HHMI 
Undergraduate Research Scholars
Summer 2000
The following twenty-two students were selected to be HHMI Research Scholars for the Summer 2000. They include 2 sophomores, 15 juniors, and 5 seniors.
 
Nicole Goodwin, Chemistry Justin DiAngelo, Biology Jaimie Robinson, Biochemistry
Jacob LaPorte, Biochemistry Eric Evans, Biology Kelly Sewell, Biology
Jennifer Leszl, Biology John Heiss, Biochemistry Michael Usher, Biology
Jennifer Rutan, Biology Melissa Kuchar
Medical Technology
Laura Vella, Biology
Michael Scoblete, Chemistry Franchita Lockwood, Biology Kathryn Whitehead
Chemical Engineering
Susan Biehn, Biology Allison Olszewski, Biochemistry Janel Nixon, Biology (Del. State U)
Trocia Clasp, Chemistry (Del State U) Kathryn Payne, Biology Eric Pridgen, Chemical Engineering
Jennifer Crocco, Biochemistry



 
Scholar:  Suzanne Biehn

Major:  Biology
Research Mentor:  Norman Karin, Department of Biological Sciences
Project Title: Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Ca-ATPase synthesis and Membrane Biogenesis
Honors and Awards: Pfizer Summer Research Award 2001
 


 
Scholar:  Trocia Clasp

Major:  Chemistry, Delaware State University
Research Mentor:  Douglas Ridge, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Project Title:  Study of the Association of Nitric Oxide with Hemeproteins by Fourier-Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry (FT-ICR)


 
Scholar:  Jennifer Crocco

Major:  Biochemistry
Research Mentor:  Roberta Colman, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Project Title:  Mechanism of Adenylate Synthetase
Abstract: Jennifer M. Crocco, Jennifer L. Brosius, and Roberta F. Colman. Characterization of 2 Bacillus subtilis Adenylosuccinate Lyases Equivalent to Mutations Found in Human Adenylosuccinate Lyase Deficiency. ASBMB Meeting, Orlando, FL. April 2001.
 


 
Scholar:  Justin DiAngelo

Major:  Biology
Research Mentor:   Melinda Duncan, Department of Biological Science
Project Title:  Function  of Bves in Heart Development, Purification using a His Tag.

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
Awards and Honors: Membership in Golden Key National Honors Society, Phi Kappa Phi, National Honors Society, Honors Degree with Distinction Candidate.


 
Scholar:  Eric Evans

Major:  Biology
Research Mentor:  Patricia DeLeon, Department of Biological Sciences .
Project Title: Recombination Suppression in Spam 1

Awards and Honors: Phi Beta Kappa Clift and DeArmond Award
 


 
Scholar:  Nicole Goodwin

Major:
Research Mentor:  Douglass Taber, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Project Title: Stereo-Controlled Synthesis of Polycyclic Natural Products
Presentations: 64th Annual Intercollegiate Student Chemists' Conference, Bloomsburg University, 15 April 2000.
65th Annual Intercollegiate Student Chemists' Conference, Goucher College, 21 April 2001.
Honors and Awards:  American Chemical Society Delaware Section Scholarship, Quaesita Drake Scholarship, Phi Beta Kappa
Fall 2001: Doctoral Program in Organic Chemistry, California Institute of Technology 


 
Scholar:  John Heiss

Major:  Biochemistry
Research Mentor:  Brian Bahnson, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Project Title:  X-Ray Structure of Tyrosine Phosphatase


 
Scholar:  Jennifer Leszl

Major:  Biology
Research Mentor: David Usher, Department of Biological Sciences
Project Title:  Catabolism of Turtle HDL, SAGE Analysis of Gene Expression

Fall 2001: Doctoral Genetics Program, Pennsylvania State University


 
Scholar:  Melissa Kuchar

Major:  Medical Technology
Research Mentor:  Mary Ann McLane, Department of Medical Technology
Project Title:  Eristostatin Inhibition of Melanoma Metastasis
Abstract: Molecular Mechanisms Used in Eriststatin's Inhibition of Metastasis, at ASBMB Meetings Orlando, FL. April 2001


 
Scholar:  Jacob LaPorte

Major:  Biochemistry
Research Mentor:  Junghuei Chen, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Project Title:  Elucidating the Role of DNA Aggegates in the Homologous Recombination Strand Exchange  Reaction
Honors and Awards: Elected to Mortar Board
Publications: Zhaoquin Zhang, Dennis Yoon, Jacob R. LaPorte, and Junghuei Chen, Appropriate Initiation of Strand Exchange Reaction Promoted by RecA Protein Requires ATP Hydrolysis. (submitted 2000)
Fall 2001: Graduate School in Chemistry at Harvard University on an HHMI Predoctoral Fellowship.


