Oakley named first Irving S. Johnson Distinguished Professor
A fresh, new and innovative face will be joining KU's Department of Molecular Biosciences this August. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences recently named Berl Oakley as the first Irving S. Johnson Distinguished Professor of Molecular Biology.
Oakley is recognized internationally as a leader in cell cycle research at Ohio State University. He received a bachelor’s degree in botany from Duke University and a doctorate in botany and cell biology from the University of London. Currently, he is a professor of molecular genetics at Ohio State University.
Dean Joseph E. Steinmetz of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences said Oakley is a “first-rate scholar, a great teacher and mentor and an outstanding addition to the University of Kansas.”
“Oakley started a new scientific movement that resulted in a better understanding of the important process of mitosis,” Kathy Suprenant said, chair of the Department of Molecular Biosciences. “I am particularly excited about Oakley’s new line of research. This timely combination of genomics and chemical biology will lead to a better understanding of human health and disease."
More than 120 faculty members at KU’s four campuses hold endowed professorships which help recruit and maintain such an outstanding faculty. The Irving S. Johnson Distinguished Professorship was created by Johnson, a 1953 KU graduate in developmental biology (zoology). The professorship was originally established with a $507,000 gift to the University through KU Endowment and recently Johnson added an additional $500,000 to the fund. Not only does the funding provide for the professorship itself, but it also contributes to scholarship funds for a graduate student or postdoctoral researcher to assist Oakley. Funding will continue as The Kansas City-based Hall Family Foundation also contributed $500,000 and the professorship will receive additional donations from the Kansas Partnership for Faculty of Distinction Program.
Visit the
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Web site for more information.
