biochemistry

From athlete to scientist, NIH grant latest feat for researcher

April 29, 2024 By Roger Meissen in #IAmScience, Faces of Science Tags: biochemistry, CAFNR, gary weisman, Kim Jasmer, NIH, Sjögren’s Disease

*Kim Jasmer, assistant research professor of biochemistry, in the lab of Gary Weisman at Bond LSC | photo by Roger Meissen, Bond LSC*

By Sarah Gassel | Bond LSC

In the spring of 2009, Kim Jasmer, a swimmer from the University of Washington, arrived at the University of Missouri for the Missouri Grand Prix, one of a seven-meet series featuring elite swimmers from all over the world. Between swimming her own races and cheering on teammates, Jasmer had another important task on her agenda.

The athlete had scheduled a meeting with the now-retired Mizzou Professor of Biological Sciences, Steve Alexander, to discuss his work investigating genetic mechanisms underlying resistance to chemotherapeutics, topics quite far from her sport. The meeting began a long and sometimes winding road into research at Mizzou while allowing her to continue her swimming career, which ended after the 2012 Olympic Trials.

Jasmer, now an assistant research professor working with Bond LSC’s Gary Weisman, just made another important step down that path. She recently received her first National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant as the principal investigator. The two-year R03 award, which started in March, aims to uncover more information on an important receptor — the P2Y10 receptor — that could play a role in Sjögren’s disease.

“Grants are particularly fun because you get to dream up how you would answer a question,” said Jasmer. “I do like piecing everything together and the creativity of it.”

Sjögren’s disease is a common autoimmune disease that affects millions of Americans. The chronic condition — where immune cells attack and destroy the salivary and lacrimal glands that produce saliva and tears — mainly affects the eyes and mouth, though those with Sjögren’s have a wide range of symptoms.

Swimming in her own lane

Jasmer, who grew up in North Bend, Oregon, was following two of her passions — swimming and molecular and cellular biology — at the University of Washington when she saw Dr. Alexander’s work. She was interested in finding out how grad school at Mizzou could allow her to continue her passions, not just her studies.

“When I was looking at graduate schools, I wanted to keep swimming, so I looked at places where I could do both,” Jasmer said.

She started a biological sciences Ph.D. in 2009, and between hours doing laps and hours in the lab, Jasmer gained endurance in both. Her doctorate focused on cancer research, specifically looking at oxidative stress responses in melanoma, and after receiving the degree in 2015, she joined the lab of Michael Petris as a postdoc studying the influence of copper-dependent enzymes in the formation of tumors.

However, she was also interested in studying the immune system. In 2016, Gary Weisman’s lab — right across the hall from Michael Petris — received a grant for research on Sjögren’s disease and was looking for a postdoc to perform the studies. Knowing her interest in the subject, they approached her about the position. She accepted and began working half-time in each lab, eventually transitioning full-time to studying salivary glands.

“I didn’t start out intending to study salivary glands, but I landed in that community of researchers,” said Jasmer. “It’s a very small and supportive niche of scientists.”

The time since then has seen the Weisman lab learn more and more about the cellular workings of the disease, eventually leading to Jasmer submitting an R03.

The grant marked the first time Jasmer wrote and received an NIH grant independently. Although had previously written NIH grants collaboratively Weisman, this one was composed of her individual ideas, making the award all the more validating. Globally, NIH is the largest public funder of biomedical research, and the support an NIH grant provides can get a research project off the ground. But it is also highly competitive — on average, only about 20 percent of NIH grant applications are funded.

“I was kind of in shock because it feels like my career path has been so long, and there’s a lot of rejection that comes with it,” said Jasmer. “When one comes through and works out, it’s very exciting.”

The process of writing a grant is no easy feat, either. There are many questions that must be asked and answered when composing an application. It is not only necessary to propose what the research will potentially reveal but also the process needed to get this information, down to the techniques and analyses that will be used. Essentially, grant writing is akin to a much more complex and scientific version of the board game Clue.

Getting a spot on the podium

Recently, she’s seen her research make an impact in journals with her work being published in the Journal of Oral Biology and Craniofacial Research.

Currently, there are no curative therapies for Sjögren’s. Jasmer wants to eventually be able to apply her research to develop solutions. However, she says many questions must first be answered, and additional research must be done before reaching this goal.

“The downstream is that, if everything pans out, the P2Y10 receptor could be a great target, and we can work with the medicinal chemists to identify compounds that could target it and develop a therapy for Sjögren’s,” said Jasmer.

While this goal seems like a far way off, she has also come a long way through her leg of the relay so far.

