Malcolm Potts honored with emeritus status
Malcolm Potts, professor of biochemistry in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the "professor emeritus" title by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
The title of emeritus may be conferred on retired professors and associate professors, administrative officers, librarians, and exceptional staff members who are specially recommended to the board of visitors by Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board of visitors receive an emeritus certificate from the university.
A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1985, Potts contributed to our knowledge of how microbial organisms adapt to extreme environments through a lifetime of scholarly research that led to the publication of numerous research papers, reviews, and books. His research also investigated the adaption of these mechanisms to mammalian cells and tissues to enhance human health that led to a patent.
Potts founded the Virginia Tech Center for Genomics and contributed to the seminal efforts leading to the establishment of the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute and the Virginia Tech Institute for Biomedical and Public Health Sciences. In the classroom, he introduced thousands of students to the principles and techniques of biochemistry, most notably as an instructor of BCHM 4116, General Biochemistry, a foundation course for all biochemistry majors.
Potts received his bachelor's degree and Ph.D. from Durham University, United Kingdom. In 1995 he was awarded the Doctor of Science from Durham University in recognition of his research accomplishments.
Currently, he is distinguished professor in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, at Qatar University, Arabian Gulf.
Read more about Potts’ research and activities:
- Innovations: “Learning Something from Nothing -The Virginia Tech Center for Genomics studies how tiny organisms endure hardship”
- Virginia Tech News story: “New search engine can be used for creative discovery”
- Virginia Tech news story: “Biochemistry professor honored by University of Qatar”
