Dear all,
Just to clarify an issue arising.
Before Christmas there was a request for anyone feeling artistic to design a
logo for a new venture "Nord Prot" a zero budget organisation designed to
help promote protein science in Oulu, with input from Oulu University of
Applied Sciences, Biocenter Oulu and other departments at the University of
Oulu. Along with this is the launch of a new international MSc in Protein
Science and Biotechnology by our department. I hope that both of these
initiatives will benefit the department, but they do not mean a shift in
emphasis by the department.
As the FM is phased-out, the department will continue to offer a 3-year BSc
in Biochemistry which is designed to be balanced across all aspects of
biochemistry. In addition from September 2008 we will offer 2-year MSc
degree programmes designed specifically to allow our BSc students to
specialise in either "Molecular and Cellular Biology" or "Protein Science
and Biotechnology". While protein science has, and will continue to be,
promoted in the department, so to will other areas of biochemistry. In the
next month there should be an open call for a new Professorship to
strengthen Cellular Biochemistry, following on from the Senior lecturer
position in Cell biology filled last year. New cell biology laboratories are
planned and the recent purchase of RT-PCR, flow cytometric, stopped-flow and
quenched-flow equipment demonstrates the breadth of our interests and
commitments.
I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to getting Nord Prot and
the new MSc off the ground over Christmas. The advert for the new MSc and
the new Nord Prot web site will (hopefully) be launched on Monday. So far we
have one entry for the Nord Prot logo, but there are still a few days left
if anyone else is feeling artistic.
VBW,
Lloyd