Jasmer is an assistant research professor of biochemistry – CAFNR, working in the lab of Gary Weisman at Bond LSC. She recently published “Cell type-specific transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling in the regulation of salivary gland fibrosis and regeneration,” in the Journal of Oral Biology and Craniofacial Research.

Seeing the bigger picture through applied research projects

June 6, 2022 By Penquite, Cara (MU-Student) in Research Tags: applied science, basic research, biochemistry, Mizzou Research, research

Investigators at Bond LSC take steps to apply basic research

By Cara Penquite | Bond LSC

Yul Eum Song — Photo by Lauren Hines | Bond LSC

Scribbling in a lab notebook and planning experiments tucked between shelves of equipment, it’s easy to fixate on day-to-day lab operations. But scientists also face the challenge of finding how research can improve the world around us.

“The direction, the vision of the lab, ultimately comes from the principal investigator that bridges the research into applied directions,” said Jay Thelen, biochemistry professor and Bond LSC principal investigator

Despite the focus on basic research within the Bond LSC, many principal investigators choose to take their research to the next level with commercial partnerships.

Thelen’s lab researches ways to increase oil production in seeds and has three patents licensed to Yield 10 Bioscience, a sustainable crop innovation company who applies Thelen’s research to commercial crops. While seed oils like canola and soybean oil are known for their use in cooking, Thelen explains that increased production of these oils could play a larger role in sustainable fuel sources such as biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel.

“We have to make more oil to balance out our need to eat it [and] our need to wean ourselves off of fossil fuels,” Thelen said. “To do that, we need to either plant more acres of oil seeds, or we have to raise the oil in existing oil seeds.”

Thelen researches enzymes with that potential application in mind. One is acetyl-CoA carboxylase, the enzyme which initializes the production of fatty acid chains found in plant oils.

“We’ve known this is an important enzyme, and we know that any tinkering you do with it has an impact on the oil production,” Thelen said. “In this case we’ve made new discoveries that permitted us to rationally engineer this enzyme to make it more active.”

Thelen suggests thinking of the enzyme as a “gatekeeper” to oil production which initializes the production of fatty acids and increases oil production. Thelen’s lab identified two different gene families that influence the activity of the enzyme in Arabidopsis and camelina plants. Yield 10 then applies these discoveries in other commercial plants.

While Thelen works closely with his commercial partner — having served on their scientific advisory board for three years and now stays in contact with Yield 10’s CEO to develop research projects — some labs stick with short-term arrangements.

Kamlendra Singh — assistant director of the Molecular Interactions Core at Bond LSC and Veterinary Pathobiology research assistant professor — studies HIV treatments. His lab identified a compound licensed by a commercial partner that targets the shell containing the virus’ genetic information.

Singh’s work in HIV started in 1994 with basic research investigating the enzyme that makes the viral DNA.

“I wasn’t into [studying] the drugs when I started working on HIV, I was mostly trying to understand how HIV enzymes works,” Singh said. “Once you know how the enzyme works, then you can target these enzymes for discovering the drugs.”

After years of studying how the enzyme works, Singh switched to HIV treatment. The first step to develop a treatment is to look for structures in the virus that the drug could potentially target to stop the viral replication. Singh targeted the shell around the virus’ genetic information known as the HIV capsid.

Building on previous research, Singh’s lab developed a compound able to bind the HIV capsid and prevent it from releasing the contained genetic information. Even with the licensing of his compound, Singh plans to continue researching ways to improve it.

“There are two reasons to keep working on it. One, well it’s my brainchild,” Singh said. “The second reason is as the company grows, we grow. We get more recognition and more funding. You can use it to [study] different viruses or use the same funding to improve upon it.”

While Singh plans to remain looking towards the applied side of his HIV research, he does not forget his roots in basic research.

“You have to put in time … [to] understand the system first, which is basic science, before you go to applied science,” Singh said.

Michael Roberts, a Chancellor’s Professor Emeritus of animal sciences and biochemistry who has had several patented projects, focuses on improving basic science projects and applies for patents if warranted.

“I don’t deliberately go into anything for commercial purposes,” Roberts said. “If I see something that I think does have commercial application, I’m happy to do it, but that is usually after you do [basic sciences].”

Whether starting a project with applications in mind or focusing on basic research, knowledge gained through research can be building blocks for the future.

“Science is simple. Even the most applied research project has its genesis in basic biology and basic research,” Thelen said.

Read more about how MU research leads to patents, inventions and licensing at https://research.missouri.edu/news/leveraging-mizzou-discoveries.

