BioSynthesis

Seminar speaker Dr. Carol Mapes with Dr. George Chamuris Dr. Carol Mapes, professor of Biology at Kutztown University, was the invited speaker at the BAHS weekly seminar series on September 28, 2018. Dr. Mapes earned her BA at Williams College and her Ph.D. at Cornell University. She shared her expertise as a cecidologist, a scientist that studies plant galls. Galls are abnormal plant growths induced by mites and insects such as wasps.  Dr. Mapes presented numerous photographs of various galls on  the stems, leaves, roots and lowers of native plants and trees.  She is currently working on a book describing galls of the northeast U.S. Dr. Mape's concluded her intriguing presentation with a questions and answer period. 

Cassandra Riley and Emily Rine celebrate Dean's Candy Bar Day. Dean's Candy Bar Day was held on September 24 to recognize students in the College of Science and Technology who were named to the Dean's List during spring semester 2018.  At left, Cassandra Riley, Health Sciences major in the pre-physician assistant option, receives a candy bar from Emily Rine , a College of Science and Technology ambassador and member of the University Honors program.  

Victoria Roper Congratulations to Victoria Roper, recipient of a Thesis Research Grant for $500 from the Bloomsburg University School of Graduate Studies.  Victoria's thesis research is entitled "Can artificial wetlands near agricultural lands support reproducing populations of avian aerial insectivores in Pennsylvania?"  Dr. Lauri Green is her research mentor. 

Sean Hartzell Sean Hartzell,    BA 2015, MS 2017, Biology and adjunct faculty  has published a short article in Crayfish News, the official newsletter of the International Association of Astacology.   Sean's note explores the history of an 1852 report by C. Girard of the identification of the crayfish Cambarus bartonii in Berwick, Pennsylvanis in Columbia County. Sean's research took him to the archives of the Department of Invertebrate Zoology of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.  To learn more about Sean's historical search for this crayfish of local interest, check out his note below. Sean is currently employed at the PA Fish and Boat Commission. Sean Hartzell. Cambarus bartonii in Berwick, Pennsylvania: Chasing a tiny thread of North American astacological history. Crayfish News . Winter Issue, December 2017 Volume 39, Issue 4, page 5.   ISSN: 1023-8174 (print), 2150-9239 (online) https://astacology.org/docs/cn/Crayfish...

The Pre-medical Sciences Club is pleased to host several speakers this semester. Everyone is welcome to attend.  All events begin at 6 pm and are held in G38 Hartline. --Ms. Alysha Nicholls, Assistant Director of Admissions, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. Wed. October 17th at 6 p.m.  --Mr. David Martin, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine. Wed. October 24th at 6 p.m.  --Ms. Whitney Porter, Director of Admissions, Lincoln Memorial University, College of Ostepathic Medicine.  Wed. October 31st at 6 p.m.  For additional information, please contact Kayla Sompel, the president of the Pre-Medical Sciences Club, kms45124@huskies.bloomu.edu

BAHS will offer the following elective courses for spring semester 2019. Check with your academic adviser if you are not sure which count in your curriculum.  ·          Biology 231- Biology of Aging ·          Biology 233 – Human Genetics ·          Biology 290 – Writing in Biology ·          Biology 301 – Intro to Health Care Practice (application process – See Dr. Venditti) ·          Biology 333 – Molecular Biology ·          Biology 342 – Medical Microbiology ·          Biology 361 – Comp. Vert. Anatomy ·          Biology 472 – Animal Cell Physiology ·          Biology 473 – Cancer Biology ·  ...

Dr. Jennifer Venditti Dr. Jennifer Venditti , BAHS,  and Emily Cumberledge, Cassandra Myers, Curt Dixon and Dr. Joseph Andreacci , coauthors from the Department of Exercise Science, published a paper in the International Journal of Exercise Science entitled "The effect of the menstrual cycle on the reliability of contact-electrode bioelectric impedance analyzers."  Bioelectric impedance analyzers are devices that measure the rate at which a small electric current passes through the body . Because fat tissue provides greater resistance to the current than lean body mass, this technique can be used to estimate body composition. Manufacturers of bioelectric impedance analyzers recommend that women should not be tested during phases of the menstrual cycle when water retention occurs. This research group tested four different bioelectric impedance analyzers in 43 female subjects during four phases of the menstrual cycle:  menstrual, follicular, early and late luteal. ...

Professor Alex Hoke Professor Jonathan Bobek BAHS welcomes two new part-time adjunct faculty members this fall semester.  Professor Alex Hoke earned his bachelors degree in Biology from York College of Pennsylvania and his master’s degree in Biology from Bloomsburg University. His research interests center around reptiles and amphibians with respect to how temperature affects performance and physiology. Alex served as a graduate assistant in the Concepts in Biology 1 course when he was a graduate student. In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer and video games.  However, his free time has significantly decreased since he and his wife welcomed their first child into the world in June of this year. Congratulations! Professor Jonathan Bobek  has a bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Scranton and a master's degree in Biology from Arizona State University. Jon is interested in the relationship between environment and genetics in th...

