The Robert L. Metzenberg Memorial Lecture
"DNA Methylation and Genome Defense in Neurospora crassa"
Presented by Dr. Eric U. Selker, Professor of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon
3:30 PM Friday, September 7, 2007 in the Auditorium of the Genetics/Biotechnology Center Building located at 425 Henry Mall. Introductory remarks by the Robert Metzenberg Family. Reception immediately following the lecture in the Atrium.
Sponsored by the Laboratory of Genetics, the Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, the School of Medicine and Public Health and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.
Eric Selker was a postdoctoral fellow in the 1980's with Bob. Bob was a faculty member in Biomolecular Chemistry, but he was above all an extraordinary geneticist working on Neurospora and had many connections with the faculty in Genetics.
Metzenberg, Robert LOS ANGELES, CALIF. - Robert Metzenberg passed away on Sunday, July 15, 2007, in Los Angeles, Calif., after a long struggle with cancer. His wife of 53 years, Helene, was by his side. Metzenberg was born in Chicago, Ill., on June 11, 1930, and he grew up on Chicago's south side. Later, his family moved to Highland Park, Ill., where he attended high school. In 1951, he graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Pomona College in Claremont, Calif., where he majored in chemistry. Between 1951 and 1955, he earned a Ph.D. at California Institute of Technology in the Division of Biological Sciences. As a graduate student at Cal Tech, he met his wife, Helene Fox, who grew up in Pasadena, Calif. They were married on June 26, 1954, in Vermont. In 1955, Bob and Helene moved east, to Madison, Wis. They had intended to live in Madison for only one year, but ended up staying more than 40 years. Metzenberg became a professor in the University of Wisconsin, Madison's Department of Physiological Chemistry (since renamed Biomolecular Chemistry), in the School of Medicine. In addition to other teaching duties, from 1962 to 1996, he was always one of the lecturers in Physiological Chemistry 704, an advanced course in Biochemistry that first year medical students are required to complete. In 1978, he was named a John Bascom Professor by the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents. In 1997, Robert was elected to the National Academy of Sciences and in 2005, he was awarded the Genetics Society of America's Thomas Hunt Morgan award for lifetime achievement. Following his retirement from the University of Wisconsin in 1996, he became a research professor at Stanford University. Bob and Helene moved from Madison to Menlo Park, Calif. In 2002, they relocated again to Northridge, Calif., so that Helene and Bob could live near family. Metzenberg was still actively engaged in research at the time of his death. In a brief article published in Genetics in 2007, he showed how a retired scientist could convert a spare bedroom into a laboratory. He entered his laboratory for the final time only hours before his death. His survivors include his wife, Helene; sons, Howard and Stan; daughter-in-law, Aida; and two grandchildren. Helene plans to host a gathering of friends and neighbors in the Los Angeles area at her home the afternoon of Sunday, Aug. 12, 2007. A memorial seminar will take place at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, under the auspices of the departments of Biomolecular Chemistry and Genetics. See the website of the Department of Genetics for details. A public memorial gathering will be held in Madison, on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007, from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m., in the tea room at OAKWOOD VILLAGE WEST, a retirement center at 6165 Mineral Point Road. The family recommends contributions to Physicians Without Borders or any other charity, in lieu of flowers.
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May 1, 2007
The Genetics Retreat will be held on Friday, October 13 at Devil's Head Resort in Merrimac, Wi. The retreat features research talks from John Doebley, Jenya Grinblat, Bill Engels, Tom Jeffries, Rick Vierstra and Scott Kennedy. A luncheon keynote address will be given by Fred Blattner on "From genomes to designed genomes; The E. coli reduction experience." Rick Amasino will facilitate a workshop on "The teaching of evolution and responding to society" and includes discussants Bret Payseur, John Hawks and Andy Peters. The day wraps up with poster sessions featuring the work of the Genetics graduate students. The Genetics Retreat Committee is Dana Wohlbach, Scott Topper, Lisa Farmer, Adi Veillet, Suraiya Haroon, Audrey Gasch and Allen Laughon. 
John White, a professor of anatomy and molecular biology, was named a James F. Crow Professor. The professorship is named after UW-Genetics faculty member Jim Crow.