Barbara E. Walker, School of Biology's Administrative Manager, is the recipient of the 2009 Don Bratcher Human Relations Award for her volunteer work with abused and neglected children. The Don Bratcher Human Relations Award is to reward those members of Georgia Tech's community who are engaging in exemplary human relations work. The Bratcher Award is also for acting as a mentor, advisor, and helping to develop an inclusive environment, and acceptance of diversity in the institute.

Barbara E. Walker, School of Biology's Administrative Manager, is the recipient of the 2009 Don Bratcher Human Relations Award for her volunteer work with abused and neglected children. The Don Bratcher Human Relations Award is to reward those members of Georgia Tech's community who are engaging in exemplary human relations work. The Bratcher Award is also for acting as a mentor, advisor, and helping to develop an inclusive environment, and acceptance of diversity in the institute.

Mira Brockett was selected as the winner of the 2009 CETL Undergraduate Educator Award. Mira will be formally honored at the Georgia Tech faculty luncheon on April 15th.

Mira Brockett was selected as the winner of the 2009 CETL Undergraduate Educator Award. Mira will be formally honored at the Georgia Tech faculty luncheon on April 15th.

NASA has awarded Georgia Tech $7.2 million to establish an Astrobiology Institute to study the early evolution of life on Earth. The School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the School of Biology will join together in a multidisciplinary approach to characterize the ribosomal machinery responsible for protein synthesis. The machinery of peptide synthesis will be studied to determine the chemistry of transition from the RNA world to the protein world. The Institute is headed by biochemist Loren Williams and includes as co-PIs biologists Steve Harvey, Roger Wartell, Eric Gaucher and Terry Snell. The Institute will attempt to rewind the tape-of-life to uncover the major biological transitions from the last common ancestor of life that lived nearly 3.5 billion years ago. The Institute also will recreate the key steps in life's transition from non-coded proteins to proteins synthesized from a genetic template. This research will enable the team to characterize some of the oldest traceable macromolecules of life, and the earliest discernable connection between early and modern forms of life.

NASA has awarded Georgia Tech $7.2 million to establish an Astrobiology Institute to study the early evolution of life on Earth. The School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the School of Biology will join together in a multidisciplinary approach to characterize the ribosomal machinery responsible for protein synthesis. The machinery of peptide synthesis will be studied to determine the chemistry of transition from the RNA world to the protein world. The Institute is headed by biochemist Loren Williams and includes as co-PIs biologists Steve Harvey, Roger Wartell, Eric Gaucher and Terry Snell. The Institute will attempt to rewind the tape-of-life to uncover the major biological transitions from the last common ancestor of life that lived nearly 3.5 billion years ago. The Institute also will recreate the key steps in life's transition from non-coded proteins to proteins synthesized from a genetic template. This research will enable the team to characterize some of the oldest traceable macromolecules of life, and the earliest discernable connection between early and modern forms of life.

Elizabeth Padilla, PhD student and NSF-Fellow, received the "Best Poster Award" at the 7th Annual International Symposium of Subsurface Microbiology. The poster was titled "Design and application of an oligonucleotide microarray for monitoring reductive dechlorination processes."

Elizabeth Padilla, PhD student and NSF-Fellow, received the "Best Poster Award" at the 7th Annual International Symposium of Subsurface Microbiology. The poster was titled "Design and application of an oligonucleotide microarray for monitoring reductive dechlorination processes."

Al Merril, professor in the School of Biology at Georgia Tech, shares in $38 million grant on LIPID MAPS. Dr. Merrill is part of "LIPID MAPS," a national association studying the structure and function of lipids. Lipid Metabolites And Pathways Strategy, or Lipid MAPS, is a national study led by the University of California San Diego School of Medicine. The national study includes 16 universities, medical research institutes, and companies across the United States.

For more information on LIPID MAPS visit their website: http://www.lipidmaps.org/.

Al Merril, professor in the School of Biology at Georgia Tech, shares in $38 million grant on LIPID MAPS. Dr. Merrill is part of "LIPID MAPS," a national association studying the structure and function of lipids. Lipid Metabolites And Pathways Strategy, or Lipid MAPS, is a national study led by the University of California San Diego School of Medicine. The national study includes 16 universities, medical research institutes, and companies across the United States.

For more information on LIPID MAPS visit their website: http://www.lipidmaps.org/.