2010 Clare Boothe Luce Awardees

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  Pamela Braff, a marine science major, conducted research with Dr. John Finnerty (CAS Biology) to study the toxic effects of ammonia on the development and survival of the model organism anemone Nematostella vectensis.

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  Lucy Flynn, a Biology major specializing in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, and Genetics, conducted research with Dr. Ulla Hansen (CAS Biology) to understand how the transcription factor LSF regulates cell cycle progression. This research may be relevant to understanding liver oncogenesis and developing chemotherapeutics for hepatocellular carcinoma.

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  Yevgenia (Jane) Fomina, a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major, is conducting research with Dr. Sean Elliott (CAS Chemistry) to examine the biophysical properties of the E.coli enzyme quinol peroxidase (QPO) that is responsible for the conversion of hydrogen peroxide to water using heme co-factors. The project focused on determining the role of the third heme in the cytochrome-c peroxidase (CCP) using protein film voltammetry, activity assays, and mutagenesis techniques. Characterization of the E.coli cytochrome-c peroxidase quinol interaction and identification of the quinol binding site is important
  to its potential as an antimicrobial drug target.”

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  Alessandra Forcucci, a Biomedical Engineering major, conducted research with Dr. Sean Andersson (ENG Mechanical Engineering) to experimentally study his FluoroBancroft algorithm, based on Bancroft’s algorithm, which is used in the Global Position System. FluroBancroft provides a faster, more accurate alternative to the traditional Gaussian profile fitting method for single particle tracking of a fluorescent molecule, an invaluable tool in the fields of biology and engineering.

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  Megan Garland, a Chemistry major, conducted research with Dr. Karen Allen (CAS Chemistry) to attempt to determine the three-dimensional structure of a protein that is important for the formation of the nuclear envelope, a key cellular component.

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  Katherine Gillman, a Biology major specializing in Ecology and Conservation Biology, conducted research with Dr. Tom Kunz (CAS Biology) to understand the impacts of White-Nose Syndrome on summer maternity colonies of little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) in Massachusetts.

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  Katheryn Rothenberg, a Biomedical Engineering major, conducted research with Dr. Michael Smith (ENG Biomedical Engineering) on developing and implementing a more accurate technique for measuring cellular traction forces on hydrogels.