Research in Biochemistry

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Biochemistry and Chemistry Research Opportunities at St. Lawrence

One of the greatest opportunities St. Lawrence offers its undergraduates is the chance to do original research in faculty laboratories. Participating in research allows a student to experience the joy of discovery firsthand, an opportunity to see the scientific process in action, and the chance to become better acquainted with a faculty member whom can serve as a mentor to the student.

Faculty members at St. Lawrence are actively engaged in research and enjoy mentoring undergraduates. A number of opportunities exist for students to participate in independent study with a faculty member at St. Lawrence. Here are some of the highlights of our undergraduate research programs.

Other Biochemistry and Chemistry Research Opportunities

Opportunities also exist for undergraduate students to participate in research projects & summer internships at other locations during the summer. Summer Research Opportunities contains a list of available opportunities - the list is continuously updated during late fall and winter

Also, you may want to check out this NSF guide for undergraduate researchers.

Department Host Students Doing Summer Research

Students joined faculty members to work in the summer 2020.

Aseman Bagheri Sheshdeh worked with Dr. Samantha Glazier and reviewed research on several aspects of the COVID pandemic including public health policies and different approaches to vaccine development. 

Beinan Yang worked with Dr. Sam Tartakoff on designing and proposing a total synthesis of naturally occurring organic molecules, which had recently been isolated from a Middle-Eastern herb.

Four Chemistry Major students joined faculty mentors to work in the Department for Summer 2019.

Jack Greene is working with Dr. Adam Hill, using infrared spectroscopy to study the structure of metal pairs bonded to the surfaces of silica nanoparticles. Here, he prepares a sample in the department’s nitrogen-filled glovebox.

Nicole Panek is majoring in Mathematics, and is working with Dr. Adam Hill to bring graph theory and density functional theory together to study the ring-like structures of silica networks and how those rings influence the behaviors of metal pairs.

Heinrich Salzmann is using the department’s pulsed laser system to measure the time evolution of light emitted from metal pairs. His work with Dr. Adam Hill will influence the design of renewable energy devices.

Cory Couture is working Dr. Judith Nagel-Myers in Geology to study the amounts of metals in shells collected from the region and from far away, better understanding changes in metals in water over time.

2018

  • Kenneth Adames-Ramos,  Faculty mentor Nadia Marano, “Characterization of Amyloid Fibers Formed by Tetracycline Resistant Soil Bacteria” (McNair Scholar)

  • Dylan Babcock, Faculty mentor Larry French, “Utilization of Myrcene/Benzoquinone Bis-Diels-Alder Adducts for the Production of Noval Anthraquinone DNA Binding Agents” (McNair Scholar)

  • Hannah Bovee, Faculty mentor Nadia Marano, “Characterization of Amyloid Fibers Formed by Tetracycline Resistant Bacteria” (SLU Fellow)

  • Sydney Chatfield, Faculty mentor Matthew Skeels, “Evaluating Thermadynamic Stability and Binding Affinity of Computationally Engineered Glucose-Galactose Binding Proteins” (SLU Fellow)

  • Dhimiter Cobani, Faculty mentor Adam Hill, “Reduction of Bipyridine Chromophore by a Zirconium-Cobalt Binuclear Unit Modeling Devices for Artificial Photosynthesis” McNair Scholar)

  • Abigail Enders, Faculty mentor Samuel Tartakoff, “Determining the Mechanism of the Wagner-Jauregg Reaction by Analysis of Reaction Rates: A Kinetics Study”  (SLU Fellow)

  • John Hoefler, Faculty mentor Matt Skeels, “Assessment of Total Mercury in Church Pond in the Adirondacks” (Sophomore Scholar)

  • Evan Ketcham, Faculty mentor Matthew Skeels, “Engineering Thermodynamically Stable Mutants of the Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Protein” (SLU Fellow)

  • Lisa Kozodoy, Faculty mentor Nadia Marano, “Isolation and Identification of Amyloid Fibers in the Archeon Haloferax Volcanii” (Stradling Fellow)

  • Leah Livernois, Faculty mentor Adam Hill, “Testing a New Metal Combination for an Efficient Charge Transfer State in the Development of Artificial Photosynthesis” (SLU Fellow)

  • Joseph Settineri, Faculty mentor Samuel Tartakoff, “Development of a Catalyzed Wagner-Jauregg Reaction” (SLU Fellow)