Lab Notes Newsletter – October 2025

Welcome to Lab Notes, your monthly roundup of all things Chemistry & Biochemistry! 

Whether it’s a big research win, a fun event, or a milestone moment — it all starts here.

November 26, 2025
Desarae C Saathoff

Spotlight on Excellence: A Year of Big Wins

Three people are standing on a stage with a wooden backdrop at an awards ceremony. The person in the center, who is shorter, is wearing a dark suit and is holding a small award. The person on the left is wearing a dark suit and blue tie, and the person on the right is wearing a plaid jacket over a white shirt and dark pants with a beard.
Dr. Tania Betancourt, “Research Big Spenders" Award
Three people are standing on a wooden stage with a wooden backdrop at an awards ceremony. The person in the center is wearing a black top and dark pants, holding a small award. They are flanked by two people in suits: one on the left in a dark suit and tie, and one on the right in a plaid jacket and dark pants.
Dr. Karen Lewis, “Research Big Spenders" Award
Three people stand on a wooden stage with a wooden backdrop at an awards ceremony. The person in the center is wearing a blazer, a polo shirt, and jeans, holding a white certificate. They are flanked by a person in a dark suit and tie on the left, and a person in a plaid jacket and dark pants on the right.
Dr. Sean Kerwin, Celebrating 10 Years of Service
Three people stand on a wooden stage with a wooden backdrop at an awards ceremony. The person in the center is wearing a maroon polo shirt and khaki cargo pants, holding a certificate, and is flanked by two people in suits, one on the left in a dark suit and tie, and one on the right in a plaid jacket and dark pants.
Mr. Duke Willoughby, Presidential Distinction Award
Three people stand on a wooden stage with a wooden backdrop at an awards ceremony. The person in the center is wearing a maroon top and black pants, holding a white certificate. They are flanked by a person in a dark suit and tie on the left, and a person in a plaid jacket and dark pants on the right.
Dr. Cynthia Luxford, Celebrated 10 Years of Service
Three people stand on a wooden stage with a wooden backdrop at an awards ceremony. The person in the center is wearing a polo shirt, jeans, and a lanyard, holding a small award. They are flanked by a person in a dark suit and tie on the left, and a person in a plaid jacket and dark pants on the right.
Dr. David Schilter, “Research Grant Millionaires" Awards
Three people stand on a wooden stage with a wooden backdrop at an awards ceremony. The person in the center is wearing a light-colored striped shirt and khaki pants. They are flanked by a person in a dark suit and tie on the left, and a person in a plaid jacket and dark pants on the right.
Dr. Steve Whitten, “Research Grant Millionaires" Award

This year has been an incredible one for our department, with faculty recognized across campus and beyond for their teaching, research, and service.

  • Mr. Duke Willoughby received the Presidential Distinction Award for Excellence in Service, honoring his dedication to supporting the university community.
  • Dr. Chris Wight was recognized with the College Achievement Award for Excellence in Teaching, a testament to his innovative approaches in the classroom.
  • Dr. Liqin Du earned the College Achievement Award for Excellence in Scholarly/Creative Activities, highlighting her outstanding contributions to research.
  • Dr. Steve Whitten, Dr. David Schilter, and Dr. Michael Jacobs joined the ranks of “Research Grant Millionaires,” reflecting their remarkable success in securing competitive research funding.
  • Dr. Tania Betancourt, Dr. Karen Lewis, and Dr. Ryan Peterson were honored as “Research Big Spenders,” recognized for their commitment to advancing discovery through significant research activity.

Dr. Sean Kerwin, Dr. Don Patterson and Dr. Cynthia Luxford celebrated 10 years of service in the department, while Dr. Bill Brittain marked an impressive 15 years of service.

And, of course, we can’t forget Dr. Cynthia Luxford, who capped it all off by earning the Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching—one of the university’s highest honors.

Together, these achievements showcase the depth of talent, dedication, and impact our faculty bring to Texas State. From service and teaching to research milestones and career longevity, our community is thriving thanks to their hard work.

