August 21, 2008

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UTSA names director for new research center

(March 5, 2004)--UTSA has named James Chambers, the director of the Center of Excellence in Biotechnology, Bioprocessing, Education and Research (CEBBER). Chambers is a professor of biochemisty in the UTSA Department of Biology.

A collaboration with Air Force and Brooks City-Base scientists, the center focuses on vaccine and biosensor platform development and the production of biochemical reagents of importance to the Air Force.

"CEBBER is an important research resource for UTSA and Brooks City-Base and a training resource in the fight against bioterrorism," said Joseph Stafford, UTSA vice provost for research. "Additionally, CEBBER will help train doctoral students supporting the university's goal to become a premier research university."

CEBBER, located in Building 175W at Brooks City-Base, will be home for three UTSA professors who will collaborate with Air Force scientists and other UTSA faculty on a variety of ongoing research projects. The 10,000-square-foot biotechnology laboratory will also allow graduate students to use the latest technology as they work and learn alongside the scientists.

Military and civilian personnel will be trained to use much of the biotechnology equipment. Equally important for CEBBER's success, private sector scientists will be part of the scientific team that will address a variety of challenging biotechnology problems.

"We will use a systems biology approach in which a team of independent investigators will be very problem-oriented, working with Air Force scientists in addressing current needs of the Department of Defense," said Chambers.

Since joining the university in 1984, Chambers has taught biochemistry at the undergraduate and graduate levels. He served as interim director of the Division of Life Sciences and director of the UTSA Brain Research Laboratory of Biochemistry. In 1992, Chambers implemented UTSA's first doctoral program, a Ph.D. in biology with an emphasis in neurobiology, and served as supervising professor for its first two Ph.D. recipients.

Before coming to UTSA, Chambers was director of the metabolic disease laboratory in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, where he supervised a nationally recognized research program in inherited metabolic diseases.

He holds a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and was a National Institutes of Health postdoctoral fellow in the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Chambers completed his postdoctoral training in biochemical genetics at Washington University School of Medicine. He has written articles for numerous peer-reviewed scientific journals.

CEBBER is part of an educational partnership between UTSA and the Air Force Institute for Operational Health Risk at Brooks City-Base. Under the agreement, UTSA will provide staff and some equipment for the facility, while the Air Force will provide the building, equipment and personnel who will be trained to work in similar biomedical and biotechnology facilities worldwide.

CEBBER renovations would not have taken place without the support of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee who helped secure nearly $6 million in funding for construction and equipment. William Scouten, UTSA vice provost for research initiatives, formulated the original concept for CEBBER.

--Kris Rodriguez