February 27, 2008 – Amongst stiff competition from 600 students and faculty gathered at the Mississippi Academy of Sciences Meeting, four Belhaven Biology majors secured prizes in several notable categories.
The conference, held February 21-22 in Olive Branch, brought together science students and faculty from research and teaching institutions throughout the state. Belhaven College undergrads, Jerry Zifodya, Steven Thornton, Rumbi Chiposi and Peter Mittwede, along with faculty member, Dr. Robert Waltzer, submitted research presentations.
In the Undergraduate Health Sciences Poster division, Zifodya took First place, followed in Second, by the Trypanosoma Research Team of Chiposi, Mittwede, Thornton and Zifodya. Mary Hamilton Chestnut, daughter of Belhaven Biology Chair, Al Chestnut, took Third place in the poster presentation.
Thornton also won Second place for his Undergraduate Oral Presentation, further advancing an already successful day for the Belhaven Biology department. Presentation specifics as follows:
1st Place, Health Science Poster – Jerry Zifodya, “Development of Methodology to Evaluate Antioxidant Properties of water-soluble Extracts of Natural Compounds”
2nd Place, Health Science Poster – Rumbi Chiposi, Peter Mittwede, Steven Thornton, Jerry Zifodya presented together, “The Effect of Arabinogalactan and Ellagic Acid Injected Individually and Synergistically in Trypanosoma Lewisi Infected Rats”
3rd Place, Health Science Poster – Mary Hamilton Chestnut, “Mechanism of Trichomonas Resistance”
2nd Place, Oral Presentation – Steven Thornton, “Characterization of Protease Production in a Pseudomonas aeruginosa Mutant”
For more information on the Biology and sciences department at Belhaven College, visit http://www.belhaven.edu/academics/Biology/ or email achestnut@belhaven.edu.
Students research, design, and perform studies using Trypanosoma lewisi, a non-pathogenic (i.e., non-disease causing) species that infects rats. Many research projects have studied the effects of nutrition on parasitic infection – two main obstacles in treating trypanosome infections in humans are cost and toxicity. Nutritional factors are usually cheap and abundant.
Examples of previous research projects include:
"The
Effect of Ellagic Acid Administered Intraperitoneally and Orally in
Trypanosoma lewisi Infected Rats" (2006)
Joan Dickerson, Emily
Fortenberry, Carey Klotz, marlena Mattingly, Zack Owens, and Aubrey
Voorbrood
The
Effect of Green Tea Extract, Administered Both Preventatively & Upon
Infection, in Trypanosoma lewisi Infected Rats (2005)
Laura
Herrington, Allen Jarrett, Tara Klamm, Daniel Neil
The
Effect of Curcumin & Beta Glucan Individually & in Combination on Trypanosoma lewisi Infected Rats (2005)
Brian Kirby,
Gabrielle Pickle, Jared White, John Shapiro
The
Effects of D-Carnitine and Quercetin on T. lewisi infections in
Rats (2004)
Catherine Karlak, Rebecca Rose, Frank Lovell
The
Effect of Vinca Alkaloids in T. lewisi in Rats (2003)
Jennifer Craft, Samantha Morris, Amanda
Ruth
Quantitative Analysis of the Glycolytic Activity of Human Serum,
HDLs, LDLs, & Lipoprotein Deficient Serum on Trypanosoma lewisi.
(1998)
Frank Hux, Chad
Knecht
Effect
of Vitamin A on T. lewisi Infection (1996)
Trey Polk, Allen
Tuberville
Effect
of Pantothenic Acid on T. lewisi Infection (1996)
Krista Boyette,
Christina Graybeal, Lea Montgomery
An
Analysis of the Long-term Maintenance & Infective Capabilities of in vitro Cultured Trypanosoma lewisi in
Supplemented Grace’s Insect Tissue Culture Medium & Schneider’s
Drosophila Medium. (1998)
Brad Franklin,
Stacey Hardin, Greg Stevens
Immunity
to Trypanosoma lewisi (1995)
Brad
Hayes, Tanya McBride
The
Effect of Attenuated Trypanosoma
musculi on IgG Antibody Levels of Inbred Mice (1997)
Jeremy Allen, Vicki Jensen, Barrett Jones, Matthew Jones, Jennifer
McMurry, Melissa Morris, Trey Polk, Jason Spellings
Effect
of Hydrocortisone on T. lewisi Infection (1998)
Sammy Johnson,
Chris Steijer, Kristi Tucker
