On February 25, Laura Twersky, Ph.D., professor of biology, served as a speaker at a Columbia University Seminar. Her discussion was titled, “Amphibians and Endocrine Disruption” and was focused on her research regarding the putative endocrine-disrupting causes of the declining numbers of amphibians and the increase in amphibian malformations.
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Christina Mortellaro, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology, Laura Twersky, Ph.D., professor of biology, and Michael Verile ’19 recently presented at the annual cell biology meeting in Washington D.C. The presentation was titled, “Can Tualang or Manuka honey prevent the rate of development changes and malformations seen after bisphenol A exposure in Xenopus laevis (clawed frog) and Rana pipiens (leopard frog)?”
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Biology capstone students had the opportunity to talk with science writer Ben Goldfarb via Skype about his book Eager, the Suprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter. Students read the book, which was the recipient of the 2019 Pen/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award, and held weekly discussions as a part of the current issues component of their senior capstone class.
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The TriBeta Research Foundation has awarded three research grants to Saint Peter’s biology students for the FY’20 academic year.
Wonja Kim ’20, under research advisor Laura Twersky, Ph.D., received a grant to research the “Effects of green tea and Triphala extract, individually and in combination, on diet-induced obesity in zebrafish.”
Melissa Quintana Blanco ’21 and Giovanni Gonzalez ’22 received a grant for their research, “Can kaempferol prevent the development of malformations in clawed frog larvae exposed to bisphenols?” Their research advisors are Laura Twersky, Ph.D., and Christina Mortellaro, Ph.D.
Khawlah Nazzal ’20 is researching the “Effects of aspartame and saccharin on the gut microbiome” with advisors Christina Mortellaro, Ph.D., and Jill Callahan, Ph.D.
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Seniors from the biology capstone class taught by Brandy Garrett Kluthe, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology, visited high school biology students at the Jose Marti STEM Academy in Union City, N.J. Students partnered up and covered topics relevant to biology and the experience of majoring in a STEM field in college. ]]>
- Biology Department
- Enrollment Services
- STEM Engagement Center
- Pete’s Place
- The Theresa and Edward O’Toole Library
- Mac Mahon Student Center
Saint Peter’s University Junior Class Vice President and Biochemistry Major Azuri Hughes ’20 participated in the 2018 Short-Term Research Experience for Underrepresented Persons (STEP-UP) summer internship program through the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The program exposes students to research in the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney (NIDDK) mission areas: diabetes, endocrinology, metabolism, nutrition, obesity and digestive, liver, urologic, kidney and hematologic diseases. The goal of the program is to ensure that each student intern understands the research process and participates in an original research project. STEP-UP is a component of the NIDDK Strategic Plan on Minority Health Disparities. The goals of the Strategic Plan are to reduce and eliminate health disparities, expand research education and training opportunities for underrepresented minority scientists and to provide information to racial and ethnic minority groups about treatment, prevention and self-management of disease.Azuri worked and learned out of the lab of Nishanth Sunny, M.D., assistant professor at the University of Maryland – College Park. Over 10 weeks she researched the “Impact of Elevated BCAAs on Hepatic Insulin Signaling and Mitochondrial Function.” Azuri was involved in every step of research in Dr. Sunny’s lab from hypothesis generation through publication. She had the opportunity to articulate a hypothesis, collect or extract data, analyze the data, reach an appropriate conclusion and create a poster and an oral presentation summarizing her work. ]]>
Saint Peter’s University has been awarded $1,000 from the Society for Biodiversity Preservation (SBP) to create a “Native Plant Garden for Birds and Pollinators.” The garden is currently under development along Gannon Hall. The goal of the project is to restore natural habitat and promote biodiversity. Plans include planting native species such as wildflowers that will support bees and butterflies. Milkweed will be planted as a food source for Monarch butterflies and shrubs such as blueberry, elderberry and viburnum will be added to produce food and shelter for birds. Wild ginger, purple coneflower, New England aster, cardinal flower and wild columbine are examples of perennials planned for the garden. The SBP grant includes funds for expanding feeding stations used for Project FeederWatch (PFW), a winter survey of birds, which will soon be in its 5th season on campus. In addition, several students involved in PFW have been assisting in the hard work of removing foreign and invasive plants from the site to make way for native species. Pictured above is Kathy Wydner, Ph.D., associate professor of biology and director of the grant.
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