Award

Lauded for protein-folding work, 'encouragement of next generation’

Marqusee receives ASBMB's William C. Rose Award
Geoff Hunt
March 27, 2012

The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology has named Susan Marqusee, professor of molecular and cell biology at the University of California, Berkeley, and director of Berkeley’s California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, the winner of the society’s William C. Rose Award.

awards_marqusee

“I’m honored to receive an award that recognizes the sum total of what I love about my job — science, mentorship and training,” said Marqusee. “For me, it’s the melding of all three areas that gives me the greatest satisfaction.”

Marqusee received the award in recognition of her extensive thermodynamic and kinetic studies using hydrogen-exchange, nuclear magnetic resonance, and single-molecule methods to study protein structure and behavior at increasingly sharper resolution. According to Walter Englander, professor at the University of Pennsylvania, “this work convincingly revealed that proteins are composed of cooperative nativelike foldon units and demonstrated their key role in protein-folding pathways.”

Professors Carlos Bustamante and Jennifer Doudna of the University of California, Berkeley, nominated Marqusee for the award. “The fundamental nature of Dr. Marqusee’s work has had, and will continue to have, significant impact on many areas of research, ranging from the physical chemistry of macromolecules to the design of therapeutics that prevent the aggregation of proteins which lead to common diseases such as Alzheimer’s,” they wrote in their nominating letter.

Marqusee’s mentorship efforts also are recognized by the Rose Award. Her colleague Jane Clarke from the University of Cambridge hailed Marqusee as “an all-too-rare example of an academic who is not simply a stellar scientist but someone who explicitly factors into her way of doing science dedication to encouragement of the next generation. Her students simply adore her.”

Marqusee will get her award and deliver her lecture at 9:05 a.m. April 24 at the Experimental Biology 2012 meeting in the San Diego Convention Center.

About the award 

The William C. Rose Award recognizes outstanding contributions to biochemical and molecular biological research and a demonstrated commitment to the training of younger scientists as epitomized by the late Rose, an authority on protein nutrition and former president of the ASBMB. The award consists of a plaque, $3,000 and transportation to the 2012 ASBMB annual meeting to present a lecture.

Enjoy reading ASBMB Today?

Become a member to receive the print edition four times a year and the digital edition monthly.

Learn more
Geoff Hunt

Geoff Hunt is the ASBMB's former outreach manager. 

Get the latest from ASBMB Today

Enter your email address, and we’ll send you a weekly email with recent articles, interviews and more.

Latest in People

People highlights or most popular articles

Meet Lan Huang
Interview

Meet Lan Huang

May 19, 2025

Molecular & Cellular Proteomics associate editor uses crosslinking mass spec to study protein–protein interactions to find novel therapeutics.

Meet Shannon Reilly
Profile

Meet Shannon Reilly

May 12, 2025

The JLR junior associate editor discusses the role of adipocytes in obesity at Weill Cornell Medical School.

Meet Donita Brady
Interview

Meet Donita Brady

May 8, 2025

Donita Brady is an associate professor of cancer biology and an associate editor of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, who studies metalloallostery in cancer.

Glyco get-together exploring health and disease
Interview

Glyco get-together exploring health and disease

May 7, 2025

Meet the co-chairs of the 2025 ASBMB meeting on O-GlcNAcylation to be held July 10–13, 2025, in Durham, North Carolina. Learn about the latest in the field and meet families affected by diseases associated with this pathway.

ASBMB recognizes 2025 outstanding student chapter
Student Chapters

ASBMB recognizes 2025 outstanding student chapter

May 6, 2025

The Purdue group, led by Orla Hart, developed STEM outreach initiatives for low-income and minority students in Lafayette, Indiana.

ASBMB inducts 2025 honor society members
Student Chapters

ASBMB inducts 2025 honor society members

May 5, 2025

Chi Omega Lambda, which recognizes exceptional juniors and seniors pursuing degrees in the molecular life sciences, has 16 new inductees in 2025.