Grove City College student researchers earned two honorable mention awards at the 39th Annual American Chemical Society Regional Symposium at Duquesne University.
The symposium provided a forum for undergraduate students who have performed research in science-related fields to present their work in poster format. There were over 30 posters presented by students from colleges and universities in the region.
A team of Biology and Biochemistry majors – seniors Emilie Beers, Lauren Iverson, and Sarah Swoboda and juniors Madison Fossa, Hannah Jen and Grace Ryan – earned laurels for “Investigating the Protective Effect of Polyphenols on H2O2-induced Inflammation in Human Colon Caco-2 Cells,” which summarized their research under the direction of Dr. Kristina Pazehoski ’01, professor of Biology.
They used a human colon cell culture model to study the integrity of the intestinal barrier tissue, a factor in inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis and Chron’s disease. They measured the ability of plant chemicals found in apples, teas, and dark chocolate to protect the intestinal barrier tissue, along with a derivative of those chemicals synthesized by Grove City Chemistry Professor Dr. Charles Kriley and his students, which their findings indicated provide some protection against the tissue damage caused by inflammation.
Junior molecular biology major Luke Paglia earned his honorable mention for “Mapping of the 6E.29 mutation in Drosophila melanogaster,” covering research he conducted with Biology Professor Dr. Lisa Antoszewski.
The Antoszewski lab is interested in identifying genes that control cell growth and division in fruit flies and Luke characterized a mutation in flies that caused cell overgrowth, similar to tumor formation. He sequenced the DNA to map the location of the specific gene that was mutated. Antoszewski’s research students want to study these genes because diseases, such as cancer, result when these genes are mutated. The research was conducted in collaboration with other institutions as part of a nationwide consortium.
Pazehoski praised the students’ performance and persistence. “Out of seven schools that attended the Duquesne Undergraduate Research Symposium, only two were recognized with awards for the work the students presented – Duquesne University and Grove City College. This speaks to the quality of the work our Grove City College students were able to accomplish. Our students have stepped up to take ownership of their projects, to come into the lab every week, and to invest time and energy into designing and executing their experiments,” she said.
Antoszewski said the symposium was a great experience. “When students attend regional or national conferences or symposiums, they are given the opportunity to develop the skills needed to effectively communicate science,” she said. “They learn to organize their data, present it in a clear and interesting way, and engage in discussion with other scientists. We are grateful that Grove City College supports this type of experiential learning.”