Biology major volunteers as HIV/AIDS prevention educator in Tanzania

Gina Laginya, a senior Biology major from Youngstown, Ohio, spent this summer helping educate local Tanzanians about HIV/AIDS prevention with the Global Service Corps.  Gina writes that:

"I had the best time in Tanzania. Words cannot describe the amount of growth and realization I experienced from being outside of my comfort zone. East African views and culture is tremendously different than ours. Being submerged into the Tanzanian way of life has allowed me to truly understand world problems with a new perspective. I am more than grateful for the knowledge and experience that I gained while in Tanzania. I would suggest fellow students to consider an international volunteer opportunity, as I found my experience to be life altering."

Gina is interested in pursuing a career in health care in the area of community medicine.  This volunteer opportunity in international health arose through conversations with Ashland University's Global Education Office Director, Rebecca Parillo.  If you are interested in investigating possible international internship, course, or volunteer options check out our new study abroad for science students wiki page, or the Global Education Office webpage.

Ashland microbiologist publishes new review article

Paul Hyman, Assistant Professor of Biology at AU, along with his OSU colleague Stephen T. Abedon, have published a review article in CAB Reviews entitled "High-affinity and -specificity, bacteriophage-based technologies: beyond phage therapy."  Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacterial cells.  In this minireview, they examine technologies that take advantage of the very specific interactions of bacteriophages with their bacterial hosts to develop new medically-oriented tests and pharmaceuticals.  These technologies include phage display which is used to develop pharmaceuticals and biomaterials as well as several bacterial detection methods for more rapid detection and diagnosis of bacterial contamination or infection.

Dr. Hyman is currently conducting research with several Ashland University biology majors in one of our newest faculty/student research labs.  This lab was part of $1.4 million in renovations that took place in the Ashland Science Center this summer.

Summer course heads to Great Smoky Mountains

This summer Dr. Dick Stoffer taught his summer course on the Ecology of the Great Smoky Mountains, which includes a camping and hiking trip to Tennessee.  One of the students on the trip this year, Junior toxicology major Cassie Nix, shared some pictures with us.

One particularly exciting night required Dr. Stoffer to move a timber rattlesnake out of the campsite.  You can see some video of that operation here.

Timber Rattlesnake

Flame Azalea

White Tail Deer Doe

New job and internship opportunities

Here are some new employment and internship opportunities for recent science graduates and current students:

• The J.M. Smucker Company is looking for an intern for their coffee division.  One of our biology graduates (Jackie Skiba '10) currently works in that department already.  They prefer a candidate pursuing a degree in chemistry or food science, but perhaps any chemistry experience would make you elegible (Biochemistry major or Biology major with significant chemistry experience; posting requires at least one year of general chemistry and some analytical chemistry experience).  You need to be at least a rising sophomore this coming Fall.  This is a paid internship.  You can find other current opportunities at Smucker's here.
• Okamoto, an automotive parts manufacturer is looking for an environmental, health and safety intern.  They prefer a junior, senior or graduate with some OSHA and EPA regulation experience.  It is unclear from the posting what this pays.
• Ohio State Mansfield is looking for a part time laboratory assistant for lab prep and animal maintenance.  If interested contact Associate Dean David Tovey at tovey.2@osu.edu.

Forensics major attends national toxicology science meeting

Forensic biology major Lynette Vana recently attended the annual meeting of the Society of Toxicology in San Francisco after receiving a travel grant from the society.  The grant was part of a program for undergraduate science students to introduce them to careers in toxicology.  The society paid for Lynette's travel and housing at the meeting as well as registration costs, and Lynette was assigned a sponsor who mentored her during the meeting.  There were also opportunities to meet with representatives from graduate school programs and see presentations on the latest research in toxicology.

Lynette developed her own independent research project during a summer internship with WIL Research Laboratories here in Ashland, Ohio, and is continuing that project with Dr. Mason Posner in AU's own research labs.  She recently presented results from her research at the annual meeting of the Ohio Academy of Sciences held here on the Ashland campus.

If you are interested in attending a future meeting of the Society of Toxicology you can find information on this and other travel grants here.  Applications are typically due October 9th for the 2013 meeting in San Antonio, Texas.

Science building renovations underway

A typical hallway scene these days

Our science departments have seen a lot of growth over the past three years with the addition of courses for students in the University's new Dwight Schar College of Nursing, more students looking for coursework to prepare them for health careers and increases in the numbers of science majors.  To help accomodate more students, new faculty and new courses we are undergoing a $1.4 million renovation of our Kettering Science Center this summer.  Here are some photos to give you a taste of the action.

Our old microbiology lab pre-renovation

The micro lab with new flooring and gas lines will now become
a faculty/student research lab

The new faculty/student research lab with benches

Biology graduate Carrie LaCava begins practicing veterinary medicine

We are excited to report that Biology alumna Carrie LaCava '07 recently graduated with her DVM from The Ohio State University and will begin practicing veterinary medicine in southern Illinois.  Carrie will be working in a practice with five other doctors performing both small and large animal appointments and surgeries.

Prior to starting veterinary school Carrie shadowed and worked with several veterinary clinics.  While a student at Ashland University she also conducted undergraduate research with Dr. Mason Posner, resulting in co-authorship of a research paper in 2008.  Following closely behind her are two additional alums, Nichole Olp '10 and Michelle Stark '09, who both started veterinary programs last year.

Congratulations Carrie!