnick Sustainability Center - Construction is underway with a target end date of September 2024. When complete, there will be a new north-south walkway extending from Chen to Church. You may read the Project Summary HERE.
Please contact Jesse Flores with any questions regarding construction and/or building updates. floresj@caltech.edu, Ext. 3641
Facilities Operations & Services Update
Caltech Electric Grid Modernization
Caltech Facilities department diligently addresses the needs of the campus’s aging infrastructure with upgrades to building and utility assets. They aim to keep the campus community informed about their progress through regular updates and by providing advance notice to division and building management regarding possible interruptions and outages.
The Caltech Electrical Grid Modernization project is a multi-year effort that is focused on lowering the risk of extended outages by replacing major electrical distribution assets beyond the end of their useful service life as well as providing redundancy and flexibility in the grid. Read the details about the progress and upcoming milestones HERE
Please contact Kari Myers with any questions regarding Facilities Operations & Services. kmyers@caltech.edu, Ext. 1465
Office of Environmental, Health, and Safety
Improving Sharps Safety Practices in the Lab
by Leyma P. De Haro, Ph.D., RBP, Assistant Biosafety Officer
In a bio lab setting, "sharps" refer to any tools or equipment with edges or points capable of cutting or piercing the skin. Common examples of sharps include needles, scalpel blades, glass slides, capillaries, and the broken edges of glassware. The handling and disposal of sharps are subject to rigorous regulation and safety protocols due to the high risk of injury and potential exposure to infectious agents or hazardous chemicals. These items become particularly concerning in biosafety contexts, where their improper use or accidental puncture can lead to significant health risks.
Several key practices should be implemented to reduce the risk of using sharps in a biological lab.
- Reduce the use of sharps so they are handled only when absolutely necessary and consider safer alternatives whenever possible.
- When sharps use is unavoidable, use engineering controls such as sharps disposal containers, self-sheathing needles, and safety-engineered scalpels to mitigate injury risks.
- Adhere strictly to proper sharps disposal protocols, such as not recapping needles, immediately disposing of used sharps in clearly labeled, puncture-proof containers, and never overfilling these containers.
These practices, coupled with comprehensive training for all laboratory personnel on sharps handling and emergency procedures, are essential to ensure a safe working environment in the lab.
Please contact Leyma De Haro with questions or concerns regarding Lab Safety. ldeharo@caltech.edu, Ext. 2427
Green Labs Update
To celebrate Earth Month, Green Labs has three exciting new adventures!
Firstly, Green Labs is running a Spring Clean Event through April 2024. Each participating lab only needs to provide before and after pictures of their cleanup by midnight on April 30th to greenlabsinfo@caltech.edu (YES, that’s it!). Using the resources Green Labs has put together, we hope labs can efficiently clean out or defrost freezers, organize storage spaces, take inventory of lab supplies, tidy fume hoods, and so much more! Prizes will be given for two categories: the biggest before and after difference, and for the "weirdest thing found". Green Labs is providing A TON of resources and prizes (including a swag bag with a freezer defrost kit!) so be sure to check out this event and RSVP your lab!
Secondly, Green Labs is asking labs to participate in the 2024 International Freezer Challenge through July 1, 2024.
Labs will compete to improve freezer efficiency, reduce risk of sample loss, increase cost-savings and energy-savings for their lab and their labs cold storage! This fun, free program open to everyone, and includes a ton of resources (including information about why setting your ultra-low temperature freezer to -80 °C may not be necessary). Prizes are given at the I2SL International Conference in late 2024 , and Green Labs will also host a popsicle party to celebrate the labs who participated in this fantastic initiative.
Thirdly, in addition to several ongoing pilot programs, studies, and our monthly meetings, Green Labs is celebrating Green Labs Certified Labs! Green Labs Certification takes less than 30 minutes, but there are huge benefits. Your lab will even be awarded a brag-worthy plaque to post outside your lab, and your lab will also gain access to special deals and events, along with lots of swag such as free energy-efficiency stickers for lab equipment, recycling bins, and recycling signage for your lab spaces. If your lab is certified by April 30th (just in time to finish up Earth Month!), we will invite your entire lab to a special event to celebrate!
Green Labs is a volunteer driven group working towards making labs more sustainable. If you are interested in volunteering, or if you have any questions, please email greenlabsinfo@caltech.edu, or sign up for meetings and/or mailing list!
Center for Evolutionary Science (CES)
There’s a lot happening at the Center for Evolutionary Science!
This year’s CES grant awardees were notified of their awards on February 16. The following people received awards:
David Anderson and Youcef Ouadah, Zhen Chen, Bruce Hay, Carlos Lois, Sarkis Mazmanian & Joseph Boktor, Lior Pachter, Rob Phillips & Kian Faizi, Julia Tejada, Alex Varshavsky, Rebecca Voorhees, Yuk Yung, Stuart Bartlett, Elle Chimiak, Josh Goldford & Jiani Yang
Check out the CES website to see their project titles!
