An article in Sunday’s Register Guard newspaper showcased local STEM education efforts, including a video with some familiar faces.
Look for Kory Plakos from the DeRose Lab and Jeremy Copperman from the Guenza Lab doing hands-on science with students at the Arts and Technology Academy (ATA) Middle School in Eugene School District 4j.
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For the second summer in a row, UO Chemistry hosted a hands-on chem lab experience for local high school students participating in the university’s Summer Academy to Inspire Learning (SAIL) program.
The UO SAIL Chemistry Camp, organized by chemistry grad students Kara Nell and Blake Tresca, ran from July 27th-31st. The campers, all soon-to-be high school freshman, put on their goggles and analyzed water samples, created filters, tested the pH of of common household chemicals, and designed batteries using metal sulfate solutions. Be sure to check out our photos!
The Summer Academy to Inspire Learning (SAIL) is a University of Oregon program led by volunteer faculty and aimed at increasing students’ enrollment and success in college. SAIL invites eligible 8th through 12th grade students to attend free, annual academic summer camps until they graduate from high school.
SAIL Chemistry camp is sponsored by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and UO Women in Graduate Sciences. Thanks to all the additional volunteers who helped make this years SAIL Chemistry camp a huge success: grad students Loni Kringle, Kimberly Jones, Kate Karfilis, Fern Bosada, Laura McWilliams, Aurora Ginzberg, Erik Hadland, Sarah Casper, Lisa Enman, Lisa Eytel, Anne Emig, and Nina Vincent.
UO Chemistry and Biochemistry graduate student Andrew Wagner has been awarded a 2015 American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship.
The $50,000 award will be distributed over two years, and is intended to help students initiate careers in cardiovascular and stroke research by providing research assistance and training. Research topics may be broadly related to cardiovascular function and disease and stroke, or to related clinical, basic science, bioengineering or biotechnology, and public health problems, including multidisciplinary efforts.
Last weekend seven UO women PhD students attended the Puget Sound Women Chemists Retreat with UO Chemistry and Biochemistry faculty Victoria DeRose.
The event, held outside Seattle, Washington, attracted over 50 junior women chemists from the Pacific Northwest for workshops and panel discussions. The retreat also provided participants with valuable opportunities to enhance their professional networks and build leadership and communication skills.
Future Retreats may move south to Oregon, which was well-represented as seen in this picture of UO and OSU attendees. UO student participants included Mary Collins, Rachael Cunningham, Jackie McGrath, Laura McWilliams, Leticia Montoya, Kara Nell and Emily Reister.
Rachael Cunningham, a fourth year PhD student in the DeRose lab, has been selected for a 2015 American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship. The $50,000 award will be distributed over two years, and is intended to help students initiate careers in cardiovascular and stroke research by providing research assistance and training. Research topics may be broadly related to cardiovascular function and disease and stroke, or to related clinical, basic science, bioengineering or biotechnology, and public health problems, including multidisciplinary efforts.
Rachael completed her undergraduate work at Lake Superior State University in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, graduating in 2010 with a BS in forensic chemistry. Her research in the DeRose lab focuses on the interactions of Pt(II) anticancer therapeutics with biomolecules in the cell, specifically interactions resulting in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress.
“Despite the broad use of Pt(II) drugs,” she explains, “their efficacy is currently limited by adverse side effects, including cardiotoxicity. Cardiotoxicity during chemotherapy is a large problem, and one hypothesis is that this cardiotoxicity is in part due to ER stress.”
To better understand the mechanism by which these chemotherapeutics induce ER stress, the DeRose laboratory has synthesized Pt(II) compounds modified with a reactive handle for post-treatment labeling of Pt(II) cellular targets. By identifying which cellular targets are involved in ER stress, they hope to advance the development of Pt(II)-based drugs with lower toxicity, and create a more sensitized antitumor response.
Rachel has yet to decide on her post-degree plans, but her current interests lie in non-faculty academic research or industry work.
Come support our graduate students at the sixth annual UO Graduate Student Research Forum!
Thirteen chemistry graduate students will be participating in the Forum on Friday, February 20, at the Ford Alumni Center. The event provides UO graduate students with an opportunity to present their research and creative work to peers, professionals and professors.
Room 403, Ford Alumni Center
Abcam SimpleStep™ ELISA – Presenter: Leticia Montoya
Gallium Arsenide Solar Cells – Presenter: Andrew Ritenour
Giustina Ballroom, Ford Alumni Center
Par Complex-Directed Protein Polarization Using Phosphorylation-Regulated Membrane – Matthew Bailey
Counter-Ion Effects on Surfactant Assembly at the Oil-Water Interface of Reverse Emulsions – Presenter: Andrew Carpenter
Modifications to Toxic CUG RNAs Induce Structural Stability – Presenter: Elaine deLorimier
Computational Studies of Methylglyoxal at the Air-Water Interface – Presenter: Brittany Gordon
Synthetic MBNL1 Design: Creating a Higher Activity RNA Binding Protein – Presenter: Melissa Hale
Advanced Characterization of Aqueous Inorganic Nanoscale Clusters – Presenter: Milton Jackson, Jr.
RBFOX1 Modulation of MBNL1 Regulated Splicing Events – Presenter: Sunny Ketchum
Tracking Platinum-Based Anticancer Drugs in the Cell to Improve Drug Effectiveness – Presenter: Kory Plakos
How Do Platinum Drugs Affect Triple-Negative Breast Cancer? – Presenter: Emily Reister
Transcriptomic Profiling of Myotonic Dystrophy Patient-derived Tissues: Applications in Basic and Translational Research – Presenter: Adam Struck
Probing the Nanoscale: A Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Study of Didodecylquaterthiophene – Presenter: Benjamen Taber
Nice article on the grad school website about Andy Ritenour and his research experience as a recipient of the Dixon Fellowship award!
Andy is doing research in the Boettcher Lab.
Read more at http://bit.ly/1xPjIOB
Thanks to the efforts of grad student organizers Kara Nell and Blake Tresca, UO Chemistry and Biochemistry welcomed participants in the UO Summer Academy to Inspire Learning (SAIL) program to its first-ever Chemistry camp last week.
A group of seventeen students from area high schools got hands-on experience each day in the laboratory, conducting experiments such as ink analysis, making their own bio-diesel, and synthesizing pigments. In addition, the campers participated in a variety of activities designed to inspire and prepare them for their college careers.
Additional thanks to all the volunteers and presenters that contributed their time and expertise: Prof. Darren Johnson, grad students Kurtis Fairley, Lisa Eytel, Anna Oliveri, Rachel Smith, Bryan Nell, Michaela Burke, undergrads Brittaney White, Leif Winstead, Tori Smith and volunteer EmmyLou Nell!
from the Science Codex:
Oregon chemists eye improved thin films with metal substitution
UO Chemistry graduate students Leticia Montoya and Andy Ritenour have been named as recipients of the Julie and Rocky Dixon Graduate Innovation Award. Leticia is a member of the Pluth lab group, and Andy is a member of the Boettcher lab.
The award is designed to support doctoral students who are interested in pursuing innovative experiences that will prepare them for careers outside of academia in areas including but not limited to industry, business, and the non-profit and government sectors.
Read more about their awards at http://gradschool.uoregon.edu/2014-dixon-awardees
