{"id":91,"date":"2018-07-30T15:36:39","date_gmt":"2018-07-30T15:36:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medschool.prd.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/welcome\/"},"modified":"2026-08-21T19:19:36","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T19:19:36","slug":"welcome","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/","title":{"rendered":"Welcome"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n    <ul>\n          <li>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/contact-us-admin-resources\/\" target=\"_self\">Contact Us<\/a>\n      <\/li>\n          <li>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/facilities\/\" target=\"_self\">Affiliated Cores, Centers &amp; Institutes<\/a>\n      <\/li>\n          <li>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/basic-sciences\/\" target=\"_self\">Basic Sciences<\/a>\n      <\/li>\n          <li>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/history\/\" target=\"_self\">Department History<\/a>\n      <\/li>\n          <li>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/events\/\" target=\"_self\">Seminars, Colloquium &amp; Defenses<\/a>\n      <\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n        <h2>What is Biochemistry?<\/h2>\n                  <figure>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/113\/2026\/08\/688aee9ab1e34891278ed2bc40c97c80-675x480-c-default.png\" alt=\"culture\" \/>\n          <\/figure>\n        <p>The Department of Biochemistry is dedicated to discovering the fundamental mechanisms of biological processes, bridging these discoveries with clinical applications to improve human health, and training the next generation of biomedical scientists. Our investigators are leaders in applying advanced approaches in structural biology, mass spectrometry, chemical biology, cell biology, and genetics to thematic areas like DNA and RNA metabolism, cell division, enzymology, molecular cancer biology, signaling, toxicology, and metabolism. We are united in seeking molecular answers to biomedical questions.\u00a0The Department has 26 primary investigator-track faculty and another ~50 secondary, educator, and research-track faculty. An exceptional group of graduate, medical, and undergraduate students and large cohort of post-doctoral fellows train in our laboratories supported by over $30M in funding.\u00a0As one of\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/basic-sciences\/departments\/\">four basic science departments<\/a>\u202fin the\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/basic-sciences\/\">School of Medicine Basic Sciences<\/a>, Biochemistry benefits from being affiliated with a large medical center and medical school as well as Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and Connected Computing. Our unique structure allows us to strategically invest in infrastructure, initiatives, and people to fulfill our missions of research, education, and service.\u00a0Biochemistry investigators have received major awards including election to the National Academy of Sciences, and a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine\u202f(<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nobelprize.org\/nobel_prizes\/medicine\/laureates\/1986\/cohen-bio.html\">Stanley Cohen<\/a>, 1986). Our culture of excellence, collaboration, innovation, rigor, dedication, inclusiveness, ambition, kindness, and resiliency facilitates high impact research, education, and service. &#8211; David Cortez, Chair\u00a0<strong>We invite queries regarding graduate studies, postdoctoral training, and faculty positions.<\/strong>A recent article about the Biochemistry Department can be found <a href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/basic-sciences\/an-inward-look-into-biochemistry\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>        \n        <h2>Upcoming Events<\/h2>                \n          \n          \n                              <a data-card-number=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/ascend-committee\/\" target=\"_self\">\n                  <h3>ASCEND Committee Meeting<\/h3>\n                                      August 25 at 3:00 PM in 734 ESB\n            <\/a>\n                      <a data-card-number=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/ascend-committee\/\" target=\"_self\">\n                  <h3>Welcome Back Picnic in the Park<\/h3>\n                                      Saturday, August 29 at 4:00 PM at Fannie Mae Dees Park (sponsored by the Biochemistry ASCEND committee)\n            <\/a>\n                      <a data-card-number=\"3\" href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/events\/\" target=\"_self\">\n                  <h3>BPSA State of the Department<\/h3>\n                                      September 