George Bruening, an internationally recognized authority on plant viruses, whom colleagues describe as "a scientist's scientist," today was named by his peers as the 1999 Faculty Research Lecturer at the University of California, Davis. The announcement marks the 57th annual presentation of the most prestigious honor conferred by the Davis Academic Senate on its members. Traditionally the award recipient presents a springtime campus lecture related to his or her field of research. Bruening, a professor of plant pathology and 33-year member of the UC Davis faculty, is director of the campus's Center for Engineering Plants for Resistance Against Pathogens (CEPRAP). The biotechnology research center, funded by the National Science Foundation, is devoted to studying the nature of plant diseases and new ways to combat diseases that cause costly crop losses. Bruening is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences and, according to colleagues, is considered to be one of the top five plant virologists in the world. His research is related to basic processes involved in plant viral infections and the mechanisms of plant disease-resistance. Within those areas of study, he has maintained three major research emphases: genome-linked proteins, molecular aspects of tobacco ringspot virus replication and the mechanisms of plants' resistance to viruses. One of his major research findings has been the discovery of the molecular mechanisms that enable the basic hereditary material in a parasite -- called a satellite RNA -- of the tobacco ringspot virus to replicate itself. That discovery coined a new term, the "ribozyme," and has enabled scientists to develop strategies that make use of molecular biology and biotechnology to control viral diseases in plants. On campus, Bruening is known as a person of "utmost integrity" as well as a devoted and enthusiastic teacher, who has not allowed his status in the research community to pull him away from regularly teaching undergraduate and general education courses. "George fits great into the mix of previous campus research lecture award recipients," said David Gilchrist, a fellow plant pathology professor and associate director of the research center Bruening heads. "His ground-breaking discoveries have spawned a whole field of new technology and led to many honors. "Creative, innovative and pioneering in research, he is dedicated to teaching, never turns down a request to serve on another committee, and has remained a genuinely nice person," added Gilchrist. "George is low-key and doesn't try to force his brilliance on you," noted another colleague. Bruening, who received his doctoral degree in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1965, has received numerous awards throughout his career. He was elected a Fellow of the American Phytopathological Society in 1986 and served as Councilor of the American Society for Virology from 1987 to 1989. He also received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1974 and National Science Foundation International Program grants in 1981 and 1989. He is the founding editor-in-chief of the scientific journal Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions and is a co-author of the fifth edition of the biochemistry textbook "Outlines in Biochemistry." The Faculty Research Lecturer honor was established in 1941 by the Davis Sigma Chi club and is given annually to a faculty member whose research contributions have greatly enhanced human knowledge and brought widespread honor and recognition to themselves and the university. In 1951, the UC Davis Academic Senate assumed responsibility for the award. The most recent recipients have been Samuel Armistead, professor of Spanish literature (1998); Donald Rothchild, professor of political science (1997); Sandra Gilbert, professor of English (1996); Peter Marler, professor emeritus of biology and psychology (1995); and Thomas Schoener, professor of biology and environmental studies (1994).