Journal of Undergraduate Research

Nathan Wohlgemuth and Dan Ess, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Introduction Organic and organometallic reactions are generally assumed to follow statistical mechanical models of reactivity and selectivity that correspond to transition state theory. However, in recent years there have been several organic reactions that have been shown to be controlled by post-transition state reaction dynamics. […]

Kaitlyn Brower and Faculty Mentor: Adam Woolley, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Preterm birth is the leading cause of death in children under the age of 51 and is defined by the Centers for Disease Control as birth before 37 weeks gestation.2 It is estimated that 15 million babies are born premature annually and that […]

Laura Oh and Josh Andersen, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Introduction SOD1 is overexpressed in many cancers such as lung adenocarcinoma, non-­ small-­cell lung cancer, and 70% of primary breast cancers. Traditionally, SOD1 is known as an antioxidant in the human body, but only 1% of SOD1 expressed in cells is necessary to keep superoxide […]

Kyle Long and Jennifer Nielson, Chemistry and Biochemistry Introduction For the past five years, Dr. Jennifer Nielson has conducted research in Kampala, Uganda, located in south-central Africa. I have been able to join her for two of the five years, including this past year for nearly three weeks in August. Our research focuses on teaching […]

Elise Wilson and Faculty Mentor: John C. Price, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Introduction Mass spectrometry utilizes ionized atoms or molecules, and separates these particles according to their mass-to-charge (m/z) ratios. Mass spectrometry is a commonly used analytical tool in physics, chemistry, biochemistry, and pharmaceutical science.1 In the biochemical study of protein kinetics, mass spectrometry […]

Grant Ludlam and Faculty Mentor: Barry Willardson, Department of Chemistry/Biochemistry Introduction The protein Raptor is an essential component of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) cell signaling complex 1 (mTORC1) (1). The mTORC1 complex is a master regulator of cell growth, making it a high-priority target in cancer and inflammation research (2). Before Raptor can […]

Michael Porter and Dr. John C. Price, Chemistry and Biochemistry Introduction Proteins are involved in nearly every cellular process. They transport molecules, replicate DNA, catalyze reactions, respond to stimuli, and form the structural framework of the cell. The diversity of protein function has led to an interest in understanding the cellular production and control of […]

Braden Myers and Faculty Mentor: Jaron Hansen, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry The aim of this research was to demonstrate Caldicellulosiruptor bescii is a feasible microbial pretreatment of lignocellulose for enhanced production of biogas when coupled with secondary anaerobic digestion. Before anaerobic digestion of waste can reach its maximum energy production potential, economically sound methods […]

Ryan Hyatt and Joshua L. Andersen, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Introduction Autophagy is an adaptive catabolic process of self-digestion, a process by which the cell recycles aged organelles and other structures. Interestingly, changes in the regulation of autophagy have been linked to infections, cancers, neurodegeneration, aging, and heart disease (Arroyo, Daniela S. et al. […]

Steven Butler and Faculty Mentor: Daniel Ess, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry There is now access to vast amounts of inexpensive natural gas, due in part to shale gas discoveries. Abundant natural gas provides significant motivation to develop methods for methane partial oxidation. One major target for methane oxidation is methanol. Natural gas is principally […]