#IAmScience: Leah Lepore

April 23, 2022 By Balslew, Karly (MU-Student) in #IAmScience Tags: biochemistry

By Karly Balslew | Bond LSC

Exploring new places and diving into the world of the unknown can be intimidating. At a young age, Leah Lepore was immersed in this world and grew to love it.

“The first time I left the country was to travel to Japan and it was an incredible culture shock,” said the current Chris Lorson lab member. “From my twelve-year-old perspective, I was learning about a different way of life but also drove my parents nuts because I would only eat McDonald’s while we were there.”

An avid traveler, Lepore loves immersing herself in new cultures and seeing the world from a different point of view. This has blended into other areas of life, especially when it comes to her passion for science.

“I think traveling is what formed this kind of wanderlust that I have, and that exploring unknown places gets you out of your day-to-day routine and puts things into perspective,” she said. “There’s so much in the world than what you see around you.”

Lepore is a sophomore majoring in biochemistry. She wasn’t new to working in a lab when she joined Bond LSC in summer of 2021. She worked at two other labs in high school, so she found it imperative to join a lab that would challenge and prepare her for the future. As a member of the Lorson lab and an employee of Shift Pharmaceuticals — Lorson’s business off-shoot of his research — she found that.

“It’s really interesting to see the industry science and the academic science be complimentary,” Lepore said.

At Shift Pharmaceutical, she works on Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT). CMT causes abnormalities in the nerves feet, legs, hands, and arms. This disease was unfamiliar to her before she joined, but that did not hinder her enthusiasm to learn more.

“What’s really interesting is that it doesn’t necessarily kill you, but it diminishes the quality of life because it is caused by this overexpression of protein,” she said. “It causes your limbs to contract but not able to relax while also impacting your balance and dexterity.”

Lepore uses gene silencing therapy with synthetic nucleotides that bind to mRNA in this research. mRNA codes for proteins and since there is an abundance of certain proteins in patients with CMT, she is trying to silence portions of mRNA that code for them.

Lepore aims to spread her desire to be involved in research as an ambassador for the Office of Undergraduate Research, and she encourages students to get involved as soon as possible. Many students are apprehensive to dive headfirst into working at a lab, but Lepore reassures that there is a place for everyone at Bond LSC.

“I find that everyone that I’ve met here is extremely intelligent, but also great at making anyone who hasn’t worked in a lab before feel extremely comfortable,” she said. “It’s a very welcoming and inviting atmosphere.”

When not in the lab or helping undergraduates, she focuses on fitness. At Orange Theory, Lepore lifts weights and runs on the treadmill, which helps her cope with stress and anxiety. No matter how hectic life might get, her positive attitude and ambitious personality shine through.

“Sometimes you have to realize that you’re not going to know everything even if you want to, but there are always going to be people that are willing to explain it to you,” she said. “However, not knowing everything is okay sometimes because it gives you room to learn and engage these critical skills that are not only going to help you in the lab but also in your day-to-day life.”

Protein or Poison? Research into seed composition shows potential uses as protein source or insecticide

April 20, 2022 By Penquite, Cara (MU-Student) in Research Tags: biochemistry, nutrition, plant science

04152022_PlantProtein_CP_1 copy — Hari Krishnan holds a handful of *A. pavonina* seeds. Known for their bright color, the seeds are known among many Asian and African communities as coming from the red bead tree. Photo by Cara Penquite | Bond LSC

By Cara Penquite | Bond LSC

An energetic and fulfilling day starts with a spread of healthy meals, and many people rely on nutrition labels to meet their daily quota of vitamins and nutrients. But how did scientists measure the Vitamin C in an orange or the protein content in peanuts for the label?

Finding out what is in food we eat starts with scientists like Hari Krishnan, a USDA-ARS molecular biologist and MU adjunct professor of plant science and technology. Krishnan calculated the type and degree of nutrients packed into seeds from red bead trees with the help of the Advanced Light Microscopy Core in Bond Life Sciences Center.

“We are highly dependent on the food that we eat,” Krishnan said. “Anything we can do in order to either improve nutrition or quality or finding alternative sources of food is very useful.”

Commonly known for its pods of seeds as bright as red M&M’s, the red bead tree is known as Adenanthera pavonina in research communities. Krishnan took an interest in A. pavonina seeds — turning away from his usual soybean research — to see if they could be a potential alternative protein source in developing countries. He quickly found a different, unusual characteristic.

“I’ve never seen a seed have such a high content of trypsin inhibitor,” Krishnan said.

