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Kaitlyn Creasy
(Class of 2007) worked
in the laboratory of Karen Oberhauser at the University of Minnesota. Kaitlyn
investigated tachinid parasitism of non-target monarch butterflies. She
raised tachinid flies in the lab to study their biology and determined average
number of flies laid per monarch larva. Her results showed 6% of wild monarch
larvae died from tachinid parasitism. She also found that male tachinids
are larger and emerge later than females. Data from a small sample size
indicated that maximum number of tachinid eggs laid per monarch larva was
three. Kaitlyn’s study indicates there may be adverse effects on monarch
butterfly population when using tachinid flies for biological control.
Kaitlyn's paper
and PowerPoint
can be accessed here. |
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Siddharth Damania
(Class of 2008) collaborated on a project with Ginny Dines
at the University of Minnesota, working in the Department of Biochemistry
and Molecular Biology under the supervision of Dr. David Thomas. They
examined the structure of pentameric phospholamban, a 52- amino acid protein
that binds to the calcium pump in the cardiac muscle and inhibits calcium
flow in and out of heart muscles. Ginny and Siddharth attempted to develop
a more efficient fluorescamine assay to spin-count spin-labeled phospholamban.
The improved assay was based on a direct relationship between amine concentration
and fluorescent intensity in a fluorescamine lysine reaction. While they
were unable to optimize the assay because of an unexpected reaction between
the spin-label and fluorescamine and instability of proteins due to high
concentration of acetone required, they were able to develop a standard
curve of fluorescent intensity vs. primary amine concentration in both
lysine and phospholamba. Siddharth's
paper and
PowerPoint
can be accessed here. |
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Ginny Dines (Class
of 2007) collaborated on a project at the University of Minnesota with Siddharth
Damania, working in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
under the supervision of Dr. David Thomas. They examined the structure of
pentameric phospholamban, a 52- amino acid protein that binds to the calcium
pump in the cardiac muscle and inhibits calcium flow in and out of heart
muscles. Ginny and Siddharth attempted to develop a more efficient fluorescamine
assay to spin-count spin-labeled phospholamban. The improved assay was based
on a direct relationship between amine concentration and fluorescent intensity
in a fluorescamine lysine reaction. While they were unable to optimize the
assay because of an unexpected reaction between the spin-label and fluorescamine
and instability of proteins due to high concentration of acetone required,
they were able to develop a standard curve of fluorescent intensity vs.
primary amine concentration in both lysine and phospholamba. Ginny's
paper and
PowerPoint
can be accessed here. |
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Shannon Engelman (Class
of 2007) worked in the laboratory of Dr. Cindy Tong at the University of
Minnesota. Shannon investigated effects of the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic
acid (2,4-D) on the color of Red Norland potato tubers. This red color is
due to anthocyanin pigments in potato skins that have important antioxidant
properties. Shannon’s first objective was to determine visible effects
of 2,4-D. She found that light intensity and hue angle of anthocyanins in
potato skins decreased with 2,4-D application. Her results also indicated
that 2,4-D does not significantly increase anthocyanin accumulation. The
second objective of her project was to use qPCR to quantify expression of
dihydroflavonol-reductase and flavonol 3-O-glucosyltransferase, two genes
in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. At this time, Shannon is still
working to achieve her second goal. Shannon's
paper and
PowerPoint
can be accessed here. |
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Tracy Fuad (Class
of 2007) worked in the laboratory of Dr. Pratima Bansal-Pakala at the University
of Minnesota. Tracy designed a predictive ELISPOT assay for success rates
of islet transplants in type-1 diabetics. The first step in her project
was to determine whether the ELISPOT assay was effective in quantifying
immune response. Then, she found optimal levels of primary and secondary
antibody to use in the ELISPOT assay, as well as optimal cell numbers and
patient to islet donor-cell ratios. Additionally, she modified the ELISPOT
protocol to increase clarity by washing and increasing blocking-buffer concentration.
Tracy’s results showed a direct correlation between lowered immune
response and successful islet transplants. Tracy's
paper and
PowerPoint
can be accessed here. |
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Egal Gorse (Class
of 2007) worked in the laboratory of Dr. Vallera at the University of Minnesota.
