MMC Biology Majors Earn Honors at 13th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium

(New York, NY) – Science students from Marymount Manhattan College continue to excel in chemical and biological research. On October 30, 2010, four biology majors earned top honors in the 13th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium in the Chemical and Biological Sciences.

“Our students are the best ambassadors of the [sciences] program,” said Associate Professor of Biology Ann Aguanno, Ph.D. “Their eloquence and poise coupled with their substantial knowledge base and scientific thinking and communication skills says more about the program than we ever could.” 

The symposium, held at the Honors University, University of Maryland, in Baltimore County, fosters communication of the latest relevant novel results and concepts in the sciences. Exclusively undergraduate research in all areas of chemistry, biology and biochemistry is featured in the belief that progress at the interface of the chemistry and biology requires cross-fertilization from the broadest possible spectrum of these disciplines. Students made poster presentations to a panel of judges. Posters were judged on research content and presentation of findings. 


Biology major Ray Romano ’11 explains his poster, titled “Understanding the Role of Cyclin Dependent Kinase 5 in Insulin Related Neurodegenerative Disease.”
 

First place honors were awarded to:
Jasmina Bogdanovic ’11, who presented “Conformational Exploration into DNA Polymerase X from African Swine Fever Virus in the Presence of Oxog Lesions,” in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 1 category. Bogdanovic worked with Associate Professor of Chemistry and Chair of the Division of Sciences Benedetta Sampoli Benitez, Ph.D. 
Christina Galifianakis ’11, who presented “Total Organochlorine in Consumer Hygiene Products,” in the Chemical Sciences 3 category. Galifianakis worked with Assistant Professor of Chemistry Alessandra Leri, Ph.D.
Raymond Romano ’11, who presented “Understanding the Role of Cyclin Dependent Kinase 5 in Insulin Related Neurodegenerative Disease,” in the Biological Sciences category. Romano worked with Associate Professor of Biology Ann Aguanno, Ph.D. 

A second place honor was awarded to Laura Herren ’11, who presented “Pathways to Natural Organochlorine Formation in Decaying Plant Material: A Novel Assay,” in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology category. Herren worked with Leri. 

“MMC maybe known as an art school by many [people], but it is also know as a school with a great biology program,” Romano said. “Every year research students in the biology program present their research both regionally and nationally, and every year our students take home wins. Our presence at conferences does not go unnoticed by other schools. I hope that our win will make students at our school realize what a great program we have at MMC.” 

Biology major Laura Anthony ‘11 also presented in the Chemical Sciences category. She investigated the formation of organochlorine by-products in household laundry.

Aguanno says the direct interaction of faculty with students is largely responsible for the success MMC undergraduates in the science research arena. 

“As we have no graduate program coupled with the teaching load of the faculty, these budding researchers must hit the ground running,” Aguanno says, “They must be able to work independently and improvise and think on their feet—they have no graduate students to rely on. Moreover we employ a peer mentoring approach in that ‘upper’ level research students train the ‘incoming’ researcher–a tremendous learning experience for all. We also have institutional support (financial) for mentoring undergraduate research here on campus through the Science Award.” 

MMC students competed with more than 200 student presenters from an array of colleges and universities including Drew University, Bryn Mawr College, UMBC, University of Delaware, Rutgers University, Penn State, Sara Lawrence College, Virginia Tech and Georgetown. 

To learn more about the Undergraduate Research Symposium in the Chemical and Biological Sciences, visithttp://www.umbc.edu/UGSymp/2010/2010Announce.html

Marymount Manhattan College is an urban, independent, liberal arts and sciences college. The mission of the College is to educate a socially and economically diverse student body by fostering intellectual achievement and personal growth and by providing opportunities for career development.

Published: November 09, 2010