Tags: cellular biology

group photo at ribbon cutting
Phase 1 of Science Hill renovations

A central artery of campus and home to multiple Franklin College units for decades is in the process of significant renovation – and celebration: The University of Georgia held a dedication ceremony on Oct. 30 to celebrate the completion of the first phase of renovations to modernize research and instruction facilities and infrastructure on UGA’s Science and Ag Hill. This area of campus, located just south of Sanford Stadium, includes buildings…

segmented x-ray of human skull
Regenerative Bioscience Center harnesses the body’s natural healing ability

What began in 2004 as a relatively small group of researchers has since grown to include more than 40 members spanning seven colleges, including the College of Engineering, the College of Public Health, and the College of Pharmacy. Together, the scientists aim to tackle medical challenges and develop cures and treatments for devastating diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and stroke. What is Regenerative Bioscience? You’re working in the…

photo of buildings, landscape at sunrise
Divisional Spotlight: Biological Sciences

Like the heart has four chambers, the Franklin College as the heart of UGA consists of five divisions. We want to begin the new year by highlighting this element of our organizational structure and the academic units contained in each division.  We begin today with the division of BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES! Spanning the broad field of natural sciences concerned with the study of life and living organisms, the Division of Biological Sciences…

photo of man with apple tree, day
Noted and Quoted, October 2022

From tempests in the physical world to the discovery of an ancient canal to the reintroduction of heritage apple crops, expertise from and research by Franklin faculty was present in media around the globe. A same of stories over the past month:    As moms return to the office, companies need to demonstrate empathy – Malissa A. Clark, associate professor of psychology, quoted at Indeed Historic storm surge. Record flooding.…

photo of man using microscope in lab
Cellular biology researcher uncovers humans’ natural weapon against malaria

Parasitologist Samarchith “Sam” Kurup has been awarded a five-year National Institutes of Health grant to study the natural immune response to the Plasmodium parasite in liver cells, with designs on uncovering how the human immune system naturally fights malaria in the liver stage will lead to an effective malaria vaccine. Our colleagues in the Office of research share the story: Malaria is one of the most studied parasitic…

photo of man on stair case
Researchers discover potential treatment for Chagas disease

Researchers from the University of Georgia have discovered a potential treatment for Chagas disease, marking the first medication with promise to successfully and safely target the parasitic infection in more than 50 years. Human clinical trials of the drug, an antiparasitic compound known as AN15368, will hopefully begin in the next few years. “I’m very optimistic,” said Rick Tarleton, corresponding author of the study and a UGA…

photo of woman in laboratory, in what lab coat with shelves and bottles
Fagbami named 2022 Burroughs Wellcome Fund PDEP Fellow

Lọla Fagbami, a postdoctoral research associate at UGA, has been awarded a Burroughs Wellcome Fund 2022 Postdoctoral Diversity Enrichment Program fellowship. Fagbami, UGA’s first PDEP Fellow, conducts research on the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum at the Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases. She works with Vasant Muralidharan, associate professor of cellular biology in the Franklin College of…

photo of man, two women, and rain/wind gauge, outdoors,
Kudos, March 2022

We'll begin with some great news from the Southeastern Conference and our own department of geography and atmospheric sciences program: Marshall Shepherd, the Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor of Geography and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Georgia, has been named the 2022 SEC Professor of the Year Department of English doctoral student Chanara Andrews-Bickers has been selected as a 2022 National…

photo of man, outdoors
Two Franklin faculty members receive 2022 Russell Teaching Awards

Three UGA faculty members – two from the Franklin College – have been named recipients of the Russell Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, which recognize outstanding instruction by faculty members early in their academic careers. “This year’s Russell Award recipients demonstrate how innovative, evidence-based instruction enhances student learning,” said S. Jack Hu, the university’s senior vice president for academic affairs and…

photo of woman outdoors, day
Amazing student Vidhi Patel

Vidhi Patel, a junior cellular biology major from Athens, serves as an orientation leader this summer to welcome first-year and transfer students to UGA as she continues her preparation to attend medical school. A wonderful ambassador for town and gown, incoming students are benefiting from her knowledge for learning and passion for UGA. She shares some important insights in this Amazing Student feature: How did you…

compose photo of four people, two men, two women
Four UGA faculty members named AAAS Fellows