Egal researched an experimental class of biological drugs called immunotoxins,
specifically studying gene therapy using transfection. He measured growth
of cancerous cell lines against cell lines that had been transfected with
immunotoxins. His results showed transfection was successful in mouse embryo
cells, transgenic mice prostate cancer cells, mouse-breast cancer cells,
and mouse-colon cancer cell. Transfection was less successful in human-colon
cancer cells and human-breast cancer cells. While transfection showed more
promise in mouse cells lines than in human-cell lines, both cell lines accepted
genes from the immunotoxin and curbed growth of cancerous cells. Egal's
paper
and
PowerPoint
can be accessed here. |
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Paul Grandstrand (class
of 2007) worked in the laboratory of Dr. Andy Rundquist at Hamline University.
Paul wrote a LabVIEW program that ultimately will be used to investigate
nonlinear oscillations in intermolecular bonds, work that may lead to advancements
in medicine. The program that Paul wrote optimized a pendulum system using
a genetic algorithm. He constructed a pendulum system that used energy from
a magnetic field that was induced in a solenoid. He controlled electrical
inputs and outputs of the system with a National Instruments USB 6008. To
provide sufficient current to the solenoid, Paul wired a transistor to an
external power supply to supply current. The program that Paul wrote was
a success in optimizing the pendulum system that he engineered. Paul's
paper and
PowerPoint
can be accessed here. |
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Brandon Lew (class
of 2007) continued his research into a second year, working in the Chemistry
Department at Hamline University under the guidance of Dr. John Matachek.
Brandon investigated anthocyanin pigments that cause purple coloration in
pod coats of snap beans, Phaseolus vulgaris cv. Blauhilde, the second most
important bean crop. Anthocyanins have anti-oxidative and anti-carcinogenic
properties, so these plant pigments are of interest to pharmaceutical companies.
However, anthocyanins in the bean pod coats degrade during cooking. Brandon
identified eight different anthocyanin pigments using high-performance liquid
chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy. The next step of his project
will be to modify the anthocyanin pigments in living plants using genetic
engineering, so the pods will retain beneficial anthocyanins during cooking.
Brandon's paper
and
PowerPoint
can be accessed here. |
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JulieAnn Rader (Class
of 2007) worked in the laboratory of Dr. Michael Russelle at the University
of Minnesota. JulieAnn looked at effects of nitrate fertilizer concentration
on atmospheric nitrogen fixation in pea plants. When insufficient nitrate
is available in soil, plants convert atmospheric nitrogen to usable nitrogen
through a fixation process. To accomplish her goal, JulieAnn fertilized
pea plants with 0 (control), 10, 30, 100, and 500 ppm concentrations of
nitrate labeled with N-15. Using mass spectroscopy, she quantified labeled
nitrogen assimilated as opposed to atmospheric nitrogen fixed by the peas.
Her results indicated that pea plants fertilized with higher nitrate concentrations
fixed less nitrogen than plants fertilized with low nitrate concentrations.
JulieAnn's
paper and
PowerPoint
can be accessed here.
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Sara Schilling (class
of 2007) worked in the laboratory of Dr. Kathy Olson at the University of
St. Thomas. She continued a project begun by Katie Shaeffer (class of 2006).
Sara looked at ways in which ferric uptake regulatory protein (Fur) activates
transcription of superoxide dismutase gene (sodA) in Escherichia coli, where
the sod protein plays a vital role in breaking down cancer-causing superoxide
radicals. Sara used reverse-transcription, PCR, and gel electrophoresis
to determine how different metal-ion complexes of Fur affected sodA activation.
She also investigated effects of protein concentration on transcription.
Her results suggested that the zinc-ion form of Fur most effectively activates
sodA and that activation increases with protein concentration. Sara’s
research gives a deeper understanding of Fur-sodA interactions and may assist
in future cancer studies. Sara's
paper and
PowerPoint
can be accessed here. |
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Matthew Weiss (class
of 2007) continued his research into a second year, working in the Chemistry
Department at Macalester College under the guidance of Dr. Ronald Brisbois.
Matt’s project dealt with self-assembling macromolecular structures
of oxadiazole molecules. He developed acylation, cycloaromatization, and
purification protocols to synthesize five different oxadiazole molecules.
He started working with three symmetrical oxadiazole molecules to develop
his protocols; then, he used two more complex asymmetrical oxadiazole molecules
to study their potential to self-assemble, using metal-ion ligation with
palladium(II) chloride. Matt also developed a purification procedure using
recrystalization and flash chromatography. Using the protocols that he developed
and refined, Matt successfully formed macromolecular structures using self-assembly
with an oxadiazole molecule and palladium(II) chloride. Matt's
paper and
PowerPoint
can be accessed here. |