TXST researcher studies role of sumoylation in DNA damage repair

Dr. Xiaoyu Xue, an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Texas State University, has received a nearly $600,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the role protein sumoylation plays in DNA repair.

The four-year grant was awarded by the NIH’s National Institute of General Medical Sciences and will fund Xue’s project, “Mechanism of Smc5/6-mediated protein sumoylation in DNA repair.” This study builds upon previous sumoylation research by Dr. Xue published in journals Genes & Development in 2021 and J Biol Chem in 2022.

A dark illustration featuring the outline of a DNA double helix surrounded by abstract shapes, stars, and chemical molecular structures.

Sumoylation is a cellular process that can regulate many protein functions, including repair of damage to the genome. “One of my lab’s long-term goals is to explore how protein sumoylation regulates the function of DNA repair proteins during DNA damage repair to maintain genome stability,” Xue said. “The overall goal of this study is to determine whether DNA binding, adenosine triphosphate binding and hydrolysis activities mediated by a specific chromosome maintenance complex (Smc5/6) contribute to sumoylation efficiency and specificity, and genome stability.”

Genomic DNA is vulnerable to myriad internal and external damaging agents, such as ionizing and ultraviolet radiation, chemical carcinogens and cellular metabolites. Cells have evolved a dozen DNA repair pathways to repair these lesions efficiently. Amongst these pathways, homologous recombination (HR) is a conserved pathway for the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and damaged replication forks. In eukaryotic cells, HR requires tight regulation to achieve timely activation and suppression.

Sumoylation is one type of cellular regulation that can control the functions of HR proteins. Dysfunctional sumoylation in HR can lead to gross chromosomal rearrangements and cancer.

Currently, how different sumoylation enzymes confer sumoylation of specific HR proteins at DNA damage sites is poorly understood. Xue’s study is expected to provide insights into the mechanisms of an essential SUMO E3 complex that play pivotal roles in HR repair and genome stability, potentially leading to new therapeutic strategies for human diseases related to dysfunctional sumoylation.

The Great Pumpkin Off Brings Fall Spirit to Chemistry and Biochemistry!

The halls of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department were brimming with creativity this October during The Great Pumpkin Off — our first, and hopefully not last, door decorating contest celebrating Fall, Halloween, and Día de los Muertos!

This year’s participants went above and beyond, showcasing incredible teamwork and festive flair across both the Chemistry and Centennial buildings. After careful judging, we’re thrilled to announce that the Xiphophorus Lab (Cent 421) took home the prize! 

A diverse group of five people stands in a hallway in front of a double door decorated for Halloween with chains, cobwebs, and paper ghosts.

Their pirate-themed door impressed the judges with its clever details, coordinated design, and creative execution. Congratulations to Jessica Parker, Lindsey Sanchez, Jarred Barron, Markita Savage, Yanting Xing, and Dallas Lee for their outstanding work! 

Every participating lab brought something special to the competition with the Jacob's Lab bringing in haunted old movie vibes, to Schilter's Lab that highlighted the truely creative spirit with their Día de los Muertos theme — the level of effort and community spirit was truly inspiring. Take a look at the amazing displays below!  come down!

Participating doors and labs included:

Chem 124 – Stephanie Chong-MaciasChem 306 – Peterson’s LabChem 338 – Schilter’s Lab
Cent 339 – Jacob's LabCent 340B – Dr. Wendi David’s OfficeCent 401A – Karen Lewis’s Lab
Cent 406A – Xue’s LabCent 406B/407 – Kerwin’s LabCent 421 – Xiphophorus Lab 

Because this event was the first for many, all participants received certificates for their groups and will be the ones to watch out for next year.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Graduate Program Recruiting at the American Chemical Society Meeting

A person stands behind an informational table for the Texas State University Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization program at a professional event. The table features a maroon banner, brochures, and two large vertical banners detailing graduate programs and research in Materials Science and Chemistry.
MSEC PhD Student Malay Das at the recruiting table in Orlando

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, in collaboration with the Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization (MSEC) Program, proudly represented Texas State University at the Graduate School Fair during the Southeast/Southwest Joint Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Orlando on October 26.

