November 2010 BioMass Volume 9, Issue 3wp.stolaf.edu/biology/files/2013/06/novbiomass2010.pdf ·...
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Summer Research: What All of the Buzz is About by Sara Galbraith ‘11 I first got interested in bees because my friend Ben was extremely good looking. He was a classmate who had a few honeybee hives when we were in high school, and he once invited me to help him harvest and process honey. I agreed both in the interest of science and my own visual contentment. Fortunately, my curiosity in bees and pollination biology continued long past my fascination with Ben’s alluring smile and helped steer me towards Oregon this past summer, where I spent ten weeks in a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) and entered the unique world of entomology research. Like all REU programs, the Pollination Biology REU is a paid internship that helps train Continued next page November 2010 Volume 9, Issue 3 The St. Olaf Biology Department Newsletter BioMass Upcoming Seminars Mondays 4 PM RNS 410 ________________ November 29 Dr. Mark Davis Macalester The Biology and Ideology of Invasive Species _______________ Dec 6 Dr. Clark Lindgren Grinnell The neuromuscular junction: smarter than you think _______________ Infectious Inspiration by Natasha Seliski ‘12 During a recent presentation at her Alma Mater, Dr. Helen Piwnica‐Worms reminisced about entering Saint Olaf College in 1975 wanting to pursue a career as a teacher. At that time she could not have imagined the extraordinary, expansive, and fulfilling journey she was about to embark on. Her natural curiosity and desire to touch the lives of people in a meaningful way ultimately led her to a remarkable career in cancer research. A class taught by Saint Olaf professor Ted Johnson that introduced her to the world of cancer biology had a particularly profound influence on her career path. After graduating in 1979 from Saint Olaf with a B.A., Dr. Piwnica‐Worms obtained a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from Duke University Medical School. Once she conducted her first successful experiment, she was bitten by the research bug. Dr. Piwnica‐Worms was trained at the Dana‐Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and went on to serve on the medical school faculties of Tufts University, Harvard University, and Beth Israel Hospital. Since 1994 she has been a professor of Cell Biology & Physiology and of Internal Medicine at Washington University in Saint Louis. She also conducts research at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. On November 5 th this distinguished alumna conducted a seminar at Saint Olaf summarizing her research on the translation of fundamental cell cycle principles to novel breast cancer patients. The discussion included cell cycle checkpoints, how defects in them cause the onset of cancer, and how her research is being applied to the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. In addition to being an exceptional scholar and accomplished researcher, Dr. Piwnica‐ Worms has a wonderful sense of humor and is genuinely kind and approachable. Her passion and energy for her field of study is palpable and quite contagious. Her advice to Saint Olaf undergraduates in the natural sciences is to pursue a career in a field that is exciting to wake up to and pursue every morning. She encourages us to, “Think of a question and apply techniques to answer it. Keep asking questions to help solve questions in nature.”
Transcript of November 2010 BioMass Volume 9, Issue 3wp.stolaf.edu/biology/files/2013/06/novbiomass2010.pdf ·...
Summer Research: What All of the Buzz is About by Sara Galbraith ‘11
IfirstgotinterestedinbeesbecausemyfriendBenwasextremelygoodlooking.Hewasaclassmatewhohadafewhoneybeehiveswhenwewereinhighschool,andheonceinvitedmetohelphimharvestandprocesshoney.Iagreedbothintheinterestofscienceandmyownvisualcontentment.Fortunately,mycuriosityinbeesandpollinationbiologycontinuedlongpastmyfascinationwithBen’salluringsmileandhelpedsteermetowardsOregonthispastsummer,whereIspenttenweeksinaNationalScienceFoundationResearchExperienceforUndergraduates(REU)andenteredtheuniqueworldofentomologyresearch.
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November 2010 Volume 9, Issue 3
TheSt.OlafBiologyDepartmentNewsletter
BioMass
Upcoming Seminars Mondays
4 PM
RNS 410 ________________
November 29
Dr. Mark Davis
Macalester
The Biology and Ideology of Invasive Species _______________
Dec 6
Dr. Clark Lindgren
Grinnell
The neuromuscular junction: smarter than you think _______________
Infectious Inspiration by Natasha Seliski ‘12
DuringarecentpresentationatherAlmaMater,Dr.HelenPiwnica‐WormsreminiscedaboutenteringSaintOlafCollegein1975wantingtopursueacareerasateacher.Atthattimeshecouldnothaveimaginedtheextraordinary,expansive,andfulfillingjourneyshewasabouttoembarkon.Hernaturalcuriosityanddesiretotouchthelivesofpeopleinameaningfulwayultimatelyledhertoaremarkablecareerincancerresearch.AclasstaughtbySaintOlafprofessorTedJohnsonthatintroducedhertotheworldofcancerbiologyhadaparticularlyprofoundinfluenceonhercareerpath.Aftergraduatingin1979fromSaintOlafwithaB.A.,Dr.Piwnica‐WormsobtainedaPh.D.inmicrobiologyandimmunologyfromDukeUniversityMedicalSchool.Oncesheconductedherfirstsuccessfulexperiment,shewasbittenbytheresearchbug.