11 at 12:00 noon in 214 LH\n            <\/a>\n                      <a data-card-number=\"4\" href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/events\/\" target=\"_self\">\n                  <h3>Dr. Ruma Banerjee, University of Michigan<\/h3>\n                                      September 18 at 12:00 noon in 214 LH\n            <\/a>\n                      <a data-card-number=\"5\" href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/events\/\" target=\"_self\">\n                  <h3>Dr. Rajappa Kenchappa, Florida Atlantic University School of Medicine<\/h3>\n                                      September 21 at 10:00 AM in 618 LH\n            <\/a>\n                      <a data-card-number=\"6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vumc.org\/discovery-lecture-series\/upcoming-lectures\" target=\"_self\">\n                  <h3>Discovery Lecture Series: Dr. F. Ulrich Hartl, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry<\/h3>\n                                      October 1 at 4:00 PM in 202 LH\n(Visit is co-sponsored by CSB &amp; VICB)\n            <\/a>\n                      <a data-card-number=\"7\" href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/events\/\" target=\"_self\">\n                  <h3>Dr. Manajit Hayer-Hartl, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry<\/h3>\n                                      October 2 at 12:00 noon in 214 LH (visit is co-sponsored by CSB &amp; VICB)\n            <\/a>\n                      <a data-card-number=\"8\" href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/special-events\/\" target=\"_self\">\n                  <h3>2026 BCHM Department Retreat<\/h3>\n                                      October 9-10, 2026\nMontgomery Bell State Park\n            <\/a>\n                      <a data-card-number=\"9\" href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/events\/\" target=\"_self\">\n                  <h3>The Richard Armstrong Lecture: Dr. Elizabeth Villa, UCSD<\/h3>\n                                      October 16 at 12:00 noon in 206 PRB\n            <\/a>\n                      <a data-card-number=\"10\" href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/events\/\" target=\"_self\">\n                  <h3>Sharon Roth &amp; Josh Gann<\/h3>\n                                      October 23 at 12 noon in 512 LH\n            <\/a>\n                      <a data-card-number=\"11\" href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/special-events\/\" target=\"_self\">\n                  <h3>Biochemistry Giving Thanks Event<\/h3>\n                                      November 4 at 4:00 PM in 618 LH\n            <\/a>\n                      <a data-card-number=\"12\" href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/events\/\" target=\"_self\">\n                  <h3>Min-Hsuan Li<\/h3>\n                                      November 6 at 12 noon in 206 PRB\n            <\/a>\n                      <a data-card-number=\"13\" href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/events\/\" target=\"_self\">\n                  <h3>Dr. Daniela Nicastro, UT Southwestern<\/h3>\n                                      November 13 at 12:00 noon in 202 LH (visit is co-sponsored by the CSB)\n            <\/a>\n                      <a data-card-number=\"14\" href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/events\/\" target=\"_self\">\n                  <h3>Ali Angelos<\/h3>\n                                      November 20 at 12 noon in 208 LH\n            <\/a>\n                      <a data-card-number=\"15\" href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/events\/\" target=\"_self\">\n                  <h3>Dr. Susan Ackerman, UCSD<\/h3>\n                                      December 4 at 12:00 noon in 206 PRB\n            <\/a>\n                      <a data-card-number=\"16\" href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/special-events\/\" target=\"_self\">\n                  <h3>Biochemistry Holiday Party<\/h3>\n                                      December 8 at 6:00 PM at Owen School of Management\n            <\/a>\n                      <a data-card-number=\"17\" href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/events\/\" target=\"_self\">\n                  <h3>Dr. Dipanjan Chowdhury, Harvard University<\/h3>\n                                      January 8 at 12:00 noon\n            <\/a>\n                \n                        \n      <h2>Biochemistry Announcements<\/h2>\n        <ul>\n          <li>\n        <p><strong>Andrea Ascura<\/strong> (Ascano lab) has been awarded the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nlm.nih.gov\/ep\/NRSAFellowshipGrants.html\">Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship<\/a> award from the NIH\/NIAID.