Participation in independent research is one of the most valuable educational opportunities a chemistry or biochemistry major can experience during college. Not only does research require you to integrate many of the things you have been learning, it teaches invaluable laboratory skills and independent problem solving. Faculty in the department have ongoing projects in which students can be a participant. Beginning in the sophomore year, students can take course credit for CHEM 222, 322 or 422, Independent Research. Three credits of research can count towards the free elective required for the chemistry major. CHEM 393, Research Methods, can be taken in the junior year to provide the background for a project during the senior year, but is not required prior to beginning research.
The summer research group attended the Disappearing Boundaries Summer Research Meeting at Lebanon Valley College. All the students presented their summer projects and we had a chance to interact with students and faculty from other regional colleges.
Worked with Dr. Reeve on the synthesis and analysis of novel PTP1B inhibitors. Inhibiting this cell signaling enzyme could lead to treatments for diabetes, obesity, and some cancers. Sarah was funded by the Steinbrecher Summer Research award.
Hannah Martin worked with Dr. Kleingardner using E. coli to express a heme protein that has taken up cobalt, instead of the usual iron. This protein might then be used for its unique electrochemical properties.
Katrin Peterson worked with Dr. Sachs to isolate heavy metals from Dr. Shin's Arabidopsis experiments, plants grown in contaminated soil in the greenhouse and others harvested from an acid mine drainage site and to use these metals in organic catalysis.