Biochemistry Alumni at Montana State University

IU South Bend biochemistry 2014 graduates Angela Patterson (left) and Jac Miller (middle) independently landed at Montana State University to pursue their graduate studies. Jac followed the footsteps of Dr. Gretchen Anderson and studied enzymes involved in nitrogen fixation with Dr. John Peters. Jac earned her Master’s degree in Biochemistry and is now teaching, doing research, and bringing up her baby daughter Adelaide (in the carriage!) and her horse. Angela is an expert in mass spectroscopy and metabolomics working with Prof. Brian Bothner. She will most likely finish her Ph.D. in 2019. Gretchen Anderson (right) had a chance to catch up with both alumni as well as Dr. Jennifer DuBois, formerly at Notre Dame, and with whom Anderson spent a sabbatical leave in 2008.

Professor Muna is "Getting the Lead Out"!

 

Professor Grace Muna (above) is finishing her research sabbatical at Notre Dame where she is teamed with Professor Marya Lieberman (below left). They've been working on ways to detect lead in paint samples.  The picture above is a screenshot from part two of a special news report from WSBT, channel 22.  The news report can be found online here at WSBT while two videos from the report can also be found on YouTube: Part 1 and Part 2 (features Muna).  This summer Muna returns to IU South Bend to continue her research with several undergraduate students.  Congratulations to Muna for making the news and contributing to such an important project. 

 

 

Awards and Graduates 2017

Another academic year ends as freshman become sophomores - and seniors become alumni.  We hope that the former group will have a wonder three years to come at IU South Bend, and that the latter group looks back on their time here with fondness always.  Our graduates are heading to industry, graduate school, and medical school.  They have worked hard and many of them have gathered awards and scholarships throughout their college career.  Listed below is a list of campus awards that our graduates and current students received this academic year. Congratulations to all of you for your effort and success.

Freshman Chemistry Achievement Award
  Sean Galvin
Student Excellence Award in Biochemistry
  Alexandra Hochstetler
Student Excellence Award in Chemistry
  Christopher Warkentin
Joseph H. Ross Seminar Award
   Michael Rauschenbach
Zeider Excellence in Biochemistry Scholarship
   Victor Gutierrez-Schultz
George V. Nazaroff Scholarhip
   Khai Pham
Carolyn & Lawrence Garber Summer Research Scholarship
   Maggie Fink
Bender Student Scholarship
   Michele Costantino

Rizk Presents at Protein Folding Conference

 

Undergraduates Michele Costantino and Maggie Fink accompanied biochemistry professor Shahir Rizk to the 12th Annual Midwest Conference on Protein Folding, Assembly and Molecular Motion.  This conference is held every year at Notre Dame and attracts protein scientists from across the Midwest including Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. Rizk presented work from his lab on engineered antibody fragments that can be used to modulate protein interactions in order to rescue the function of a mutant enzyme involved in cancer. The conference is a great opportunity for undergraduate students to see new areas of research and how science is communicated.

Anderson Teaches STEM at Starbase

Led by Dr. Gretchen Anderson, a class of about twenty at-risk students used their measuring and observational skills to determine just how much water a diaper can absorb. The answer is a lot more than you would think! But if there is salt in the water (normal saline concentrations) then the diapers are barely better than paper towels. Anderson helped students collect data and come to conclusions about the role of sodium ions and water in polyacrylate gels.

 

Special thanks to the staff and students at Starbase, a federal-sponsored program that promotes and offers education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics - the STEM subjects. Starbase provides 25 hours of curriculum over 5 weeks, with various schools rotating in and out of Starbase to spark interest in STEM education and careers.