<\/p>\n      <\/li>\n          <li>\n        <p><strong>Dr. Katherine Stefanski<\/strong> (Sanders lab) has been named the <a href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/awards\/\">2026 Destination Biochemistry Advanced Postdoctoral Scholar Award winner.<\/a><\/p>\n      <\/li>\n          <li>\n        <p><strong>Dr. Kevin Schey<\/strong> was recently elected secretary of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msimaging.science\/imsis-board\/\">International Mass Spectrometry Imaging Society&#8217;s<\/a> (IMSIS)executive board.<\/p>\n      <\/li>\n          <li>\n        <p><strong>Dr. Borden Lacy<\/strong> was awarded the <a href=\"https:\/\/news.vumc.org\/2026\/06\/17\/school-of-medicine-spring-faculty-assembly-honors-14-outstanding-teachers-clinicians-and-researchers\/\">Kathryn M. Edwards Award for Clinical and Translational Research Impacting Disease Prevention<\/a> at the 2026 School of Medicine Spring Faculty Assembly.<\/p>\n      <\/li>\n          <li>\n        <p><strong>Dr. Ivelin Georgiev<\/strong> was awarded the <a href=\"https:\/\/news.vumc.org\/2026\/06\/17\/school-of-medicine-spring-faculty-assembly-honors-14-outstanding-teachers-clinicians-and-researchers\/\">Stanley Cohen Award for Research Bridging Diverse Disciplines<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/news.vumc.org\/2026\/06\/17\/school-of-medicine-spring-faculty-assembly-honors-14-outstanding-teachers-clinicians-and-researchers\/\">such as Chemistry or Physics, to Solve Biology&#8217;s Most Important Fundamental Questions <\/a>\u00a0at the 2026 School of Medicine Spring Faculty Assembly.<\/p>\n      <\/li>\n          <li>\n        <p><strong>Dr. Mollie Uhrig <\/strong>(Cortez Lab)\u00a0has been named the <a href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/graduate-students\/graduate-student-and-postdoctoral-awards\/\">2026 Destination Biochemistry Stanley Cohen Postdoctoral Scholar.<\/a><\/p>\n      <\/li>\n          <li>\n        <p><strong>Dr. Yingxuan Zhu<\/strong> (Bhowmick &amp; Cortez Labs) has been named the <a href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/postdocs\/\">2026 Destination Biochemistry Benjamin Danzo Postdoctoral Scholar.<\/a><\/p>\n      <\/li>\n          <li>\n        <p><strong>Gabriela Gonzalez-Vasquez<\/strong> (Cortez lab) received the &#8220;Best Poster Award&#8221; at the VICC symposium.<\/p>\n      <\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n            <h2>Biochemistry News<\/h2>\n                    <h2>When a scientist gets cancer<\/h2>\n                      <p>July 23, 2026<strong>-Larry Marnett <\/strong>(Biochemistry) spent his career decoding cancer&#8217;s secrets.\u00a0<\/p>\n                                              <a href=\"https:\/\/news.vumc.org\/momentum\/when-a-scientist-gets-cancer\/\" target=\"_self\">In this article, he chronicles his own battle with the disease, blending clinical insight with the realities of treatment.\u00a0<\/a>\n                    <h2>SOMBS researchers land Susan G. Komen research grants<\/h2>\n                      <p>July 2026-<strong>Jennifer Pietenpol<\/strong> (Biochemistry) and <strong>Ben Ho Park<\/strong> (Program in Cancer Biology) were <a title=\"https:\/\/nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ft.e2ma.net%2Fclick%2F418kml%2Fc4jhvafb%2Fcsyso1&amp;data=05%7C02%7Clisa.evans%40vanderbilt.edu%7Cdd49d112fc33470e03ba08deddc272d6%7Cba5a7f39e3be4ab3b45067fa80faecad%7C0%7C0%7C639192024818882985%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=MY1l3YoEznXZt%2BxQJ51huW9KULXLciQHpeLl6s%2BvHIQ%3D&amp;reserved=0\" href=\"https:\/\/nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ft.e2ma.net%2Fclick%2F418kml%2Fc4jhvafb%2Fcsyso1&amp;data=05%7C02%7Clisa.evans%40vanderbilt.edu%7Cdd49d112fc33470e03ba08deddc272d6%7Cba5a7f39e3be4ab3b45067fa80faecad%7C0%7C0%7C639192024818882985%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=MY1l3YoEznXZt%2BxQJ51huW9KULXLciQHpeLl6s%2BvHIQ%3D&amp;reserved=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">announced as recipients of Susan G. Komen grants<\/a>. Komen is the largest nonprofit funder of breast cancer research outside of the U.S. government, having invested more than $1.1 billion in research since its founding.<\/p>\n                                              <a href=\"https:\/\/news.vumc.org\/2026\/06\/23\/vanderbilt-health-lands-three-of-35-susan-g-komen-research-grants\/\" target=\"_self\">Read more about SOMBS researchers and Susan G. Komen research grants.