Plant Biology

This is the second summer of research for Dr. Patrick Garrett's group.  The Garrett group is working on plant biology research projects centered on establishing a sustainable farming/agriculture program on the Naz campus.

Summer 2024 students:
Alex Clancy (BIO)
Lauren DeYoung (CLS)
Meghan Giessler (GSU)
Kendall Liapis (BIO)

 

During the summer of 2023, students participated in a variety of research projects with Biology Department faculty members:

Evolution and paleobiology of African snakes
(Dr. Jacob McCartney with students:  Lilianna Hanning and Catherine Zak)

There are two projects this summer exploring the evolution and paleobiology of snakes. The first project is the description and identification of Egyptian fossils from the time of the dinosaurs, which represent part of the first wave of snake evolution. The study will include physical description and interpretation of the possible lifestyle of the species when alive. The second project is based on a much younger fossil from Tanzania in East Africa. The fossil shows evidence of disease, causing fusion of adjacent bones. This project will study and describe the results of the disease, and attempt to provide a diagnosis of the cause.

Determination of left-right organ asymmetry in the frog Xenopus laevis 

(Dr. Alin Vonica with students:  Brianna LaRose, Kiara Roman, Kayleigh Ronas, and Ismail Mohamed) 

The purpose of the summer project is to familiarize students with Xenopus laevis as a model for embryonic development. Students will carry out cut-and-paste and tracing experiments in live embryos addressing the role of cell growth and movement in establishing organ asymmetry, and will have the opportunity to design their own approach. Left-right axis determination is a highly conserved biological process, and its errors cause human conditions such as heart malformations. The intent is to establish a molecular embryology lab using grants, my extensive experience of embryology and molecular biology, unpublished data, and student enthusiasm, to generate publication-level work that should help participating students build genuine research experience.

Analyzing levels of heavy metals in consumer products, soil, and food (Dr. Stephanie Zamule with students: MyKailah Kelly, Matthew Roberson, Lauren Fairchild, and Veronica Szaba)

Heavy metals, particularly lead and mercury, cause a number of adverse health effects, particularly in children. These metals have been shown by our group and others to be present as contaminants in a variety of consumer products, soils, and our food supply (lead in mugs and crops grown in contaminated areas; mercury in seafood). Our work this summer centers on assessing heavy metal levels in seafood sold locally, personal care products, and garden soil.

Summer 2022 - External Student Research
Sam Reisinger (BIO '23)
Agritech through Cornell in Geneva

Kambree Calkins (BMS '23)
HEAL Symposium of LECOM - a weeklong program researching a case study and its' disease.

Summer 2022 - Research at Naz
Research with Dr. Stephanie Zamule continued during the summer of 2022.  

Dr. Zamule's research team assesses levels of toxic heavy metals, including lead and mercury, in soils, cosmetics, and other consumer products.

Anne-Marie Pearson working in the lab during summer research.

Summer 2021 Research

Kyla Thompson (BMS)
SPARK Grant Recipient
Michigan State University Superfund Research Center 
Kyla worked with Brad Upham, PhD, to study the effects of various oxysterols on gap-junction intercelluar communication.

2019 Summer Research

Students in the energetics lab at Nazareth, under the supervision of Dr. Brian W. Witz, engaged in a project involving computerized calorimetry and proximate constituent analyses. They examined both whole body and select organ calorific values of an abundant local invertebrate, the virile crayfish, Orconectes virilis. Our goal was to assess whether abiotic factors, such as water quality and microhabitat type, influence energy content, as well as protein, carbohydrate, and lipid composition, of crayfish organs. They were particularly interested in whether reproductive effort, as determined by the energy invested in both ova (females) and testis (males) varies with stream location. They tested the hypothesis that stream variables affect the crayfish populations, and as such, they can be used as a possible biological indicator species. Six students were involved in this project: 

Tess Gallagher, Erich D'Eredita, Kylie Robben, Lauren Williamson, Emillee Hyde, and Jeffrey Smith

The group ended the summer with a genuine Cajun crawfish boil party!

