By Dalton N. Hughes, Andreia Ribeiro, Swarnalatha Balasubramanian
Jennie B. Leach, Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering

UC Ballroom  |  10:00-12:30 PM

Neurons grow and develop in the three-dimensional (3D) environment of the developing embryo. Previous work from our group has demonstrated that culturing embryonic neurons in 3D matrices allows the cells to respond in a way that more closely resembles natural development than traditional two-dimensional (2D) culture. Cells interact with their extracellular matrix and sense the dimensionality of their surroundings via integrin receptors on the cell surface that bind to matrix molecules, initiate intracellular signaling cascades and affect changes in cell shape and function. Our work focuses on elucidating the signaling events that regulate these changes in cell response. We hypothesize that 3D environments impose changes in matrix-ligand organization and alter neuronal behavior by modulating β1-integrin cytoskeleton signaling. PC12 cells, a neuronal cell model, were cultured on 2D and within 3D collagen substrates and probe the signaling response by inhibiting several key signaling molecules involved in regulating neuron morphology: β1-integrin, Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK), and an activated form of FAK that is phosphorylated at tyrosine 397. The results of this study will identify the key signaling mechanisms in 3D neuronal culture and provide a biological basis for testing new biomaterial-based therapeutics.

*This research was supported in part by a grant to UMBC from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute through the Precollege and Undergraduate Science Education, an Undergraduate Research award from the UMBC Office of Undergraduate Education, NIH-NINDS R01NS065205 (JBL), the Henry-Luce Foundation (JBL), and Wyeth Fellowship at UMBC (AR).

UMBC’s legendary chess team tied for second place last Sunday in the 2012 President’s Cup in Herndon, Virginia. UMBC tied with the University of Texas-Dallas with a final score of 7.5 points. Both schools were bypassed for first place by Texas Tech University with a mere ½ point lead.

Started by CSEE professor Dr. Alan Sherman in the early 90’s, UMBC’s chess team has gained a reputation that rivals that of many Ivy League schools. Since its inception, the team has won or tied for first nine times at the Pan American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship (Pan-Am) and six times at the President’s Cup.

When Dr. Sherman started the chess program, he never dreamed that its success would become such an iconic part of UMBC's idenitity. “Eventually, I realized that I was the right person, at the right place, at the right time, to make some significant contributions to college chess, while helping students, the community, and UMBC along the way,” writes Sherman on his website where he chronicles the history of chess at UMBC.

Sherman began by recruiting students with strong backgrounds in chess. Then, in 1994, he convinced Igor Epshteyn, a former coach of the Olympic Reserve Team, to coach at UMBC. From then on, the program continued to gain momentum.

Now, like any other college sport, the program offers prestigious scholarships for its members. The current team members, made up of Grand Master Leonid Kritz, Grand Master Giorgi Margvelashvili, International Master Sasha Kaplan, and Woman Grand Master Sabina Foisor, are all attending the university on chess scholarships.

In a Baltimore Sun article, Dr. Sherman commented on the team's performance last weekend:

"It was an extremely close event, and it could have gone to either of the top teams," Alan T. Sherman, director of UMBC's Chess program, said after the President's Cup. "The team is overall happy with its performance."

Left: Grand Master Giorgi Margvelashvili (right)–a Sophomore majoring in Financial Economics– competes in the President's Cup last Sunday.

Right: International Master Sasha Kaplan (left)–a Junior majoring in Mathematics–at the President's Cup last Sunday.

The CSEE Department will hold its annual CSEE Research Review day from 9:00am to 4:00pm on Friday, May 4, 2012. Faculty, research staff and students from the Computer Science, Computer Engineering and Electrical Engineering programs will present and discuss their latest research results via short oral presentations and a poster session.

The event is open to the public and is a good way for prospective collaborators and students to find out about the research our department is doing and meet and network with current faculty and students. See pictures from CRR-06, CRR-08, CRR-09, CRR-10 and CRR-11 to get an idea of what goes on at this event.

The 2012 CSEE Research Review (CRR-12) will take place in the large conference room of the UMBC Technology Center's business Incubator and Accelerator building on South Campus. There is ample free parking and refreshments and a free buffet lunch will be provided.

CSEE faculty, staff and students are encouraged to submit papers and posters for possible presentation by the April 12 deadline. See the CRR-12 Call for Submissions for details on how to submit research work. Awards with cash prizes will be given for the best research paper submitted by a undergraduate, M.S. and Ph.D. student and for the best three posters.

For more information, contact the CRR-11 General Chair, Professor Alan Sherman, Sorry, you need javascript to view this email address.

Next Century Corporation is looking for prospective software engineers to join their team as interns and full time employees. The local technology company was named one of Baltimore Magazine’s “Best Places to Work” in 2011.

“Next Century is driven by something far deeper than software, hardware, and dollars and cents,” says the company’s website. “We believe the solutions we provide have the power to save lives, promote freedom, and improve our world in exponential ways.”

