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Meredith Blank (Class
of 2006) worked with Dr. Karen Oberhauser in the Department of Fisheries
and Wildlife Conservation Biology at the University of Minnesota. She
studied the effects of resmethrin, a mosquito insecticide, on non-targeted
species, including monarch butterflies, milkweed bugs, and house flies.
She expanded a pilot study on effects of resmethrin on monarchs, increasing
distances of exposure to spraying and length of time before exposure.
She exposed
one set of non-target specie larvae directly to resmethrin spray and
then fed exposed milkweed plants to another set one, two, or four days
after the spraying. She recorded mortality, as well as the mass and wing
length of emergent adults, finding an indirect relationship between exposure
time and mortality and between close and far distances from the spray
path. Meredith's paper and PowerPoint can be
accessed here. |
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Michael Blazar
(Class of 2006) worked with Dr. Georg
Hollander at the Center for Biomedicine at the University of Basel Switzerland.
He studied transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta),
which has been shown to influence cellular development, differentiation,
proliferation, survival, and function. He used flow cytometry and immunofluorescence
microscopy to analyze effects of TGF-beta on these processes in thymic
epithelial cells. He found that thymic epithelial cells in mice genetically
engineered to lack a critical TGF-beta receptor site had abnormal structures.
He also showed that when TGF-beta was added to cultured thymic epithelial
cells that expressed the TGF-beta receptor site, the cells showed a significant
decrease in proliferation and an increase in cell death rate. These data
demonstrate an important TGF-beta effect on thymic epithelial cell development,
survival, and function. Michael's paper
and PowerPoint can be accessed
here. Michael participated in the International
BioGENEius Competition. |
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Daniel Geoffrion (Class
of 2006) collaborated on a project with Andy McCullough at the
University of MN Heart Laboratory under the guidance of Dr. Paul Iaizzo.
They designed a protocol to eliminate variables when measuring the force
produced by the gastrocnemius muscle in muscular dystrophic mice with
the ultimate goal of applying their results to the study of Muscular
dystrophy. They found that the breathing rate of the test subject did
not significantly contribute to force produced by the gastrocnemius muscle.
They determined that the length the subject was under anesthesia did
not affect the gastrocnemius muscle for up to an hour. They determined
that the electrode used to stimulate the gastrocnemius should be placed
on the motor-point of the hind-leg muscle. They also found there was
a direct relationship between room temperature and force produced by
the gastrocnemius muscle. Dan's paper and PowerPoint can be accessed here. |
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Michelle Hackner (Class
of 2006) worked with Dr. Amy Verhoeven at the University of St.
Thomas in the Biology Department. She studied PsbS, a protein associated
with photoprotection in plants exposed to environmental stress. Psbs
has been shown to be a vital in enabling plants to dissipate excess light
energy. Michelle analyzed changes in PsbS levels in sun and shade-acclimated
pea plants using gel electrophoresis. She found that levels of PsbS are
significantly higher in sun- acclimated plants than in those grown in
the shade. The results of her study will be vital to studies of plant
adaptation in environments experiencing climate changes. Michelle's paper and PowerPoint can be accessed here. |
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Brandon Lew (Class
of 2005) worked in the Chemistry Department at Hamline University under the
guidance of Dr. John Matachek. Brandon attempted to derivatize four carbohydrates:
glucose, galactose, fructose, and maltose by perbenzoylating their hydroxyl
groups. He purified and characterized glucose and maltose and then attempted
to isolate fructose and galactose derivatives. He was unable to isolate
these derivates because he ran into problems with complex mutarotation
that prevented him from purifying products. To overcome the problem,
he developed a new protocol to synthesize derivatives, using glucose.