Four University of Georgia faculty members, three from the Franklin College, have been named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), an honor bestowed by their peers for “scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications.” These four faculty members are among 489 new AAAS Fellows who will receive an official certificate and a gold and blue—representing…

photo of woman standing on brick sidewalk
A love of numbers, a passion for helping people

The fall 2020 issue of the Georgia Magazine is out and replete with stories about Franklin College faculty, alumni and students, including mathematics major and Georgia Commitment Scholarship recipient Ana Kilgore: One of only 75 people in her high school graduating class, Ana Kilgore always dreamed of expanding her horizons. When she saw the range of STEM programs offered at the University of Georgia, the Hawkinsville native set her sights on…

headshot of woman
Roberts-Galbraith receives McKnight Scholar Award

University of Georgia faculty member Rachel Roberts-Galbraith has received the 2019 McKnight Scholar Award, which recognizes scientists in the early stages of their careers working in the field of neuroscience. An assistant professor of cellular biology in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, Roberts-Galbraith is the first UGA faculty member to receive the award.  “Dr. Roberts-Galbraith’s studies are a unique combination of…

side by side head shot photos of two women
Two Franklin College professors win 2019 Sloan Fellowships

Two UGA faculty members have been awarded a prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship to support their research for the next two years, the Sloan Foundation announced on Feb. 19: Elizabeth Harvey of marine sciences and Rachel Roberts-Galbraith of cellular biology will each receive $70,000 from their fellowships over the next two years. Two of 126 Sloan Fellows nationwide for 2019, the assistant professors represent just the 12th and 13th Sloan…

photo of woman in the medina
Double Dawgs program opening broad opportunities for students

The year-old dual degree program that pairs bachelor's and master's degree programs helps students incorporate an expansive vision for career success: For Ammishaddai Grand-Jean, the Double Dawgs program provides an opportunity to deepen his understanding of economic policy so that after graduation he can make a positive impact on communities. Ellen Everitt sees the linked bachelor’s/master’s degree…

Researchers link energy levels to living longer
Researchers link energy levels to living longer

A new theory of aging published by Franklin College researchers in the journal BioEssays addresses the link between ATP levels and aging, based on broad research showing that stored energy levels decrease substantially as animals age: In the BioEssays article, Snehal Chaudhari and Edward Kipreos of the University Georgia propose the “Energy Maintenance Theory of Aging,” which posits that the survival of older animals…

photo of two people in a lab
Battling neglected diseases

Great overview of the work by Franklin College faculty in the Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, where multi-track efforts are yielding gains against some of the world's worst scourges: Founded 20 years ago by Regents Professor of Cellular Biology Rick Tarleton, CTEGD consolidates UGA’s extensive, campus-wide tropical disease knowledge and drug discovery expertise into an interdisciplinary research unit that focuses on…

Appomattox illustration, black and white
Cobb: Appomattox created the South

 James Cobb, Spalding Distinguished Professor of History, takes to the pages pixels of Time.com to discuss how “the end of the Civil War on April 9, 1865 was the beginning of the region’s identity": Confederate leaders may have believed they had built a unified nation in 1861, when they framed a new government and sent their troops off to war with hearty assurances of a quick and glorious victory. Amid the centennial observance of those…


$1.44 million NIH grant to statistics researcher

One form of epigenetic change known as DNA methylation is particularly understudied in this area. "There's a large amount of evidence that a process known as DNA methylation is a key player in cancer development," Zhong said. "Today's next-generation sequencing techniques give us the data we need to close the gap in this area of research." Zhong and her team will develop a suite of statistical models to broaden the understanding of how…
Subscribe to cellular biology

Support Franklin College

We appreciate your financial support. Your gift is important to us and helps support critical opportunities for students and faculty alike, including lectures, travel support, and any number of educational events that augment the classroom experience. Click here to learn more about giving.

Every dollar given has a direct impact upon our students and faculty.