HHMI 
Undergraduate Research Scholars
Summer 2001
The following twenty-seven students were selected to be HHMI Research Scholars for the Summer 2001. They include 8  seniors and 17 juniorsfrom the University of Delaware and a one student each from Lincoln University and Delaware State University. Asterisks indicate Scholars who have recieved previous HHMI Awards. Summer enrichment program schedule.
 
Sara B. Callaway, Biology John Bishop, Chemical Eng Erwin C. Puente, Biology
Chiara Ciotoli, Plant Biology Alexandra Cretu, Biology Aditya Sharma, Biochemistry
Kevin Crotty, Biology Richard Dombrowski, Chem Eng Courtney Smith, Medical Technology
Justin DiAngelo, Biology* Todd Greco, Biochemistry Benjamin Thuma, Biochemistry
Eric Evans, Biology* Erin Henninger, Biology Dana Ungerbuehler, Chemical Eng
Melissa Kuchar, Medical Technology* Erin Hill, Biotechnology Lacy Weisenberg, Animal Science
Jaimie Robinson, Biochemistry* Devon Lump, Biology Alice Wong, Medical Technology
Laura Vella, Biology* Karyn Oberman, Biology Laurelle Cheeseboro, Lincoln U.
Sarah Baisch, Medical Technology James Psathas, Biochemistry Rozie Townsend, Del. State Univ.



 
Scholar:  Sarah Baisch

Major:  Medical Technology

Research Mentor:  Mary Beth Miele, Medical Technology

Project Title:  Search for Metastasis Suppressor Genes in Malignant Melanoma


 
Scholar:  John Bishop

Major:  Chemical Engineering

Research Mentor:  Abraham M. Lenhoff, Chemical Engineering

Project Title: Relation of Protein Solubility to Solvent Thermodynamic Properties

 Awards and Honors:  Chemical Engineering Class of 1952 Scholarship, Tau Beta Pi (Engineering Honor Society)


 
Scholar:  Sara B. Callaway

Major:  Biology

Research Mentor:  Malcolm Taylor, Department of Biological Sciences

Project Title:  Spontaneous Ovarian Contractions in the Reproductive Biology of Fish.

Awards and Honors: Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Beta Kappa

<>Publication: Megan L. Bills, Sarah B. Callaway,  A. T. Kessler, and Taylor, M. H. (2008) Ovarian contractions in various teleost families, J. Fish Biology 72, 671-680.

 
Scholar:  Laurelle Cheeseboro
Lincoln University

Major: Biology

Research Mentor: Mary C. Farach-Carson, Department of Biological Sciences

Project Title: Effect of calcitropic hormones on osteoblasts

Honors and Awards: Summer 2002 Research Program at Albert Einstein School of Medicine, MARC Scholar.

 


 
Scholar:  Chiara Ciotoli

Major:  Plant Biology

Research Mentor:  Alan Shapiro, Plant and Soil Sciences

Project Title:  The Hypersenstive Reaction in Arabidopsis with Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitors

Fall 2002: Ph.D. Program in Plant Biology at the University of Massachusetts

 


 
Scholar:  Alexandra Cretu

Major: Biology

Research Mentor:  Deni Galileo, Departmkent of Biological Sciences

Project Title: Brain Development and Glioma Tumor Cell Invasion

Awards and Honors: Dr. Marion E. Wiley Memorial Award in German beyond the intermediate level. Delta Phi Alpha (German Honorary), Omicron Delta Kappa national honor society.


 
Scholar:  Kevin Crotty

Major:  Biology

Research Mentor: Eugene Mueller, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Project Title: Post-transcriptional Modification of tRNA
 


 
Scholar:  Justin DiAngelo
Major:  Biology
Research Mentor:   Melinda Duncan, Department of Biological Science
Project Title:  Production of Monoclonal Antibodies Against Pop1/BVES.
Abstracts and Publications: JR DiAngelo, TK Vasavada, MK Duncan. Expression of an Intractable Protein in E. coli. Sigma Xi Undergraduate Research Day at Thomas Jefferson University, 2001
JR DiAngelo, TK Vasavada, W Cain, and MK Duncan, Production of monoclonal antibodies against chicken Pop1 (BVES). Hybridoma, in press (2001)
Justin Robert DiAngelo, Trusha Kirit Vasavada,  William Cain, and Melinda Kay Duncan. Pop1/BVES, a Membrane Protein  Found in Cardiac and Skeletal Muscle. FASEB J. 16(4), E271 (2002) Abst. 254.12.
Awards and Honors: Member of Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Beta Beta Beta (Biology), and  Golden Key National Honors Societies, Honors Degree with Distinction Candidate. A First Place Winner in the ASBMB Undergraduate Poster Competition at the Experimental Biology Meetings in New Orleans, 22 April 2002.
After Graduation: Ph.D. Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Pennsylvania

 
Scholar:  Richard Dombrowski

Major: Chemical Engineering

Research Mentor: Andrew Zydney, Chemical Engineering 

Project Title: Purification of Chiral Molecules using Affinity Ultrafiltration

Awards and Honors: Amerada Hess Corporation Award for junior chemical engineering student with outstanding academic achievement, American Chemical Society Award in Chemical Engineering to junior for scholarship and achievement.


