Daren Heaton, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

As described in my research proposal, I Investigated the redox centers In ferritin. Thanks to the creative activities scholarship, I was able to spend a significant amount of time In this investigation. Some of my work was influential in a grant proposal submitted by Dr. Gary Watt. This proposal received a good rating by NIH and will likely result in future funding for this project.

My results did not turn out exactly as theorized. The mossbauer spectroscopy revealed ferrous iron in two different environments, but did not indicate the presence of ferric iron as we had expected. I spent much of my time investigating the Iron binding to oxidized ferritin. My results as of yet are varied and difficult to interpret. The ferrous binding appears to be between 14-20 ferrous atoms per oxidized ferritin molecule. Later results have indicated that possibly 3-6 ferric atoms bind to the oxidized sample.

The visible spectrum of the iron binding is also difficult to determine at this point, but will be an important key in determining the exact role of the iron binding to oxidized ferritin. We now suspect some sort of equilibrium Is taking place in the ferritin molecule. It is still our contention that the redox centers are Influential in this process.

The scholarship that I received, allowed me to be an important part in scientific discovery. I offer a heart felt thanks to the creative activities department. Recently, I was accepted by several graduate programs and will attend the University of Utah as a doctoral candidate. This scholarship was helpful in my acceptance, and I believe that this type of scholarship should be offered to more students interested in scholarly research. I believe this scholarship greatly enhanced my educational experience at BYU. Please offer a special thanks to all those involved in offering this scholarship.