MSU's Bjoern Hamberger, Ben Orlando invested as James K. Billman Jr., M.D. Endowed Professors

trueBiochemistry,College of Natural Science10/19/2023MSU's Bjoern Hamberger, Ben Orlando invested as James K. Billman Jr., M.D. Endowed Professors

Michigan State University professors Bjoern Hamberger and Ben Orlando were honored as James K. Billman Jr., M.D. Endowed Professors at an investiture ceremony held Oct. 12. The Billman Professorships were established by MSU alumnus Dr. James Billman to support exceptional researchers in the College of Natural Science’s Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Professor Hamberger is a leading expert on plant-derived bioactive diterpenoids, while Professor Orlando utilizes cryo-EM to examine the structure, dynamics, and function of membrane protein complexes.

Michigan State University biochemists Bjoern Hamberger and Ben Orlando and were honored as the J.K. Billman, JR., M.D. Endowed Research Professor and James K. Billman Jr., M.D. Endowed Professor, respectively.
The professorships were established by Dr. James Billman, Jr., to support exceptional researchers in the MSU Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Hamberger is a leading expert on plant-derived bioactive diterpenoids—specialized metabolites with exciting antimicrobial, antifungal, analgesic, and psychoactive properties.
Orlando uses cryo-electron microscopy to study membrane transport complexes that allow bacteria to evade our most powerful antibiotics, and human transporters involved in pharmaceutical uptake and efflux.

Connor Yeck

(L to R): Doug Gage, vice president of the Office of Research and Innovation; Seun Ogunwobi, BMB chair; James K. Billman, donor; Bjoern Hamberger, J.K. Billman, JR., M.D. Endowed Research Professor; Ben Orlando, James K. Billman Jr., M.D. Endowed Professor; and Phil Duxbury, NatSci dean, during the Oct. 12 investiture ceremony held Oct. 12 at MSU’s Wharton Center.

Michigan State University professors Bjoern Hamberger (left) and Ben Orlando were honored as James K. Billman Jr., M.D. Endowed Professors at an investiture ceremony held 12.

Endowed faculty positionInvestitureJK Billman Jr Endowed Professorshipsbiochemistry and molecular biologymembrane proteinssynthetic biology