The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) recognized its Northeastern University chapter as this year’s Outstanding Chapter. The group was recognized at the ASBMB Annual Meeting in San Diego earlier this month.

Each year the organization recognizes a chapter for its outstanding leadership and commitment to science education and promoting science literacy. Chapters must demonstrate leadership in their education activities, exhibit exceptional commitment to increasing public scientific awareness, demonstrate interaction with other campus activities and events, and participate in regional and national meetings.

The Biochemistry Club serves as the leadership for Northeastern’s ASBMB chapter. This past year the Northeastern chapter hosted the 2015 ASBMB Northeast Regional Meeting, attended by 10 area schools. The event featured keynote speaker, Dr. Kornelia Polyak, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a judged poster session, and a networking event.

The Northeastern Center for Student Involvement also recently awarded the Biochemistry Club the 2016 Phoenix Award for Organizational Excellence. The club received this award for its work adding new professional development and social activities to its calendar, and for its significant contributions to the initiatives of the Northeastern Chapter of the ASBMB.

Highlights this year included:

• Hosting the ASBMB Northeast Regional Meeting;
• Having six undergraduates attend the ASBMB Annual Meeting in San Diego, five of whom presented their research in the poster competition;
• Establishing a mentoring partnership with Roxbury Community College as they start their own ASBMB Chapter;
• Outreach visits and science fair judging with the Kennedy Academy for Health Careers;
• Volunteering in hands-on demonstrations with Cambridge Science Fair’s Science on the Street program;
• Selecting two ASBMB-sponsored science fair award winners at Methuen High School;
• Participating in campus events of interest (NU Talk and Futures in the Sciences);
• Participating in the ASBMB Day of Service to provide information about the molecular basis for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and the current needs of those with DMD;
• Hosting numerous faculty who spoke about their research and about other topics of interest; and
• A variety of new social events both on and off campus

Congratulations to the chapter and its members for these awards!