BioSynthesis

Kyle Mausteller Congratulations to Kyle Mausteller who has been awarded an undergraduate research grant by the Tri-Beta Biology Honor Society Research Foundation. Kyle's project is entitled "Investigating the Role of Subtelomeric CTCF in Telomere Replication." Dr. Kate Beishline , assistant professor, is his research mentor. Kyle is a senior majoring in biology, pre-medical science and minoring in psychology and chemistry.  He is a member of the Bloomsburg University Honor's College. Kyle is president of the Bloomsburg University chapter of Tri-Beta and the service chair of the Pre-Medical Sciences Club. Kyle was selected to participate in the Primary Care Scholars program at Penn State School of Medicine . He volunteers each semester on the Medical Surgery Floor at Geisinger Bloomsburg  Hospital. In addition to Tri-Beta, Kyle was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi, the interdisciplinary honor society, and Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics honor society. He is a Board of G

Congratulations to Medical Imaging majors Mia Perrino, Keara Suprock and Emily Reynolds who have recently graduate from the Johns Hopkins Sonography Program. We are very proud of you!

Bio Trivia Teams Deep in Thought!  Biology Trivia Questions.  How would you do?  (scroll down for the answers) How many hairs are on the legs of a honey bee? In which stage of meiosis does synapsis occur? How many bones are in the human skull? A fun time was had by all as faculty and student teams vied for bragging rights at fall semester's Biology Trivia contest. Over a dozen teams participated by taking on Dr. Hare-Harris's challenging questions and enjoying some pizza and snacks. Team names ranged from "Ardizzi's Angels"  and "The Excessive Recessives" to "I am here for the pizza." The winning group was the graduate student team of Mackenzie McDowell, Kate Freeman, Tommy O'Rourke, and Kyle Flannery . Who will unseat the champs next semester? The champs! Top three teams Answers: 1. 3,000,000 hairs 2. prophase I 3. 22 bones

Seminar speaker Dr. Stefanie Kroll with host Dr. Steve Rier, professor Dr. Stefanie Kroll, Assistant Research Professor, in the Department of Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Science at Drexel University shared her expertise  on   aquatic macroinvertebrate ecology at the BAHS seminar series on November 1, 2019. Dr. Kroll's talk was entitled"  Macroinvertebrates Tell All: Indicators of Human Impacts on Streams" Dr. Kroll is the    project science director of the Delaware River Watershed Initiative, a collaboration among over 50 nonprofit groups working in watershed conservation. She has a PhD in ecology from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, NY.  

BAHS Honors Student Brendon Herrold presents research  at the College of Science and  Technology Research Day The Bloomsburg University Honors College is an interdisciplinary, experiential program that entails small, seminar-style, discussion-based, honors classes, a capstone project such as a research experience, and opportunities for civic engagement. Thirty four students in the Department of Biological and Allied Health Sciences have taken on the honors challenge. BAHS students who are undertaking leadership roles in the Honors College by serving on the executive board are Rachel Nenstiel (junior class representative) and Oriana Balascio (Service Chair). Please contact Dr. Julie Vandivere for more information about the Honors College (jvandive@bloomu.edu) BAHS Honors Students Rebecca Albers, medical lab science Aaron Billig , Medical lab science Oriana Balascio , Biology, pre-medical sciences and chemistry minor Akimah Brookes , Biology, pre-medical scie

Congratulations to three BAHS sophomores who were recognized by the interdisciplinary honor society Phi Kappa Phi for outstanding academic achievement in their freshman year. Award recipients received certificates at a ceremony on Nov 15, 2019. A presentation on "Don't forget to build your toolkit as you build your resume" was delivered by Dr. Heather Feldhaus, Interim Associate Vice Provost for Research and Sponsored Programs and Dean of Graduate Studies. Award recipients include: Xiang Liao   (Medical Imaging),  Madison Moody   (Biology), and   A my Szwajkowski (Biology.) Congratulations and keep up the good work!

The Biology and Allied Health Club hosted a donut and hot chocolate fundraiser in Hartline Lobby to raise funds to support club activities. This semester the club has brought science to area children through their popular Grossology program at the Bloomsburg Children's Museum. The club also sponsored a college-wide science ornament content and collected non-perishable goods for the  Columbia County Volunteers in Medicine Clinic In Mifflinville, PA.    Drs. Venditti and Hess are co-advisors of the club.

