Dr. Rachel O’Neill Inducted Into the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering

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Rachel J. O’Neill, Institute for Systems Genomics, Molecular & Cellular Biology, Genetics and Genome Sciences, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to be inducted into the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) for 2020. 

According to CASE, election to the Academy is based on the applicant’s scientific and engineering distinction, achieved through significant contributions in the form of publications, patents, outstanding leadership, and other factors. Read full article in UConn Today

Fake Centromeres Make-and Break-a Chromosome

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The Mellone Lab was featured in UConn Today – UConn cell biologist Barbara Mellone, her student Jason Palladino, and colleagues report in the cover article of the 10 February issue of Developmental Cell that they were able to make fake centromeres that fooled cells into rearranging their chromosomes.  

Developmental Cell Cover Image

Fluorescence images of mitotic cells with de novo centromeres from Drosophila melanogaster larval brains. The chromosomes are stained with DAPI (DNA, magenta) and CENP-C antibodies (kinetochore protein, green) and are shown within the outlines of fruit flies. (Courtesy of Barbara Mellone)
Read article in UConn Today
See cover story at Developmental Cell

Professor Barbara Mellone Awarded NIH award

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Barbara MelloneMCB Associate Professor Barbara Mellone received a $2.6million R35-MIRA grant from the National Institute of Health to fund her research on an elusive yet vital chromosomal structure that all plant and animal share: the centromere. This five-year grant will support research efforts to determine the contribution of DNA repeats and centromere chromatin to the formation and proper function of these structures and to engineer centromeres using Drosophila as a model.

 

Graduate student Jason Palladino (Mellone lab) was a guest speaker at Le Moyne College Scholars Day, which was held on April 21st, 2017.

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Scholars Day gives undergraduate students an opportunity to present research they’ve conducted to a broad audience either through a 10 minute talk or by presenting a poster. Every year they reach out to an alumnus who has presented at Scholars Day and is now pursuing their PhD to give a presentation as a guest speaker. The title of his talk was: “What to expect when you’re expecting… to go to grad school”.