Stevenson University Biology » meredithdurmowicz

Biology alum studies cancer treatments

meredithdurmowicz — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:32:19 +0000

Originally uploaded by Meredith Durmowicz

Tim Schatz (BIO ‘09) is a laboratory technician at cancer diagnostics company BioMarker Strategies. Tim is engaged in research that focuses on the drug treatment selection for cancer patients with breast, colon, lung, pancreatic, and other solid tumors. The company was recently started in Baltimore by Hopkins clinicians and researchers studying genetic markers for cancer.

Organ Donation Internship

meredithdurmowicz — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 18:18:36 +0000

Megan Kane

Originally uploaded by Meredith Durmowicz

Biology senior Megan Kane, who graduated this May, is shown here presenting her work at her Senior Capstone Internship this spring. Megan worked at the Living Legacy Foundation, which is responsible for coordinating all organ donations in most of the State of Maryland. As part of her daily activities, Megan accompanied her mentor to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for rounds so that they could identify potential tissue donors. Megan used this experience to explore in depth the issues associated with tissue donation and make recommendations about how to increase the numbers of donors.

SU alum is Chief Resident in Emergency/Internal Medicine

meredithdurmowicz — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:10:10 +0000

Keri Jacobs (LT:SCI ‘99) is one of two chief residents in Emergency Medicine/Internal Medicine at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Dr. Jacobs is in her last year of this unique five-year training program and she will eligible for board certification in both emergency medicine and internal medicine. Dr. Jacobs received her medical degree in 2005 from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Congratulations Keri!

DNA cross-linking studies

meredithdurmowicz — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 18:02:13 +0000

Leah Griffith

Originally uploaded by Meredith Durmowicz

Biology junior Leah Griffith recently presented her current research at the annual spring poster session in May. Leah worked with chemistry faculty member Dr. Tracey Mason, studying DNA cross-linking and repair mechanisms in bacterial and mammalian cells. The work has important implications for cancer treatments, because many of the current chemotherapeutic drugs work by causing these cross-links in DNA, and some tumor cells are able to repair them and continue to grow. This is Leah’s third semester of doing research with both biology and chemistry faculty.

Veterinary Medicine Internship

meredithdurmowicz — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:56:19 +0000

Kristin Fleischmann

Originally uploaded by Meredith Durmowicz

Biology grad Kristin Fleischmann (BIO ‘10) is shown here presenting her Senior Internship Capstone work at our annual School of the Sciences Spring Research and Internship Poster Session in May. Kristin spent her semester working at the Hunt Valley Veterinary Hospital under the mentorship of Dr. Allan Frank, where she participated in and was exposed to the daily activities of the vets and veterinary technicians, as well as special surgeries and procedures. For her paper, Kristin investigated the ethics of optional medical procedures such as ear cropping and tail docking. Kristin is currently working full-time at Hunt Valley Veterinary Hospital and planning on attending vet school in the near future.

Biology grad is first author

meredithdurmowicz — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:41:14 +0000

Katie Beasley Shanks (BIO ‘08) will be a published author this summer! Her manuscript, on which she is the first author, has been accepted to the Journal of Clinical and Vaccine Immunology and will be published later this summer. The article describes work that Katie did as a senior during her research capstone, in the laboratory of Dr. Erik Lillehoj at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. In that work, Katie studied the production of Interleukin-8 in airway epithelial cells as a result of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. Congratulations Katie!

Biology senior presents research on fly muscle development

meredithdurmowicz — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 17:36:13 +0000

John Mann

Originally uploaded by Meredith Durmowicz

John Mann is shown here presenting his senior research at the annual Spring School of the Sciences Research and Internship Poster Session in May. John worked with biology faculty member Dr. Andy Kreuz to identify and locate the position of a gene responsible for a flightless phenotype in fruit flies. It is thought that the gene functions in muscle contraction.

Biology grad to work at Fort Detrick

meredithdurmowicz — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 17:30:53 +0000

IMG_0807

Originally uploaded by Meredith Durmowicz

Ryan Krempel (BIO ‘10) is starting work as a Research Associate at the United States Army Research Institute on Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) at Fort Detrick. Ryan is working with Dr. Shannon Taylor, studying viruses that cause hemorrhagic fevers. He is continuing work that he started when he completed his senior research capstone while at SU. Ryan will also be profiled in the Fall edition of Be What I Want to Be, which is put out by the Daily Record. Check out www.bewhatiwanttobe.com in September!

Biology grad to study evolutionary biology

meredithdurmowicz — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 17:23:27 +0000

Courtney Naff

Originally uploaded by Meredith Durmowicz

Courtney Naff (BIO ’09) is beginning a Ph.D. program in environmental and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado Boulder this fall. In addition to taking classes, Courtney will be teaching general biology to freshmen. Good luck Courtney!

Let’s celebrate!

meredithdurmowicz — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:27:43 +0000

IMG_0805

Originally uploaded by Meredith Durmowicz

That’s what the School of the Sciences did at the annual May Celebration. Graduating seniors were the guests of honor as awards were given out and special accomplishments across the school were recognized. The afternoon ended with a slide show designed by and dedicated to the Class of 2010. A good time was had by all!