Our bodies make trypsin to break down protein in our intestines, but trypsin inhibitors block the enzyme from its job of protein digestion. That makes it hard for us to benefit from nutritious proteins in the seeds. Although many Asian and African communities already incorporate A. Pavonina seeds in their diet, its unusual amount of trypsin inhibitors limits nutritional benefits.

“Soybeans have probably less than five percent of the entire seed protein made of trypsin,” Krishnan said. “This particular legume is 20 to 25 percent, which is fairly very high.”

Krishnan turned to Alexander Jurkevich, associate director of MU’s Advanced Light Microscopy Core, to find out where in the plant’s cells the trypsin inhibitors were located. Jurkevich and Krishnan used glowing molecules to mark the trypsin inhibitors and see where they are stored in the cells.

04152022_PlantProtein_CP_2 — Hari Krishnan sits in his lab at MU Curtis Hall. A USDA-ARS molecular biologist and MU Adjunct Professor of plant science and technology, Krishnan’s research looks at the nutritional value of legumes. Photo by Cara Penquite | Bond LSC

Tagging protein here starts with an antibody. The first antibody acts like one side of a strip of velcro that can attach to a second antibody that also carries a molecule of a fluorescent dye. Through the double antibody system, the glowing, fluorescent flag attaches to show scientists which parts of the cell have trypsin inhibitors.

While Krishnan developed the antibody, Jurkevich used his expertise in light microscopy to take images of the glowing cells.

“This cooperation is very important, because modern research technologies are very complex and a single person cannot learn and excel at all techniques available in life sciences,” Jurkevich said.

Understanding the amount and locations of trypsin inhibitors, Krishnan looked to reduce inhibitors so the seeds would be more nutritious for humans.

Roasting or boiling the seeds breaks down the trypsin inhibitors, but Krishnan warns that it may break down other essential amino acids as well. In his work with soybeans, Krishnan looks for a way to grow plants without trypsin inhibitors at all.

“We were able to find some [soybean] mutants, which have lower levels of this trypsin inhibitor,” Krishnan said.

Natural mutants with lower levels of trypsin inhibitors could be cultivated on a larger scale to produce seeds that are easier for humans to digest.

Since trypsin inhibitors are not ideal for consumption, Krishnan decided to think outside of the box. He turned to USDA-ARS research scientist and entomologist Adriano Pereira to find another use for the seeds.

Pereira tested the seed proteins as an insecticide against corn rootworm larvae and found that it stunted larval growth but did not necessarily cause mortality. While it is still early in this research, there may be some insecticidal properties from the seed.

“It’s something that has to be investigated to make sure […], but we assume that since it is a trypsin inhibitor it could be inhibiting on some level the trypsin during the growth of the larvae,” Pereira said.

As Krishnan’s first look into A. pavonina seeds, the research opened many new questions yet to be answered, but he plans to continue investigating the role of trypsin inhibitors in soybeans and other plant protein sources.

“[Research] is a never-ending investigation, and one thing leads to another. It’s always interesting,” Krishnan said. “I come to the lab everyday thinking of what I’m going to end up doing today.”

Hari Krishnan is a joint researcher molecular biologist with the USDA-ARS and adjunct faculty member in Mizzou’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. This research published online in the journal Food Chemistry: X on Feb. 12, 2022 titled “Adenanthera pavonina, a potential plant-based protein resource: Seed protein composition and immunohistochemical localization of trypsin inhibitors.”

The Advanced Light Microscopy Core provides technical imaging expertise to researchers who need state-of-the-art imaging for their experiments. That includes confocal, super-resolution, digital light-sheet and widefield microscopes, image analysis and processing and sample preparation.

#IAmScience Jessica Kinkade

November 6, 2020 By Becca Wolf in #IAmScience Tags: #IAmScience, biochemistry, mice

By Becca Wolf | Bond LSC

Growing up in Columbia, Jessica Kinkade never thought she would end up working in town.

“I never expected to come back here, but it’s neat that it worked out that way,” Kinkade said. “It’s nice to be able to see my family and work in a familiar place that I’ve lived my whole life.”

Kinkade went to college about 30 minutes east of MU at Westminster College in Fulton, MO.

“I always had an interest in science, especially natural and biological sciences, ever since I was little,” Kinkade said. “I was always interested in a lot of different aspects of it, and my interests turned into something more so that developed, along with me.”

Now a research lab technician in the Rosenfeld lab at Bond Life Sciences Center, she is happy to be back.

