American Society for Microbiology Recognizes Student Researchers
Inside the laboratories of the second floor of Science and Technology Building, two students are conducting research, the sort that could someday affect how cancer is treated and how the United States handles bioterrorism scares.
For the past two years, Daniel Graham, a junior Biology major, has been studying the effects of chemotherapy drugs on the gastrointestinal tract, or gut. Megan Kozlowski, a junior Biology major, is conducting research to see if a particular drug could help slow down a hyper-immune system.
Both students plan to continue their research this summer on the Lawrenceville campus. Recently, Graham and Kozlowski received American Society for Microbiology Undergraduate Research Fellowships, an award that is reserved for the nation’s best and brightest rising young scientists, and comes with a generous $5,000 stipend to support research in microbiology. Graham also received a $500 travel award from the society for this year’s general meeting, which will be held in Philadelphia later this month.
“The fellowship is prestigious because only 10 to 15 percent of applications are awarded annually,” explained Dr. Kelly Bidle, associate professor of Biology. More than 70 undergraduate students from across the nation apply for the fellowship each year. Travel rewards are also competitive because undergraduate, graduate and doctorate students can apply. Graham is the fourth student under Bidle’s tutelage to receive an ASM Fellowship. “The American Society for Microbiology has been really supportive of the students in my lab,” she added.
Under the guidance of Bidle and Dr. Jonathan Karp, professor of Biology, Graham is monitoring the effects of various chemotherapy drugs on the gut microflora using mice as a model mammalian system.
“Bacteria is so important to our health,” Bidle explained. “When you take a lot a way, it disrupts our normal microflora.”
What Graham finds in his research could be a breakthrough in the scientific world because not many people are studying the effects of drugs in the gut region of the human body. Graham’s research is also unique as it combines aspects of microbiology and neurology.
“With my background in microbiology and Jon Karp’s background in neurology, Dan is getting experience in some really nice interdisciplinary research,” Bidle explained.
It’s fitting for Graham who plans to attend medical school to study radiology in the future. Graham, who interned at Capital Health System, also plans to apply for a Fulbright Scholarship to conduct research in Europe upon graduation.
Meanwhile, Kozlowski has been studying immune system regulation, under the supervision of Dr. James Riggs, professor of Biology. While cancer suppresses the immune system, arthritis and Type 1 Diabetes cause a hyper-immune system, explained Riggs.
“Too much or too little is not good,” Riggs said. “An overactive immune system is dangerous.”
In 2005, while Riggs was working at Bristol-Myers Squibb, the company launched an arthritis drug, Orencia, which helps slow overactive immune system. Riggs wondered if this drug could be used for other purposes, since hyper-immune systems could also be triggered by another source. For example, a terrorist could contaminate food sold in a grocery store, which could then cause a consumer’s immune system to overreact, he explained. That’s where Kozlowski’s research comes in. She is studying how this anti-inflammatory arthritis drug might be used to control an immune system that is hyperactivated by a potential bioterror agent.
“Megan came to the biology program highly qualified,” said Riggs, who is familiar with the caliber of students who apply for ASM fellowships because he has been reviewing ASM applications for the past eight years. “She is able to balance a crazy schedule of her commitments as a Division I softball catcher concurrent with a rigorous biology curriculum. She already has coauthored a paper with my group.”
Both Graham and Kozlowski will present their research at the ASM Conference in San Diego next May. Both Bidle and Riggs agree that having an ASM Fellowship on their résumés and their lab experience will give both Graham and Kozlowski a competitive advantage when they apply to medical schools and jobs in the field.
“This is what Rider does really well. Some of our students can get going in the lab really early in their college career,” Riggs concluded.