 
Scholar:  Eric Evans

Major:  Biology

Research Mentor:  Patricia DeLeon, Department of Biological Sciences .

Project Title: Epididymal SPAM1 Expression in Humans

Awards and Honors: Phi Beta Kappa Clift and DeArmond Award, Phi Kappa Phi, Degree with Distinction Candidate, Phi Beta Kappa.

Fall 2002: Ph.D. Program in Genetics, Stanford University
 


 
Scholar:  Todd Greco

Major:  Biochemistry

Research Mentor: Eugene Mueller, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Project Title:  Investigating isotopic exchange at C5 during
the conversion of uridine to 4-thiouridine in tRNA

Awards and Honors: Phi Kappa Phi 


 
Scholar:  Erin Henninger

Major:  Biology

Research Mentor:  Deni Galileo, Department of Biological Science

Project Title:  Identification of the alpha-8 beta-1 Integrin Substrates among Radial Glia

Poster Presentation: Expression and Alignment of Fibronectin by Radial Glia in Developing Brain. Neurosciences Meeting, Orlando, FL, November 2003.


 
Scholar:  Erin Hill

Major:  Biotechnology

Research Mentor:  Robert Hodson, Department of Biological Science

Project Title:  Nucleotide Sequence of ApoA-II from Pseudymes scripta


 
Scholar:  Melissa Kuchar
Major:  Medical Technology
Research Mentor:  Mary Ann McLane, Department of Medical Technology
Project Title:  Eristostatin Inhibition of Melanoma Metastasis
Awards and Honors: Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Kappa Phi Undergraduate Research Essay and Research-in-Progress Essay Awards, James Kakavas Science Achievement Award.
Abstracts and Posters: McLane MA, Kuchar MA, Paquette CA, Miele ME. Critical amino acids involved in interactions between eristostatin and human melanoma cells.  Mol Biol Cell 11: 263A, poster abstract 1371, 2000. (presented at the ASCB meeting, December 2000)
        McLane MA, Brando C, Paquette C. Kuchar M, Miele ME. New insights on disintegrin-receptor interactions.  Submitted for International Conference on Exogenous Factors affecting Thrombosis and Haemostasis (invited speaker), July 12-13, 2001, Paris France.
        Melissa Kuchar, Carrie Paquette, Mary Ann McLane.  Molecular Mechanisms Used in Eristostatin's Inhibition of Metastasis, at the ASBMB Meetings Orlando, FL. April 2001FASEB J 15: A179, poster abstract 180.8, 2001.
Awards and Honors: College of Health and Nursing Science representative on Panel of Distinguished Seniors, W. Robert Bailey Memorial Award for academic achievement for a senior in the Allied Health Program, Dr. William J. Boyd Achievement Award in Hematology, Anne W. Clark Award for outstanding achievement in Clinical Microbiology, Phi Kappa Phi.
Fall 2002: Pennsylvania School of Optometry

 
Scholar:  Devon Lump

Major:  Biology

Research Mentor: David Usher, Department of Biological Sciences

Project Title: Gene Expression in Adipocytes

Awards and Honors: Omicron Delta Kappa national honors Society


 
Scholar:  Karyn Oberman

Major:  Biology

Research Mentor:  Norman Karin, Department of Biological Sciences

Project Title:  Calcium Signaling in Bone Cells

Poster Presentation: Expression of polycystin transcripts in
mouse pre-osteoblasts and pre-adipocytes, Experimental Biology Meetings, San Diego, CA. April 11-15, 2003

Awards and Honors: Phi Kappa Phi


 
Scholar: James Psathas

Major:  Biochemistry

Research Mentor: Colin Thorpe,  Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Project Title:   Reduction of Disulfide Bonds Using a Water Soluble Phosphine


 
Scholar: Erwin C. Puente

Major: Biology

Research Mentor: Mary C. Farach-Carson, Department of Biological Sciences

Project Title: Mechanical Loading Effects on VSCC Subunit Expression and Complex Formation

Poster Presentation: Mechanical Stimulation by Four Point
Bending Device and Fluid Shear Increase Voltage Sensitive Calcium Channel Cav1.2 Subunit mRNA Expression in Osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 Cells, Experimental Biology Meetings, San Diego, CA. April 11-15, 2003

Publication: J. J. Bergh, Y. Shao, Erwin Puente, Randall L. Duncan, Mary C. Farach-Carson (2006). Osteoblast Ca(2+) permeability and voltage-sensitive Ca(2+) channel expression is temporally regulated by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3). Am J Cell Physiol. 290(3), C822-31.