“Mizzou is a really good school for science. There are a lot of job opportunities here because it’s such a big school and they do a lot of interesting research so it’s a good resource for that,” Kinkade said. “Just a good place to find work overall.”

As a research lab technician, Kinkade has several responsibilities. She often helps on research as well as taking care of the animals, coding and collecting data, keeping track of supplies as well as other support work.

A self-proclaimed animal lover, Kinkade especially likes working with the animals. Currently, the lab has California Mice, which is a species of deer mouse.

The dark brown mice with big eyes can be quite a handful.

“They’re really fun to work with, but they’re kind of crazy, because they’re wild and not quite as tame,” Kinkade said.

This can make work quite interesting.

“They jump when they get excited so it’s easy for them to jump out of their cages, we have to chase them around a lot,” Kinkade said. “We’ve had to chase them across the floor and grab them quickly before they can run and hide anywhere.”

For the past two years, Kinkade has been focused on studying the behavioral affects BPA (bisphenol A) and genistein has on the behavior of California mice. Xenoestrogens, BPA and genistein, can be found in plastic and in things such as coffee and soybeans. These are known as “forever chemicals” because they do not easily breakdown in the environment. Knowing the behavioral effects of these xenoestrogens can help researchers better understand how the chemicals may be affecting humans as well.

The past few months Kinkade has been wrapping up this research, “It’s exciting to see the studies all come to a close and get the results,” she said.

Kinkade does not plan on ending her animal research there though.

“Right now, we’re trying to breed a strain of serotonin knockout mice,” Kinkade said. “We’re trying to get a colony started so we can begin a study with them. They’re difficult to breed so we’re still working on that, but hopefully we will get a project started soon.”

Kinkade points to her college years for her passion of animals.

“Back in college I got to work on my own independent research project, which was mapping the territories of Cardinals,” Kinkade said. “It was a lot of being outside, looking around and listening, which I thought was really fun.”

Being excited about your work is important, and Kinkade certainly is. Projects like her independent research project kept her inspired and excited about being in a science field. She carries that energy with her to Bond LSC.

“There’s always a lot to do and maintain here. Sometimes it is a lot of work and routine, but then you remember why you’re doing it and what you’re learning,” Kinkade said. “I remember that excitement I would feel throughout school, and remember that’s what I’m doing right now, which feels good.”

Finding a Link between Xenoestrogens and Autism

October 12, 2020 By Becca Wolf in Research Tags: Autism Spectrum Disorder, biochemistry, mice

California mice | photo by Roger Meissen, Bond LSC

By Becca Wolf | Bond LSC

It’s hard to see a family member treated differently because of a behavior disorder, but those with relatives diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) know its impact. Since it affects how people act, communicate, and learn, people with ASD often get bullied or feel left out because of these behaviors.

Sarabjit Kaur, a former undergraduate researcher in the Cheryl Rosenfeld lab at the Bond Life Sciences Center, witnessed this stigma firsthand growing up with a brother who is autistic. Going to college, she knew she wanted to do something that made a difference in understanding ASD.

In Kaur’s final year at MU, she conducted a correlational study to see the effect of xenoestrogens on the microbiome-gut-brain axis and autistic behavior.

“The dramatic rise in ASD suggests that there’s an environmental component to this because genetics don’t change that fast,” Kaur said, “We know that steroid hormones play an important role in brain development. That’s why we suspect that endocrine disruptors such as the xenoestrogens, BPA [bisphenol A] and genistein, might be an important contributor to this disease.”

Xenoestrogens like BPA are often called “forever chemicals” because they don’t readily break down in the environment. Since we use millions of tons of manufacturing plastics, as food can linings and in things like receipts, our exposure can add up. While genistein is naturally found in plant products such as soybeans and coffee, both are common in our environment and affect the body in some way.

To start, Kaur tested the effects of the chemicals on California mice. She found that mice exposed to genistein were more likely to exhibit repetitive behaviors and socio-communicative disturbances. Mice with a low dose of BPA resulted in more frequent repetitive behaviors compared to those with a higher dose. These social communicative deficits were dose dependent autistic-like behaviors, showing that there is a possible correlation between these xenoestrogens and ASD.

In this study, Kaur also found that there are sex dependent effects of these xenoestrogens. BPA and genistein affected female and male mice differently. Exposed female mice resulted in different types of metabolites relative to control such as amino acids or glucose involved in carbohydrate metabolism, but in males the protein metabolism was affected by BPA and genistein relative to the control group.

These processes occur in the microbiome-gut-brain axis, which is the feedback loop where microbes communicate to the central nervous system through channels involving nervous, endocrine, and immune signaling mechanisms.