Next Wednesday, April 11, 2012, Next Century staff will arrive at the UMBC campus for Next Century Corporation Corporate Visibility Day. The day will give students an opportunity to network with staff members. At Noon, catch president John McBeth discuss the company’s inception, followed by a lecture by UMBC alumna and Next Century Senior Software Engineering Christine Stepnitz entitled: “High Availability Systems: Planning for Failure. When your system has to be up 100% of the time, what happens when it goes down? And how can you turn that into an OK thing?”

Next Century Corporation Corporate Visibility Day will be held Wednesday, April 11 in the University Center Ballroom Lounge from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

You are invited to attend an Open House at the UM School of Pharmacy!  This is an opportunity to learn more about the PharmD curriculum, review the admissions process, and talk with current students, alumni, and faculty about the School of Pharmacy.

This Open House is a program format and will begin at 10am.  Attendees also have the opportunity to take a campus tour.

Upcoming Open Houses

Date: Saturday, April 14, 2012

Time: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
        Registration begins at 9:30am with light breakfast

Location: Pharmacy Hall
               20 N Pine St.
               Baltimore, MD

GiveCorps.com is seeking a couple of interns this summer.

Address:
    	2601 N. Howard St
    	Baltimore, Maryland 21218
    
    URL: https://givecorps.com/
    
    Each day, GiveCorps publishes a nonprofit project that needs support. GiveCorps Corps members, donate, volunteer, and spread the word about the projects.
    In eight months, GiveCorps has raised more than $100,000 for local nonprofits from nearly 2000 donors.
    Be part of the team.
    
Fields:
    Advertising/marketing/media, Business management, Communications/ public relations, Computer/information systems, Entrepreneurial, Graphic arts/commercial arts/photography, Internet-related, Media production/programming (TV, radio, film), Writing/editing/research
    
    GiveCorps is looking for interns in marketing, computer programming (ruby on rails), social media, and nonprofit management. We offer a stipend for summer interns and college credit for school year interns. 
    
    We are a dynamic team, with an open space, flexible work environment.
    
    You will do REAL work that moves the needle in our company everyday. Want to have a great experience, and make difference in Baltimore? Check us out! https://givecorps.com/
    
Desired Skills:
    We seek organized, committed, individuals with exceptional organizational skills.
    
    We work in a true start-up environment where every member of the team can fully use his/her skills to benefit the company. 
    
    We need marketers, computer programmers, social media mavens, writers, and business folks. If you crossover between these areas, great!
    
    Workdays: flexible
    
IF INTERESTED, APPLY ON UMBCworks or send your resume and cover letter to Christine Routzahn, Director of Internships at The Shriver Center at routzahn@umbc.edu

  Friday, April 6, 12:00 - 1:00pm PUP 367
    
    James Bessen is a scholar who studies the economics of
    innovation and patents. He has also been a successful innovator and CEO of a software company. Currently, Mr. Bessen is Lecturer in Law at the Boston University School of Law and Fellow at the Berkman Center on Internet and Society at Harvard.
    
    Bessen has done research on whether patents promote
    innovation, how and why innovators share new knowledge, and
    on how firms developed new skills and technical knowledge
    during the Industrial Revolution. His book, Patent Failure: How Judges, Bureaucrats, and Lawyers Put Innovators at Risk (Princeton 2008) with Michael J. Meurer, highlights the problems caused by poorly defined property rights (“patent notice”).
    
    In 1983, Bessen developed the first commercially successful
    “what-you-see-is-what-you-get” PC publishing program, founding a company that delivered PC-based publishing systems to high-end commercial publishers. Intergraph Corporation acquired the company in 1993.
    
    Get in on this opportunity to "chat" with James about the things he learned in business that seemed at odds with what he learned in the classroom (patents, sharing knowledge, the high cost of learning on the job, etc.)  He'll also discuss his recent research on this topic.

Are you looking for an internship with a world-class health club organization where you can actually learn something while you help people change their lives? We must warn you. We are only looking for energetic, positive people who know how to have fun. You must love fitness and truly care about people.

Positions include:

Accounting – work with our Accounting Team to gain experience in accounts payable and receivables and financial reporting.

Human Resources – learn and receive experience with recruiting and interviewing procedures as well as the administrative tasks involved in our HR department.

Marketing – work along side our Marketing Director in the implementation and planning of our television, social media, internet and print campaigns. Assist with charity functions and community events.

Information Systems – unique opportunity to work with our in-house IT/Web support team learning the key performance indicators (KPI's) of the fitness business and how to use them. These KPI's can be extrapolated to other businesses as well.

Corporate Wellness – learn from our team of health educators as you gain experience in the marketing and implementation of our employee wellness programs for some of the leading companies in Baltimore.

Benefits:

Great working environment

Complimentary Health Club membership

Opportunity to establish valuable career contacts.

Valuable experience related to your career.

Inclusion in all company social events, of which there are many!

Pre-requisites:

Currently enrolled in accredited college and pursuing a degree in Business, Health Education Computer Science, Marketing, Sports Management, Kinesiology or Exercise Science.

Proficiency in all Microsoft applications

Please send resume or contact Andrea.wanner@brickbodies.com