EVOxZANKOU Seminar Series
Join us April 11th at 12:00pm in Chen 130 for some delicious Zankou Chicken and to listen to talks by professors and postdocs on the evolution-related research they are pursuing. Please also mark your calendars for future EVOxZANKOU seminar days: May 9, June 6, October 3, November 7 and December 5. For updates, see the CES website. If you would like to give a talk at an upcoming EVOxZANKOU Seminar, please sign up HERE!
Southern California Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics (SCalE) Meeting is coming to Caltech, May 31!
Hosted by CES and CEED (USC’s Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Dynamics), this event is a chance to get together with our local colleagues, exchange ideas, network, and see some cool science. The official theme of the meeting is “evolutionary genetics and genomics” but we interpret this very broadly – we hope to welcome a diverse group of evolutionary biologists. This has been a very successful and well-attended event in the past and we want to continue this tradition of excellence.
Be sure to register by April 15!
Join Evolution Outreach!
CES is creating an outreach program for PUSD middle school students. This is a great opportunity to establish Caltech as a leader in evolution education and outreach. If you are interested in joining this effort, please click here to fill out a brief survey about the program and to let us know your interest. An initial brainstorming meeting will be coming soon!
CES is Hosting 4 EVO-WAVE Fellows this Summer!
EVO-WAVE is part of the Student-Faculty Programs WAVE Fellows program for undergrad students. EVO-WAVE Fellows will spend 10 weeks this summer working on evolution-related research in labs here at Caltech.
Please subscribe to the Center for Evolutionary Science’s email newsletter! You’ll be the first to know about all sorts of exciting things we have planned at the CES! Subscribe HERE.
Please contact Leah Bieltvedt, Evolution Center Program Administrator, for additional CES information; lbieltve@caltech.edu, ext. 2684
Caltech Flow Cytometry Cell Sorting Facility
The Caltech Flow Cytometry Cell Sorting Facility held its March 2024 User Group Meeting to discuss a range of flow cytometry applications, provide updates on current events in the facility and introduce the new facility director, Michael Gregory.
Updates were provided on a new booking system for instrumentation, the transition to a new FlowJo (flow cytometry data analysis software) licensing system, ongoing testing of a potential self-service cell sorter, the potential to acquire a large particle sorter (300-700um!), and a reminder about the upcoming SoCal Flow meeting (April 8-9 @ UC Irvine – SoCalFlow.org).
The facility wants to remind everyone that feedback and communication is essential to being able to provide quality services for your research projects - please feel free to reach out directly to the new Director, Michael Gregory, at mikeg@caltech.edu to discuss any issues or concerns, or just to talk about flow cytometry! Please also always feel free to reach out to everyone at the facility at cellsort@caltech.edu for scheduling instrumentations or consultations or any other logistical questions!
Carnegie News
Staff Retreat
Carnegie life and environmental scientists came together on Caltech campus in March for the second ever Biosphere Sciences and Engineering staff retreat. The two-day gathering included poster presentations during which colleagues shared their research with each other and other local scientists, robust discussions about avenues for interdisciplinary collaboration, an overview of the capabilities of Caltech's Resnick Sustainability Institute and brainstorming about local outreach and education opportunities. Looking ahead, the group will continue to meet and plan for their Path to Pasadena.
For more information on Carnegie events, please contact Agnes Tong, agnest@caltech.edu, ext. 3063
EVOxZANKOU Seminar Series - April 11, 12:00-1:00pm, Chen 130
DiscoTech - April 16-19 - Broad and Kerkhoff
DiscoTech is a welcome program for newly admitted undergraduate students. More than 400 admitted students and guests will be on campus throughout the program. Members of the campus community are encouraged to say a friendly "hi" or provide guidance around the campus for attendees. BBE Faculty are hosting students with a faculty talk, a tour of the undergraduate lab/study area in Broad, and a chat with current and former students in Kerckhoff.
Caltech Bioscience Industry Connection (CBIPP) - May 17, 4-6pm, Chen Gardens
Southern California Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics Meeting - May 31, 8am-5pm, Chen 100
Commencement - June 14, 10am, Beckman Mall
All upcoming events can be found on the BBE Calendar (login required)
This quarterly newsletter is intended to be a valuable resource for the Division of BBE that is distributed via the division mailing list. Please email your feedback and ideas to bbenewsletter@caltech.edu.
If you are not a member of the BBE division and wish to be added to the Newsletter mailing list, please contact bbenewsletter@caltech.edu.
Photo Credits: Emma Boxer, Caltech, CES, Sayan Dutta, Green Labs, Katie Fisher, Michael Gregory, Kristy Nguyen, Pallavi Panda, Mary Sikora, Agnes Tong, Sue Zindle