7 months ago
Darex Vera Rodriguez earns his PhD
Darex Vera Rodriguez successfully defended his PhD thesis on protein allostery in Dr. Andrew Lee’s lab on September 15, 2025.
Tag: Student News
7 months ago
Matthew Vander Ploeg awarded an NIH F30!
Congratulations also to Matthew Vander Ploeg, graduate student in the Bergmeier lab, who was awarded an NIH F30 fellowship from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
8 months ago
Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics enables laboratory employees to pursue a Master’s degree
The Special Master’s Program for employees in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics enables laboratory employees to pursue a Master’s degree on a part-time basis while working full-time in the Department.
8 months ago
Announcing Our BCBP GECO Representatives for 2025–2026
We’re excited to introduce our Graduate Education Committee (GECO) representatives for the upcoming academic year: Maria Al Haddad will serve as the Biochemistry track representative and Trevor Mileur will represent the Biophysics track.
8 months ago
2025-2026 BCBP Student Social Chairs
Announcing our new Biochemistry and Biophysics social chairs for the 2025-2026 academic year. BCBP Student Social Chairs will organize social events for the Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics. Thank you in advance for your service. Maria Al Haddad Aspen Hawkins Jacob Hughes Emily Grace Clark Giselle Prida Jamie Do Elise Liebow BCBP Student Social Chairs are responsible for organizing …
9 months ago
Cook lab research video published on UNC Health YouTube
The Cook Lab at UNC investigates how cell proliferation is regulated and how diseases disrupt these processes. Their work provides the foundation for developing targeted therapies that have shown promising success in treating cancers such as breast cancer.
9 months ago
Camila Arango Attends International Structural Biology Course in Spain
Camila Arango, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics (Starbird Lab), was selected as one of just 22 international participants for the inaugural Salamanca International Advanced Biophysics and Structural Biology Course, organized by Eva Nogales and Carlos Bustamante. The course, held from June 29th to July 5th in Salamanca, Spain, provides intensive …
9 months ago
Congratulations to our new PhD, Dr. Dalia Fleifel!
Dr. Dalia Fleifel successfully defended her thesis, titled “DNA replication keynote and code: MCM’s journey on and off” on July 7, 2025. As a graduate student, Dalia was an active member of the Jean Cook lab and a student leader within the department.
11 months ago
Dalia Fleifel receives Graduate Fellow Award in Basic Sciences
Dalia Fleifel, a graduate student leader, has been awarded the 2025 Lineberger Graduate Fellow Award in Basic Science. This accolade was presented at the annual trainee awards ceremony on May 21st.
11 months ago
Researchers discover an enzyme that protects DNA during rapid cell divisions (Cook lab)
Researchers have discovered that an enzyme called USP37 plays a crucial role in ensuring our cells copy their DNA correctly. The findings were published in Nature Communications. (Thanks to the first three co-authors—Derek Bolhuis, Dalia Fleifel and Thomas Bonacci.)
12 months ago
Dalia Tarek Fleifel receives the AACR Scholar-in-Training Award
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has announced that Dalia Tarek Fleifel has been awarded the prestigious AACR Scholar-in-Training Award. This recognition is based on the quality of her award application and her abstract titled “Unraveling c-MYC role in DNA replication origin licensing through non-canonical pathways.
1 year ago
Strahl lab undergrad receives many Awards at UNC
Phu Nguyen, undergraduate researcher in the Strahl lab, has received The Edward Kidder Graham Award and the Bryan Public Service Award from the Chancellor. He also received the Stephen Brantley Undergraduate Award for his honors thesis!