Weekly Seminar Program
Our weekly seminar series features presentations by experts from across Johns Hopkins and other biomedical research institutions, and provides students with a view of current research in the topics across the fields of biochemistry and molecular biology and insight into experimental design and methods.
The seminars are normally held Mondays at noon and are open to the Johns Hopkins community. The 2023-2024 seminar series has concluded and will resume in the fall.
Looking for older seminars? Check out the Past Years Weekly Seminars page.
2023-2024 Seminars
September 11, 2023
“Compartmentalized Mitochondrial NAD+”
Lulu Cambronne
Assistant Professor, Molecular Biosciences Department, University of Texas at Austin
September 18, 2023
“From Biological Conflicts to New Biochemistry”
Aravind Iyer
Senior Investigator, National Center for Biotechnology Information, NIH
September 25, 2023
“Epigenetic Dynamics of Aging and Cancer Development”
Hariharan Easwaran
Associate Professor, Oncology Department, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
October 2, 2023
“Nucleases in Proofreading Coronavirus Replication and Driving the Diversity of Host Adaptive Immunity”
Chang Liu
Assistant Professor, Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry Department, John Hopkins University School of Medicine
October 9, 2023
“Total Synthesis of Innate Immune Functions in Inert and Artificial Cells”
Takanari Inoue
Professor, Cell Biology Department, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
October 16, 2023
“Insights into Aging from RNA Biology”
Myriam Gorospe
Senior Investigator, Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, National Institute on Aging, NIH
October 23, 2023
Special seminar co-hosted with the Office of Inclusion, Diversity, Anti-Racism, and Equity and the Student Assembly
"The Risk and the Resistance: Dismantling the Toxicity in the STEM Ecosystem”
Ebony McGee
Professor of Innovation and Inclusion in the STEM Ecosystem, Johns Hopkins University
October 30, 2023
“Pan-African Ancestry Approach to Reduce Cancer Disparity”
Clayton Yates
John R. Lewis Professor of Pathology, Pathology Department, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
November 6, 2023
“Mechanistic Dissection of Treg Cell Contribution to Breast Cancer Progression”
Paula Bos
Associate Professor and Cancer Biology Program Co-Leader, Pathology Department, Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth School of Medicine
November 13, 2023
“Characterizing tumor-host interactions in mucosal melanoma”
Kasey Couts
Assistant Professor, Co-Director CU Center for Rare Melanoma, Assistant Director CU Skin Cancer Biorepository, Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado School of Medicine
November 27, 2023
“RNA binding proteins, stress granules and ALS”
Haining Zhu
Professor, Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, University of Arizona
December 4, 2023
“The Early Beginnings of Metastatic Prostate Cancer – Biomarkers to Metastasis-Directed Therapy”
Phuoc Tran
Professor and Vice Chair, Radiation Oncology Department, University of Maryland
December 11, 2023
“Targeting Protein Post-Translational Modification Pathways for Cancer Therapies”
Wenyi Wei
Professor, Pathology Department, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School
December 18, 2023
“Targeted Therapy Approaches for Sarcomas Driven by Loss of NF1”
Christine Pratilas
Associate Professor, Oncology Department, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
January 29, 2024
“Strategies for Success in Writing & Communicating at Every Level: Manuscripts, Cover Letters, Emails, Tweets, and More”
Ushma Neill
Vice President of Scientific Education, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Editor-at-Large, Journal of Clinical Investigation
February 5, 2024
"Cis or Trans? Does it Matter? New Insights into Protein Kinase Auto-regulation”
Thomas Leonard
Professor of Molecular Biology, Department of Structural & Computational Biology, Max Perutz Labs, Medical University of Vienna
February 12, 2024
"Tools and Tactics for Targeting RNA with Small Molecules”
John (Jay) Schneekloth, Jr.
Senior Investigator, Chemical Biology Laboratory, Head, Chemical Genetics Section, National Cancer Institute, NIH
February 21, 2024
"Stromal and Immune Plasticity Shape the Metastatic Microenvironment”
Neta Erez
Vice Dean, Faculty of Medicne, Head, Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Tel Aviv University
February 26, 2024
“Targeting glutamine in immune-suppressive Tumor Associated Macrophages (TAMs) to overcome tumor immunity in mCRPC”
Jelani C. Zarif
Robert E. Meyerhoff Endowed Professor, Oncology Department, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
March 4, 2024
“Plasma Membrane Lipids in Shaping Neural Crest Cell Behavior”
Mike Piacentino
Assistant Professor, Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
March 11, 2024
“Using Yeasts and Flies to Explore SUMO Function in Fertility and Stress Tolerance”
Oliver Kerscher
Associate Professor, Biology Department, The College of William & Mary
March 25, 2024
“Tumor:Host Communication in Ovarian Cancer Metastasis”
M. Sharon Stack
Ann F. Dunne and Elizabeth Riley Director, Harper Cancer Research Institute, Kleiderer-Pezold Professor of Biochemistry, Chemistry & Biochemistry Department, University of Notre Dame
April 1, 2024
“Signaling by the gaseous messenger molecule, hydrogen sulfide, in aging and neurodegeneration”
Bindu Diana Paul
Associate Professor, Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences Department, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
April 15, 2024
“Intracellular dynamics in the Drosophila spermatogonial stem cell niche”
Erika Matunis
Professor, Cell Biology Department, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
April 22, 2024
“Uncovering the Hidden Biology of Lysosomes in Neurons and Disease”
Michael Ward
Senior Investigator, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH
April 29, 2024
“Hunger for Iron - Ferrophilic Yersiniae Infection in Hemochromototic Hosts”
Wei Sun
Professor, Immunology and Microbial Disease Department, Albany Medical College
May 6, 2024
“Oncoprotein Duality: Lessons Learned From RAS GTPases”
Pau Castel
Assistant Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Department, NYU Grossman School of Medicine