It isn’t often that an undergraduate has the opportunity to be a co-author of a published article in a refereed scientific journal.

Dan Silberman, a junior biology major, achieved this distinction by joining six recent biology graduates and Professor James Riggs as co-authors of an article, “Peritoneal macrophages suppress T-cell activation by amino acid catabolism,” in the March 2006 issue of Immunology.

The other co-authors are: Robin Matlack '04, Kenny Yeh '05, Laura Rosini Marthaler '02, Diana Gonzalez '05, Justin Taylor '02 and Anthony Pennello '04. Together, they are part of a body of undergraduate research evolving in biology Professor James Riggs’ lab that could lead to less invasive ways to treat cancer.

“Having my name on this paper means a lot to me,” Silberman said. “Besides helping to open up doors for me with internships or grants, I think it sets the tone for what I hope will be a career filled with scientific research and discovery.”

Dr. Riggs called this achievement distinctive. “It is huge to be an undergraduate and have your name on a paper. This does not happen everywhere and is a mark of distinction for Rider undergraduates,” he said. “The critical thinking involved in experimental design is a wonderful exercise. Rather than memorizing facts, they are doing research and contributing to the advance of science. This is a big reason why our biology alumni do so well after they graduate.”

Matlack and Yeh are working at Genome DataSystems of Princeton. Marthaler is an associate research scientist at Bristol-Myers Squibb. Taylor is enrolled in the Ph.D. program in immunology at the University of Pennsylvania. Pennello is a research technician at Bracco Research of Princeton, a biotech firm. Gonzalez works at Medical Diagnostics Laboratories in Hamilton.

By challenging his students over the years to take the lead in the research, create hypotheses, confront roadblocks in their research and problem solve, Dr. Riggs has allowed his students to develop critical thinking skills as they become scientists. He is in the midst of a three-year, $192,270 grant from the National Institutes of Health to support this student-generated research.

“Immunologists want to understand how to turn on (vaccines) and turn off immune responses (that occur in such autoimmune diseases as Crohns disease, Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis),” Dr. Riggs said.

He recalled that in earlier research, students discovered an off-switch that involves a cell in the immune system called the macrophage.

“Historically, these cells were not considered to be key players in regulation,” he said. “Macrophages (literally “big eaters”) were considered ‘oafish overeaters’ that played a role in initiating immune responses but had no role in turning them off. His group found that these cells can potently turn off immune responses.

Dr. Riggs explained the way macrophages do this is via consuming amino acids in the immediate cellular vicinity and as a consequence lymphocytes, the ‘sexier’ cells studied by most immunologists, are turned off.

“The paper that Dan Silberman and our graduates just had published in Immunology describes these observations and the mechanism,” he said. “This area in immunology is picking up considerable interest, and our kids have made a significant contribution to this research.”

Silberman, who also competes on Rider’s varsity wrestling team, said, “The research I’m doing in Dr. Riggs’ lab is focused upon describing T-cell biology in the peritoneal cavity. I’ve also explored the effects of immunomodulatory molecules on immunity, including a mouse-version of a new drug that Bristol-Myers Squibb just had approved by the FDA.”

He added that his Rider experience has been very good. “I’ve had the influence of great professors such as Dr. Riggs,” Silberman said. “He has advised me in both my classes and my life. As a mentor, he has already made a huge positive impact on my life and definitely will in the future.

“Life outside the lab at Rider is also great,” he said. “I’m on an NCAA Division I wrestling team, and getting the tutelage of great coaches like Gary Taylor (head coach) and John Hangey (assistant coach) which only enhances my Rider experience.”