BAHS students and faculty presented research at the 14th annual Susquehanna River Symposium at Bucknell University on October 18 and 19, 2019. The event, sponsored by the Bucknell Center for Sustainability & the Environment, provides a forum to share research and to increase awareness of issues facing the Susquehanna River watershed. The symposium was attended by more  than 100  students, faculty, scientists, engineers, policy-makers, consultants, and community members. The theme of this year's symposium was "Healthy Rivers, Healthy Communities." They keynote address was delivered by Ann Pesiri Swanson, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, and was entitled " Chesapeake Bay:  Lessons Learned from 40 Years of Watershed Management." Students and faculty presenting research were: Hannah Anderson,  Ashberry Emily, Justin Blake, Rodney Koch, Sierra Smith, Kayla Davis, Caitlyn Collins, Keara Drummer, Thomas S. Klinger, Sean M. Hartzell,  PRES

The Bloomsburg University chapter of Beta Beta Beta, the biology honor society, welcomed new members at its initiation ceremony in 108 Hartline Science Center on October 13, 2019. Beta Beta Beta (Tri-Beta) is a society for students dedicated to improving the understanding and appreciation of biological study and extending boundaries of human knowledge through scientific 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 . The mission of Tri-Beta is:  1) to stimulate scholarship; 2) to disseminate scientific knowledge; and 3) to promote biological research (www.tribeta.org)United States  and  Puerto Rico . The mission of Tri-Beta is:  1) to stimulate scholarship; 2) to disseminate scientific knowledge; and 3) to promote biological research (www.tribeta.org)   Kaitlyn Gwozdecki, Kyle Mausteller and Lauren Bunnell The ce

Tell me about yourself. Why should we admit you to our program? What is your greatest strength? How do you handle stress and pressure? What do you see yourself doing in ten years? What is the most difficult situation that you have had to overcome? BAHS students donned their finest apparel and tackled these questions as part of Mock Interviews, an event hosted by Tri-Beta Biology Honor Society on October 4, 2019.  Maria Figueroa, Tyler Grubb, Kaitlyn Gwozdecki, Xiang Liao, Alyssa Rizzo, Kayla Sompel and Eric Williams participated in individual and group interviews to prepare for future employment and admission to clinical, professional, and graduate programs. Afterwards, students and faculty interviewers met to discuss the interviews  over snacks. While a bit nerve-racking, all participants agreed that it was a valuable experience and provided good preparation for the real event. Thanks to the following faculty interviewers for graciously donating their time and advice:  D

Dr. George Chamuris and Dr. Sarah Monaco The BAHS Seminar Series welcomed back alumna  Dr. Sarah Monaco on Friday, October 18. Dr. Monaco presented a seminar on the "Role of GSK3B in the Parvalbumin-pyramidal Prefrontal Cortex Microcircuit."  Dr. Monaco graduated magna cum laude  from Bloomsburg University in 2012 with a B.S. in Biology and a minor at Chemistry. While at BU, Sarah conducted undergraduate research on bark-inhabiting fungi with Dr. George Chamuris , professor, and was historian of Tri-Beta Biology Honor Society. She received her MS and Ph.D. in neuroscience from Drexel University. Dr. Monaco is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. She has worked as a laboratory manager at Thomas Jefferson University and as a co-op at Merck & Company. She is a member of the coordination team that plans the Philadelphia "Taste of Science" festival. Thank you for coming back to BU to share your research with us.

Dr. Abby Hare-Harris Dr Abby Hare-Harris , assistant professor, presented a talk as part of the BAHS seminar series on September 27, 2019.  Her presentation on "Quantitative Genetic Disorders" summarized her work as a postdoctoral fellow at the Autism and Developmental Medicine Institute, her current research conducted with graduate and undergraduate students in her laboratory, and future plans for grants and projects. She has recentlly published a paper on " Within-task variability on standardized language tests predicts autism spectrum disorder: a pilot study of the Response Dispersion index" in the  Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders .  This was a collaboration with Geisinger Medical Center, Bucknell University, and Rutgers University.  Dr. Hare-Harris advises students in the Medical Genomics and Genetic Counseling option of the Health Sciences major. She is a Professional U Fellow in the College of Science and Technology. 

The community room was packed for the ABLE Open House at Columbia Residence Hall on Monday, September 9, 2019.  Students from introductory biology courses were invited to tour the facilities, meet with tutors, enter a door prize raffle, and of course, enjoy snacks, including  Dr. Hess's famous  "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 8:30  a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday  through Friday. A calendar of ABLE events, including times for tutoring and review sessions, is published monthly.  A FULL house for the ABLE OPen House on September 9th. Meet some of the ABLE Tutor

Dean's Candy Bar Day   Dean's List Candy Bar Day celebrates students in the College of Science and Technology who were named to the Dean's List during Spring Semester 2019. To be eligible, students must earn a GPA of 3.5 or above.  From left is Angela Ciucci (dean's office) and candy bar recipients, BAHS dean's list students Joseph Kennard   (Health Sciences, medical lab science) and Stephen Tapsak (Biology)   Congratulations to all students who made Dean's list!  Keep up the good work.