Dr.Piwnica‐WormswastrainedattheDana‐FarberCancerInstituteinBostonandwentontoserveonthemedicalschoolfacultiesofTuftsUniversity,HarvardUniversity,andBethIsraelHospital.Since1994shehasbeenaprofessorofCellBiology&PhysiologyandofInternalMedicineatWashingtonUniversityinSaintLouis.ShealsoconductsresearchattheHowardHughesMedicalInstitute.OnNovember5ththisdistinguishedalumnaconductedaseminaratSaintOlafsummarizingherresearchonthetranslationoffundamentalcellcycleprinciplestonovelbreastcancerpatients.Thediscussionincludedcellcyclecheckpoints,howdefectsinthemcausetheonsetofcancer,andhowherresearchisbeingappliedtothetreatmentofmetastaticbreastcancer.
Inadditiontobeinganexceptionalscholarandaccomplishedresearcher,Dr.Piwnica‐Wormshasawonderfulsenseofhumorandisgenuinelykindandapproachable.Herpassionandenergyforherfieldofstudyispalpableandquitecontagious.HeradvicetoSaintOlafundergraduatesinthenaturalsciencesistopursueacareerinafieldthatisexcitingtowakeuptoandpursueeverymorning.Sheencouragesusto,“Thinkofaquestionandapplytechniquestoanswerit.Keepaskingquestionstohelpsolvequestionsinnature.”
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undergraduatesforresearchinagraduateschoolsetting.DirectedbyDr.SujayaRaoatOregonStateUniversity,thisparticularREUfocusedonnativepollinatorsinthreeecosystemsofOregon:thePalouseprairieofeasternOregon,theconiferousforestintheCascadeMountains,andtheagriculturalWillametteRiverValleyinwesternOregon.
Pollinationbiologyisauniquestudybecauseitcombinesknowledgeofbotanyandplantidentificationwithanunderstandingofthepollinatoritself.Forthisreason,onanygivendayIcouldbepouringthroughwildfloweridentificationguides,countingantennalsegmentsonametallicblueOsmia,orhikingthroughsnowytrailstosetabeetrapnearalpineflora.Aswithmostecologyresearch,thedayscouldeitherbephysicallydemandingormentallydrainingdependingonhowmuchtimewasspentinthefieldandhowmuchwasinthelab.
MyfavoritedayswerespentintheZumwaltPrairie,thelargestremainingprairieofitskindinNorthAmerica.Wakingupatsunrise,wewouldloadthepickuptruckandfollowbumpydirtroadsuntilwereachedthefenceandhadtocontinuebyfoot,weigheddownbybeetrapsandcollectiongear.WewouldsetuptrapsatthewidespreadsitesmarkedonourGPS,surveytheflora,anddosomehandnettingforactivepollinators.Atdinnertime,wewouldreturntoourcabinwithgrassseedsstuckinoursocksandaninevitablyrosycolordespitethegobsofsunscreenwewentthrougheachday.Nomatterhownoisythecoyoteswereorhowcoldthenightsgotontheprairie,Isleptvery,verywellthoseweeks.
IwouldrecommendanREUexperiencetoanyaspiringresearcher,asitallowsforafullsummertoidentifyifresearchisreallysomethingthatyouenjoy.BecausetheNSFfundsREUprograms,theyarepaidinternships,soitispossibletoaffordasummerspentsearchingyourcareerpathoptions.IamcurrentlyapplyingtograduateschoolandwhileI’mnotsureI’llendupspecificallydoingpollinationbiology,IknowwhatIamlookingforafterexperiencingmultipleresearchsettings.Thissummerturnedouttoprovidemewithmorethantheresearchexperience,paycheck,andconnectionsIhadexpectedtogainfromanREU:itgavemenewconfidenceanddirectionforaftergraduation,andwasdefinitelyworthafewbeestings.
