Seminar
2026-01-20 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-01-27 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-02-10 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-02-17 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-02-24 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | 1131 Bioinformatics, 130 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
2026 Spring Seminar Series
Special seminars will occur January through February. 2026 Spring Seminar Series will occur March – April.
March 3
Vacant
March 10
vacant
March 17 – none
Spring break
March 24
Michael Kemp, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Wright State University
Hosts: Laura Lindsey-Boltz and Aziz Sancar
March 31
vacant
April 7
Guochun Jiang, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Biochemistry and Biophysics
UNC-CH
Host: Jean Cook
Title: “TBD”
April 14
David Boehr, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry (Sabbatical in Craig Campbell’s Lab at UNC)
Penn State University
Host: Rebecca Berlow
Title: “TBD”
April 21
Xiaojun Ren, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Biological Sciences
UNC-Charlotte
Host: Jill Dowen

Seminar
2026-02-03 11:00 - 12:00 | 1131 Bioinformatics, 130 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
2026 Spring Seminar Series
Special seminars will occur January through February.
1/27 and 2/3 seminars canceled due to weather events.
2026 Spring Seminar Series will occur March – April.
March 3
Vacant
March 10
vacant
March 17 – none
Spring break
March 24
Michael Kemp, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Wright State University
Hosts: Laura Lindsey-Boltz and Aziz Sancar
March 31
vacant
April 7
Guochun Jiang, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Biochemistry and Biophysics
UNC-CH
Host: Jean Cook
Title: “TBD”
April 14
David Boehr, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry (Sabbatical in Craig Campbell’s Lab at UNC)
Penn State University
Host: Rebecca Berlow
Title: “TBD”
April 21
Xiaojun Ren, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Biological Sciences
UNC-Charlotte
Host: Jill Dowen

Seminar
2026-02-26 14:00 - 15:00 | 1131 Bioinformatics, 130 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
February 26 (2:00-3:00 pm ) rescheduled from January 27
Title: “Engineering bacterial signal transduction”

Seminar
2026-03-03 11:00 - 12:00 | 1131 Bioinformatics, 130 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
2026 Spring Seminar Series
Special seminars will occur January through February. 2026 Spring Seminar Series will occur March – April.
March 3
Title: “UFMylation Regulates Mitochondrial Metabolism and Development”
March 10
vacant
March 17 – none
Spring break
March 24
Michael Kemp, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Wright State University
Hosts: Laura Lindsey-Boltz and Aziz Sancar
March 31
vacant
April 7
Guochun Jiang, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Biochemistry and Biophysics
UNC-CH
Host: Jean Cook
Title: “TBD”
April 14
David Boehr, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry (Sabbatical in Craig Campbell’s Lab at UNC)
Penn State University
Host: Rebecca Berlow
Title: “TBD”
April 21
Xiaojun Ren, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Biological Sciences
UNC-Charlotte
Host: Jill Dowen

Defense: Christopher Shelby
2026-03-09 13:30 - 14:30 | 1131 Bioinformatics, 130 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Biochemistry and Biophysics Student Defense:

Student:
Christopher Shelby (student of Dr. Brian Kuhlman)

Title:
“Enhancing enzymatic bioconjugation efficiency via computer-based installation of a substrate recruitment domain”

Date/location:
March 9, 2026
1:45 PM
Bioinformatics 1131

Seminar
2026-03-10 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-03-24 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-03-31 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-04-07 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-04-14 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-04-21 11:00 - 12:00 | 1131 Bioinformatics, 130 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
2026 Spring Seminar Series

Bagel breakfast
2026-03-11 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-05-13 11:00 - 12:00 | GMB 3rd floor atrium, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, United States
Spring semester – bagel breakfast series: The bagel breakfast is scheduled for the 2nd Wednesday of every other month during the semester.

Pi Day 2026
2026-03-13 14:30 - 15:30 | GMB 3rd floor atrium, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, United States
Friday, March 13, 2026

Pie Day

Time: 2:30–3:30 PM

Location: 3rd Floor Lobby
Join us for Pi(e) Day!

