Honors for Marletta, Alrubaye and Lyons

Marletta named AIMBE fellow

Michael Marletta

The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering has named 152 new fellows, including Michael Marletta. The fellows were recognized for pioneering new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of medical and biological engineering or developing innovative approaches to bioengineering education.

Marletta is professor of chemistry and molecular and cell biology as well as the chair of molecular biology of diseases at the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on nitric oxide signaling and gas sensing as well as polysaccharide monooxygenases. Recent results with the polysaccharide monooxygenases have pointed the way towards a new generation of safe fungicides.

Among Marletta’s many honors are the Alfred Bader Award in Bioinorganic or Bioorganic Chemistry of the American Chemical Society, the Emil Thomas Kaiser Award of the Protein Society and the Murray Goodman Memorial Prize. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society, and a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.

Alrubaye honored for international education

Adnan Alrubaye

Adnan Alrubaye recently received the University of Arkansas Bumpers College International Education Award. This award recognizes faculty who have made notable and outstanding contributions to the college's international undergraduate and/or graduate international program, which increase the marketability of students to employers and graduate programs.

Alrubaye is an assistant professor of poultry science and associate director of the cell and molecular biology graduate program at the U of A. His lab investigates the cause of and ways to mitigate bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis in broiler chickens. Previous honors for Alrubaye include the Fulbright College Master Teacher Award, the Collis Geren Award, the Hoyt H. Purvis Award for Service in International Education, the Jack G. Justus Award for Teaching Excellence and the Silo–Busting Advising Award.

"As an international Iraqi American faculty member, this award means a lot to me, and it is undoubtedly a product of supporting and helping international students and faculty members across campus," Alrubaye said in a release. "In agriculture, exchanging knowledge on an international scale is crucial. Challenges such as food security, climate change and sustainable practices require collaborative efforts that dissolve borders."

Lyons wins research award

Heankel Lyons

Heankel Lyons received the 2024 Nominata Award, the highest honor bestowed on a University of Texas Southwestern graduate student. The Nominata Award was established in 1980 by the UT Southwestern Graduate Student Organization to promote academic excellence and research achievement.

Lyons is a graduate student in the genetics, development and disease Ph.D. program at UT Southwestern. She performs research with Ben Sabari, an assistant professor of reproductive biology sciences and molecular biology, on disordered regions of proteins and how their interactions with one another organize and regulate gene expression. Lyons received a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from Wellesley College.

“Heankel really sets the standard for rigor and creativity in the lab,” Sabari said. “She excels at having a big idea and following through.”

Lyons received a monetary award and gave an award lecture at UT Southwestern in May.