Contact name: Lesley Butler
Contact email: lesleym@illinois.edu

Title: "Protein dynamics: Connecting in vitro, in cell, and in vivo."

Our current understanding of in vitro protein folding is due to decades of experimental and computational research that provided high-resolution characterization of protein structure, identification of folding principles, and development of folding algorithms. With the success of in vitro studies, it is essential that we now turn our attention in vivo. While evidence that the cellular environment perturbs protein behaviors emerged over half a century ago, we still have limited fundamental information about the effects of these cooperative cellular interactions on protein properties. The gap in knowledge is largely attributable to the transient nature of interactions in the cellular milieu and challenges associated with studying protein structure, stability, and dynamics in living cells. Here we leverage groundbreaking spectro-microscopy methods, fast relaxation fluorescence imaging (FReI) and optical photothermal infrared imaging (O-PTIR) in combination with functional biochemical assays, in vitro biophysical spectroscopy, and numerical analysis solutions, to characterize in-cell protein dynamics. Our work addresses the following questions: 1. What is the physiochemical code to protein folding? Do classic in vitro protein principles translate to cells? 2. Can we develop methods to visualize the spatial distribution of metabolism and associated metabolic protein structural dynamics in living cells? 3. How does thermal adaptation and acclimation by organisms change the stability, folding, and aggregation of proteins in differentiated tissues? Overall, this work will lead to a greater understanding of protein homeostasis in health and disease.

Join us for Molecular Science and Engineering, Explained

The entire Beckman community is invited to learn about the Molecular Science and Engineering theme at MSE, Explained.

9:40 a.m. through 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 1

 1005 Beckman Institute (along with the Beckman Auditorium and Beckman Atrium)

Agenda for the event:

9:40 a.m.: Pre-event coffee and snacks 

10-11:30 a.m.: Welcome and working group presentations

11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m.: Poster session

12:20-1 p.m.: Working lunch

If you are a researcher in the MSE theme, please sign up to present a poster. We are encouraging collaborative posters with two presenters from different working groups.

Please register by Monday, March 24. 

And please save the date for Intelligent Systems, Explained. It's scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, May 9.

Contact name: Stacy Olson
Contact email: srolson@illinois.edu
Contact phone: 217-244-8373

No more information

Contact name: Mollie Stevens
Contact email: mollie@illinois.edu
Contact phone: 217-244-2603

All are welcome to join our weekly 10-10:30 a.m. Tuesday gather in the atrium sessions. Please feel free to bring your own favorite beverage and enjoy the company!

Contact name: Tim Trinklein
Contact email: timtk@illinois.edu

Join us from 10:30-11 a.m. Wednesday, April 2 in the Beckman Atrium to unwind with a visiting therapy dog! All are welcome to take a moment to destress, relax and recharge with the calming presence of a canine friend!

Contact name: Elena Romanova
Contact email: romanova@illinois.edu

Join us at noon on Wednesdays this spring for yoga with a view! All sessions are free and will be held in Beckman's fifth-floor tower room. All are welcome to bring their own mat! 

Contact name: Jay Cournoyer
Contact email: itg-vl@beckman.illinois.edu

Beckman’s Visualization Laboratory is offering office hours with new Vis Lab Manager Jay Cournoyer between 1-3 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays. The Vis Lab offers data visualization software, high-performance computing, 3D art services, virtual reality content creation and high-speed photography. Have questions? Email itg-vl@beckman.illinois.edu. 

Contact name: Lexie Kesler
Contact email: lkesler@illinois.edu

Come find out more about the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology! Learn about the barrier-busting interdisciplinary research facility and community of innovation. Tours will be offered the first Thursday of the month from 10-10:30 a.m.  Register here.

Contact name: Jay Cournoyer
Contact email: itg-vl@beckman.illinois.edu

Beckman’s Visualization Laboratory is offering office hours with new Vis Lab Manager Jay Cournoyer between 1-3 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays. The Vis Lab offers data visualization software, high-performance computing, 3D art services, virtual reality content creation and high-speed photography. Have questions? Email itg-vl@beckman.illinois.edu. 

