Rao Named Chair of ISU Biochemistry, Biophysics,Molecular Biology Department

AMES, Iowa "“ Guru Rao has been named the interim chair of the Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology at Iowa State University, effective Sept. 1. Rao, professor of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, joined the department in 2006. He received his doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Mysore, India, and his bachelor's and master's degrees in chemistry from Gauhati University, India. Rao's research focuses on structure-function relationships of plant proteins, protein interactions and protein engineering. Former chair Alan Myers will rejoin the faculty of the department. He served as chair for seven years. The Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology is jointly administered by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The department instructs students and conducts research with the overall goal of understanding the molecular mechanisms of living systems. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs of broad scope in the biological, biomedical and environmental sciences. -30-