Defense: Jingting Chen
2026-03-17 09:30 - 10:30 | MBRB G202, 111 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, 27599, United States
Jingting Chen (Brunk)
March 17, 9:30am
MBRB G202

Training event
2026-03-24 15:00 - 16:00 | NC
To Genetic Medicine third floor occupants,

We have a brand-new dishwasher and training with the company representative is scheduled for next Tuesday (3/24) at 3pm. As this dishwasher is configured differently from our current one, training is required for users. If you or your lab is interested, please email me (lmcarey@email.unc.edu) so I can provide the representative with a head count. Let me know if there are any questions!

Leiah M Carey, PhD
Research Associate
Campbell Lab
Dept of Biochemistry and Biophysics
UNC School of Medicine

Thesis Defense: Uriel Jean-Baptiste (Neher lab)
2026-04-08 14:00 - 15:00 | Marsico 5004, 125 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
Defense Title: “Navigating New Frontiers in Lipase Regulation”

27th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research
2026-04-22 | NC
27th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research

Date & Time: Wednesday, April 22, 2026, from 12:15–5:30 PM

Location: Alumni Hall at the George Watts Hill Alumni Center

There will be five (5) sequential 50-minute poster sessions, starting at 12:20pm, 1:25 pm, 2:30 pm, 3:35 pm, and 4:40 pm.

Thesis Defense: Matthew Vander Ploeg
2026-04-30 15:00 - 16:00 | 1131 Bioinformatics, 130 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Student: Matthew Vander Ploeg
Defense title “Integrin signaling and platelet migration: mechanistic insights and pathophysiological relevance”.
Bergmeier lab
It will be held at 3:00pm on Thursday April 30, 2026, in Bioinformatics 1131.

Thesis Defense: Sierra Cole (student of Dr. Amy Gladfelter)
2026-05-05 13:00 - 14:00 | Bondurant 2020, 321 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Defense title: “Sequence and structure of protein binding sites in RNA impact biomolecular condensates”

UNC Hooding
2026-05-09 09:00 - 10:30 | Dean E. Smith Center, 300 Skipper Bowles Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
The Graduate School’s Hooding Ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at 9:00 AM. in the Dean E. Smith Center.
Please share your event photos with Carolyn Clabo

Spring Commencement
2026-05-09 19:00 - 20:30 | NC
The 2026 Spring Commencement ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 9, at Kenan Stadium.
Additional information about 2026 Spring Commencement weekend, including the departmental ceremony schedule, will be released later in the fall semester.

All member Town Hall
2026-05-14 12:00 - 13:00 | NC
Thursday 12noon in GMB 3007

Wolfenden symposium
2026-05-18 08:45 - 17:00 | Pagano Room, 00-002 Lineberger, 450 West Drive, Chapel Hill, 27599, United States
Join us on May 18, 2026, for a special one-day symposium honoring the life and legacy of Richard (Dick) Wolfenden, one of the great pioneers in enzymology and protein science at UNC.
This gathering will bring together leading voices in the field—including Dan Herschlag (Stanford), John Richard (SUNY Buffalo), George Rose (Johns Hopkins), and Vern Schramm (Albert Einstein College of Medicine)—for a day of scientific talks and reflection.
The afternoon will feature shorter tribute presentations, offering an opportunity to share memories and celebrate Dick’s lasting impact on science and our community. A limited number of spots remain open for additional contributions.
📍 Location: Bioinformatics 1131, UNC-Chapel Hill, 110 Mason Farm Rd.
📅 Date: Monday, May 18, 2026
If you would like to participate, please contact Gary Pielak (gary_pielak@unc.edu).
For additional coordination, you may also reach out to Laurie Betts (laurie.betts0508@gmail.com).
Let’s come together to honor a scientist whose work—and mentorship—shaped generations.

refreshments at 1:15 PM
2026-05-19 13:00 - 13:30 | 1131 Bioinformatics, 130 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States

New Student Talks
2026-05-19 13:30 - 15:00 | 1131 Bioinformatics, 130 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Tuesday, May 19 • 1:30–3:00 PM (refreshments at 1:15 PM)
New Student Talks — Bioinformatics 1131
Each student will give a 10-minute talk followed by 5 minutes of Q&A—please come welcome and support our newest students. Refreshments at 1:15pm in Bioinformatics lobby. Program pdf: 2026BCBP_students

1:30 PM: DGS welcome remarks

1:35 PM: Jimmy Pratas

1:50 PM: Sydney D’Amaddio

2:05 PM: Maria Lopez Vasquez

2:20 PM: Garrett Chappel

2:35 PM: Rohan Shah