Summer Research – Who, What, When, Where, Why? byMikeSwift
EverWonderedaboutSummerResearch?Summerresearchoffersstudentsanopportunitytodofieldand/orlabresearchundertheclosesupervisionofafacultymemberoradvancedgraduatestudent.Thesearenot
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technicianjobswashingglasswareorcleaningcages;theyaresmall‐scaleindependentresearchprojectsdesignedtobecompletedin8‐12weeks.Who?YOU!!St.Olafstudentsarewidelyrecognizedfortheirexcellenttrainingandareindemandassummerresearchers.When?Studentswhohavehadsomebasicbackgroundcoursesintheirfieldofinterestaremostattractivetopotentialmentors,somoststudentsdoresearchthesummerbeforetheirsenioryear.Manystudents,however,areabletofindsummerresearchopportunitiesintheirpre‐Sophomoreandpre‐Junioryearsummers.Where?St.OlafofferssummerresearchintheBiology,Chemistry,MSCS,PsychologyandPhysicsdepartmentsaswellastheHumanities.DescriptionsofprojectsatSt.Olafinsummer2011willbepostedonlinesoon.Watchfornoticestothelink.SummerresearchprojectssupportedbytheNationalScienceFoundationResearchExperiencesforUndergraduates(REU)programarelocatedallovertheUnitedStatesanditsterritories.ForadescriptionofthesesitesseethefollowingURL: nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfmThissiteisorganizedbydiscipline(e.g.,biologicalsciences,chemistry)andissearchablebygeographicalarea(e.g.,Alaska,PuertoRico)orbyresearchtopic(e.g.,intertidalecology,cellulartoxicology).Therearehundredsofprojectsitesandthousandsofprojecttopicslistedatthissite!Why?Independentsummerresearchoffersyouanopportunitytotryresearchinaparticularfield(molecularchemistry),toseeaparticulararea(Seattle),tobuildyourresume(“NSF‐REUResearchFellow”),toearnmoney(stipendsvary,butareusuallyabout$3,500–4,500),tolearnaboutyourselfinasupportiveresearchenvironment,toseewhatresearchislikeatabigresearchuniversity(manysites),andtomeetothersmart,interestingstudentsinterestedinresearchinyourfavoriteareaofinterest.WhenShouldIApply?MostNSF‐REUsitesareadvertisingtheiravailabilityandsolicitingapplications(nearlyallonlineandfree)RIGHTNOW.Themostprestigioussites,themostselective,theonesinthecoolestplaces,receivethemostapplicationsfromthebeststudentsandhavetheearliestdeadlines(RIGHTNOW!).MostsiteshavedeadlinesinFebruary,andsomedon’thavedeadlinesuntillateinthespring.ButI’monlyanOle…St.Olafstudentsarewellknownassuperbsummerresearchstudents–nationwide!InthepastseveralyearsOleshavebeenselectedtodosummerresearchatKansasState,USCMarineLab,PuertoRico,UVA‐MountainLakeBiologicalStation,PittsburghMedicalSchool,Kansas,MiamiOhio,Iowa,Minnesota,TroutLakeBiologicalStation,andColoradoStatetonameafew!CHECKITOUT!!
“Independentsummerresearchoffersyouanopportunitytotryresearchinaparticularfield...”“Who?”“YOU!”
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Out like a Hurricane by Jamie Mosel ‘12
TheendofOctoberwasmarkedbyarare,andblusteryoccurrence.Studentsundoubtedlynoticed,overthedaysofOctober26thand27th,adrasticshiftinweather.Thewalkfromdormroomtolecturehallbecamesuddenlymoreofanadventure,combatingwindsthatmorethanonceleftmewonderingifImightbeblownoffmyfeet.If,asyouwatchedthetall,thintreesofNorwayValleyswayprecariously,ortheshinglespeelfromunfortunatebuildings,youwerestruckbytheintensityofsuchanimpulsivestorm,youwerecluingintosomethingthatmeteorologistswerewatchingwithinterest.Thestorm,whichsentspectaculargustsacrosstheSaintOlafcampus,andmuchoftheMidwest,wasinfactanextratropicalcyclone.
