HHMI                      Undergraduate                             Research                             Scholars             Winter 2003

Scholar: Gregory Abendroth  Major:  Biochemistry Research Mentor:  Anne Skaja Robinson, Department of Chemical Engineering Project Title:  Histidine Mutant Behavior of P22 Tailspike Protein Awards and Honors: Alpha Lambda Delta. Tau Beta Pi, Phi Beta Kappa, Honor's B.S. in Biochemistry with a minor in Biology, Fall 2004 Plans: Enrolling at Rutgers University's School of Pharmacy to pursue a four-year Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)

Scholar:  Alexandra Cretu Major: Biology Research Mentor:  Deni Galileo, Departmkent of Biological Sciences Project Title: The Role of L1 Cell Adhesion Molecule in Glioma Tumor Cell Invasion Awards and Honors: Phi Beta Kappa. Dr. Marion E. Wiley Memorial Award in German beyond the intermediate level. Delta Phi Alpha (German Honorary), Omicron Delta Kappa national honor society.  Conference Presentation: A.Cretu; G.R.Molloy; D.S.Galileo, "Novel Chick Embryo Brain Xenograft Model for Study of Gliomas" Neuoroscience Meetings, Orlando FL. 2002 Publication: Alexis  Cretu, Joseph S. Fotos, B. W. Little, and Deni S. Galileo,  (2005).  Human and rat glioma growth, invasion, and vascularization in a novel chick embryo brain tumor model.  Clin Exper Metas. 22:225-236.

Scholar:  Christopher Eller Major:  Biochemistry Research Mentor: Eugene Mueller, Chemistry and Biochemistry Project Title: Structure of Mutant TruB in the Presence of Substrate tRNAs Presentation: "Structural Analysis of Pseudouridine Synthesis by Circular Dichroism," 67th Intercollegiate Student Chemists' Convention, Villanova University, 5 April 2003 Awards and Honors: Top Index in the University of Delaware 2003 Graduating Class. Phi Beta Kappa. Phi Beta Kappa Clift and DeArmond Award. Honors Degree with Distiction.  American Chemical Society Award in Chemistry for outstanding scholarship and achievement in chemistry or biochemistry. Elizabeth Dyer Award for Excellence in Chemistry and Biochemistry. Wallace Carothers Award. Frank W. Collins Award in Biochemistry. Undergraduate Award in Analytical Chemistry.  First Place Presentation in the Biochemistry Division 67th Intercollegiate Chemists' Convention.National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society. Fall 2003: Chris will attend medical school at the University of Virginia.

Scholar: Todd Greco Major:  Biochemistry Research Mentor: Eugene Mueller, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Project Title:  Examining Substrate Specificity of the Pseudouridine Synthase, RluA Awards and Honors: Phi Beta Kappa. Dean's List, Kevin Scott Beall Memorial Scholarship. Edward H. Rosenberry Writing Award. Merck Index Award. Publication: Christopher S. Hamilton, Todd M. Greco, Caroline A. Vizthum, Joy M.  Ginter, Murray V. Johnston, and Eugene G. Mueller (2006) Mechanistic Investigations of the Pseudouridine Synthase RluA Using  RNA Containing 5-Fluorouridine, Biochemistry  45, 12029-12038 Fall 2003: Todd will enter the PhD Program in Neurosciences at the University of Pennsylvania.

Scholar: Erin Henninger Major:  Biology Research Mentor:  Deni Galileo, Department of Biological Science Project Title:  Involvement of the Extracellular Matrix Molecule Fibronectin in the Developing Chick Optic Tectum Conference Presentation: E.M.Henninger; D.S.Galileo, "Expression and Alignment of Fibronectin by Radial Glia in Developing Brain." Neurosciences Meetings, Orlando, FL. 2002. Awards and Honors: National Society for Collegiate Scholars. Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Award. First-Year Honors Certificate. Honors Degree with Distinction. Dean's List. Publication: Erin M. (Henninger) Stettler and Deni S. Galileo (2004). Radial glia produce and align the ligand fibronectin during neuronal migration in the developing chick brain. J. Comp. Neurol., 468:441-451. Fall 2003: Erin will enter the PhD Program in Molecular Toxicology at the University of California at Berkeley.

Scholar: Karyn Oberman Major:  Biology Research Mentor:  Norman Karin, Department of Biological Sciences Project Title:  Expression of Ca++ Channels in Mouse Pre-Osteoblastic Cells. Poster Presentation:  Karyn G Oberman, Timothy R Schwartz, John M David,  David C Usher, Norman J Karin.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 Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, University Honors Program Scholarship. J. Bayard Eliason Scholar Award. Golden Key. Fall 2003: Entering the graduate Program in Biological Sciences at the University of Delaware.