  Graduate student Shanda Burroughs, 2018 BAHS alumni Taylor Trautwein and Arjun Dalsania, and faculty members Candice Klingerman, Jennifer Venditti, and William Schwindinger  recently had a paper accepted for publication in the journal Hormones and Behavior .  Dr. Klingerman's laboratory examines the neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying diseases of energy dysregulation, such as obesity and anorexia, from an evolutionary perspective. Their recent work investigated reproductive and feeding behaviors in Syrian hamsters. The BAHS research group was the first to show that the chemokine Prokineticin 2 simultaneously enhances reproductive behavior and decreases feeding behaviors  in a female mammal. Ghrelin, a hormone secreted by the stomach and hypothalamus, had opposite effects.  These novel findings demonstrate the need to further investigate the roles of ghrelin and Prokineticin-2 in regulating feeding and reproductive behaviors. Congratulations to all of t...

BAHS graduate students  provide tutoring at ABLE. Happy Prize winners It was standing room only at the ABLE Open House at Columbia Residence Hall on Monday, September 10.  Students were invited to tour the facilities, meet with tutors, enter a door prize raffle, and of course, enjoy snacks, including  Dr. Hess's "body part cookies." ABLE, short for Academic Biology Learning Environment,  is a resource area on the first floor in Columbia Residence Hall.    ABLE provides a place and resources for students in introductory biology courses to study individually and in groups together and with faculty.  ABLE contains models, bones, charts, microscopes, slides, books, workbooks, and computers.  Tutoring and review sessions are also held there.    ABLE is open  9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday   through Friday.     

Tri-Beta Officers 2018-2019 Beta Beta Beta (Tri-Beta) is a an honor society dedicated to improving the understanding and appreciation of biological study.  The mission of Tri-Beta is:   1) to stimulate scholarship; 2) to disseminate scientific knowledge; and 3) to promote biological research. Since its founding in 1922, more than 175,000 persons have been accepted into lifetime membership, and more than 430 chapters have been established throughout the United States and Puerto Rico . Among these, are Bloomsburg University's Rho Chi Chapter, founded in 1984. Leading the chapter this year are from left: President: Kaitlyn Gresko ; Secretary: Elizabeth Kester ; Treasurer: Allison McCracken ; Historian: Michaela Roth ; Vice-President: Rachael Ryver ; Historian: Andrew Cross . Current student members are: Emily Ashberry, Jerome Betz III, MacKenzie McDowell, Dhir Gala, Aaron Gordon-Weaver, Devin Jenkins, Heather Llewellyn, Benjamine Paul, John Poling, Jennifer Ringsdorf, Ph...

Harsimrat Sidhu at the SVURS Harsimrat Sidhu presented his research, “CRISPR-Cas9 Targeting of Gng11 Gene in CHO-K1 Cell Line,” at the Susquehanna Undergraduate Research Symposium (SVURS) at Bucknell University on August 1, 2018. Harsimrat, a Biology, pre-medical sciences major, conducted this research with mentor Dr. William Schwindinger.  

Justin Salak Justin Salak, B.S. Biology, pre-medical sciences option, conducted research this summer in the laboratory of Dr. Kate Beishline .  His work was sponsored by the College of Science and Technology Dean's Summer Research Award. Justin presented a poster  at the eighth Annual Susquehanna Valley Undergraduate Research Symposium at Bucknell University.  The Title of his poster was “Assessment of the Role of CTCF in Human Telomere Replication.” For his summer project, Justin optimized experimental conditions for DNA combing and staining of telomere repeats for Single Molecule Analysis of Replicated DNA (or SMARD for short). These experiments provide the foundation for future studies on the way the binding motifs of CTCF located adjacent to telomeres, which regulate telomere transcription, are effecting the local DNA replication. He was able to optimize about 70% of the protocol before the end of the summer.  Dr. Beishline's work is supported by a BU...

  Bloomsburg University held its first “Conference of the Academy” on August 22 and 23, 2018. Sponsored by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and organized by Dr. Mark Tapsak, Interim Assistant Vice-President and Dean of Graduate Studies and Sponsored Research, the event brought faculty together from throughout the university for a celebration of scholarship.   Faculty from all four colleges shared their research interests in presentations at McCormick Human Services Center.   BAHS faculty who shared their scholarship at the conference were: Dr. Kate Beishline :    Dr. Beishline earned a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Drexel University.    Her work examines the regulation of telomeres, the protective structure at the ends of proteins, with a goal of understanding their role in    cancer and aging. Dr. George Davis:   Dr. Davis earned a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Champain-Urbana in p...

