The University of Maryland's new Bioscience Research Building, a state-of-the-art laboratory and teaching facility, was dedicated on September 18. The University will use the Bioscience Research Building for research in three of the most exciting areas of contemporary science: pathogens, neuroscience and genomics.

A team of University of Maryland scientists, led by Jonathan Dinman, associate professor of cell biology and molecular genetics, and area high school students have found the difference between two closely related components in the messenger RNA (mRNA) - near-cognate and non-cognate codons. Dr. Dinman states, "Although these two terms have been used by scientists for over 40 years, the differences between them have never been properly defined."

The University of Maryland has launched its newly created Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, MPRI, which will bring together leaders in the biosciences, computational sciences, engineering and nanosciences. These innovative collaborations share the goal of developing a comprehensive research program to find new ways to diagnose, treat and prevent the spread of pathogens.

A discovery by University of Maryland biology professor Jonathan Dinman and research assistant professor Arturas Meskauskas has provided a clue that could lead to programming the ribosome to fight viruses like HIV AIDS and SARS. In the March 23 issue of the journal Molecular Cell , they describe how the function of some long protein finger-like structures in the ribosome could lead to new antiviral therapies in the near future.