Faculty and graduate representatives shared information about Texas State’s innovative graduate programs, interdisciplinary research opportunities, and supportive community of scholars. The event offered an excellent opportunity to connect with prospective students and fellow researchers from across the country.

Spooky Fun and Spirited Costumes!

Graduate students from Chemistry & Biochemistry gathered for a frightfully fun afternoon at this year’s HalloSTEM Grad Social, held on October 24 in Centennial Hall G01.

A person dressed in a Loki-inspired costume, featuring a green blazer, a tie, and a horned helmet, stands indoors holding a Certificate of Achievement. The image is framed within a simulated film strip border.

The event featured a showing of Spirited Away — the group’s top pick from a pre-event movie poll — along with plenty of snacks, soda, and spooky spirit. Costumes were on full display, and the competition was fierce! After group voting, Jacklyn was crowned this year’s Costume Contest Champion for her creative President Loki look, taking home the coveted Bobcat Tapestry Blanket.

Between the laughter, movie moments, and creative costumes, the HalloSTEM Social was the perfect way for grad students to unwind, connect, and celebrate the season together. A big thank-you to everyone who joined in the Halloween fun — we can’t wait to see next year’s costumes! 

Seminar Spotlight

This Fall 2025 semester, our department is hosting a series of fascinating seminars. From nanotechnology to bioaerosols, here's a look at some of the highlights from our guest speakers seminars. 

10/6: Dr. George Parra, Rules of Engagement for an Oncogenic LCD

Dr. George Parra from UT Health San Antonio (and a TXST Biochemistry alumnus) presented his doctoral research on the EWS::FLI1 fusion protein, the primary oncogenic driver in Ewing sarcoma (EwS). His work focused on how the protein's EWS low-complexity domain (EWSLCD) uses distinct contacts to drive pathology. Dr. Parra demonstrated that proline- and tyrosine-mediated contacts are key to the EWS::FLI1 function. Specifically, NMR spectroscopy showed that Pro-X-X-Pro motifs in the EWSLCD bind the catalytic site of PPIL1, while tyrosine-specific interactions influence the protein's role in transcription, RNA processing, and DNA repair. His findings offer a structural foothold for developing new targeted cancer therapies. 

10/22: Dr. Caroline Beyer, Guidance on Publishing Your Research

Caroline Beyer, an Associate Editor of Nature Reviews Bioengineering at Springer Nature, will give a seminar titled "Publishing your research". Caroline received her B.S. and M.S. degrees from Tulane University and is currently completing her doctoral studies at Charité Universitätsmedizin, where she researches stem cell modeling and vascularization of neuromuscular organoids. Having joined Springer Nature in July 2024, her seminar offers valuable insights into the process of getting scientific work published.

11/3: Dr. Maria Croyle, Film-Based Technology to Solve Global Health Problems

Dr. Maria Croyle from the UT Austin College of Pharmacy will present "From Lab Scale to Grand Scale: Use of a Platform Technology to Solve Global Problems". Her seminar focuses on a film-based platform technology inspired by the need for solutions highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. This technology is designed to stabilize and deliver different biological drugs, including needle-free vaccines, by various routes of administration while limiting the reliance on cold chain storage. Dr. Croyle, who was the first to report long-term protection from a needle-free vaccine for Ebola using this technology, will also discuss how the platform can be manufactured outside the laboratory and how it inspired additional research into the immunology and biology of the oral mucosa.

Missed these events? Check out the next ones!

DateSpeaker
11/10Xin Yan, Texas A&M
11/17Ryan Davis, Sandia National Labs
12/1Gangadhara Sareddy, UT Health San Antonio

Closing Remarks

Thank you for reading this edition of Lab Notes! We’re proud to celebrate the achievements, creativity of our students, and community that make the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry such an inspiring place to be. 

Stay tuned for next month’s issue — and don’t forget to share your own updates, events, and accomplishments with us!

Submit your news here →

Desarae C Saathoff
Administrative Asst II
CHEM: 238
(512) 245-2156