Contact name: Stacy Olson
Contact email: srolson@illinois.edu
Contact phone: 217-244-8373

Calvin Mackie, founder of STEM NOLA, will give a lecture titled, "Hope in the 21st Century."

A kid-friendly reception will follow, as will a preview of the Beckman Institute Open House from 4-6 p.m.

For more information, visit the SmithGroup Lecture web page.

Contact name: Lexie Kesler
Contact email: lkesler@illinois.edu

The Beckman Institute Open House is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, April 4, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 5, 2025. It offers a fun, interactive look at the interdisciplinary research happening at the Beckman Institute. It happens at the same time as Engineering Open House each year. 

Contact name: Lexie Kesler
Contact email: lkesler@illinois.edu

Hear “Questions Led the Way,” a new storybook about the Beckman Institute.

Listeners will receive a free science notebook! Beckman Director Steve Maren will lead this reading during the 

Beckman Institute Open House

.

Other story times include:

2 p.m. Friday, April 4, Associate Director for Research Cristina Álvarez-Mingote will read in Spanish then English

10 a.m. Saturday, April 5, Graduate student Kennedi Crayton

2 p.m. Saturday, April 5, Former Director Jeff Moore (and his 8-year-old granddaughter)

Contact name: Lexie Kesler
Contact email: lkesler@illinois.edu

Hear “Questions Led the Way,” a new storybook about the Beckman Institute during the Beckman Institute Open House.

Listeners will receive a free science notebook! 

Associate Director for Research Cristina Álvarez-Mingote will read in Spanish, then English.

Other story times include:

10 a.m.. Friday, April 4, Director Steve Maren

10 a.m. Saturday, April 5, Graduate student Kennedi Crayton

2 p.m. Saturday, April 5, Former Director Jeff Moore (and his 8-year-old granddaughter)

Contact name: Lexie Kesler
Contact email: lkesler@illinois.edu

The Beckman Institute Open House is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, April 4, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 5, 2025. It offers a fun, interactive look at the interdisciplinary research happening at the Beckman Institute. It happens at the same time as Engineering Open House each year. 

Contact name: Lexie Kesler
Contact email: lkesler@illinois.edu

Hear “Questions Led the Way,” a new storybook about the Beckman Institute.

Listeners will receive a free science notebook! Beckman Director Graduate student Kennedi Crayton will lead this reading during the 

Beckman Institute Open House

.

Other story times include:

10 a.m. Friday, April 4, Director Steve Maren

2 p.m. Friday, April 4, Associate Director for Research Cristina Álvarez-Mingote will read in Spanish then English

2 p.m. Saturday, April 5, Former Director Jeff Moore (and his 8-year-old granddaughter)

Contact name: Lexie Kesler
Contact email: lkesler@illinois.edu

Hear “Questions Led the Way,” a new storybook about the Beckman Institute.

Listeners will receive a free science notebook! 

will lead this reading during the 

Beckman Institute Open House

.

Other story times include:

10 a.m. Friday, April 4, Director Steve Maren

2 p.m. Friday, April 4, Associate Director for Research Cristina Álvarez-Mingote will read in Spanish then English

10 a.m. Saturday, April 5, Graduate student Kennedi Crayton

Contact name: Mollie Stevens
Contact email: mollie@illinois.edu
Contact phone: 217-244-2603

All are welcome to join our weekly 10-10:30 a.m. Tuesday gather in the atrium sessions. Please feel free to bring your own favorite beverage and enjoy the company!

Contact name: Bishop Gonzalez
Contact email: jbgonza2@illinois.edu

Please join us at noon on Tuesday, April 8, in 5602 Beckman to learn about "Visual Feast: How the Sausage Gets Made" demystifying digital image data and all of the things you can do with it, presented by Jay Cournoyer.

Lunch will be provided to those who register for in-person attendance.  

Please register by Thursday, April 3.

Register here!

Registration link

Contact name: Marni Boppart
Contact email: mboppart@illinois.edu

Extracellular vesicles represent an important mechanism for intercellular communication, yet our understanding of the biosynthesis, detection, and characterization of EVs continues to emerge.