Exposure to xenoestrogens may be inducing epigenetic changes through altering gene/protein expression, without changing the DNA sequence itself.

“The results get super complicated because there has been dose dependent effects, both sex dependent effects and treatment dependent effects,” Kaur said.

Scientists use California mice as a model for behavior research because of their relationship similarities to humans. They are social creatures, both parents care for their young, and the male and female mate for life. This gives insight as to how BPA and genistein may impact humans.

“We wanted to do this in an animal model because we could help inform our epidemiology colleagues,” Kaur said, “So those that do work with humans, this could help them see what they are looking for as in terms of a diagnosis tool.”

In the future, doctors could look at the bacterial population or the metabolites in the microbiome-gut-brain axis to determine if a child is autistic.

“I just hope, this research will help my brother and people like him. That’s what research is all about, to help advance. Hopefully, we could give people a fresh, healthy start in the beginning of their lives,” Kaur said.

“It would mean a lot to many if in the future people could help their friends, family members, or their siblings that go through ASD,” Kaur said, “It would really help even if we could alleviate the symptoms or give people a fresh start.”

For more information, check out the December 2020 edition of Scientific Reports article, “Developmental exposure of California mice to endocrine disrupting chemicals and potential effects on the microbiome-gut-brain axis at adulthood.”

#IAmScience Hsin-Yeh Hsieh

March 13, 2020 By Becca Wolf in #IAmScience Tags: biochemistry, bioengineering

By Becca Wolf | Bond LSC

Some scientists go into research for basic science, such as finding an enzyme and figuring out its functions and properties. Others like Hsin-Yeh Hsieh, gravitate toward applied sciences where they use what they know to develop technology.

“Because I can use everything I learned in science as building blocks to create a technology that actually can do something and make impacts in real life, that’s what I like about science,” said Hsieh, a research scientist in the George Stewart lab at Bond LSC.

Hsieh began her science journey in Taiwan, where she went to school for several years, studying molecular and microbiology as well as medical technology. Her love of science began in high school, she explained, “I was very curious about what happens in human health.”

After completing her Bachelor of Science at Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan, Hsieh worked in the Cancer Research group of Institute of Biomedical Sciences in Acdemia Sinica in Taiwan, before she came to the U.S. for her graduate study in the Pathology and Anatomical Department of MU Medical School. For her Ph.D. study, she had the opportunity to work on a research in blood banking and transfusion, which focused on enzymatically converting type A and type B blood into universal blood type O. This is where she really found her niche, “I am in the field I enjoy,” she said. However, her biggest challenge for the blood type conversion is how to remove the enzyme from the converted red blood cells before transfusion.

After her doctorate, Hsieh joined David Setzer’s lab in Biological Sciences of MU and later, George Stewart offered her a postdoctoral position in his Molecular microbiology lab.

Collaborating with a multidisciplinary team on MU campus including faculty in Veterinary Pathobiology and in the School of Natural Resources, and students in biochemistry and in bioengineering, Hsieh’s team came up with a design for a cartridge that can immobilize enzyme for blood type conversion, and filter enzyme out of the converted red blood cells (RBCs).

“Let’s say, after the blood goes through this cartridge, it gets converted. The converted RBCs flow through the cartridge, but the enzyme is locked behind so it won’t go along with the product,” she explained.

Hsieh and her team actually filed a patent on this process in December 2019 and are currently seeking more funding to continue testing the process in other industrial applications, such as biofuel and special chemical production.

“I can see its potential,” Hsieh said. “We think it can work in biofuel and it can work in pollutant degradation, but we need to prove it with scientific evidence.”

Said Hsieh, “The technology could turn cellulose to sugar, into glucose, that becomes an energy source,”

It can be expanded beyond these applications as well, with potential to help clean the environment.

She explains, “We actually can break down the herbicide pollutants, like atrazine, in the environment using this enzymatic process.”

It took four years to create this cartridge, overcoming several challenges along the way. That did not intimidate Hsieh.

“I like to see if my idea is right on the track or way off, so that’s quite challenging but also fun,” said Hsieh with a chuckle. “You should always explore something new and challenge yourself.”

Day to day, Hsieh is busy working with undergrads in the lab. Their willingness to learn and try anything intrigues Hsieh’s curiosity and expands her horizons in research.

“The students are so open minded. I say, ‘well, let’s take a new approach and do it,’ and they just go ahead and do it. If we get a good result that proves the concept, that’s great. If not, we learn how to troubleshoot and make it work. In the process, students are trained for critical thinking and research strategy” Hsieh explained. “I think that’s a win-win situation, for them to advance in the career path and also for me to move the project forward.”