2018 Summer Research

Students in the energetics lab at Nazareth College, under the supervision of Dr. Brian W. Witz, engaged in a project involving computerized calorimetry and proximate constituent analyses. They examined both whole body and select organ calorific values of an abundant local invertebrate, the virile crayfish, Orconectes virilis. Our goal was to assess whether abiotic factors, such as water quality and microhabitat type, influence energy content, as well as protein, carbohydrate, and lipid composition, of crayfish organs. They were particularly interested in whether reproductive effort, as determined by the energy invested in both ova (females) and testis (males) varies with stream location. They tested the hypothesis that stream variables affect the crayfish populations, and as such, they can be used as a possible biological indicator species. Six students were involved in this project: Autumn Bell, Erich D'Eredita, Kylie Robben, Bethany Shaw. Rachael Moyles, and Lauren Williamson.

Dr. Padmini Das
2016 Summer Research Project

Five undergraduate students were immersed in two of our community-driven, multi-disciplinary, and advanced skill-based research projects, which were aimed to i) investigate local water quality; and ii) develop environment-friendly, cost-effective, and socially appealing remediation techniques using natural means to solve potent environmental problems.

Project 1: Massive algal growth including harmful algal bloom during summer months is a rising concern in the entire Great Lakes region. In addition to the enormous fertilizer run-off from the non-point sources like agricultural farmlands, the point sources like sewage treatment plants also contribute significantly to increase the concentrations of nutrients like nitrate and phosphate of the feeding streams and rivers, which in turn increase the potential of algal blooms in the lakes during summer. Daryn Loy; a rising senior; Gannon Connor and Sarah Izzo; two rising juniors explored the potential contribution of three sewage treatment plants at the lower Genesee River watershed. They also investigated the potential use of two native plant species to understand their relative effectiveness in removing the excess phosphate and nitrate from the stream/river water.

Project 2: Bis-Phenol-A (BPA), a common chemical that was abundantly used in plastics, is a potent endocrine disruptor, which has become a rising health concern over last decade. Currently, the growing human literature, which has been correlating the environmental BPA-exposure to adverse human-health impacts, especially affecting the children, establishes the need for a sustainable removal mechanism. Jacob Murphy and Alyssa Merrill, two rising juniors, were deeply involved in finding the potential of using native plants of Western NY to remove BPA from aquatic systems.

Research Skills – From these two research projects, our students gained experiences in field-based research using several field meters to analyze water quality, as well as laboratory based data analysis on a variety of state-of-the-art instruments including: Ion Exchange Chromatography, Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry, and High Pressure Liquid Chromatography.

Student Publications – Two technical abstracts from our summer research projects were published in the national/international conference of Ecological Society of America, 2017. Daryn Loy, Jacob Murphy, and Alyssa Merrill presented these research projects in August, 2016 at Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

1. Loy, D.M., Brown, B., Roote, C., Zamule, S., Das. P. (2016). Potential of a phytoengineering technique to reduce the trophic levels of New York State water using native wetland plants. Ecological Society of America Abstract.

2. Murphy, J.C., Merrill, A.K., Pysnik, A., Brown, B., Roote, C., Zamule, S., Das. P. (2016). Phytoremediation potential of blue bush lake beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), a native plant, to clean-up of bisphenol-a (BPA) contaminated aquatic systems. Ecological Society of America Abstract.

Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY
Morgan Ross - "SURFing through the immune system at Upstate Medical University"
Morgan worked on determining the origin of IgM memory cells within a mouse model infected with Ehrlichia muris.
Mentor:  Dr. Gary Winslow, Microbiology/Immunology

At Nazareth College:

Erika Hoad
Bioremediation of BPA by Pseudomonas and Alcaligenes species.        

