Fifteen Indiana Wesleyan University undergraduate students and 10 faculty members are working together this summer to conduct original scientific research as part of the Hodson Research Institute (HRI).
The program, which is in its ninth year, was established by Arthur Hodson in loving memory of his wife, Nelle, who passed away from breast cancer. Its goal is to provide funding for outstanding student-faculty research in the areas of chemistry, biology and physics. Students also have the opportunity to present their findings at various scientific conferences and scholarship forums at IWU.
"The Hodson Research Institute enables IWU students to conduct graduate level research in an undergraduate setting," said Stephen Leonard, assistant professor of Chemistry. "It exposes students to a career in a lab and is a distinguishing experience for anyone applying to graduate school, medical school or a career in industry."
This summer, participants are researching key areas including:
- Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Receptor Type 2’s (VPAC2R) role in glucose-simulated insulin release using a live mouse model
- Vegetative grafting to improve cold tolerance and carotenoid accumulation in cucumbers and tomatoes
- Computer simulation of molecular dynamics of docking molecules for SHP-2
- Production and purification of HIV virus-like particles (VLP) and analysis of the biochemical requirements for Nef-dependent packaging of Hck into HIV virions.
- Building an environmental sampling mass spectrometer
- Exploring the retinal regulation of extracellular pH using a salamander model
- Developing a chemical-genetic strategy for the inhibition of the oncogenic SHP-2
- Investigating the effect of extraction method and chemical composition on the antimicrobial properties of essential oils
For information on the Hodson Research Institute, click here.