The overall objectives of the Clark College Science Enrichment and Research Program are (a) to provide research enrichment experiences for faculty members and students, (b) prepare students, through training and experience, for careers in biomedical research, and (c) increase the number of minorities at Clark College who pursue careers in biomedical research. The program is composed of a faculty/student research enrichment component and two regular research projects. The research enrichment component involves the recruitment of students from various high schools in the metropolitan Atlanta area and from the freshmen and sophomore classes at Clark College who have an interest in and the potential to become biomedical researchers. Students will be exposed to a seminar series, mini- workshops/courses, as well as on and off-campus biomedical research in an effort to motivate and maintain their interest in biomedical research careers. Faculty members will be a afforded opportunities to acquire knowledge about recent developments in a variety of biomedical research areas and up-date their research skills. The objective of the first research component (Project #1), is to contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms by which enzyme activity is regulated during development by selecting a model enzyme for studying regulation during embryonic and fetal development. The tissues that will be examined for enzyme activity include the liver, heart, blood vessels, and muscles of chicken and rat embryos. The objective of the second research component (Project #2) is to elucidate and understand the role(s) modified bases and/or nucleosides play in nucleic acids' structures and biological functions. A series of modified nucleic acid derivatives will be synthesized to study (a) the effect(s) of modifications (alkylation) upon their physico-chemical properties, (b) their effect(s) on various enzymes in the glycolytic pathway, (c) determine their resistance and/or susceptibility to nucleases, (d) their cytotoxicity to normal and malignant mammalian cells, and (c) their usefulness as chemotherapeutic agents. Undergraduate students are currently and will continue to be involved in all phases of both research projects. The components of the program are coordinated so that they will support and reinforce each other, thereby providing a scientifically enriched environment for faculty members and students.
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