Janelle Muuse
Determination of thiamethoxam metabolite levels produced from bioremediation

James Revekant
Phytoremediation of BPA over an extended time period                               

Gbassey Oteme
Determination of negative control microorganisms to monitor the degradation of neonicotinoids

Kathleen O’Donnell
Using varying concentrations of imidacloprid as a sole nitrogen and carbon source for Pseudomonas.

Courtney Taylor
Using varying concentrations of imidacloprid as a sole nitrogen and carbon source for Pseudomonas.

On Campus at Nazareth College with Dr. Stephanie Zamule

• Sarah Potter
  Hydroponic Remediation of Imidacloprid by Phaseolus vulgaris and associated bacteria
• Mirzi Devolgado
  Bioremediation of the neonicotinoid insecticide thiamethoxam by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas putida
• Ethan Luta
  Hypodonic removal of BPA by phytoremediation with Phaseolus vulgaris over five day time period.
• Kim Major
  Biodegradation of Imidacloprid at varying concentrations using Pseudomonas putida
• Kathleen O'Donnell and Courtney Taylor
  Using varying concentrations of Imidacloprid as a sole nitrogen and carbon source for Pseudomonas

Summer 2013

Jacob Buell
Crowfield Sanctuary, Newark, NY
Jake organized environmental education events, created a trail map using GPS and GIS to prepare a map for the entire sanctuary that is displaced on the information kiosk.  He identified and quantified invasive species, as well as keystone or endemic species within the sanctuary.  Jake also created a trail brochure for the sanctuary containing a checklist of species and also noted their ecological significance.

Summer 2012

Ariel Kubissa with Dr. Stephanie Zamule
Hydroponic removal of BPA by phytoremediation with Phaseolus vulgaris and Trifolium pratense.

Summer 2011

Jenny Scobie assessed twenty-six sites in the streams of the Delaware River watershed to compare the current conditions with data previously obtained by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation form 1972-1992.  She sampled benthic macroinvertebrates using the same protocol as the NYS DEC to sample and calculate indices of stream water quality and habitat health.

Jessica Saville was awarded an opportunity to participate in the Ecosystem Restoration through Interdisciplinary Exchange (ERIE) project, a Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) at the University of Buffalo, sponsored by the National Science Foundation.  In addition to participating in several aspects of stream biology assessment, her research project was "Comparison of Methods Determining Nitrate Concentration in Stream Water."

Peytyn Geer (BMS)
Walton Farms
Linwood NY

Peytyn told us that this internship gave her a different perspective of the agriculture world. She only had experience with equine and small animals clinically, so working with cattle was a completely different environment medically and physically. Nazareth was able to help her have this experience that wouldn't have been possible without help. 

Kayleigh Ronas (BIO)
Duke University, Department of Medicine, Duke Cancer Institute
Durham NC

Kayleigh worked on an ongoing project at Duke that aims to show the impacts of long-term, high dose exposure of a liver cell line to the "forever chemical" PFOA. Kayleigh told us, "This research experience at Duke was invaluable as it not only allowed me to learn numerous techniques essential for my future career, but also offered a profound understanding of the life of a scientist in this professional setting. Living in a new city and experiencing an educational environment outside of Nazareth stretched my comfort zone and enabled personal growth, offering an ideal opportunity for individuals looking for continuous development in pursuit of both personal and professional goals."

Eitan Otero (BMS)
Play Rugby USA
New York NY

Eitan was able to return to his high school for an internship coaching his rugby team. Through this experience, he was taught not only how to coach, but also to tend to different age groups and personalities. Eitan told us, "This internship was a huge part of my summer and was even offered a more permanent role after I finish college!"

Matthew Roberson (TOX, PBH)
Duke University, Department of Medicine, Duke Cancer Institute
Durham NC

 

Summer 2023

Kaitlyn Nardozzi (Biology major and pre-vet minor) interned at Victor Vet Care where she had opportunities to help in appointments, observe surgeries, and learn new lab skills and sanitation techniques. She was immersed in the day-to-day operations of a veterinary practice and most importantly made amazing connections with the veterinarians and other staff that will help her on her journey to vet school.

