Clark F. Ford ’75, at left, is an Associate Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Iowa State University. His research involves genetic engineering of glucoamylase; the structure/function relationships of cloned gene products; and the recovery and purification of fusion proteins. He can be contacted at cfford@iastate.edu.
Category Archives: 1970’s
Francesco Chiappelli ’75
Francesco Chiappelli ’75 graduated with a BS from the Biology Department. But, as the department “evolved” over the years, from Department of Biology in the 1970s, to the departments of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology (MCDB) and of Biology in the 1980’s, to MCDB and the dept of Organismic Biology, Ecology, and Evolution in the 1990s, he kinda always “saw” himself as an alumnus of MCDB – “perhaps because eventually I ended up in Dr. Fahey’s lab for my post-doc in fundamental & clinical immunology. Be that as it may, I am happy and proud to be considered ‘one of yours’!”
“Well, a lot has happened over the past four decades, but I can say – equally proudly – that for me at least, everything noteworthy that happened to me professionally happened at UCLA: MA (’81), PhD (’86), post-docs (’87-’90), research faculty first at Harbor-UCLA (’90-’92), then with my first NIH grant: set up my first lab on the grounds of the West LA VA with an appointment in what used to be Anatomy & Cell Biology (’92-’94), then recruitment by the UCLA School of Dentistry, where I have been ever since – now for several years Full Professor, tenured.
Most recent developments and updates that you might be interested in are: becoming AAAS Fellow in 2011, becoming a Fulbrightalumnus last year (2012), and presently being the President of the Fulbright Association, Greater Los Angeles Chapter.
UCLA has been good to me, starting with the Department of Biology that I loved! Indeed, I came to UCLA (and to the US in fact) in September 1972, and have been associated directly with UCLA ever since: this is my 41st academic year on our campus.
Three profs, while I was a student in your/our department, to whom I will for ever be thankful:
- Dr. Crescitelli, who taught me about scientific rigor, the scientific process, and scientific writing (I now have written close to 200 papers & book chapters, and several books published by Springer-Verlag and other noteworthy publishing houses),
- Dr. Fessler, who first understood my gargantuan difficulties as I had just arrived from Europe, with no or little understanding of English, of the US university system, and of anything academic really, and took the time to listen to me, to guide me and to mentor me – he, really, taught me HOW to be a mentor by his own example, and
- Dr. Clark, in whose lab I did my first 199 in cellular immunology, which opened up my mind to the beauty of cell biology in general and of cellular immune surveillance mechanisms in the context systems biology in particular.
My dream was always to be able, one day, to serve my “mother department”, if I may refer to Biology by such affectionate terms. The closest I ever came was to be on the Graduate Review.”
Nancy E. Muleady-Mecham PhD ’77
Nancy E. Muleady-Mecham PhD ’77 serves as an Adjunct Professor of Biology at Northern Arizona University and holds a Haury Fellowship in the Laboratory of Tree Ring Research at the University of Arizona. Dr. Muleady-Mecham was a Fulbright Scholar to Siberia in 2010 and continues to work with Russia’s State Department and the Fulbright office in Washington, D.C. She has published Park Ranger, Park Ranger Sequel, and Out of Thin Air: A Story of Big Trees, and is currently finishing a book on Giant Sequoia Ecology.
Suzanne Hendrich ’76
Suzanne Hendrich ’76 earned her PhD in Nutrition from UC Berkeley in 1985. She is now University Professor, Food Science & Human Nutrition, at Iowa State University where she has been on the faculty since 1987 and currently serves as faculty senate president. Her research is on gut bacteria/nutrition interactions that may prevent inflammatory bowel disease and diarrheal diseases in general, focusing on dietary fibers and caffeic acids. Dr. Hendrich teaches mostly in the area of food toxicology, and leads a USDA higher education grant helping students and faculty develop growth mindsets and scientific thinking as they explore problems related to world hunger. She also advises an organization that runs a food pantry for students on campus, based on student volunteer effort.
Dennis M. Gross PhD ’74
Dennis M. Gross PhD ’74 assumed his current position at Thomas Jefferson University in 2006 as Associate Dean of the Jefferson College of Graduate Studies and Director of the Professional Science Master’s Degree and Graduate Certificate Programs. He also holds an appointment as an Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics in Jefferson Medical College.
Dennis M. Gross ’74 PhD
Dennis M. Gross ’74 PhD assumed his current position at Thomas Jefferson University in 2006 as Associate Dean of the Jefferson College of Graduate Studies and Director of the Professional Science Master’s Degree and Graduate Certificate Programs. He also holds an appointment as an Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics in Jefferson Medical College.
