LU biology students, professor present research
Lakeland University biology majors Gretchen Augustine and Olivia (Livy) Heling and LU Professor of Biology Paul Pickhardt recently presented their research results at the 33rd annual meeting of the Midwest Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) hosted by Beloit College.
Augustine and Heling were co-lead authors on the research, which investigated the aqueous exposure of trifluoroacetate, a short chain PFAS or ‘forever chemical,’ on the reproduction and growth in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and an invertebrate consumer of those algae, Daphnia magna.
The team’s research was well aligned with SETAC’s conference theme of “Fields of Influence: When Chemical Solutions Become Ecological Problems” as PFAS exposure is now known to be linked to increased rates of specific cancers in humans.
Augustine and Heling presented their research in the interactive poster session. Both students plan to continue their research careers in graduate programs after earning their biology degrees at Lakeland.