The 

mission

 of the Beckman Institute EVIT Working Group is to bring together our university community focused on the investigation of EVs in the context of both health and disease. Our 

vision 

is to introduce 

innovation

 into the traditional workflow of isolating and characterizing EVs, which requires synergistic efforts from faculty in multiple disciplines. 

This workshop will provide the opportunity to learn about the use of EVs as markers of disease progression from Mayo Clinic faculty, as well as become acquainted with newly emerging technologies to capture and detect EVs by faculty at Illinois. The poster session will provide an informal venue for exploring new collaborations. All faculty, staff, postdoctoral students, graduate students, and interested members of the public are welcome to join us for this half day workshop. 

See the full agenda and register by April 9.

Registration link

Contact name: Elena Romanova
Contact email: romanova@illinois.edu

Join us at noon on Wednesdays this spring for yoga with a view! All sessions are free and will be held in Beckman's fifth-floor tower room. All are welcome to bring their own mat! 

Contact name: Alejandra Isabel Otero Pires
Contact email: pires2@illinois.edu

The annual symposium of the Center for Label-free Imaging and Multiscale Biophotonics is open for all interested in the field of label-free biophotonics, with translational applications to clinical medicine and fundamental biology. Register now. 

Registration link

Contact name: Mollie Stevens
Contact email: mollie@illinois.edu
Contact phone: 217-244-2603

Join Beckman Director Steve Maren in the Beckman center atrium for the annual presentation of two Beckman awards: the

Vision and Spirit Award

,

Staff Spirit and Dedication Award

,

Cupcakes will follow in celebration of the anniversary of Arnold Beckman's birth, April 10.

Contact name: Mollie Stevens
Contact email: mollie@illinois.edu
Contact phone: 217-244-2603

All are welcome to join our weekly 10-10:30 a.m. Tuesday gather in the atrium sessions. Please feel free to bring your own favorite beverage and enjoy the company!

Contact name: Elena Romanova
Contact email: romanova@illinois.edu

Join us at noon on Wednesdays this spring for yoga with a view! All sessions are free and will be held in Beckman's fifth-floor tower room. All are welcome to bring their own mat! 

Contact name: Tim Trinklein
Contact email: timtk@illinois.edu

Join us from 10:30-11 a.m. Thursday, April 17 in the Beckman Atrium to unwind with a visiting therapy dog! All are welcome to take a moment to destress, relax and recharge with the calming presence of a canine friend!

Contact name: Mollie Stevens
Contact email: mollie@illinois.edu
Contact phone: 12172442603

Join members of the Beckman community for coffee and cookies in the Beckman Atrium. The Cookie Collab is scheduled for 3 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month. 

Contact name: Marni Boppart
Contact email: mboppart@illinois.edu

Extracellular vesicles represent an important mechanism for intercellular communication, yet our understanding of the biosynthesis, detection, and characterization of EVs continues to emerge.

The 

mission

 of the Beckman Institute EVIT Working Group is to bring together our university community focused on the investigation of EVs in the context of both health and disease. Our 

vision 

is to introduce 

innovation

 into the traditional workflow of isolating and characterizing EVs, which requires synergistic efforts from faculty in multiple disciplines. 

This workshop will provide the opportunity to learn about the use of EVs as markers of disease progression from Mayo Clinic faculty, as well as become acquainted with newly emerging technologies to capture and detect EVs by faculty at Illinois. The poster session will provide an informal venue for exploring new collaborations. All faculty, staff, postdoctoral students, graduate students, and interested members of the public are welcome to join us for this half day workshop. 

See the full agenda and register by April 9.

Registration link

Contact name: Stacy Olson
Contact email: srolson@illinois.edu

Beckman Director Steve Maren will be hosting a weekly Director’s Coffee Hour at 9 a.m. on Fridays at one of the nearby coffee shops (the Daily Byte or Espresso Royale) until the Beckman Café reopens. It's a great opportunity to get to know your new director and for him to get to know you and your research. Steve's buying! 

Please contact Stacy for details on meeting Steve.

Contact name: Jay Cournoyer
Contact email: jecourno@illinois.edu

The Beckman Institute's Visualization Laboratory has a new location!