Dr. Judith Kipe-Nolt , allied health coordinator, is pleased to announce that over 50 BAHS students have entered clinical programs this semester. Congratulations to all for gaining admission to these programs. We hope that you have a successful and rewarding clinical experience. Stay in touch!  Clinical students, their clinical sites, and their specialties are: RT= Radiologic Technology S = Sonography MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging MLS = Medical Laboratory Science

BAHS announces an exciting series of presentations for its fall semester schedule of seminars. All seminars are on Friday at 3 pm in G38 Hartline.  Refreshments are served.  Special thanks to Dr. Thomas Klinger for his efforts in assembling this diverse offering of presentations.

Ben Paul and Keara Drummer  Is Limnology? a) the study of  the biological, chemical, and physical features of lakes and other bodies of fresh water.   b) an advanced elective for undergraduates and graduate students at Bloomsburg University c)  lots of FUN! d)  ALL OF THE ABOVE! For the answer, check out these happy graduate students taking Limnology with Dr. Steven Rier .

Allison McCracken Allison McCracken, a senior health sciences major and aging studies minor, received an Undergraduate Research Scholarship and Creative Activities (URSCA)  grant to conduct research  with Dr. Joseph Andreacci in the Department of Exercise Science.  Allison's work focused on measuring body composition using  bioelectric impedance. In this technique, percent body fat is estimated by measuring the impedance of a small electrical pulse of multiple frequencies through the body.   Allison was involved in reviewing techniques for measuring body composition, subject recruiting, data collection, and data analysis. She plans to present the results at the College of Science and Technology Research Day in the spring.

Medical Imaging majors gained valuable clinical experience as interns in the summer and fall. Guided by Drs. Angela Hess and Barry Nolt, our medical imaging majors are learning more about the field in preparation for their clinical experiences.  Summer 2018 Stephen Shook – Geisinger Medical Center, Danville Claudia Girardi – Geisinger Medical Center, Danville Brianna Pfirman – Geisinger – Jersey Shore, Jersey Shore Isabella Saue r – Geisinger Wyoming Valley – Wilkes-Barre Salina Lucchesi – Susquehanna Valley Imaging – Lewisburg Karina Yutko – Geisinger-Shamokin Hospital – Shamokin Stephanie Klinger – Geisinger-Lewistown Hospital – Lewistown McKenzie Lane – Holy Spirit – Harrisburg Amy Maciejewski – Holy Spirit – Harrisburg Fall 2018 Hannah Blauch – Geisinger Medical Center, Danville Kaelyn Sessa-Sarver – Geisinger Medical Center, Danville Amber Rodriguez – Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital – Bloomsburg Gina Gervase – Geisinger B...

Dr. Karl Henry has launched a Facebook page for BAHS alumni. To join, please search for Bloomsburg University Biology and Allied Health Alumni. Stay in touch--join us on the web!

Mikayla Ulicny at the SVURS Mikayla Ulicny , a Medical Imaging Major and member of the Honors Program, received an Udergraduate Research Scholarship and Creative Activities Award (URSCA) to conduct research with Dr. Abby Hare-Harris this summer. Mikayla worked on a project in collaboration with the Autism & Developmental Medicine Institute, studying the clinical findings of brain MRI images for individuals with a 15q13.3 deletion.  She presented her work at the Susquehanna Valley Undergraduate Research Symposium (SVURS) on August 1 st  at Bucknell University.  

Congratulations to BAHS students who received awards at the College of Science and Technology Research Day. Benjamin Paul received first prize for his undergraduate poster  entitled "Changes in the water quality of recently disturbed Pennsylvania forested streams." Ben's co-author is Victoria Roper and his mentor is Dr. Lauri Green .  Lakota Wadena earned Honorable Mention for his study of "The Autumn Dietary Contents if Allegheny Crayfish ( Faxonius obscurus ) in Fishing Creek, Bloomsburg, PA."  His mentors are Professor Hartzell and Dr. Klinger .  Corey Conville received second prize for his graduate poster on his thesis work "Comparison of Macroinvertebrate Bioindicators to Ecosystem Function across a Gradient of Agricultural Impairment." Dr. Steven Rier is his mentor . Corey Conville Benjamin Paul Lakota Wadena

  Dr. Lauri Green taught Marine Ecology (MarSci 260) to an enthusiastic group of students during the summer at the Chincoteague Bay Field Station in Virginia.  Check out these photos!  Among the students were BAHS natural history majors Kayla Davis and Alyssa Willoughby .  Alyssa also took Coastal Ornithology earlier in the summer. Dr. Green and flounder Marie Ecology at Chicnoteague Bay Field Station Kayla Davis  Alyssa Willoughby