Ashland Biology major entering dental school at Case Western Reserve University

Recent graduate Zack Haley (Biology '13) will be starting this Fall at the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine.  Zack conducted research for three years with Dr. Mason Posner while at Ashland and had the opportunity to present his work at the 2012 annual meeting of the Ohio Academy of Sciences and at two undergraduate research symposia held at Ashland University.

Zack's research examined how a type of stress protein involved in preventing diseases as diverse as lens cataract, cancer and Alzheimer's disease are produced.  Zack used the model fish species the zebrafish to examine how regions of DNA that switch on the production of these stress proteins work.  The image below shows a 3-day old zebrafish that is glowing green wherever one of these DNA switches is active. This image was part of a poster presentation given by Dr. Posner at the 2013 meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology last month in Seattle, Washington.

Green fluorescent protein showing activation of a DNA
switch for a disease preventing stress protein

In addition to his research experience, Zack's coursework at Ashland University and his shadowing experiences with local dentists paved the way for his successul application to an excellent dental school.

Ashland Toxicology and Environmental Science major in summer internship with DHS

Senior Cassie Nix, a double major in Toxicology and Environmental Science, is spending her summer in Washington State as a paid research intern with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.  Cassie is taking part in the Homeland Security related Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (HS-STEM) Summer Internship Program.  Her assignment is with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington, working on a project entitled "Improving Emergency Preparedness for Incidents Involving Airborne Release of Hazardous Chemicals".

Cassie recently wrote us the following:

I started today (Washington is AWESOME). I will be researching several respiratory irritants and their effects to humans if released in mixtures. There are over 3000 chemicals in their database, and each is classified by its specific modes of action, PAC's and health code numbers. Using this data, a hazard index is generated for the mixture of chemicals. If over one, then action may need to be taken to address adverse human health effects.

Biochemistry Alum Receives Medical Degree

Congratulations to Dr. Rebecca Loi (Biochemistry, ’08), who graduated from SABA University School of Medicine this June and is now waiting to begin a residency to complete her medical training.  During her time at Ashland, Rebecca conducted research with Dr. Jeff Weidenhamer on the measurement of monoterpenes within plants using solid phase microextraction.  Rebecca, who is originally from Malaysia, is one of several international students who have graduated from Ashland in recent years with a degree in the sciences.

Ashland Toxicology major interning in chemical engineering at Veyance Technologies

Toxicology major Alison Biro will be spending the summer as a chemical engineering intern with Veyance Technologies, a global manufacturing company based in Fairlawn, Ohio that designs and produces industrial machinery and rubber products.  Alison will be working on research into rubber polymers.

During the past year Alison conducted research with Dr. Andy Trimble on the effects of winter road salts on the surrounding environment.  She is a member of the University Honors Program and a Choose Ohio First Scholarship recipient.