From 1-3 p.m. Friday, April 18, join us to celebrate with refreshments, remarks and a ribbon cutting in 2203 Beckman. You'll have a chance to meet new Vis Lab Manager Jay Cournoyer and see demonstrations of various services the lab offers from its Graphic Services team.

Remarks will begin at 1:30 p.m., followed by a ribbon cutting. Please RSVP by April 11.

Contact name: Mollie Stevens
Contact email: mollie@illinois.edu
Contact phone: 217-244-2603

All are welcome to join our weekly 10-10:30 a.m. Tuesday gather in the atrium sessions. Please feel free to bring your own favorite beverage and enjoy the company!

Contact name: Elena Romanova
Contact email: romanova@illinois.edu

Join us at noon on Wednesdays this spring for yoga with a view! All sessions are free and will be held in Beckman's fifth-floor tower room. All are welcome to bring their own mat! 

Contact name: Cristina Alvarez-Mingote
Contact email: alvarez9@illinois.edu

Welcome to the Beckman Institute! In this onboarding session, new Beckman faculty and affiliates will learn from Associate Director for Research Cristina Álvarez-Mingote what Beckman Institute services are available, who to contact with questions, and how to be a collaborative and fully engaged member of the Beckman community. 

Please

register

Contact name: Stacy Olson
Contact email: srolson@illinois.edu

Join Beckman's leadership team to ask questions about its financial plans during challenging times. The goal: To be transparent and available for people with concerns. We will also host discussions during this time slot May 30 and June 20. Add this session to your calendar.

Contact name: Aaron Anderson
Contact email: aandrsn3@illinois.edu

Lirong Yan, Ph.D Associate Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University, will present, "Advanced Neurovascular MR Imaging: from Marco- to Microvascular Imaging.”

Neurovascular imaging is essential for studying the vascular pathophysiology of cerebrovascular disease and neurodegenerative diseases. Our lab has a long-standing interest in developing novel non-contrast-enhanced MRI techniques, particularly for MR angiography, perfusion, and quantitative hemodynamics. In this talk, I will present our latest advancements in neurovascular imaging, spanning from macrovascular to microvascular levels. These developments may offer promising new tools for investigating cerebral vascular diseases and Alzheimer's disease and related dementia.

Contact name: Mollie Stevens
Contact email: mollie@illinois.edu
Contact phone: 217-244-2603

All are welcome to join our weekly 10-10:30 a.m. Tuesday gather in the atrium sessions. Please feel free to bring your own favorite beverage and enjoy the company!

Contact name: Elena Romanova
Contact email: romanova@illinois.edu

Join us at noon on Wednesdays this spring for yoga with a view! All sessions are free and will be held in Beckman's fifth-floor tower room. All are welcome to bring their own mat! 

Contact name: Lexie Kesler
Contact email: lkesler@illinois.edu

Come find out more about the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology! Learn about the barrier-busting interdisciplinary research facility and community of innovation. Tours will be offered the first Thursday of the month from 10-10:30 a.m.  Register here.

Contact name: Stacy Olson
Contact email: srolson@illinois.edu

Beckman Director Steve Maren will be hosting a weekly Director’s Coffee Hour at 9 a.m. on Fridays at one of the nearby coffee shops (the Daily Byte or Espresso Royale) until the Beckman Café reopens. It's a great opportunity to get to know your new director and for him to get to know you and your research. Steve's buying! 

Please contact Stacy for details on meeting Steve.

Contact name: Mollie Stevens
Contact email: mollie@illinois.edu
Contact phone: 217-244-2603

All are welcome to join our weekly 10-10:30 a.m. Tuesday gather in the atrium sessions. Please feel free to bring your own favorite beverage and enjoy the company!

Contact name: Elena Romanova
Contact email: romanova@illinois.edu

Join us at noon on Wednesdays this spring for yoga with a view! All sessions are free and will be held in Beckman's fifth-floor tower room. All are welcome to bring their own mat! 

Contact name: Stacy Olson
Contact email: srolson@illinois.edu
Contact phone: 217-244-8373

The entire Beckman community is invited to learn about the Intelligent Systems research theme.

