LU science students, faculty present research
Three Lakeland University students, a local high school student and three Lakeland faculty members recently presented their research at the Summer Research Program Poster Symposium at Marquette University.
Lakeland students Meghan MacPhee, Hollee Kaiser and Eva Salm, Sheboygan North High School student Hannah Barnes and Lakeland faculty members Associate Professor of Biology Andrew Karls, Ph.D., Professor of Biology Paul Pickhardt, Ph.D., and Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Food Safety & Quality Leili Afsah-Hejri, Ph.D., conducted their research through Lakeland Undergraduate Research Experience (LURE), a summer research program that has students and faculty working together.
MacPhee and Barnes, under the supervision of Pickhardt, presented research entitled "Effects of Aqueous Perfluorobutanoic Acid Exposure on Reproduction and Growth in Daphnia magna and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.”
This study investigated the effects of perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), a so-called "forever chemical" increasingly found in aquatic environments, on the growth and reproduction of the freshwater organisms Daphnia magna and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
By examining how PFBA affects both a primary producer and a key freshwater consumer, the research provides insight into the potential ecological consequences of widespread PFBA contamination and compares it to other known forever chemicals such as PFAS.
MacPhee, a senior from Marquette, Mich., double majoring in biology and exercise science, plans to attend medical school after graduating from Lakeland.
Kaiser, under the supervision of Karls, presented research entitled, “CACNA1A Mutations Affect the Structure, Function, and Trafficking of CaV2.1 Channels."
This study examined how mutations in a certain gene may alter the structure and function of a protein widely expressed in the brain, which is essential for communication between neurons. Understanding how these mutations disrupt protein function and location may help explain why different mutations in the gene cause a range of neurological disorders, including migraines, seizures and ataxia.
Kaiser, a junior biology major from Plymouth, Wis., hopes to attend veterinary school after graduating from Lakeland.
Salm, under the supervision of Afsah-Hejri, presented research entitled, "The Effects of Natural Botanical Additives on the Microbial-load and Overall Quality of Acidified Pickled Cucumbers."
This study explored the effects of natural botanical ingredients, including cinnamon, clove and thyme, on microbial load and overall quality of acidified pickled cucumbers. While bioactive compounds naturally found in these ingredients are known to have antimicrobial properties under laboratory conditions, their effects may differ when the whole ingredients are incorporated into a complex food product.
Cinnamon, clove, and thyme were evaluated individually and in combination under heat-treated and non-heat-treated conditions. The project provides a foundation for future research comparing whole botanical ingredients with their purified bioactive compounds to better understand their potential antimicrobial effects against spoilage microorganisms in food systems.
Salm, a junior biology major from Valders, Wis., plans to attend graduate school with the ultimate goal of teaching/research at a college or university.
Augustine, a junior biology major from Kiel, Wis., worked with Pickhardt and his collaborators at Oak Ridge National Labs.
Lakeland LURE students have been presenting at the Marquette event regularly since 2005.
Learn more about the LURE program at the program’s website.
