Seminar Series
Upcoming Seminar
Glycopolymers as Broad-Spectrum Anti-Viral Drugs
Dr. Katherine McReynolds, CSU Sacramento
April 18, 2024
4:00pm-5:00pm via Zoom
Join 4/18 Zoom
Meeting ID: 851 2876 6518
Passcode: 785758
Carbohydrates are at the forefront of many biological processes, both normal and not. In diseases, such as those caused by viruses, carbohydrates on the host cell surface can be used by the virus for early stage viral attachment and infection. To this end, work in the McReynolds lab is focused on the development of carbohydrate-based polymers, or glycopolymers, to serve as mimics of host cell surface glycoproteins and bind to the viral surface glycoproteins to prevent the virus from infecting susceptible host cells. These synthetic compounds are envisioned as topical anti-viral drugs that can be employed when an emerging virus of concern begins infecting large numbers of people such that a pandemic can be averted, and lives saved. Currently, we are studying the potential of a variety of glycopolymers as broad spectrum anti-viral agents against two pandemic-causing viruses, HIV and SARS-CoV-2.
Dr. Katherine McReynolds is a native californian who received her BS in Biochemistry from Cal Poly SLO, and her MA and Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Arizona. Her Ph.D. thesis was titled: Synthesis of Anti-viral Glycolipids. Mentor: Jacquelyn Gervay-Hague. Dr. McReynolds then did a postdoc in cancer glycobiology at UC Davis in the College of Medicine in the laboratory of Dr. Frederic Troy. She has been faculty at CSU Sacramento since 2001. She is currently a Professor of Chemistry and serving in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Dean's Office as Faculty Fellow for Research and Engagement. Dr. MyReynolds is also currently the statewide chair of CSU Biotech.
The Seminar Series is a unique opportunity for students to learn about new developments in biology and what biologists do after they graduate. Hosted by the Department of Biological Sciences at California State University, Long Beach, the weekly meetings invite guests from universities, research laboratories, and industry to present and discuss current topics in biology. All students are encouraged to attend.
Seminar Coordinator
For information and suggestions about our Seminar Series, please contact the seminar coordinator:
Dr. Peter Ramirez
Peter.Ramirez@csulb.edu
Schedule
The following schedule is for Spring 2024.
Date | Title | Speaker and Affiliation |
---|---|---|
April 18, 2024 | Glycopolymers as Broad-Spectrum Anti-Viral Drugs | Dr. Katherine McReynolds, CSU Sacramento |
April 25, 2024 | (topic: developmental biology) | Dr. Blake Riggs, San Francisco State University |
May 2, 2024 | (topic: molecular virology) | Dr. Oliver Fregoso, UCLA |
May 9, 2024 | (topic: parasitology) | Dr. Pascale Guiton, Santa Clara University |
Previous Seminars
Date | Title | Speaker and Affiliation |
---|---|---|
April 11, 2024 | The Neurobiology of Female Aggression: A Study in Drosophila Melanogaster | Dr. Caroline Palavicino Maggio, Harvard University |
March 28, 2024 | Targeting Neuroinflammation and Brain Infiltrating Macrophages to Modulate Seizures in a Mouse Model of Viral-Induced Epilepsy | Dr. Ana Beatriz DePaula-Silva, University of Utah |
March 21, 2024 | Development of Novel Mono and Bivalent Nanobodies Against EGFR for Targeted Cancer Therapy | Diana Carolina Aguilar Cortes, Ph.D. student at University of Buenos Aires |
March 14, 2024 | Elastic Movements in Nature | Dr. Mark Ilton, Harvey Mudd College |
March 7, 2024 | Helping Communities Coexist with Cougars | Korinna Domingo, Cougar Conservancy |
February 29, 2024 | Why Recognize Protein When Fats Taste so Good! | Dr. Dequina Nicholas, UC Irvine |
February 22, 2024 | The Evolutionary and Ecological Consequences of Agricultural Expansion: Insights from Bird Communities in Southeast Asia and California | Dr. Elizabeth Scordato, Cal Poly Pomona |
February 15, 2024 | Adapting to Changing Landscapes - Studying Behavior in the Streets and in the Classroom | Dr. Karina Sanchez, University of New Hampshire |
February 8, 2024 | CRISPR/Cas9 – A Cut Above the Rest: Gene Editing Protocols for Monogenic Diseases | Dr. Jennifer Johnston, San Jose State University |
February 1, 2024 | Mangroves of the U.S. Virgin Islands: Growing Research, Restoration, Outreach and Education Opportunities | Dr. Kristin Grimes, University of Virgin Islands |
The Seminar Series Archive has topics from previous semesters.