UAA - Chemistry Department - Undergraduate Research

University of Alaska Anchorage
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Undergraduate Research

Several of the faculty members of the UAA chemistry department actively engage in research. As a result, there are plenty of opportunity for undergraduate students to pursue research interests of their own under the expert tutelage of faculty. Chemistry students have access to a full line of analytical instruments through both the chemistry department and the ASET lab.

Below follows descriptions of projects currently pursued by undergraduate students:

Student: Mindy Graham Advisor: Dr. John Kennish Research Description: I'm going to be starting my research project later this summer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after I visit a lab that specializes in infectiouis diseases at the University of Chicago. I received funding for my project proposal from the Alaska Heart Institute. The title of the project is "Panton-Valetine Leukocidin Expression in Community Associated Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Isolates from Rural Alaska". I'll be using reverse transcriptase real-time PCR to measure mRNA levels of PVL in methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The specimens I'll be testing come from MRSA outbreaks in Alaskan rural villages that the CDC has investigated.
	Dr. Karen Rudolph & Mindy Graham

Student: Revathy Thiagarajan Advisor: Dr. John Kennish Research Description: Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Alaskan Sea Otters and Antarctic Weddell Seals - The goal of my study is to measure amounts of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) compounds in Alaskan sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) and Antartic Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddelli). Studies show that elevated levels of pollutants such as tributyltin, PCB, and DDT compounds found in dead sea otter tissues are suspected to suppress their immune system making them more susceptible to various infections (Kannan et al.,2004). The reason for this study is to correlate whether the presence of PBDE in sea otter tissue is a factor in depressing the immune system and causing death. I would also like to determine if PBDE compounds accumulate in Weddell seal lipids. This analysis will be conducted using gas chromatography equipped with electron-capture detection (ECD).

Student: Vanessa Bergstedt Advisor: Dr. John Kennish My research involves finding a simple effective method of synthesizing chlorohydroxy fatty acids, analyzing them on the GC-FID, GC-XSD, and GC-MS and isolating them using solid phase extraction (SPE).