8 a.m. through 1:30 p.m. Friday, May 9

1005 Beckman Institute, Beckman Auditorium and Beckman Atrium

Agenda for the event:

8-9 a.m.: Breakfast

9-11 a.m.: Opening remarks followed by lightening talks by full-time members

11 a.m. to noon: Poster session by full-time faculty, part-time faculty and affiliates

Noon to 1:30 p.m.  Lunch

Please register by Friday, May 2. Add this event to your calendar.

Registration link

Contact name: Stacy Olson
Contact email: srolson@illinois.edu

Beckman Director Steve Maren will be hosting a weekly Director’s Coffee Hour at 9 a.m. on Fridays at one of the nearby coffee shops (the Daily Byte or Espresso Royale) until the Beckman Café reopens. It's a great opportunity to get to know your new director and for him to get to know you and your research. Steve's buying! 

Please contact Stacy for details on meeting Steve.

Contact name: Mollie Stevens
Contact email: mollie@illinois.edu
Contact phone: 217-244-2603

All are welcome to join our weekly 10-10:30 a.m. Tuesday gather in the atrium sessions. Please feel free to bring your own favorite beverage and enjoy the company!

Contact name: Elena Romanova
Contact email: romanova@illinois.edu

Join us at noon on Wednesdays this spring for yoga with a view! All sessions are free and will be held in Beckman's fifth-floor tower room. All are welcome to bring their own mat! 

Contact name: Mollie Stevens
Contact email: mollie@illinois.edu
Contact phone: 12172442603

Join members of the Beckman community for coffee and cookies in the Beckman Atrium. The Cookie Collab is scheduled for 3 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month. 

Contact name: Stacy Olson
Contact email: srolson@illinois.edu

Beckman Director Steve Maren will be hosting a weekly Director’s Coffee Hour at 9 a.m. on Fridays at one of the nearby coffee shops (the Daily Byte or Espresso Royale) until the Beckman Café reopens. It's a great opportunity to get to know your new director and for him to get to know you and your research. Steve's buying! 

Please contact Stacy for details on meeting Steve.

Contact name: Mollie Stevens
Contact email: mollie@illinois.edu
Contact phone: 217-244-2603

All are welcome to join our weekly 10-10:30 a.m. Tuesday gather in the atrium sessions. Please feel free to bring your own favorite beverage and enjoy the company!

Contact name: Elena Romanova
Contact email: romanova@illinois.edu

Join us at noon on Wednesdays this spring for yoga with a view! All sessions are free and will be held in Beckman's fifth-floor tower room. All are welcome to bring their own mat! 

Contact name: Stacy Olson
Contact email: srolson@illinois.edu

Beckman Director Steve Maren will be hosting a weekly Director’s Coffee Hour at 9 a.m. on Fridays at one of the nearby coffee shops (the Daily Byte or Espresso Royale) until the Beckman Café reopens. It's a great opportunity to get to know your new director and for him to get to know you and your research. Steve's buying! 

Please contact Stacy for details on meeting Steve.

Contact name: Mollie Stevens
Contact email: mollie@illinois.edu
Contact phone: 217-244-2603

All are welcome to join our weekly 10-10:30 a.m. Tuesday gather in the atrium sessions. Please feel free to bring your own favorite beverage and enjoy the company!

Contact name: Elena Romanova
Contact email: romanova@illinois.edu

Join us at noon on Wednesdays this spring for yoga with a view! All sessions are free and will be held in Beckman's fifth-floor tower room. All are welcome to bring their own mat! 

Contact name: Stacy Olson
Contact email: srolson@illinois.edu

Beckman Director Steve Maren will be hosting a weekly Director’s Coffee Hour at 9 a.m. on Fridays at one of the nearby coffee shops (the Daily Byte or Espresso Royale) until the Beckman Café reopens. It's a great opportunity to get to know your new director and for him to get to know you and your research. Steve's buying! 

Please contact Stacy for details on meeting Steve.

Contact name: Stacy Olson
Contact email: srolson@illinois.edu

Join Beckman's leadership team to ask questions about its financial plans during challenging times. The goal: To be transparent and available for people with concerns. We will also host another discussion at this same time Friday, June 20. 

Add this session to your calendar

.