Alex Clancy (BIO) participated in an internship at Gourverneur Hospital in St. Lawrence County.  The experience consisted of following different doctors/nurses and aiding in many different procedures. At this specific location, Alex was able to observe the fields of family medicine, dermatology, orthopedics, cardiology, podiatry, obstetrics, gynecology, and anesthesiology. As a result, Alex was able to assist in numerous procedures and tests in the specified fields. Alex told us, "This experience allowed me to explore possible career choices, but also solidified my desire to become an anesthesiologist."

Summer 2021

Geena Morotti (BMS, HON, PMED)
Geena completed an exploratory internship at Langdon Apothecary in Whitesboro, NY, with Robert Langdon, RPH.

Kylie Baker (BIO)
Kyle participated in an exploratory internship at Marine Oasis (http://www.marineoasis.com/) in Spencerport, NY.

Richard Bedosky (BMS, PMED)
Richard participated in a career exploration internship at Sacco Eye Group in Vestal NY.

Kambree Calkins (BMS, PMED, HON)
During summer B session, Kambree participated in career exploration through an internship at the Campbell-Savona Central School District, Savona, NY.

Anfernee Daily (BIO)
Anfernee completed an internship at Hospital Elder Life Program in Rochester, NY.

Emma States (BMS)
Emma participated in a career exploration internship at Beaver Lake Nature Center, Baldwinsville, NY

Danielle Stevens (BIO, PMED, PVET, CHM minor)
While exploring career opportunities, Danielle completed a summer internship with the Hospital Elder Life Program in Rochester, NY.

Seth Terzo (BMS, PMED)
Seth spent his summer break participating in a career exploration internship at Fairport Pediatrics, Fairport, NY.

Danielle Catanese (BIO.ADOL)
Danielle completed a career exploration internship at Minerva DeLand School in Fairport, NY

Kelly Hannah (BIO.ADOL)
During summer 2021, Kelly completed a Career Exploration Insternship at Palmyra-Macedon Middle School, Palmyra, NY.

Monroe County Medical Examiner Office
Rochester, NY

Julia Penoyer (TOX/premed)
"Not only was I given the chance to assist Medioclegal Investigators on picking up and documenting bodies, but I was able to learn from the Medical Examiners there. All of this furthered my determination to attend medical school and become a certified Forensic Pathologist."

Tanglewood Nature Center
Elmira, NY

Stefanie Brunnell (BIO, INCL) 

Highland Hospital - Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP)
Rochester, NY

Gweynneth Lloyd (BMS) and Lan Nguyen (BMS)

New Vanderbilt Rehabilitation and Care Center
Staten Island, NY

Tia Moore (BMS)

Highland Hospital - Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP)
Rochester, NY

Ahmad Jackson (BIO) and Roberto Jaquez (BCH student) (Ashley Harford not pictured)

Fall 2015

• Kathleen O'Donnell '16 (Biology and Toxicology) interned at Crossroads House conducting cancer cluster research and patient care experience.
  
  

Fall 2014

• Taylor Thompson '15 (Biology) interned at CP Rochester
• Erika Hoad '17 (Biology minor) interned at CURCS Program (Connecting Universities to Rochester City Schools) The goal of CURCS is to target young, energetic and innovative college students as volunteers to serve as tutors, mentors and positive role models during the enrichment period of Expanded Learning Time schools.

Summer 2014

• Nick Jones '15 (Biology) interned as a Chemist Aide during the summer of 2014 at the NYS Department of Health in Albany in the Department of Infectious Diseases
  

• Anne Pysnik '15 (Environmental Science) interned with the Collegiate Leaders in Environmental Health at the Centers for Disease Control, National Center for Environmental Health(CDC/NCEH)