Halloween was celebrated in the halls of Hartline with a skeleton in the lobby and plenty of pumpkins! Tri-Beta Biology Honor Society provided the treats with a bake sale featuring apple cider, cupcakes with fingers! , ghost cookies, pumpkin muffins, and other delicious spooky fare.  Costumes ranged from Dr. Hare-Harris's "translation turtle" to Kate Freeman as a wizard from Harry Potter.   A spook-tacular time was had by all! Tri-Beta members try out the treats! Kate Freeman casts a spell on Halloween in the halls of Hartline. A close up of Dr, Hare-Harris (aka, the trnaslation turtle). Can you spot the tRNAs and polypeptide chains? Dr Venditti  hangs out with Baby shark (Gianna) and Frozen's Elsa (Sophia). 

Tristan Wade Tristan Wade,  a biology , pre-medical sciences major and gender studies minor, was selected by the BU student body as one of the five finalists for Homecoming Royalty.  Tristan plans to become a Pediatrician or Family physician and has worked as a volunteer at Geisinger Hospital for 2 years. Tristan is a member of the BU Pre-Medical Sciences club and served as Vice President of the BU OWLs. Currently, Tristan is the President of Chi Alpha Honor Society and is a member of Tri-Beta Biology Honor Society. Congratulations Tristan! Tristan Wade (left) and other finalists for Homecoming Royalty

BAHS alumni returned to campus for a panel discussion on their careers in biology and allied health science. Over a 150 current BAHS students attended the Pathways in Science and Technology event hosted by the College of Science and Technology on October 25 in Kehr Union. Panelists shared their professional journeys while describing a typical day on the job and what they liked best and least about their careers. Panelists offered advice regarding their experiences at BU and how to succeed.  A Question and Answer session followed the panel. It was great to catch up with BAHS alumni and to hear first-hand of their successes after graduating from BU. A hearty thank you to the following panelists: Biology Panel Wayne Frick (BS Biology, 1985), Entrepreneur, Founder of Chirpsounds Gene Kinney (BS Psychology, 1989, Ph.D.) President and CEO, Prothena Jessical Sidisky (BS Biology 2013, MS Biology 2015), Doctoral Student in Neuroscience, Lehigh University Zachary Hoffer, (BS Biology

Dr. William Coleman , associate professor, recently presented a research poster at the the 2019 Society for Neuroscience Conference in Chicago, IL. The poster was entitled "I nvestigating the localization and functional role of GABA receptors at neuromuscular synapses of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris ."  The work was co-authored with BAHS students   Morgan Ilgenfritz (B.S. Health Sciences, Fall 2018), Dhir Gala (B.S. Biology, Spring 2019), and Kathryn Sherry (B.S. Biology, pre-medical sciences, senior). While at the meeting, Dr. Coleman reunited with former research student Jessica Sidisky (BS Biology Spring 2013, MS Biology Spring 2015). Jessica is currently a Ph.D. candidate in neuroscience at Lehigh University. Dr. Coleman and Jessica Sidisky

The Pre-medical Sciences Club is an enthusiastic group of students interested in careers in the medical sciences. The club provides mentoring, hosts speakers from various medical and professional schools, conducts fundraisers, provides community service opportunities, and organizes trips to various professional school. This semester the  Pre-medical Sciences Club volunteered at the Bloomsburg Food Cupboard. For more information about the club, please contact Kayla Sompel, president. Pre-Med Club members at the Food Cupboard

Dr. Abby Hare-Harris and 10 Medical Genomics and Genetic Counseling majors attended the first annual Genetic Counseling Open House at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville.   Genetic Counselors from Geisinger gave several presentations about their profession, training, current job responsibilities, and different specialties at Geisinger.   During the breakout session, students engaged with Genetic Counselors of different specialty clinics including cancer, prenatal, adult genetics, and pediatric genetics as well as Genetic Counselors who work in research and laboratory testing.   Students were also able to meet with recent graduates who work as Genetic Counseling Assistants and learn about Geisinger’s Genetic Counseling training program.

Ben Young How do Human Genetics students make their exam on Halloween more enjoyable?  By dawning costumes of course! Check out these favorites that include everything from Gregor Mendel to start codons! Ruthann Green Andrea Myers Kate Kelchner