This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
This award provides funds for the renovation of two laboratory spaces and upgrade supporting infrastructure for genetics research in the Biology Department at Ursinus College. One research laboratory will be utilized to study C. elegans as a model system. The second laboratory will be utilized for research on the role of prion-like protein aggregation in the normal biology of the cell using the model organism, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The improvements will provide greater opportunities for students to participate in research and research training. The improvements to the two labs will include cabinetry, chemical fume hoods, improved electrical and power outlets, sinks, gas outlets, overhead lighting, flooring and ceiling tiles, and white boards. The funds will provide the addition of a new environmental system for the two labs and their support spaces. A single, dedicated air handler with energy saving enthalpy wheel and a new general laboratory exhaust system will be provided in a remote unit located on the roof directly above the two labs. With the addition of a new vertical duct chase, the similar orientation of the labs will allow efficient stacking of supply and return ductwork. The new single unit will provide centralized, efficient temperature and humidity control for both labs in an easily accessible roof top unit. Reinforcement of the roof structure above lab 210 will support the loads of the new air handling unit. The HVAC will be supplied with hot water from the college's central steam plant and chilled water from the college's central chiller plant.
This project led to the renovation of research laboratory space and upgraded supporting infrastructure for three geneticists in the Biology Department at Ursinus College. Drs. Kohn and Lyczak, who both use the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model for molecular genetics, previously shared a laboratory designed for just one faculty member and students. The renovations have allowed them to expand their collaborative research with students into an additional laboratory space. The third faculty member to occupy the newly renovated laboratories, Dr. Dale Cameron, uses the baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as his model genetics system. In total, the three faculty members that use the renovated laboratories work with approximately 30 undergraduate students per semester in collaborative research projects, many of whom are women and minorities underrepresented in science. In addition, each faculty member engages 2-4 students in summer research, a full-time, immersion experience that is often instrumental in helping students realize their potential as researchers and in gaining the expertise and confidence necessary to complete a project. The NSF-funded laboratory renovation has expanded access to independent research experiences for Ursinus College students and led to greater collaboration among students. For example, in the renovated space shared by Drs. Lyczak and Kohn, laboratory benches that can move and be adjusted for height enable a student who uses a wheelchair to engage independently in her research project. Meeting space within the laboratories is used frequently for scheduled group meetings and informal discussions among students from the lab groups. For all three research groups, the improved facilities allow for additional equipment to be housed in the laboratory, and have thus expanded the scope of the research being conducted with student collaborators. Some of the work carried out by these student researchers has already been presented at a national scientific meeting1. The research activities carried out in the renovated laboratories will continually feed highly trained and motivated students into the U.S. Ph.D. pipeline. Engaging undergraduates in original research is central to the mission of faculty in the Biology Department at Ursinus College. This direct experience of scientific discovery not only prepares students to excel during graduate school but also persuades many to pursue careers in research. A. MURPHY STOUT, K. AMUQUANDOH, R. HOLLENBACH, A. HRASOK, C. RYDER, A. SIDO, R. E. KOHN. A dominant suppressor of unc-13 partially rescues paralysis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Program#/Poster#: 333.18/D32. 2012 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. New Orleans, LA: Society for Neuroscience, 2012. Online.
