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CAMPUS NEWS
NEW BOOK FITS THE BILL
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he Duck has done it all. Why not write a book? The University of Oregon’s favorite feathered fan has done just that with A Duck from Oregon Tries to Fly! With an assist from translators Mikey Navarro, BS ’11 (music), and Teigh Bowen, BA ’10 (psychology), the Duck recounts attempts to overcome adversity—and the law of gravity. Oregon Quarterly caught up with the avian adventurer for a few questions about the new title. Visit oregonquarterly.com/duck-book to buy a copy for the book lover (and Duck) in your family. Oregon Quarterly: How did you get the idea for this book? Who did you write it for? The Duck: I was standing on the edge of my toilet hanging a clock, the porcelain was wet, I slipped, hit my head on the sink, and when I came to, I had a revelation! A vision! A book in my head! Pretty much this book is written for anyone who has a dream and $24.95. OQ: Which of your flying attempts was the most fun? Most scary? TD: None of these were fun, OQ, this is important work we’re doing here. OQ: Where do proceeds go? TD: Proceeds benefit the Oregon Cheerleading and Mascot program. They also go toward my travel to away games, and self-care. I get muddy a lot, I like baths, and the water bill ain't free IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? OQ: Between going to class, doing push-ups at Autzen, birthday parties, and all the sports events, how did you find the time to get a book published? TD: If you don’t recall the last two years, we’ve had a lot of time to explore our hobbies, OQ! Some people made sourdough starters; I got my book out. OQ: What did you learn about trying to fly? TD: I learned that flight is a matter of lift, weight, thrust, and drag. Dreams are a lot harder than they look, but doable with perseverance. Now that I’ve successfully flown, I’d love to learn how to swim.
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O R E G O N Q U A R T E R LY
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WINTER 2022
An illustration of cancer cells
BLUEPRINT FOR A CURE
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ne front in the fight against cancer is the effort to make a drug that latches onto and inactivates a certain group of enzymes that can drive the disease. For this work, biopharma companies need a detailed blueprint of the structure of the enzyme, called PI3K. Scott Hansen, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, is part of a 10-year project that recently developed this blueprint. Researchers used a technique called cryo-electron microscopy to collect tens of thousands of images of single PI3K enzymes in an ultrathin layer of ice using an electron microscope. These pictures were compiled and averaged to create a single high-resolution composite that reveals the structural features of the enzyme. Hansen worked closely with John Burke, an associate professor with the University of Victoria, and colleagues at the universities of British Columbia, Washington, and Geneva, and Free University of Brussels in Belgium.
