Biosciences News

James Holton, a faculty scientist in the Molecular Biophysics and Bioimaging (MBIB) Division and full adjunct professor of biochemistry and biophysics at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), is the 2020 recipient of the American Crystallographic Association’s David J. Rognlie Award.

Robert Bertrand, postdoctoral researcher at the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), was awarded the Governor General’s Gold Medal for highest academic achievement in coursework for a doctoral degree from the University of Manitoba. The Gold Medal is awarded to the student who achieves the highest academic standing at the graduate level. 

Lysine is an important amino acid that must be supplied in our diets, as our bodies can’t produce lysine on their own. Most cereal grains have low levels of lysine, and scientists have worked to breed crops with higher lysine levels. 

However, the biochemical processes that break down lysine in plants weren’t fully understood. New Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) research, published in Nature Communications, reveals this last missing step of lysine catabolism. 

Biosciences Area researchers and their collaborators have determined how a protein called XPG binds to and reshapes damaged DNA, illuminating its role in averting genetic disease and cancer.

Congratulations to JGI research scientist Simon Roux, who is among the Berkeley Lab scientists awarded significant funding for research through the DOE Office of Science Early Career Research Program (ECRP). A total of 76 ERCP recipients were selected this year. The scientists are each expected to receive grants of up to $2.5 million over five years to cover salary and research expenses.