UT-ORNL Graduate School of Genome Science and Technology Student Receives Awards (January 2002)

Nathan VerBerkmoes, a first-year student in The University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge National Laboratory Graduate School of Genome Science and Technology (UT-ORNL GST), recently received two prestigious awards. Nathan received an award of $500 from the Cambridge Healthtech Institute for his outstanding poster presented at the Second Annual Human Proteome Conference "Pep Talk," January 9-11, 2002, in San Diego California. Additionally, Nathan has been selected from a large pool of applicants for support by the Department of Energy Office of Science to attend a meeting of Nobel Laureates in Lindau, Germany, this July. This will provide Nathan an opportunity to meet with fellow students and Nobel Laureates from around the world. The UT-ORNL GST offers a unique and multidisciplinary program for full time graduate study leading to a Ph.D. or M.S. degree in the emerging new field of genome science. The GST Graduate School has a focus on new developments in the biological and computational sciences that stem from genome sequencing efforts. The program is designed to take advantage of the unique opportunity that UT and ORNL have for interaction and collaboration. Students are trained in emerging areas of genome science, with emphasis on mammalian genomics, structural biology, proteomics, computational biology and bioinformatics, and bioanalytical technologies. Scientists from both institutions participate in teaching. The program takes advantage of interactivity and collaboration among scientists and faculty from both UT and ORNL in conjunction with the Joint Institute of Biological Sciences. Faculty from both institutions offer courses. Research projects pursued for either the M.S. or Ph.D. graduate degrees are mentored jointly by a faculty member from each institution. Currently, staff members from Life Sciences Division, Chemical Sciences Division, and Environmental Sciences Division serve as faculty and research mentors.