Independent Study

2008 I.S. Titles

Abstracts of the projects listed below can be found in The James T. McFarland Senior I.S. Poster Session Abstract Booklet. All Chemistry and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology seniors majors presented posters that described their research proejcts. The campus community, family and friends attended the poster session.

Chemistry Majors | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Majors

CHEMISTRY MAJORS

Jonathan Butensky-Bartlett
Advisor: P. L. Gaus
Title: The Synthesis and Characterization of 4-Nitrobenzylidene Derivatives

Tamutenda Chidawanyika
Advisor: V. B. Pett
Title: The Investigation of the Biologically Active Form of ZmHsp17.0C-II Using Native PAGE and Blue Native PAGE

Charles Ebner
Advisor: P. L. Gaus
Title: Ammonia Borane as a Selective Reducing Agent

Paul Evans
Advisor: P. A. Bonvallet
Title: Synthesis of a Putative Calix[4]arene Molecular Container with an Azobenzene Tether

Erin Fortin
Advisor: P. A. Bonvallet
Title: Light at the End of the Tunnel: Synthesis of a Crown Ether-Substituted Polymer for use in an Organic Light Emitting Diode

Benjamin Franks
Advisor: J. C. Amburgey-Peters
Title: The Synthesis and Purification of Siloxymethyl Glucuronide: Progress Towards the Synthesis of C-linked Retinoyl-β-Glucuronide

Paul Hamilton
Advisor: J. C. Amburgey-Peters
Title: The Progression of the Synthesis of 1,3-trans-cyclohexylphospho-L-serine as a Phospholipid Analog for Phosphatidylserine

Joel Keelor
Advisor: P. A. Bonvallet
Title: Synthesis of an Electrophosphorescent Fluorene Copolymer with Diphenylquinoline-Coordinated Iridium

Neal Kline
Advisor: S. J. Schmidtke
Title: A Photophysical and Photodegradation Study of Sunscreen Active Ingredients: A Combined Computational and Spectroscopic Study

Marnie Novak
Advisor: S. J. Schmidtke
Title: The Photophysical Properties of PABA Derivatives: A Spectroscopic and Computational Analysis

Andrew Storey
Advisor: M. M. Schultz
Title: Plant Accumulation of Atrazine and Its Major Metabolites in Food Crops

Laura Underwood
Advisor: P. L. Edmiston
Title: Evaluating Swellable Organically Modified Silica for Environmental Remediation Applications

Nicholas Amato
Advisor: J. C. Amburgey-Peters
Title: The Purification of Protected Cyclohexyl Phospho Carbobenzyloxy-L-Serine Benzyl Ester and The Synthesis and Purification of Deprotected Cyclohexyl Phospho-L-Serine Which is a Potential Analog of Phosphatidylserine

Jocelyn Barker
Advisor: W. R. Morgan (Biology)
Title: Determining Gene Copy Number from Genomic Sequence Data

Jason Bowie
Advisors: David Shewmon, M.D., The Cleveland Clinic Wooster and W. R. Morgan (Biology)
Title: An Investigation into the Role of Creatine in Muscle Toxicity Associated with Stain-Use

Danyelle Dawes
Advisor: C. P. Fenster (Biology)
Title: Characterizing the Role of the Inositol 1,4,5 Trisphosphate Pathway in Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Induced Apoptosis of Retinal Ganglion Cells

James Graham
Advisor: D. Fraga (Biology) Title: Investigating the Role of the C-terminal Domain in McsB, a Structurally Unique Tyrosine Kinase Found in Bacillus subtilis

Sarah Haserodt
Advisor: V. B. Pett
Regulation of the Activation of Heat Shock Factor 1: Title: One Mechanism of Glutamine-Mediated Protection During Cellular Stress

Kelly Knapp
Advisors: S. B. Killian, TREK Diagnostic Systems, Cleveland, OH and C. Garzon (Biology)
Title: The Antimicrobial Effects of the Organosulfur Compounds Diallyl Monosulphide, Diallyl Disulphide, and Diallyl Trisulphide Found in Allium Sativum Against Planktonic Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) and MRSA Biofilms

Marisa McGinley
Advisor: D. Fraga (Biology)
Title: Evolution of Cooperativity in the Phosphagen Kinase Family

Lauren Rackoff
Advisor: P. A. Bonvallet
Title: Synthesis of a β-Cyclodextrin-Benzylpenicillin Complex that is Mono-Substituted with Clavulanic Acid for Use as an Antibiotic that is Protected from Inactivation by β-Lactamase Enzymes

Warren Swegal
Advisor: P. L. Edmiston
Title: Converting a Monomeric Arginine Kinase to a Dimer through Directed Evolution

Julie Williamson
Advisor: V. B. Pett
Title: The Role of Class II Small Heat Shock Proteins in the Prevention of Heat-Induced Aggregation of Citrate Synthase

Jason Bowie, Danyelle Dawes, James Graham, Neal Kline, Marisa McGinley, and Julie Williamson received Copeland Funds to help support their Senior Independent Study projects.