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Special Project | |
One microbiology class project that got a flurry of media attention as done by Molly Goettsche and Nicole Moin, both Cell and Molecular Biology majors and members of Connecticut College's class of 2007. The "Five Second Rule" was first featured by College Relations. Then it was picked up by numerous of newspapers and media programs like ABC's Good Morning America. The GMSA piece was aired on June 12th, 2007. Quicktime is required to view.
Faculty: Anne Bernhard
Requires Quicktime.
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Justine Miller ('07) Justine did two Independent Studies, working on the chromosome deletion mapping of a spontaneous mutant gene that causes flightless behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. The flies are unable to move their wings to generate flight. We have named the new gene flt-2.
Slavina Georgieva ('07) Slavi did a ten-week, summer research internship in 2006 and a senior Honors Study, working on the genetic and chromosome deletion mapping of a spontaneous mutant gene that causes flightless behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. These flies can move their wings, but only at 2/3 to 3/4 the rate of normal, wild type flies. Thus they cannot generate enough lift for flight. This gene is different from flt-2, and we have named it wbf-2.
Justine and Slavi presented their work at the 48th Annual Drosophila Research Conference, March 2007, in Philadelphia. A College web-page news story on their presentation can be seen at http://aspen.conncoll.edu/camelweb/news/3349.cfm.
Faculty Advisor: Phil Barnes
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Justine Miller
Slavina Georgieva
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Past Work
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Jeff Bender ('07) The focus of my research is to examine microbial communities growing in New England's rocky intertidal, with specific interest in the unique communities living on different surfaces and mediums. Currently, I'm examining the communities living on intertidal rocks, in the water, and on the shells of mollusks, and should they turn out to be different, examine the signaling involved that leads the different communities to the surfaces they live on.
Faculty Advisor: Anne Bernhard
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Independent Study |
Senior Honors Thesis | |
Katey Nelson ('06) is studying the effects of salinity level on the diversity and distribution of archaeal microorganisms. She is using molecular techniques to compare sequences of archaeal ribosomal RNA genes in samples collected from the salt marshes at Barn Island in Stonington, CT. By characterizing the distribution of archaeal communities, it will facilitate an understanding of salt marsh productivity.
Faculty Advisor: Anne Bernhard
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Morgan Maeder ('06) is studying the possible role of Ttk69 as a repressor of E(spl) mgamma expression in Drosophila melanogaster. She is altering the binding sites in the upstream regulatory region of mgamma and transfecting these vectors into S2 cells. Assays of the luciferase activity of these cells will provide information on the role of Ttk69 and the mechanism by which it operates.
Faculty Advisor: Deborah Eastman
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Senior Honors Thesis |
Independent Study | |
Chinghar Leung ('07) is studying the mechanistic aspects of Notch signaling through mgamma driven expression by analyzing β-galactosidase activity in imaginal wing discs of Drosophila melanogaster. Earlier researchers have found mgamma expression to be limited to only proneural cluster regions in some cases. Yet in other experiments mgamma expression is seen everywhere on the wing disc. Currently I expect to see mgamma driven expression in the presence of activated Notch everywhere on the wing discs containing genotypejmg0.6LacZ/j heat shock notch intra . If β-galactosidase expression is found to be restricted in certain areas in the wing disks, then I will continue to examine the possible causes of this reaction.
Faculty Advisor: Deborah Eastman
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Bryanne Robson's ('06) research is focused on the upstream regulatory region of the Enhancer of Split m7 gene. Specifically, her project is to compare the upstream binding site sequences among nine different species of Drosophila to determine how conserved these regions are throughout the divergence of species. This will give insight to which sites are important for and play a critical role in regulating gene expression.
Faculty Advisor: Deborah Eastman
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Senior Honors Thesis |
Senior Honors Thesis | |
Ben Polansky ('06) My research focuses on comparing E(spl) gene expression patterns between D. melanogaster and D. pseudoobscura. Specifically, my work will investigate the expression of E(spl) genes in D. pseudoobscura as well as the comparison of these expression patterns to that of D. melanogaster. The expression patterns of these genes will be observed in developing embryos and imaginal discs and will be visualized through in situ hybridizations. Ultimately, I hope to show how the E(spl) genes in both organisms are expressed and if there are any similarities in this expression, thus allowing one to determine if there is a detectable E(spl) gene conservation between the two species. In addition to performing lab experiments, I enjoy long walks on the beach, poetry, and a good glass of scotch.
Faculty Advisor: Deborah Eastman
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Brandon Richard ('06) is working on training and veterinary care of beluga whales at the Mystic Aquarium. He has completed two internships at the Aquarium and he is now working on his senior honors thesis. His research project is part of a larger effort to train whales to cooperate in taking periodic urine and blood samples to monitor their health. He is testing whether ultrasound imaging can be used to assess the size of a bladder to predict when urination will occur. With this information, whales could be more easily trained to urinate on command for collect samples. The project involves work in both animal behavior and physiology.
Faculty Advisor: Robert Askins
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Senior Honors Thesis |
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