Thatinitselfisnottheendofitssignificance–thisextratropicalcyclonewasuniqueinthat,accordingtotheNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministrationandtheNationalWeatherServiceWeatherForecastOfficeoutofDuluth,itsetanewrecordnotonlyforMinnesota,butalsoforthecontinentalUnitedStates,asthelowestoverlandnon‐hurricanesealevelpressure.OnOctober26th,aminimumsealevelpressureof955.2millibarswasrecordedinBigfork,Minnesota.NASA’sEarthObservatorypointsoutthat955.2millibarsisequivalenttothepressureofaCategory3hurricane.AsimplelookatasatelliteimageoftheMidwestbringsthepointhome;acharacteristicwhiteswirlisclearlyrecognizable,itseyesetonMinnesota.Inotherwords,thestormwassubstantial,anditsimpactwidespread.Alongwithlowpressure,italsobroughtrain,snow,tornados,andhighwindsacrosstheMidwest.TheDuluthWeatherForecastOfficestatesthatinIsleRoyale,Michigan–justeastofGrandPortage,Minnesota–sustainedwindspeedsreached68mph,withgustsreaching78mph.Thesehighwindsalsoriledupthewaters;theDuluthWeatherForecastOfficeliststhatwavesinthenorthofLakeSuperiorpeakedat27feet.
Amidstthedaytodayofstudying,exams,andendlesslistsofpreoccupations,astormsuchastheonethatusheredthroughthelastweekofOctobergivesreasontopause.Itisareminderthat,althougheasytoforget,weliveamongpowerfulforces.Standingoutside,thewindhowlingpastme,Icouldnothelpbutfeelexhilarated.Asthestormmovedinandout,soabruptlyandunannounced,manyofuscontinuedaboutourlives;nonetheless,whenallwassaidanddone,andthetreeshadbeensweptbareoftheirfadingleaves,wemustremarkatthewondrousabilityofourworldtochange,toshape,andtoinspire.
2 years out: my journey by Keeley MacNeill ‘08
AsIwrite,I’moverlookingtheGuanapoValleyataremotefieldstationintheNorthernRangeofTrinidad.I’vespentmorethanhalfofthelasttwoyearsworkingasatechnicianhereforDrs.SteveThomasandAlexFlecker.IfirstmetDr.ThomasthroughDr.JohnSchadewhileonmyfirstresearchexperienceattheEelRiverinCaliforniaasanundergrad.MikeSwift’se‐mailalias alertedmetoapositionwithaprojectthatstudiestheevolutionofguppiesinTrinidadianstreams.Atthetime,Iwasdecidingbetweenacareerinmedicineandacareerinacademiaandwanted
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totaketimeofftofigureitout.Also,IknewthatIeitherwantedtodoaMastersorspendtimeasatechbeforestartingaPh.D.andbeingatechgavemebroaderexperiencesandmoreflexibility.Iapplied,andthankstomyconnectiontoDr.Thomas,receivedthejob.
Asaninternforahugeproject,Ilearnedsamplingtechniquesforthreeseparateteams:theguppyteam,whichintroducedhighpredationguppiesintoalowpredationstreamreachandconductsamonthlycensusbyrecapturingeverysingleguppyandgivingitauniqueelastomermark,therivulusteam,whichmonitorshowtherivulus(akillifish)respondstotheguppyintroduction,andtheecosystemteam,whichmonitorshoweveryotherbioticcompartmentchangesinresponsetotheguppyintroduction.Wealsoaddisotopicnitrogen(15N)intothestreamsforafewweeksonceayeartowatchhowit’sdistributedthroughthefoodweb.Atypicaldayincludeswakingup(sometimesnexttocreepycrawliesliketarantulas—nojoke),preppingstuffforthefield,drivingdownthesteepestroadI’veeverseentoaccessourtrails,hikingdownoneofthesteepesttrailsI’veeverseenwhilewatchingcarefullyforvenomoussnakes,wadingupaboutamileofstreamtoourfieldsite,swattingatleast300mosquitoes,samplinganythingfromepilithon(algaeandbacteriaonrocks)toinvertebrates,hikingbackoutandprocessingthesamples.
Mydayshavebecomemorecomplicatedsincemysix‐monthpositionendedandI’vetakenonmoreresponsibilities.WhenI’mnotinTrinidad,IworkatUN‐LincolnwhereIoverseetheundergradshiredtoprocesssamplesandmanagethedatathatwecollectduringoursamplingtrips.InTrinidad,Ioverseetheinterns,makesureeveryonehasaplacetostay,coordinatesamplingandvehicleuse,fixthetrucks(underthehoodisthelastplaceIexpectedtofindmyselfaftergraduating!),managelogisticslikeobtainingpermitsandinsurance,andwhenIfindtime,conductmyownproject.Manyofmyresponsibilitiesarenotsciencerelated,butthey’regivingmeinvaluableexperienceforwhenIhaveaprojectofmyown(Idecidedtopursueacademia).