Jonathan Corren ’79
Jonathan Corren ’79 received an MD from UC San Diego in 1983. Following his residency in Internal Medicine at UC Davis, he received fellowship training in Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, Colorado. Dr. Corren accepted a faculty position as staff physician and research associate at National Jewish until returning to Los Angeles in 1991. His research interests currently focus on new treatments for allergies and asthma and the role of food and exercise in improving allergic diseases. He has authored approximately 150 articles, book chapters and research abstracts, edited two books about allergies, and recently authored a book for patients, 100 Questions & Answers about Allergies.
Bradford (Brad) Anderson ’76
Bradford (Brad) Anderson ’76 is the CEO of Fremont Bank. He received an M.B.A. in marketing and finance from San Jose State University, and also holds an advanced M.B.A. from Golden Gate University. Brad joined Fremont Bank in 1980, working his way from branch manager and loan officer to being responsible for sales, marketing, lending, and online banking, as well as being a Bank Director.
Carlotta Glackin ’76 PhD
Carlotta Glackin ’76 PhD is an Associate Professor of Molecular Medicine and Neurosciences at the Beckman Research Institute at the City of Hope.
Channing Der ’75
Channing Der ’75 writes, “After travels through UC Irvine and Harvard Med School, I am still in a science career.” He received a PhD in 1981 in microbiology from UC Irvine. Dr. Der is Sarah Graham Kenan Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. He adds, “I currently serve on the External Advisory Board of the Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Foundation and on the Board of Directors of The Cancer Biology Training Consortium. I also currently serve on the External Advisory Boards of T32 postdoctoral/predoctoral training programs at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, University of Massachusetts, Worchester, Vanderbilt University, University of Minn. and the New Jersey Medical School. I am the recipient of a Distinguished Alumni Lauds & Laurels Award from the University of California, Irvine, for 2012.”
Janet Bauer ’71
Janet Bauer ’71 received a DDS degree from USC in 1975, a master’s degree in education from USC, an MPH in Public Health from UCLA, and an MBA in Health Administration in Aging from the University of Judaism in Los Angeles. She is currently a Professor in the UCLA School of Dentistry, and Director of the June and Paul Ehrlich Endowed Program in Geriatric Dentistry and the Bloomfield Family Geriatric Patient Care Fund. Her research involves restorative, evidence-based, and geriatric dentistry.
Gerald Lieberman ’71
Gerald Lieberman ’71 (Zoology) received a PhD in Biology from Princeton. He is founder and director of the State Education and Environment Roundtable (SEER), formed as a cooperative endeavor of departments of education in 16 states, and past Chair of the Commission on Education of IUCN, the World Conservation Union.
Robert W. Putnam ’78 PhD
Robert W. Putnam ’78 PhD (Gordon) is a Professor in the Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, and Physiology at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine.
Steven C. Gerken ’77
Steven C. Gerken ’77 founded Avitacor, a Life Sciences management consulting firm, in 2005, and has been serving as President since its inception. Dr. Gerken brings over 30 years of experience in the life sciences to Avitacor and is currently consulting as the Chief Business Officer for Global Bio Therapeutics USA, a gene therapy company, to help develop its proprietary gene expression platform into approved therapies for treating a variety of human diseases. Dr. Gerken started in San Diego biotechnology as a bioinformatics scientist at Sequana Therapeutics, the first company to focus on commercializing the human genome project, bringing his expertise in human genetics and bioinformatics from the University of Utah Human Genome Center. Previously, Dr. Gerken conducted postdoctoral studies in developmental genetics at the University of Utah in the lab of Nobel laureate, Dr. Mario Capecchi. Dr. Gerken most recently held various positions within Chugai Pharmaceuticals, notably as a director of Informatics. His responsibilities included bio and chemical-informatics for new drug development, and information technology for corporate and global operations. Dr. Gerken received a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from the University of California, Irvine, and he received his MBA from the Rady School of Management at the University of California, San Diego. He also studied International Business Management at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, India.
Guy Hasegawa ’75
Guy Hasegawa ’75 (Zoology), PharmD UCSF ‘79, is the senior editor for manuscript development of the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, and the co-editor of Years of Change and Suffering: Modern Perspectives on Civil War Medicine. He writes, “I became interested in researching medical topics and writing about them in pharmacy school and ended up publishing numerous articles in pharmacy journals during my career as a pharmacist and editor. After I moved to Maryland, I became acquainted with Civil War enthusiasts and with the National Archives and other historical repositories and found that I could combine my interests in history, medicine, and writing by researching topics in Civil War medicine. I’ve published several scholarly articles on Civil War medicine and co-edited and contributed a chapter to Years of Change and Suffering. I’m actually working on my own book now. I also give talks regularly on topics in Civil War medicine. More details are available on my website (www.cwmedicine.com)