Research

 

Biology is the study of life. In the classroom we learn what is already known, how it became known, and why it is relevant to us and our career path. But real biology is practiced rather than learned. This is why almost all of our biology courses at Andrews are accompanied by a lab in which the student can apply the things he or she has learned to real discovery. And this is why we actively encourage each student to get involved in research and discover something new outside of the classroom and in the real biological world.

Each of our faculty is actively engaged in biological discovery. The specialties of biology that are represented here are wide-ranging, encompassing everything from molecular biology to physiology and ecology. There is something for everyone to get involved in!

Included below are some representative student projects from the past few years. Many of our students have presented their work at meetings and have been coauthors on publications.

If you are interested in research, complete the Undergraduate Research Application. This application form describes the opportunities and expectations of research and is the first step to getting involved in biological research here at Andrews University.
 

Molecular and Cellular Biology

Peter Lyons, cellular and molecular biology
Structure and function of metallocarboxypeptidases and implications in human disease

Andy Zhao, 2024, "Investigating a family of fungal pseudopeptidases using bioinformatics tools"

Konstantin Zubkov, 2024, “Expression and purification of human carboxypeptidase O”

Marlene Murray, molecular biology
Effects of omega-3-fatty acids on the phosphoinositol biosynthetic pathway

Katherine Pierre, 2024, "The effect of DHA on myo-inositol levels in lymphoblasts derived from patients with bipolar disorder"

Serena Sarsah, 2024, “Expression of RASGRP1 in Bipolar-Derived Lymphoblastoid cell lines ”

 

Denise Smith, cancer biology
The role of the oncogene Her2/Neu (erbb2) in breast cancer

Sion Kim, 2024, "Synthesis of Novel Temozolomide Amides as Potential Anti-Glioblastoma Agents"

 

 

Brian Wong, cancer chemoprevention and phytotherapy
Using Chinese medicinal herbs to modulate apoptosis and survival of cancer cells

Abby Shim, 2024, " Selective Induction of Apoptosis in BxPC-3 and PANC-1 Pancreatic Cancer Cells via Chinese Medicinal Herbs: A Comparative Study with Normal HPDE Cells"

Rekha Isaac, 2024, "Induction and Modulation of Apoptosis in Breast Cancer Cells MDA-MB-157 and 93A by Chinese Medicinal Herbs Oldenlandia diffusa and Bryophyllum pinnatum"

Robert Zdor, soil microbiology
Rhizobacteria as possible agents for biological weed control

DahEun Harning, 2019, "Exploring soil texture effects on mustard seed meal suppression of the weed velvetleaf"

Warit Chirechevin, 2017, "Soil sand content, but not soil myrosinase enzyme activity, affects MSM efficacy in suppressing weed growth"

Physiology

David Mbungu, neurobiology and entomology
Modulation of insect phonotactic behavior by second messenger cascades

Lauren Kim, 2024, "Protein kinase modulation of the neurocircuitry underlying phonotaxis in female cricket Acheta domesticus "

 

 

Benjamin Navia, neurobiology
Neurophysiology of insect phonotactic behavior

Hae-Lyn Park, 2024, "Evaluating a possible role of cGMP in the phonotactic response of virgin female cricket Acheta domesticus"

Lauren Butler, 2023, "Seasonal Variation in Phonotaxis of Female Cricket Acheta domesticus"

 

Ecology

Shandelle Henson and James Hayward, behavioral ecology 
Mathematical modeling of vertebrate behavioral ecology

Yosia Nurhan, 2021, "The Effect of Synchronous Egg-laying on Gull Population Dynamics While Tracking the Egg-laying Order"

Isabelle Hwang, 2018, “Effects of Eggshell Coloration on Egg Cannibalism Among Glaucous-Winged Gulls”

Daniel Gonzalez-Socoloske, vertebrate ecology and conservation biology
Ecology and conservation biology of West Indian manatees and other Central American mammals

Ariana Coast Dice, 2024, "Characterization of reproductive behavior of the freshwater dolphin Tucuxi (Sotalia fluviatilis) in Amanã Lake,   Brazil"

Gloria Oh, 2023, "The power of citizen science: Overcoming the knowledge gap of the marine mammal diversity in the Bay Islands of Honduras"

Tom Goodwin, paleobiology
Biology and paleobiology of ground squirrels and other mammals