FEatured speaker

Michael Overduin received his Ph.D. from The Rockefeller University in 1993, where he studied signaling protein structures with David Cowburn and Nobel Laureate Dr David Baltimore.  He then conducted postdoctoral research on cell adhesion mechanisms at the University of Toronto.  Moving to the University of Colorado Denver in 1995, he established a laboratory with funding National Cancer Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute.  His discoveries of how receptors and endocytic membranes are targeted were recognised by Pew Scholar and Basil O'Conner Awards.

In 2003 Michael joined the University of Birmingham as the Chair of Structural Biology. As Executive Director he established the Henry Wellcome Building for Biomolecular Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.   This facility houses the UK’s most advanced magnets and probes for protein and metabolomics research, and won support from the Wellcome Trust and European Commission to provide open access to national and international users. 

Michael received a Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award in 2004, and developed new approaches to understand and exploit how proteins are delivered to their destinations within human and bacterial cells.  The group is funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Cancer Research UK, European Commission, Medical Research  Council and Wellcome Trust.

The questions being addressed include how proteins are recruited to and reshape subcellular organelles, and how molecular machines and cytoskeletal frameworks are assembled to mediate membrane protein folding, signal transduction and cell adhesion.  The proteins being studies are involved in causing cancer and genetic diseases, and offer new opportunities for diagnostic and therapeutic invention.  Along the way new technologies have been developed to better predict, visualize and solubilize membrane-associated proteins including drug targets, supporting a range of collaborations with academic and industry partners to benefit the broader community.

To learn more about Dr. Overduin's work click HERE

The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research presents the CUNY Advanced Science Seminar (CASS) series focusing on five key and emerging science flagship disciplines at CUNY:  nanoscience, photonics, environmental science, structural biology, and neuroscience. The seminars will feature leaders in these fields, who will spend a day at CUNY and meet with faculty and students during their visit. These disciplines are the focus of the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, which is currently under development.

The Spring 2011 seminars will be followed by a small reception that will allow the audience an extended opportunity to discuss questions with the speaker.

 

CASS Calendar

Spring 2012 Series

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Friday May 18, 2012,  3:30-4:30pm
Dr. Michael Overduin, University of Birmingham
"Tackling grand challenges in solution: elucidating how therapeutic targets behave in cellular context"  
The Segal Theatre, CUNY Graduate Center

To register for this event please click HERE
There will be a small reception at this seminar.