Expanding her horizons is important not only in the lab, but as well as in her community. When talking about the friends she has made here in Columbia, Hsieh says, “I met most of my friends while playing tennis, and at a point in time, I counted there were people from 46 countries among us because students come to this campus from all over the world.”

Creating a community with different cultures keeps the life interesting and helps her learn of the world, while staying in Columbia all these years. With unfinished tasks in hands, Hsieh is not planning on leaving anytime soon. Describing Columbia, she “enjoys the atmosphere.”

#IAmScience Jordyn Lucas

November 29, 2019 By Danielle Pycior in #IAmScience Tags: biochemistry

By Danielle Pycior | Bond LSC

Fourteen billion years ago, the universe began expanding. Four billion years ago, the earth formed. Four million years ago, humans began to roam the Earth. Four years ago, Jordyn Lucas began her graduate degree studying the origins of life in the lab of Donald Burke at Bond LSC.

“We have this really cool grant from NASA that I’m working on,” she said. “We’re working with RNA to see if it would have been a good progenitor molecule for life, and testing the bounds of what it can do on its own.”

Her current research explores a topic that remains a mystery.

“No one else knows the answer,” she said. “So, when I find that answer, I’m the first one to know, which is really exciting to me.”

Lucas finds it fascinating how skills learned in a career can parallel into life. Her problem solving, building relationships with other scientists, being a part of a team, seeking criticism and overcoming failure have helped her become who she is. She said Burke’s diverse lab has also helped her gain new perspectives about research and about the world in general.

“A lot of scientists come at things one-dimensionally because that’s how they think, but when you’re forced to constantly interact with someone who’s coming at it from a different dimension, it helps you become multidimensional in your thinking,” Lucas said.

One of the biggest lessons Lucas has learned throughout her career so far is that criticism is a useful and healthy part of growth. It wasn’t always easy for her, especially in the beginning, but with time she came to realize that using criticism to her advantage enhanced her abilities.

“Actually, I seek it out because criticism makes you a better person, a better scientist, a better friend, and I think that a lot of people avoid criticism, but in this field, you have to cherish it,” she said. “This is a tough field and you want to get as much criticism as possible to make your research the best it can be.”

As a fourth-year biochemistry graduate student in the Burke lab, she focuses on how life evolved on Earth or could potentially evolve on other planets. Her field houses prebiotic chemists, geologists, geo biochemists, biologists and atmospheric scientists to name a few. She respects that diversity because there will always be a new answer to seek.

Though she originally went for biomedical engineering because of her interest in physics and chemistry, she realized she enjoyed science-heavy courses over math-heavy ones. By sophomore year at Purdue University, she had an internship in a microbiology industry lab and fell in love with research, eventually earning her undergraduate degree in biochemistry.

“I am always a person that wants to know why and science is a great field for that,” she said. “Not only do we kind of celebrate asking why, but it’s basically what the field is founded on – we’re always trying to figure out the next thing.”

In the past year, Lucas found a passion for communicating science to nonscientists to help them learn and find their own interest and curiosity. From Science on Wheels to meeting with a local rotary club to being on the Inside Mizzou podcast, Lucas has taken every opportunity to help people to learn. She said it’s important to build a healthier relationship with the non-scientific community.

She’s also really involved in the biochemistry graduate student organization and generally enjoys interacting with people.

“When I’m really having trouble with something I’ll bring it to a lab meeting and say, you know, guys, what do you think about this? Every single person has a great idea or thinks of a different control to use or a different approach to solve my problem,” she said.

Though her lab mates intellectually support her, she has also built lasting friendships here at MU. In October she ran a half marathon and trained for six months with a coworker. She also raved about Bond LSC, saying the open space and light allow researchers to make friends across labs and helps force them out of their spaces when they’re struggling with their research.

For Lucas, a great weekend entails being cozied up with a good book. She also loves to travel. Among traveling across the country for various conferences, she reminisced on a three-week trip to South Korea. Like most of her favorite things, she enjoys what challenges her to think differently.

She is excited about the future and its endless possibilities. Though she’s considering working at NASA or The Earth Life Science Institute in Japan, she’s staying open-minded.

#IAmScience Will Costigan

October 26, 2018 By Erica Overfelt in #IAmScience Tags: biochemistry

By Erica Overfelt | Bond LSC

When Will Costigan came to MU he knew he wanted to do research, but wasn’t sure what exactly.

