Kansas City, Mo. (April 14, 2008) – Michael Washburn, Ph.D., Director of Proteomics, was presented the John A. Boezi Alumnus Award by Michigan State University (MSU) on April 10. Dr. Washburn received his Ph.D. from MSU in 1998.

     Dr. John Boezi was a distinguished faculty member at MSU whose dedication to teaching and uncompromising principles of integrity and performance were respected by students and colleagues. His death in 1980 inspired the establishment of an annual award in his memory. Each year, the MSU Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology recognizes a graduate who has gone on to a distinguished career reflecting the qualities personified by Dr. Boezi.

     “Dr. Washburn’s forward-thinking approach to proteomics has been a tremendous asset to the Stowers Institute over the past five years,” said Robb Krumlauf, Ph.D., Scientific Director. “He is an innovative scientist and a true collaborator. This recognition by MSU is richly deserved.”

     While on campus to accept the award, Dr. Washburn delivered the John A. Boezi Memorial Lecture entitled “Using Normalized Spectral Abundance Factors to Visualize Protein Complexes and Protein Interaction Networks.”

     “Though I never met Dr. Boezi, I believe that his approach to science is one to which we can all strive,” said Dr. Washburn. “It was an honor to be selected for this award and a privilege to have an opportunity to talk about my current work. My time at MSU has had a lasting impact on my career, and I always enjoy returning to campus.”

     Dr. Washburn received his B.A. degree in Chemistry from Grinnell College in 1992 and completed his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Environmental Toxicology at Michigan State University under the direction of Dr. William Wells in 1998. Dr. Washburn completed postdoctoral research in the laboratory of John Yates III in the Department of Molecular Biotechnology at the University of Washington in 2000.

     Dr. Washburn joined the Stowers Institute from the Torrey Mesa Research Institute in San Diego in 2003. Laurence Florens, Ph.D., Managing Director of Proteomics, and Dr. Washburn co-lead a team of twelve scientists whose research program is focused on quantitative proteomics and protein interaction networks. The Proteomics Center team collaborates extensively with the Institute’s independent research programs and has contributed to key findings published by Institute researchers in leading peer-reviewed journals, including Science and Cell. The team’s work has contributed significantly to the scientific progress of the Institute in its early years.

About the Stowers Institute
     Housed in a 600,000 square-foot state-of-the-art facility on a 10-acre campus in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri, the Stowers Institute for Medical Research conducts basic research on fundamental processes of cellular life. Through its commitment to collaborative research and the use of cutting-edge technology, the Institute seeks more effective means of preventing and curing disease. The Institute was founded by Jim and Virginia Stowers, two cancer survivors who have created combined endowments of $2 billion in support of basic research of the highest quality.