Summer Research 2021

SC INBRE DRP-funded undergraduate researcher and rising junior in Biochemistry, Morgan Ethridge, is working to identify novel disease-progressive biomarkers of GM1 Gangliosidosis, a neuropathic lysosomal storage disease.

Jayda Carroll-Deaton (B.S. Biochemistry, 2022) is shown performing a Bradford assay to measure protein concentration. Jayda is studying mitochondrial proteins that help build the electron transport chain.

This summer, rising sophomore, and Honors student Ansley Elkins is studying transfer RNAs (tRNAs), a class of macromolecules that are expressed in all living organisms and that are essential for the biosynthesis of proteins.

Dallas Crowder is performing flash column chromatography in Dr. Tim Barker's lab this summer. Dallas is making compounds with nitrogen that could be useful in neuroscience pharmaceuticals.

Faith Emetu (B.S. Biology - Molecular Biology, 2022) is shown analyzing a DNA gel. Faith is determining the molecular cause of a patient mutation that results in mitochondrial disease.

Max Flota is studying mycobacteriophage genomes in the lab of Dr. Christine Byrum. He is reviewing genome annotations and functional roles and determining which features are conserved and which are unique.

Phia Gierszal is using a double manifold to perform an air sensitive reaction in Dr. Tim Barker’s lab. Phia is working on developing a new organic reaction using a Cu catalyst.

Julia Goldman’s research with Dr. Kris Ghosh focuses on computational prediction of RNA structure. They are investigating how RNA can be modelled using graph grammars with more data-dependent, probabilistic rewriting rules.

Julia Hopkins is working in Dr. Michael Janech's lab to assess whether specific proteins can help medical doctors to determine the degree of kidney injury due to ATN by using less subjective and time-consuming methods.

Skye Jacobson and Danielle “DQ” Qualls are purifying endothelial nitric oxide synthase heme domain to be used for single-turnover assay experiments.

Lane Kenan is working in Dr. Giuliano’s lab to develop small peptide models of hydrophobic collapse. She’s pictured here purifying peptides using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Ellie Kraichely is using a rotary evaporator in the lab of Dr. Tim Barker. Ellie is developing new reactions to convert carbon-boron bonds to carbon-carbon bonds.

Gabby Molloseau is working with Drs. Giuliano and Forconi this summer. She has developed new synthetic probe molecules that allow for the measurement of the solvent characteristics of the interface between lipid membranes and water.

Said Dr. Giuliano, “Gabby attacked this project! She discovered that she is a gifted synthetic organic chemist and and watching that process was really special. I am so proud of her and excited to see where we can take this work!”

Hailey Ninness is using DOSY-NMR diffusion experiments in Dr. Michael Giuliano's lab to study the ability of the endogenous opioids to associate with lipid bilayers. She’s pictured working to freeze-dry peptide samples on a lyophilizer.

Said Dr. Giuliano, “Working all summer with super-hygroscopic materials in Charleston humidity was no joke, and Hailey was more than up to the challenge. I am so proud of what she accomplished!”

Liam Radeke is working in the lab of Dr. Amy Rogers on a colorimetric nitric oxide synthase activity assay that uses the Griess Reagent to quantify production of nitric oxide.

Dana Mae Salvador (B.S. Biochemistry, 2023) is shown inoculating cell cultures. Dana Mae is studying a group of evolutionarily conserved enzymes to determine their biological role.

Rachel Wilkinson is in Dr. Michael Giuliano’s lab purifying peptides using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). She determined the structure of the human neuropeptide galanin using NMR and characterized its solution behavior.

Demetric McCall is a Biology and Pre-med major with a Chemistry minor. He is a senior and plans to go to Medical school.

Riley Osbourn, a junior, is a Chemistry and Forensic Science major.

Andrew Powell is a Biology major with secondary education option. He is a senior and plans to be a high school science teacher.

Dr. Meg Breen (new faculty hire in Fall 2019) completed her first summer of research in 2021 and worked with INBRE Student Scholar Ryan Singer. The Summer 2021 Breen research group is pictured above with Dr Breen (far right) and Ryan Singer (second from right).

Dr. Veronica Flores (new faculty hire, Fall 2019) completed her first summer of research in 2021 and worked with INBRE Student Scholar Carl Hayes (pictured above). Carl is presenting his summer research at the end-of-summer Psychology/Neuroscience Poster session.

Above is a screen shot from Converse-USC Upstate combined weekly meetings, Professional Development workshops, held on Mondays from 9 am to 10 am. The schedule included resume/CV writing, grad school/professional school applications, personal statements, digital presence, networking, how give effective poster presentations, how to give effective oral presentations, and writing your research. On August 9, they will have a virtual poster session. Said Dr. Neval Erturk, SC INBRE Institutional PI, “Students found these really valuable.”

From Dr. Liu, “There is an urgent need to develop rapid, quantitative, non–sputum-based tests for active TB that do not require bacterial isolation. In this work, a nanopore-based sensing method with attomolar sensitivity was developed for quantitation of circulating CFP-10/EAST-6 antigen complex for early detection of pediatric TB.”

From Dr. Liu, “We developed DNA-assisted nanopore sensing for quantification of SARS-CoV-2 related antibodies in human serum. Different structures of DNA were used as detection reporters for multiplex quantification of immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against the nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2 in serum specimens from patients with conformed or suspected infection.”