Toxicology professor publishes two research papers with Ashland students

Dr. Douglas Dawson, a professor of Biology and Toxicology at Ashland University, recently published two new articles resulting from his research with students Jonathan Jeyaratnam (Biology '08) and Tabitha Mooneyham (Toxicology '07).  The articles, published in the journal Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, investigated how chemicals found in mixtures affect each other's toxicity.  This research was done in collaboration with scientists from the University of Tennessee and the University of Graz in Austria.

Dr. Douglas Dawson, pictured at left, with students at this year's Society of Toxicology science conference in Washington D.C.

Dr. Dawson's research is funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, which provides support to pay Ashland undergraduate science students as summer research assistants, and bring them to national meetings to present their work.  

Ashland students present their research on Capitol Hill

Toxicology major Daphne Guinn ‘11 and Geology major Jennifer Miller ’11 presented a poster titled “Cadmium contamination of consumer products: An emerging threat to children’s health” at the April 13th 2011 “Posters on the Hill” in Washington DC. This event is sponsored by the Council for Undergraduate Research, of which Ashland University is a supporting institutional member.

Their poster was one of only 74 presentations accepted out of more than 700 applications nationwide. Guinn and Miller were accompanied to Washington by their advisor Dr. Jeff Weidenhamer and his wife BethAnn. While there, they met with Ohio congressional representatives and staff (including Senator Rob Portman, above) to discuss their research and emphasize the importance of funding for undergraduate research and STEM education.

Biology students honored at University Convocation

This past Saturday three students from the Department of Biology/Toxicology were recognized as our outstanding majors at Ashland University's annual honors convocation. Daphne Guinn (Toxicology) was presented the University award for outstanding Biology Senior, Charlie Davis (Biology) for outstanding Biology Junior and Lindsey Knapp (Biology) for outstanding Biology Sophomore.

Lindsey Knapp (left) and Daphne Guinn (right) at the University's honors convocation

After graduation this Spring Daphne will be entering the Integrated Biomedical Science Program at the Ohio State University where she will earn a PhD in Biomedical Research investigating the biology of human disease.  Lindsey will be spending this summer in the National Science Foundation funded undergraduate research program at Johns Hopkins University.

The 28 members of the Department's Tri-Beta Biology Honors Society were also recognized at the convocation, as well as the Department's two College of Arts and Sciences Scholars (Amy Drossman and Lindsey Knapp), ten University honors students and one Ashbrook scholar (Phillip Wages).

The Department of Biology/Toxicology will be awarding its senior scholarship and research awards, and announcing the recipients of departmental scholarships, at the annual end-of-the-year Biology picnic during the last week of classes.  Stay tuned for those announcements.

AU Earth Week Stimulates Moss Hill Stream Clean-up Project

As part of AU's Earth Week activities and green campus initiatives, TriBeta and the Environmental Science Program co-hosted a stream clean-up project in and around Moss Hill. About 14 AU students, faculty, and family members picked up buckets*, bags, gloves, and boots and braved cold temperatures to tidy up a section of this local natural habitat.

The wooded site borders the western edge of campus (behind the tennis courts). Biology classes have used the stream for field projects for several years, and the mature woods along either side has helped out many botany students looking for examples of spring wildflowers. Students have often been surprised to learn that there is a stream back there, and are excited to find salamanders and fish as they work on their sampling.

*Thank You! to Home Hardware, Ashland, for their generous donation of buckets to help with this and future clean-up projects!

Biology and Toxicology majors present research at SOT national meeting

Four of our students recently returned from the Annual meeting of the Society of Toxicology in Washington D.C..  Nicole Genco, Heather Bensinger and Daphne Guinn each presented research done with their faculty mentor, Dr. Douglas Dawson, a professor of biology and toxicology at Ashland University.  Heather's work was also done in collaboration with Ashland chemistry professor Dr. Robert Bergosh.  These projects were funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Merck/AAAS Foundation.

Phillip Wages' research presentation at the meeting was supported by a travel award from Pfizer, one of only five awarded nationwide each year.

Pictured from left to right are Dr. Douglas Dawson, Nicole Genco (Biology '12), Heather Bensinger (Toxicology '11), Daphne Guinn (Toxicology '11) and Phillip Wages (Toxicology '11) in front of two of their posters.

Ashland Students and Faculty Present Research at National ACS Meeting

Four Ashland University students and three faculty members recently attended the 241st National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Anaheim, California. At the meeting, Torrie Goudy (Chemistry ’12), Zach Il’Giovine (Biochemistry ’11), and Tiffany Weaver (Chemistry ’11) presented posters on the polymer research they have carried out with Dr. Perry Corbin. Likewise, Wendy Dria (Biology ’11) presented a poster on the proteomics research she has carried out under the direction of Dr. Andrew Greene and Dr. Rebecca Corbin. Dr. Brian Mohney and Dr. Rebecca Corbin also presented a poster at the conference describing a science camp that they have developed and have offered for the past five summers. The research presented was funded by the National Science Foundation and the Merck/AAAS Undergraduate Science Research Program, while the camp described is supported by the Kettering Fund and the Ashland County Community Foundation. Dr. Brian Mohney and Dr. Rebecca Corbin stand with their poster on summer science camps.

Wendy Dria standing by her poster with Dr. Greene and Dr. Rebecca Corbin on the identification of proteins involved in circadian rhythms in fungi.

Torrie Goudy and Dr. Perry Corbin stand by their poster on polymer synthesis.

Zachary Il'Giovine and Tiffany Weaver stand with their poster on their polymer research with Dr. Perry Corbin.

Ashland science students present research at College symposium

Congratulations to the 15 undergraduate science majors that presented their original research at the Ashland University College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (URCA) Symposium.  Students gave both oral and poster presentations to large crowds in the 2nd annual College-wide symposium, which is directed by Biology professor Andrew Greene.

Images below are from some of our student poster presentations  Check back soon to read what some of these students will be doing after they graduate this May:

Tiffany Weaver (chemistry) explains her polymer research performed with Dr. Perry Corbin.

Rachel Day (biology) presents a molecular technique being developed with Drs. Patty Saunders and Andrew Greene to study freshwater plankton.

Daphne Guinn (toxicology) and Jennifer Miller (chemistry) present their research with Dr. Jeff Weidenhamer on toxic cadmium levels in consumer products.

Wendy Dria (biology) discusses her work on circadian rhythms in fungi with Dr. Andy Trimble.  This research was mentored by Dr. Andrew Greene.

Rachael Glover (biology) presented her work with Dr. Patty Saunders on horizontal migration in freshwater plankton.

Heather Bensinger (toxicology) describes her work with Dr. Douglas Dawson on chemicals that are toxic to connective tissue.