Livinginadevelopingcountrypresentsmanyinterestingchallenges.I’velearnedtooperateonadifferenttimescale,aparticularchallengeformeasI’mnotapatientperson.OurcrewaresomeoftheonlywhitepeopleinTrinidad,sowe’reconstantlybombardedwithcommentslike“hey—whitie!”or“What’sup,snowman?”.Thedifferentsights,smells,foodsandtraditionsoftheTriniculturehavemeantforanexcitingexperience.NowI’mapplyingforgradschoolwithsomeoftheprofessorsI’vemetthroughtheproject.MySt.OlafeducationandresearchwithDr.Schadepreparedmewellforlifeaftergraduation.BecauseofthescientificandlifeexperienceI’vegainedthroughSt.Olafandthesetwoprojects,I’mmuchbetterpreparedtobeginaPh.D.programthanifI’dstartedimmediatelyaftergraduating.
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The grays in times of white – winter in the eyes of Sciurus carolinensis by Tyler Refsland ‘12
Nowthattheleaveshavedropped,thesnowhasfallenandthetemperatureshaveplummeted,itistemptingtothinkthatnatureasawholehasnestledintoadensomewhere,nottoawakeuntilspring’swelcomingthaw.Butdesolateasitmayappear,winteronthehillisfulloffascinatingchangesandincrediblechallengesforthelargearrayofwildlifethatopttoremainintheseblusterynorthernlatitudes.Onefamiliaranimalinparticular,thegraysquirrel,hasanintriguingstorytoshare.
Thegraysquirrel(Sciuruscarolinensis)istheubiquitousneighboroncampus,andluckilyforus,ourfurryfriendsstickaroundallyear.Infact,theyremaininthesameterritoriestheyestablishedinthesummer.Overthewinter,squirrelslivealoneeitherinabandonedwoodpeckerholesorindreys‐tightlypackedleafneststhatarebuilthighupintheforkedbranchesoftrees.Thesedreysarelinedwithavarietyofshreddedmaterial,suchaslawnclippingsfromthequadandpiecesofVirginiacreeperfromHollandHall.Whileinthesenests,graysdonothibernate,unlikemostotherrodents;instead,theyrelyonfatreservesandcommunallycachedfoodsuppliestosurvivethewinter.Ondayswherethetemperaturecreepsabovefreezing,graysquirrelswilldescendhead‐firstfromtheirleafneststowardsthegroundtorummageforhiddenstashesoffood.Thisaloneisaremarkableundertaking,sincethesearborealgymnastsmustrotatetheirfeetfarenoughsotheirbackclawsarefacingup,allowingtheclawstohookintothebark.Grayshaveevolvedhighlymobileanklejointsthatmakethispossible.
Akeensenseofsmellandaninternalcompassassistgraysinlocatingtheircacheofacorns,buckeyenutsandsamaras(wingedseeds,suchasthoseofashandmaple),despitetherebeingcoveredunderinchesofsnow,plantlitter,andsoil.Thisistrulyanactoffaith,asthesquirrel’ssurvivaldependsonhowwellitcanrememberwhereitstashedfoodseveralmonthsearlier.Manyseedsareforgotten,butfortunately,whatwasoncefoodwillgrowintoanewtree,capableofsupplyingfuturegrayswiththewintercachestheyrequire.
Forgraysquirrels,foragingonthegroundduringwinterbringsgreatrisk.Byleavingthecomfortofthedrey,thesquirrelnotonlylosesvaluablebodyheatandexpendscostlyenergy,italsobecomesmorevulnerabletopredationbyhawksandowls.Forthisreason,agraymustmakethemostofitstimeonthegroundandfindasmuchcachedfoodaspossible.So,thenexttimeyouseeagrayandbrownfurballboundingaroundthesnow,youcanappreciatethecutenesswhileunderstandingthedanger!
![Forest management changes microclimate and bryophyte diversity in the Cascade Mountains of western Washington [Martin Dovciak]](https://static.fdocuments.in/doc/165x107/5597bb801a28abe35a8b4684/forest-management-changes-microclimate-and-bryophyte-diversity-in-the-cascade-mountains-of-western-washington-martin-dovciak.jpg)
