This page is no longer being updated and remains online for informational and historical purposes only. The information is accurate as of the last page update.
For questions about page contents, contact the Communications Division.
Biochemistry major Katelyn Connell ’04 (Modena, N.Y.) is examining protein folding mechanisms and how a protein forms into its particular shape as an EXCEL Scholar.
The project began in the 2002 interim session between semesters and is continuing this spring. Connell teamed with Yvonne Gindt, assistant professor of chemistry, to work on a project titled “Isolation of Phycocyanin and Examination of the Kinetics of Quaternary Structure Formation.”
“I am working with a particular protein, trying to understand how it forms its quaternary structure,” says Connell. “We are treating it with a hydrophobic dye. The protein emits florescence when you excite it and hopefully, by examining this florescence, we can analyze the kinetics of how it moves and forms its quaternary structure.”
Gindt says, “Katelyn is working on the kinetics of protein folding and formation of protein aggregates. This project is the major focus of my research. Large protein molecules fold very fast into their active shapes considering the number of possible conformations. We are trying to understand what forces drive the process. Katelyn has one manageable project that fits into a larger picture.”
Over the interim session, Connell earned a stipend for work that took approximately 40 hours a week. “It took a long time to do the protein prep work and to isolate the protein,” says Connell. “I’ve laid the groundwork and now I’ll be working on understanding the folding mechanisms and how it forms into its particular shape.”
This project is Connell’s first research experience. “I like the intensity of doing this all day,” she says of the interim session work. “I have a lot to learn but it’s something that I’m interested in. It’s a great opportunity to be exposed to different techniques. It’s not like the classroom; it’s like nothing I’ve ever done before. It’s real hands-on experience. And the money is nice.”
“I like to catch the students early in their academic career,” says Gindt. “Katelyn has some basic theory that we will apply to her problem, but she will have to learn some of the more in-depth knowledge from me directly.”
Gindt says that Connell is self-motivated and a good student – two attributes that will be useful in her future.
Valedictorian of Wallkill High School’s Class of 2000, Connell is a member of the crew team as well as the team’s treasurer. The team practices five to six times a week and rows on the Lehigh River.
A National Leader in Undergraduate Research. Katelyn Connell ’04 coauthored a journal article with Yvonne Gindt, assistant professor of chemistry, and presented their collaborative research at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society.