MSU College of Letters and Science Distinguished Professor to talk about pursuing passions and excellence in Oct. 8 lecture

BOZEMAN - Montana State University biochemist Brian Bothner enjoys working on the edge of the animate and inanimate, where the differences between ordinary molecules and living, highly functional biological molecules can be discerned.

The search for that "fine line between pure chemistry and biology" has inspired Bothner's pioneering work in the creative use of mass spectrometry to understand how viruses and biological systems function, as well as his extensive investigations in the fields of proteomics, metabolomics and cellular responses to stress. But it's his second vocational passion - helping students discover and pursue what excites them - that he considers most important.

"It's part of my job to inspire people to find out what their thing is," said Bothner, a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in MSU's College of Letters and Science. "If it's biochemistry, great, or maybe it's something else that really is their thing. Training the next generation is the most important impact I can have as a faculty member."

For his contributions to the college, university and scholarly community, Bothner has been named a College of Letters and Science Distinguished Professor, the highest honor the college bestows upon a member of its faculty.

"Brian Bothner exemplifies the highest ideas of the college and the university," said William Thomas III, dean of the College of Letters and Science. "He's both a world-leading researcher and an inspiring and dedicated classroom teacher who has transformed the lives of thousands of MSU's students."

Bothner will discuss his personal and scientific journeys, his research and his mentorship in a Distinguished Professor Lecture at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, at the Museum of the Rockies. His talk, "So Many Molecules, So Little Time," will follow an hors d'oeuvres reception at 6 p.m., where drinks will be available for purchase. The event is free and open to the public.

"After all these years, I still feel so fortunate that this is what I get to do. I love it," said Bothner, while describing how he discovered his passion for biochemistry in a somewhat roundabout way. He remembers that in high school, he thought science was "pretty cool," especially when he visited the lab of a relative who was a doctoral student. But it wasn't until he began to train as a triathlete that his interest blossomed, inspired by a desire to understand the phenomenon known as "bonking," which is the sudden, severe drop in energy and physical performance that strikes endurance athletes when their bodies are suddenly depleted of stored glycogen.

"Back in the '80s when I was starting out on this, it wasn't understood from a metabolic standpoint what was going on, so that helped biochemistry have a real, direct meaning to me," he said. "I tell my students that it was one of the things that took me from being a student just going through the motions to 'I want to learn this stuff because I want to know this.'"

Bothner's mentorship of students extends far beyond his classroom and laboratory. In addition to teaching and conducting research, he has served since 2016 as director of Montana INBRE, also known as the IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence, which aims to improve the health and well-being of all Montanans through the enhancement of biomedical research in the state. Funded by the National Institutes of Health, Montana INBRE comprises Montana's Ph.D.-granting institutions, baccalaureate schools and community and tribal colleges that invest in Montana's biomedical research capacity and workforce pipeline.

Through Montana INBRE, Bothner said he has had the chance to provide opportunities for Montana students and junior faculty to engage in meaningful scientific research beyond MSU, he said.

"Being the director and principal investigator of Montana INBRE has been so important to me, because we're helping building research infrastructure and providing research access to faculty and students all over the state that don't otherwise have it," Bothner said. "When you see these students at a tribal college or at MSU Northern do a research project and it completely changes their trajectory, they see it as, 'Wow! This is something I can do.' That's the best feeling."

At MSU, Bothner has served as director of the Montana State Mass Spectrometry facility for nearly 20 years, transforming it from a departmental resource to a core research facility that provides instrumentation and methods for mass spectrometry-based research throughout MSU and beyond.

Bothner said he hopes his lecture audience will leave the talk with a simple take-away after hearing about his work and that of people around him.

"We all should be in the pursuit of excellence," Bothner said. "Whatever you're doing, excellence is what you should be pursuing."

Rob Walker, head of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said the college's recognition of Bothner as a Distinguished Professor is well deserved.

"In every aspect of a faculty member's responsibilities - education, scholarship and service - Brian is exemplary," Walker said. "He is a gifted, caring instructor and mentor. His research is innovative with world-class impact. And his service to MSU, the state and the country through his leadership of Montana's INBRE program is second to none."