<\/a>\n                    <h2>Marked for destruction: designing new targets for protein degradation therapies<\/h2>\n                      <p>June 25, 2026-Targeted protein degradation (TPD) represents an emerging class of therapeutics that selectively degrades disease-relevant proteins.For example, targeted degradation of oncoproteins in a tumor can inhibit tumor growth while minimizing the toxic side effects of traditional chemotherapy. The degradation relies on the endogenous mammalian ubiquitin ligase pathway, specifically through the use of proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) molecules which recruit E3 ligases to target proteins for ubiquitination. However, TPD strategies are hindered by the limited number of E3 ligases with useful targets.<\/p>\n                                              <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vanderbilt.edu\/csb\/2026\/06\/05\/marked-for-destruction-designing-new-targets-for-protein-degradation-therapies\/\" target=\"_self\">Read more about designing new targets for protein degradation therapies.<\/a>\n    <figure>\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.vanderbilt.edu\/t2-main\/medschool-prd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/113\/2026\/04\/10yrs_wide_VU-SOMBS_full-color1.jpg\" alt=\"10 years SOMBS\" \/>\n    <\/figure>\n          <h2>Looking to become a biochemistry undergraduate major?<\/h2>\n        <p>Contact the <strong>Biochemistry and Chemical Biology Undergraduate Major Program<\/strong> at <a href=\"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry-chemical-biology\/\">https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry-chemical-biology\/<\/a><\/p>\n <!-- rich-text -->\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Contact Us Affiliated Cores, Centers &amp; Institutes Basic Sciences Department History Seminars, Colloquium &amp; Defenses What is Biochemistry? The Department of Biochemistry is dedicated to discovering the fundamental mechanisms of biological processes, bridging these discoveries with clinical applications to improve human health, and training the next generation of biomedical scientists. Our investigators are leaders in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-standard-home.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-91","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"ACF":{"hph_hero_style":"background","hph_eyebrow":"School of Medicine Basic Sciences","hph_title":"Department of Biochemistry","hph_intro":"<p>The Department of Biochemistry is a diverse group of scientists, trainees, and staff dedicated to discovering the basic mechanisms of biological processes through fundamental research and disseminating that knowledge via education and service to our community.<\/p>\n","hph_ctas":[{"cta_text":"Department News","cta_link":{"title":"Douglas A. Mitchell","url":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/person\/douglas-a-mitchell\/","target":"_blank"},"cta_style":"bold"}],"hph_background_image":5035,"hph_sub_features":false,"hp_theme":"light","hp_show_news":false,"hp_show_social":false,"topper_overline":"School of Medicine Basic Sciences","topper_title":"Department of Biochemistry","topper_intro":"<p>Biochemistry is part of Basic Sciences in the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Basic Sciences is comprised of the departments biochemistry, cell and developmental biology, pharmacology, and molecular physiology and biophysics. Learn more about our thriving research community by clicking the buttons below.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","background_topper_ctas":[{"cta_text":"Biochemistry Faculty","cta_link":{"title":"","url":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/faculty\/primary-faculty\/","target":""},"cta_style":"outline"}],"background_topper_content_alignment":"left","background_topper_font_style":"sans","background_topper_asset_type":"image","background_topper_caption":"","background_topper_image":5122,"background_topper_alt_text":"Adobe Stock image of molecules","background_topper_darken":true,"hp_news_source":"local","hp_news_featured_story_group":{"hp_news_featured_story_categories":[{"term_id":1,"name":"Uncategorized","slug":"uncategorized","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":14,"filter":"raw"}],"hp_news_featured_story_tags":false,"hp_vu_news_featured_story_categories":"","hp_vu_news_featured_story_tags":""},"hp_news_recent_news_group":{"hp_news_recent_news_categories":[1],"hp_news_recent_news_tags":false,"hp_vu_news_recent_news_categories":"","hp_vu_news_recent_news_tags":""}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/91","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=91"}],"version-history":[{"count":362,"href":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/91\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8685,"href":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/91\/revisions\/8685"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=91"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/biochemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=91"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}