Scholar:  Eric Pridgen Major:  Chemical Engineering Research Mentor: Anne Skaja Robinson, Department of Chemical Engineering Project Title:  Characterization of the Unfolded Protein Response in Saccaromyces cerevisiae Using the Green Fluorescent Protein Publications: K. J. Kauffman, E. M. Pridgen, F. J. Doyle, III, P. S. Dhurjati, and A. S. Robinson, Decreased Protein Expression and Intermittent Recoveries in the BiP Levels Result from Cellular Stress during Heterologous Protein Expression in Saccaromyces cerevisiae. Biotech. Prog., 18, 942-950 (2002). Awards and Honors: Phi Kappa Phi. Tau Beta Pi (engineering). Charles Evans Prize. Robert L. Pigford Award in Chemical Engineering. John L. Burmeister Award for Excellence in Chemistry. First-Year Honors Certificate. Fall 2003: Eric will be working in the Vaccine Bioprocess R&D Department as a bioprocess engineer at Merck Research Laboratories in West Point, PA. In 2007, Eric received a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship for graduate work at MIT.

Scholar: Erwin C. Puente Major: Biology Research Mentor: Mary C. Farach-Carson, Department of Biological Sciences Project Title: Mechanical Load Effects on Voltage-Sensitive Calcium Channel mRNA Expression  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. First Prize in ASBMB Undergraduate Poster Competition. Awards and Honors: Richard M. Johnson Jr Memorial Award to a junior in Biological Sciences, Phi Kappa Phi. Phi Beta Kappa. Alpha Lambda Delta. Beta Beta Beta Biological Sciences Honor Society (officer). Biological Sciences Academic Excellence Award. American Association of University Professors Undergraduate Student Award. 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. Fall 2003: Erwin entered the MD/PhD program at Washington University, St. Louis.

Scholar:  Danielle Skorupa Major:  Biology Research Mentor:  David Usher, Department of Biological Sciences Project Title: Cholesterol Homeostasis and Adipocytes Poster Presentation: Danielle Skorupa and David C. Usher. Cholesterol Homeostasis and Adipocytes. Experimental Biology Meetings, San Diego, CA. April 11-15, 2003. Awards and Honors: Degree with Distinction. Beta Beta Beta (biology). Fall 2003: Danielle entered the PhD Program in Molecular Biology at Baylor University in Houston Texas.

Scholar:  Courtney Smith Major:  Medical Technology Interest Research Mentor:  Mary Beth Miele, Department of Medical Technology Project Title:  Evaluation of Putative Melanoma Supressor Genes at 6q16.3-6q23. Poster Presentation: Courtney Smith, Carrie Paquette-Straub, and Mary E. Miele Evaluation of Putative Melanoma Metastasis Suppressor Genes  at 6q16.3-6q23.Experimental Biology Meetings in New Orleans, LA. April 20-24, 2002.  Fall 2003: Courtney entered the PhD Program at the George Washington University.

Scholar:  Kenneth Stapleford Major:  Biochemistry Research Mentor: Junghuei Chen, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Project Title: The Role of Human Recombination Protein hRad51 in DNA Replication Damage Repair. Poster and Symposium Presentation: Kenny Stapleford, Hong Bi, and Junghuei Chen. Human Recombination Protein hRad51  Promotes Regression of Stalled Replication Forks in vitro. Experimental Biology Meetings, San Diego, CA. April 11-15, 2003. Publication: Dennis Yoon, Y. Wang, Kenneth Stapleford, L. Wiesmüller, and Junghuei Chen. (2004) P53 Inhibits Strand Exchange and Replication Fork Regression Promoted by Human Rad51, J. Mol. Biol.  336, 639–654. Fall 2003 Plans: Kenny entered the PhD Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Scholar: Jennifer Zak Major:  Chemical Engineering Research Mentor:  Anne Skaja Robinson, Chemical Engineering Project Title:  The Effects of Point Mutations in the C-Terminus on Assembly of the P22 Tailspike Trimer. Awards and Honors: Stanley Jacob Schechter Award to junior Chemical engineering student who has excelled in non-engineering courses, Phi Kappa Phi, Tau Beta Pi (Engineering honor society). Chemical Engineering Industrial Sponsors Senior Student Award Exceptional Scholarship and Extracurricular Student activities). Publication: Matthew J. Gage, Jennifer L. Zak and Anne S. Robinson (2005). "Three amino acids that are critical to formation and stability of the P22 tailspike trimer." Protein Sci 14(9): 2333-43. Fall 2003 Plans: Working at Merck