Geneticist and biochemist Professor Rachel Green, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, presented the 22nd annual Sigman Symposium on February 27 at the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI). Green’s groundbreaking research on translation and mRNA decay has had a profound impact on the field of molecular biology.
The symposium opened with a remembrance of Professor David Sigman by Professor Stephen Clarke. Green was then introduced by her host, Professor Michael Lawson. After receiving the Sigman Award, she delivered her keynote address, titled “ZAK Activation at the Colliding Ribosome.” In the lecture, Green presented new insights into how cells detect and respond to ribosome collisions during protein synthesis—events that can trigger important cellular stress responses. The symposium was followed by a reception in the CNSI lobby.
A highlight of Green’s visit was the Junior Researchers Lunch, where postdoctoral scholars and graduate students presented their research and discussed their work directly with Green.
Established in 2003, the Sigman Symposium honors the memory of Professor David Sigman, former Associate Director of the UCLA Molecular Biology Institute (MBI), a member of the UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry faculty, and a pioneering leader in chemical biology. Following Sigman’s passing in 2001, his UCLA colleagues and friends created this lecture series to celebrate his lasting contributions to science and to the Molecular Biology Institute. Each year, a committee selects an honoree who exemplifies the “Excellence in Science” that defined Sigman’s research and career.
Photos courtesy of Helen Houldsworth (MBI) and Professor Steven Clarke.
Penny Jennings, UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, penjen@g.ucla.edu.