His protocol increased yields and improved purity. Next summer, Brandon
will continue his research with the goal of characterizing anythocyanin
in the plant Glechoma hederacea. He hopes to derivatize carbohydrates
in order to study anthocyanins, because they control the color of many
flowers and fruits. That color depends on the type of carbohydrate bonded
to the anthocyanin molecules in the plant. Brandon's paper and PowerPoint can be accessed here. |
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Dana Lundberg (Class
of 2006) worked under the guidance of Dr. Martha Nance at the Struthers Parkinson’s
Center. Dana developed and administered a Knowledge and Attitudes toward
Genetic Testing survey with the intent of assessing the level of knowledge
that Parkinson’s patients have about the genetics of their disease
as well as their attitudes toward genetic testing. She orally administered
the
survey
to Parkinson’s patients at the Struthers Parkinson’s Center and
at the Young-Onset Parkinson’s Disease Conference. Her results showed
that patients have significantly positive attitudes toward genetic testing
but do not understand genetics or genetic testing. Dana's paper and PowerPoint can be accessed here. |
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Andrew McCullough (Class
of 2006) collaborated on a project with Dan Geoffrion at the University of
MN Heart Laboratory under the guidance of Dr. Paul Iaizzo. Andy and Dan
tested potential variables in hopes of making an objective testing device
to test response of the gastrocnemius muscle to electrical stimulation
in muscular dystrophic mice. They experimented with breathing rate, time
under anesthesia, temperature, and electrode position. They concluded
that anesthesia does not have an effect but higher temperatures do cause
erratic gastrocnemius muscle responses. They also found that the most
effective location to place electrodes was on the motor-point of the
hind-leg muscle, because that muscle produced the highest force when
stimulated. Their study will be applied to the continuing study of muscular
dystrophy, which is a genetic disease that causes deterioration of infected
muscle cells. Andrew's paper and PowerPoint can be accessed here. |
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Lillian Nordahl (Class
of 2006) worked with Dr. Rebecca Hoye in the Chemistry Department
at Macalester College. Lilly used acylation to synthesize two derivatives
of 2-oxo-2-(4-propylcylcopenta-1,3-dienylamino)-ethylfuran-2-carbonylate—the
first using furyl-chloride and second from thiophene-carbonyl-chloride.
Using column chromatography, Lilly purified the products then confirmed
their purity with thin layer chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance,
and infrared spectroscopy. The derivatives she successfully synthesized
will be used to study chemical groups involved in auxin-inhibition.
Chemical genetic screenings have shown that thiadiazole molecules inhibit
the plant hormone auxin. Lilly’s work may contribute to discovery
of the specific protein involved in the auxin-inhibition mechanism.
Lilly's paper and PowerPoint can be accessed
here. |
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Katherine Shaeffer (Class
of 2006) worked with Dr. Kathy Olson in the Biochemistry Department
at the University of St. Thomas. Katie studied the sodA gene of E.
coli, which produces superoxide dismutase (sod), an enzyme that converts
superoxide radicals into less damaging products. The goal of her research
was to determine how the ferric uptake regulatory (FUR) protein controls
sodA expression. Katie successfully transcribed and amplified the sodA
gene in the presence and absence of the FUR protein, using reverse
transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and gel electrophoresis.
In addition, she used an internal standard for RT-PCR, synthesized
from a sodA template and a series of restriction digests to standardize
intensities during RT-PCR. The next step of her project will be to
use the internal standard to determine if the FUR protein regulates
the amount of mRNA produced during transcription. Katie's paper and PowerPoint can be accessed here.
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Matthew Weiss (class
of 2005) worked in the Chemistry Department at Macalester College under
the guidance of Dr. Ronald Brisbois. Matt’s research centered on
synthesis of oxadiazole molecules with the ultimate goal of producing
molecules capable of self-assembly. Matt used acylation to attach furan,
pyridine, thiophene, and phenyl functional groups to two possible bonding
sites on the oxadiazole molecules. He then used cyclization to form three
linked rings. Next summer, he will test the self-assembling properties
of these oxadiazole molecules and examine the mechanism of the self-assembly
process. Matt's paper and PowerPoint can
be accessed here. |
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Matt Trusheim (Class
of 2006) continued his research into a second year, working at Access
Genetics in Eden Prairie under the direction of Dr. Ron McGlennen.
Matt designed
an
Optical
Waveguide
(OWG) that
is a inexpensive and easy- to-use device that accurately reads electrophoretic
gels used for genetic testing. His research focused on designing a
self-contained gel casting and running apparatus that optimized intensity
and produced consistent DNA separation. After determining optimal tracking
dyes, DNA:Dye ratios, dye concentrations, electrophoretic voltages,
and DNA concentrations, Matt developed an OWG that produced readable
DNA separation at a reasonable time period. Matt's paper and
PowerPoint can be accessed here. |
