In his memory, the David F. Silbert Summer Fellowship was set up to support short-term research internships for medical, graduate, or other students interested in his area of research. David’s research focused on genetic biochemical and/or biophysical approaches to the study of specific membrane lipids in signal transduction pathways and in the assembly and function of eukaryotic cell membranes. Since his death from cancer in 1997, a number of biophysical techniques have been developed that address these issues. These techniques include, but are not limited to state–of-the-art fluorescence methods, structural determination using NMR or x-ray methods and computational approaches. All these techniques are directed towards

understanding the role of macromolecular interactions in cellular function. It is now clear that membrane lipids and membrane proteins are functionally involved in all aspects of the regulation of cellular processes and that these processes must be studied at the level of macromolecular function.

David studied biochemical sciences at Harvard College, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and graduated magna cum laude in 1958. He received a medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1962 and moved to St. Louis to complete his internship and residency in ward medicine at Barnes Hospital. David spent two years as a research associate in the Laboratory of Molecular Biology at the NIH in Bethesda, MD.

David came to back to Washington University as an American Cancer Society postdoctoral fellow in 1966 and joined the faculty in 1968. He was promoted to associate professor in 1973 and to professor in 1977. David participated in the graduate programs of Biochemistry, Molecular Biophysics and Molecular Cell Biology. He was devoted to teaching both medical students and graduate students and played a leading role in organizing and presenting the biochemistry curriculum.

Application forms and informational sheets are available in January of each year from either Marnice Daniels or Chris Mossinghoff in room 100 McDonnell Sci Bldg. Return the completed application by April 1, to: Dr. Koong-Nah Chung, Washington University School of Medicine, Room 100, McDonnell Science Bldg, Campus Box 8107, 660 S Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110 (314) 362-6844, chungk@msnotes.wustl.edu

Please note: The David F Silbert Summer Research Fellowship application is the same for the NIH Summer Fellowships and the guidelines would be similar (different stipend amount, etc). Please contact Dr. Chung for more information.

Previous Summer Research Information Sheet
Sample Application

	Summer 2009 - Nathaniel Ginder worked in the Nichols laboratory. They are working on potassium channels which are critical regulators of excitability in all cells and are major therapeutic targets.
	Summer 2008 - Agnieszka Monika Milczarek worked in Dr. Shiela Stewart's laboratory. They worked on uncovering how age contributes to the development of cancer.