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This summer, biochemistry major Tim Daubert ’09 (Lebanon, Pa.) is acting as a chemical architect of sorts. For his EXCEL project, the Marquis Scholar is studying the structure of proteins, specifically a protein called phycocyanin.
“Phycocyanin is harvested from cyanobacteria cells that we grow in the lab,” explains Daubert, who is working under the guidance of Yvonne Gindt, assistant professor of chemistry. “Once the protein is isolated, we are able to perform various tests in an effort to learn more about the structure of the protein.”
Gindt explains that her laboratory is examining the basic interactions between proteins.
“Many active complexes in nature are made up of multiple protein subunits coming together,” she says. “These processes are not well understood because the complexes are quite large for typical chemical studies.”
Daubert says that proteins occur naturally as chains of polypeptides that are folded, twisted and folded many times to form unique structural properties. In order examine the structural characteristics, scientists “unfold,” or denature, the protein.
“For my specific work, I am using the denaturant urea,” he notes. “By increasing the concentration of urea in a solution of phycocyanin, I can increase the degree by which the protein denatures. The solutions are then run in a spectrophotometer where an absorbance spectrum for each concentration of urea is taken. By analyzing the spectra using a computer program, I can determine the degree to which the protein has unfolded, and I am also able to see exactly what subunits are present.”
Learning about the structure of proteins could lead to great gains in medical research. For instance, Daubert says, it is known that many diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, are caused by incorrectly folded proteins. Learning more about the structure of proteins will hopefully lead to advances in the medical field and could lead to a cure for these diseases, he adds.
For now, Daubert is learning many of the procedures required for this type of research.
“Tim is starting to learn the basic purification procedures that biochemists use to isolate proteins,” Gindt says. “He is learning how to work with proteins in the laboratory; proteins are generally much more fragile than any other type of molecule. He is learning how to use visible spectroscopy to monitor reactions and sophisticated software to analyze his data.”
Daubert, who eventually is looking to enter the field of biomedical research, appreciates Gindt’s teaching style and her “interesting sense of humor” in the lab.
“Professor Gindt doesn’t babysit you while you’re doing your work. In the end it is very helpful because it forces you to start thinking as a chemist,” he says. “Being forced to do things on my own will ultimately build my ‘chemical intuition,’ and a strong intuition will be beneficial to the rest of my education and eventually to my career in the field.”
Gindt received a $100,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue her research with Lafayette students on understanding protein folding and aggregation. Her students have presented their work in a variety of forums in the last few years, including national American Chemistry Society meetings and the Intercollegiate Student Chemists Convention.
Lafayette’s manageable size, outstanding faculty and strong commitment to undergraduate research are all reasons why the school has created an excellent research environment, Daubert says.
“Lafayette is a good place to major in biochemistry because the department is very strong and the facilities are unmatched by any other school of our size,” he explains. “It is a very good environment for research projects, such as the EXCEL work I’m doing. I think really it comes down to the fact that we don’t have a graduate program here. At many other schools it is much more difficult, if not impossible, to find undergrad research positions because most of the openings go to graduate students. At Lafayette, I was able to get a job through the EXCEL research program after my freshman year—an opportunity that very few freshmen at other schools receive.”
In Lafayette’s distinctive EXCEL Scholars program, students conduct research with faculty while earning a stipend. The program has helped to make Lafayette a national leader in undergraduate research. Many of the more than 160 students who participate each year share their work through articles in academic journals and/or conference presentations.
In addition to his academic work, Daubert is a member of the crew team and an orientation leader. He also has participated in the Kids In Communities program through the Landis Community Center and is a member of Lafayette’s American Chemical Society chapter.
Chosen from among Lafayette’s most promising applicants, Marquis Scholars, like Daubert, receive a special academic scholarship and distinctive educational experiences and benefits. This includes a three-week, Lafayette-funded course abroad or in the United States during January’s interim session between semesters or over the summer break. Marquis Scholars also participate in mentoring programs with Lafayette faculty and cultural activities in major cities and on campus.