Awards and Honors: Richard M.Johnson Jr. Memorial Award for a junior in Biological Science for outstanding scholarship and intellectual leadership., Phi Kappa Phi.

Fall 2003: Erwin entered the MD/PhD program at Washington University, St. Louis.


 
Scholar:  Jaimie Robinson

Major:   Biochemistry

Research Mentor:  Eugene Mueller, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Project Title:  Site-Specific Incorporation of 4-thiouridine into RNA

Abstract: Jamie S. Robinson and Eugene G. Mueller, Will introduction of an E.coli gene lead to 4-thiouridine in yeast? ASBMB Meeting, Orlando, FL. April 2001.

Fall 2002: Ph.D. in Emerging Infectious  Diseases at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences


 
Scholar: Aditya Sharma

Major: Biochemistry

Research Mentor: John Koh, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Project Title: Regulation of Gene Transcription through Synthetic Ligands of Nuclear Hormone Receptors.

Awards and Honors: Phi Kappa Phi


 
Scholar:  Courtney Smith

Major:  Medical Technology Interest

Research Mentor:  Mary Beth Miele, Medical Technology

Project Title:  Gene Expression on Chromosome 6

 


 
Scholar:  Benjamin Thuma

Major:  Biochemistry

Research Mentor:  Douglass Taber, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Project Title: Synthesis of alpha-carbomethoxy-5,6-dimethoxy- beta-tetralone

Awards and Honors: D. Kenneth Steers Memorial Award for academic excellence by a junior class member of the track and field team.


 
Scholar:  Rozie Townsend
Delaware State University

Majors: Pre-Med Biology and Pre-Med Chemistry 
Minor: Business Administration.

Research Mentor: Melinda Duncan, Biological Sciences

Project Title: Molecular structure of the lens capsule.

 


 
Scholar: Dana Ungerbuehler

Major: Chemical Engineering

Research Mentor: Anne Skaja Robinson, Department of Chemical Engineering

Project Title: Investigation of Disulfide-Bonded Intermediates of P22 Tailspike, a non-disulfide Bonded Protein

Poster Presentation: Investigating the Mixed-Chain Interactions of P22 Tailspike, Experimental Biology Meetings, San Diego, CA. April 11-15, 2003

Awards and Honors: Tau Beta Pi (Engineering honor society), Ameranda Hess Corporation Award for a junior demonstrating outstanding scholastic achievement, Phi Kappa Phi.

 


 
Scholar:  Laura Vella

Major:  Biology

Research Mentor:  Diane Herson, Department of Biological Sciences

Project Title: Helicobacter pylori Transmission in Ground Water 
(Cosponsored by a scholarship from the American Society of Microbiology)

Awards and Honors: Phi Beta Kappa

Fall 2002: MD/PhD Program, Pittsburgh-Carnegie Mellon University


 
Scholar:  Lacy Weisenberg

Major: Animal Science

Research Mentor:  Calvin Keeler, Animal and Food Science

Project Title: Characterization of an Avian Antigen Presenting Protein, chDEC205.

Awards and Honors: Alpha Lambda Delta, Golden Key National Honor Society, National Society of Collegiate Scholars

Fall 2002: Pharmacy Program, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia


 
Scholar: Alice Wong

Major: Medical Technology

Research Mentor: Mary Anne McLane, Department of Medical Technology

Project Title: Binding of Eristostatin to Melanoma Cells

Abstract: Alice Wong, Carrie Paquette-Straub, and Mary Ann McLane, Potential Receptors for the Binding of Eristostatin to Melanoma Cells. 

Awards and Honors: Alpha Lambda Delta,Participant in the ASBMB Undergraduate Poster Competition at the Experimental Biology Meetings in New Orleans, 22 April 2002


Return to HHMI Undergraduate Research Scholars Page, University of Delaware HHMI Home Page
Created 22 March 2001,  Last up-dated 14 May 2008 by Hal White
Copyright 2001 Harold B. White, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware