VT College of Science Magazine Summer 2008 | Page 16

Issue No. 5 SUMMER 2008

C o l l e g e

NEWS

Biological Sciences Launches Corporate
Partner Program
Virginia Tech’s Department of Biological Sciences in the
university’s College of Science has launched a corporate partners program to foster collaboration between
faculty, students, and bio-science-oriented corporations
in the mid-Atlantic region. The Biological Sciences Partners in Research and Education (BioSPIRE) program is
designed to engage companies with an interest and capacity to impact education in the biological sciences.
“With the marketplace continuing to invest in biotechnology and other biologically related products and
services, it is essential for companies and educational
institutions to work together to develop tomorrow’s
leaders and maintain a strong economy in the region”
said Robert Jones, head of the university’s Department
of Biological Sciences.
The program will include scholarships to enhance diversity in the undergraduate student population and
to support undergraduate research projects and other
kinds of hands-on learning and training experiences.

Photo courtesy of Richard Spjut

o f

S c i e n c e

M a g a z i n e

14

Taxus Kingstonii, also known as the Kingston Yew.

the important cancer chemotherapeutic agent paclitaxel (Taxol).
Kingston’s years of research have resulted in knowledge
that helped develop improved analogs of paclitaxel,
which is used to treat breast and ovarian cancer. At the
same time, Kingston’s work has also helped save vital
tropical rain forests.

Tree named in honor of Virginia Tech chemist
A new yew species that grows in
India, China, and Taiwan has been
named for David G.I. Kingston,
University Distinguished Professor of Chemistry in Virginia Tech’s
College of Science.
Taxus kingstonii, also called the
Kingston yew, was described by
David Kingston
Richard Spjut in a major review
of yew species published in the Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas. The author says, “Taxus
kingstonii is named in honor of David G.I. Kingston, a
chemist who has done extensive work on elucidating
and summarizing the taxane chemistry of the genus.”
Taxanes are produced by the yew species, and include

Geosciences Faculty Honored with
International Rewards
Robert Bodnar, University Distinguished Professor of Geosciences,
recently received the Silver Medal
of the Society of Economic Geologists (SEG), a large international
geosciences society. The Silver
Medal is given once a year to a
landmark scientist in his or her
Robert Bodnar
mid-career. It is awarded only to
the most important and influential economic geologists in the world. In 2006, Bodnar
received the Bowen Medal from the American Geophysical Union, another prestigious honor.