DETROIT — On Tuesday, September 10, 2013, Wayne State University will host the 2013 Ahmed H. Zewail Lecture, a program designed to bring distinguished scientists to Wayne State University to convey the excitement of science to students and the public.
 
This year's presenter will be James A. Spudich, Ph.D., the Douglass M. and Nola Leishman Professor of Cardiovascular Disease in the Department of Biochemistry at Stanford University's School of Medicine. Spudich is best known for his trailblazing investigations of the molecular motors that drive skeletal muscle contractions and heartbeats, and enable cells to divide.. Current clinical trials of several drugs based on Spudich's understanding of exactly how muscles contract offer hope for people prone to heart failure, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and perhaps even the frailties of old age.

The event will take place in the Marvin I. Danto Engineering Development Center (EDC) Auditorium, located at 5050 Anthony Wayne Drive, Room 1507, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. A poster session will kick off the event in the EDC lobby and activity center areas at 1 p.m., followed by an introduction and presentation of the Zewail Medal at 2 p.m. in the EDC auditorium, and concluding with Dr. Spudich's lecture at 2:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required by calling 313-577-5600.

Spudich is the recipient of many prestigious awards including the Guggenheim Fellowship, the American Heart Association Basic Research Prize, the Alexander von Humboldt Research Award, the Biophysical Society Lifetime Research Career Award, the Lewis S. Rosenstiel Award for Outstanding Research Achievement in the Field of Basic Medical Studies, the American Chemical Society's Award for the Investigator in the Field of Single Molecule Biology, the E.B. Wilson Medal, the Arthur Kornberg and Paul Berg Lifetime Achievement Award in Biomedical Sciences, the Wiley  Prize in Biomedical Sciences, and the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. 

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Wayne State University is one of the nation's pre-eminent public research institutions in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit http://www.research.wayne.edu.