 
Scholar:  Franchita Lockwood

Major:  Biology
Research Mentor:  Patricia DeLeon, Department of Biological Sciences 
Project Title:  Localization of Hyaluronidase Genes in the Mouse

 


 
Scholar:  Janel Nixon

Major:  Biology,  Delaware State University
Research Mentor: Calvin Keeler, Department of Animal and Food Science
Project Title: Construction of a Chicken Kidney cDNA Expression Library


 
Scholar:  Allison Olszewski

Major:  Biochemistry
Research Mentor:  John Koh, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Project Title:  Chemical Regulation of a Mutant Retinoic Acid Receptor
 


 
Scholar: Kathryn Payne

Major:  Biology
Research Mentor:  Malcolm Taylor, Department of Biological Sciences
Project Title:   Smooth Muscle in Fundulus Ovary
Fall 2002: Medical School at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences
 


 
Scholar:  Eric Pridgen

Major:  Chemical Engineering
Research Mentor:  Anne Skaja Robinson, Department of Chemical Engineering
Project Title:  Optimization of Protein Production in Yeast Cells


 
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.


 
Scholar:  Jennifer Rutan

Major:  Biotechnology/History
Research Mentor:  Robert Hodson. Department of Biological Sciences
Project Title:   Characterization of 38kD Apolipoprotein DNA in the Turtle, Pseudemeyes scripta.
Honors and Awards: Elected to Mortar Board, Runner-up for Phi Kappa Phi (University of Delaware) Graduate Fellowship, Phi Beta Kappa
Abstract: Jennifer Rutan, Michael Usher, Matthew Russell, Robin Davis, Shui Quig Ye, Gregory Stephens, Robert Hodson, and David Usher. Conservation of the Apolipoprotein AI-CIII Linkage Group in Reptiles. ASBMB Meetings, Orlando, FL. April 2001.  FASEB J 15(4) A195 (2001) Abst 188.5
Fall 2001: Doctoral Program in Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina.


 
Scholar:  Michael Scoblete

Major:  Chemistry and Chemistry Education
Research Mentor:  Klaus Theopold, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Project Title:  Iron-Coordinating Complexes that Bind and Cleave Dioxygen
Presentations: 64th Annual Intercollegiate Student Chemists’ Conference, 15 April 2000, Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. 

33rd Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, 
16 May 2000, Newark, Delaware. 

Fall 2001: Teaching academic and advanced chemistry at  Mendham High School in West Morris Regional High School District, New Jersey.


 
Scholar:  Kelly Sewell

Major:  Biology
Research Mentor:  David Usher, Department of Biological Sciences
Project Title: HDL Catabolism in Turtles


 
Scholar:  Michael Usher

Major:  Biology
Research Mentor:  Eric Kmiec, Department of Biological Sciences
Project Title:  Gene Repair Model for Introducing Point Mutations

Abstracts: Michael Usher, Howard Gamper, Eric Kmeic. Targeting of a Chimeric Oligonucleotide to dsDNA for Site-Specific Gene Repair. ASBMB Meetings, Orlando, FL. April 2001. FASEB J 15(4), A518 (2001) Abst 435.2

Jennifer Rutan, Michael Usher, Matthew Russell, Robin Davis, Shui Quig Ye, Gregory Stephens, Robert Hodson, David Usher. Conservation of the Apolipoprotein AI-CIII Linkage Group in Reptiles. ASBMB Meetings, Orlando, FL. April 2001. FASEB J 15(4) A195 (2001) Abst 188.5

Awards: Recipient of a Pfizer Summer Research Fellowship 2001


 
Scholar:  Laura Vella

Major:  Biology
Research Mentor:  Diane Herson, Department of Biological Sciences
Project Title: Helicobacter pylori Transmission in Ground Water

Awards: Recipient of a Americam Society for Microbiology summer research fellowship 2001


 
Scholar:  Kathryn Whitehead

Major:  Chemical Engineering
Research Mentor:  Anne Skaja Robinson, Department of Chemical Engineering
Project Title:   Aggregation of scFv Protein

Awards and Scholarships: Chemical Engineering First Year Award, First Year Honors Certificate, UD Scholar Award, The Bunnell Scholarship, Just Born Candies Award,  World War II Alumni Award, Honors Program Scholarship, Chemical Engineering Class of 1950 Award, Engineering Teaching Assistant Award.


Return to HHMI Undergraduate Research Scholars Page, University of Delaware HHMI Home Page
Created 30 May 2000, Last up-dated 21 May 2002 by Hal White
Copyright 2000, 2001, 2002 Harold B. White, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware