Last Friday, Chemistry 200 lecture hall was packed beyond capacity for UMD graduate Brian Kobilka’s much-anticipated lecture on his Nobel prizewinning work.
"We were thrilled that we had so many people . . . (but) we were surprised to see how many showed up early and waited in line," said Tricia Bunten, UMD's chief development officer.
According to Bunten, some attendees came over an hour early for a chance to hear the Nobel laureate speak. A separate room was set up to accommodate overflow, but dozens preferred to stand in the back to see Kobilka lecture in person instead.
"I'm more nervous (to give this lecture) than I have been in a long time," said Kobilka as he began his lecture, citing the presence of his former UMD professors and his aunt in the audience.
Most of Kobilka's lecture outlined the road to successfully mapping the G protein and how he and his team overcame various obstacles. His lecture was a longer version of the same one he delivered in Stockholm during the Nobel Prize festivities, so Kobilka spared no scientific details.
"I owe a lot to UMD and the faculty here for getting me started on the right track," Kobilka said. "I had ideas about what I wanted to do before I went to UMD, but . . . I would not have been prepared to go forward without the amazing experience I had at UMD."
While Kobilka focused on the science behind his discoveries, he noted personal experiences, as well. Pointing to a slide with a picture of himself and four others smiling, he said, "This (was) the major crew involved in this project . . . coming back from the cyclotron in Chicago where we had just finished collecting data and we knew we had a structure (of the G protein), so we were very happy,” Kobilka said.
"Even though it was a scientific lecture, there were pieces of it that you could understand and relate to," said Carrie Sutherland, development director for the Swenson College of Science and Engineering. "I thought he made it very relatable to the audience."
Many of the students in the audience agreed. "(Kobilka) made the lecture very easy for non-bio people to understand," said UMD seniors Marie Vestal and Patricia Westergren, although they said their four years as chemistry majors definitely helped.
"My favorite part was Dr. Kobilka talking about the challenges regarding specificity in new drugs," said UMD senior Alex Fisher. Fisher said that he followed most of the lecture, which he attributes to his background as an engineering major.
After the lecture, a reception was held in the Swenson Science Building atrium, with donor James Swenson and his wife, Susan, present for the special occasion. Chancellor Lendley Black gave opening remarks followed by a short speech by Mayor Don Ness, also a UMD grad.
"This is a very proud day for all UMD alums," Ness said. Mayor Ness issued a proclamation declaring Friday, Sept. 13, 2013 "Brian Kobilka Day" in Duluth.
BY JOHN FAHNENSTIEL fahne006@d.umn.edu -- PHOTOS BY SARA HUGHES hughe290@d.umn.edu