Costigan joined Freshman Research in Plant Sciences (FRIPS) the first moment he could his freshman year to explore his research options.

“When I started, I didn’t think I was interested in plants very much,” Costigan said. “But after getting some experience working in the lab, I found that plants are more important and complex than I could’ve imagined.”

So, he started working in Scott Peck’s lab a year ago, earlier than many of his peers.

“A benefit to joining a lab early is that I can apply what I have learned in the lab to things I’m doing in the classroom,” Costigan said. “I have been very fortunate that there is so much carry over from the lab to the classroom, so I better understand certain concepts and techniques.”

Costigan started off like most people who are new to a lab. He cleaned the dishes, cared for the plants and learned the knowledge needed to research. The Peck lab studies how plants adapt to changes in their environment and infections.

“My research focuses on the regulation of pattern triggered immunity” Costigan said. “Pattern triggered immunity is a plant’s first line of defense against bacterial pathogens. It allows a plant to recognize an infection and initiate physiological changes that stop the infection from spreading.”

This research has implication for both crop resistance and food security.

“Crop production is very important to sustaining civilization,” Costigan said. “As the population continues to grow, equipping our crops with tools to fight disease will be necessary to maintain food security.”

Costigan understands he may not be directly helping someone, but the impact is there.

“Helping people face-to-face is very important but research enables you to develop something, whether it’s a new technique or principle, that can help people on a larger scale.” said Costigan. “The possibilities are endless. I would definitely say that helping people on a broad scale is something I am very passionate about. Science is a great way to help others.”

Costigan may only be a sophomore but he plans on getting a Ph. D.

“Science definitely takes critical thinking skills, but it’s also something you have to be passionate about,” Costigan said. “I have used my passion to better understand terms and techniques. It is kind of its own language in its self, learning how to talk about it and live it.”

#IAmScience Amanda Blythe

October 19, 2018 By Erica Overfelt in #IAmScience Tags: biochemistry

By Erica Overfelt | Bond LSC

You could credit a high school career fair to Amanda Blythe’s early success or simply luck.

Either way, Blythe was younger than most when her research was first published.

“I found a program at Washington University over the summer before my senior year of high school,” Blythe said. “They gave me a research project at the med school focusing on a rare genetic bone disorder. I did a lot of genetic sequencing looking for mutations, which led me to discovering a novel mutation, and we ended up publishing the data. It was a rare, lucky find.”

This find launched Blythe’s beginnings in the world of science.

“At first I didn’t realize how big it was. They included me on the entire review process, most of which I didn’t understand,” Blythe said. “When I told my mom, she seemed to indicate that it was a big deal, but I still did not completely understand the hype. The more people I told, the more I began to realize how great an honor it was. I felt really humbled. I was a summer student and I was only in high school. There were so many people helping me get on this path, it was surreal.”

Blythe’s path continued, leading her to Paula McSteen’s lab at Bond LSC.

“I showed her my resume, and she just kind of looked at it and asked, ‘How did this happen?’” Blythe said. “She was surprised, I told her how it was about being at the right place at the right time, and she was very impressed. It meant a lot coming from someone with that stature in science.”

Blythe is going on her fourth year in the lab. Currently, she works with specific corn mutants to better understand how to increase crop yield.

“Our lab is really focused on corn development — how it develops and what genes are behind that development,” Blythe said. “In order to do that we look at specific corn mutants. Each mutant will have a specific defect, and by understanding these defects we can better understand the function of important genes for proper development.”

Blythe has narrowed in on a mutant called Suppressor of Sessile Spikelet 3 (Sos3), which produces single instead of the normal paired spikelets. When you look at an Sos3 ear, you can see the gaps between the rows of kernels. Blythe is trying to identify the gene that produces paired spikelets in corn, which could lead to higher yield in other grasses such as rice and wheat.

Blythe sees the importance in creating high yield, but she doesn’t see herself doing plant research for the rest of her life. Blythe pictures herself in pharmaceutical research.

“I love my corn research, but I discovered the long-term end goal wasn’t my passion,” Blythe said. “I found that while writing certain project proposals that I was trying to link my project to public health. My PI even noticed and said I should link the two. So I tried it and discovered disease prevention was my true passion.”

Blythe’s fire for research won’t be burning out anytime soon, and her next published article could be in corn or pharmaceutical research, or even both.

“You know how some people get so excited for their goals? Research has become such a passion and goal for me,” Blythe said. “I have found something I get enjoyment from. From the tight-knit scientific community that I have to the experiences to getting new results, all of it continues to drive me every day.”

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