Serving on the executive board is a great opportunity to gain leadership skills and shape the future programming of CBAS. If you're interested in joining the CBAS board, please email us. Include a brief paragraph outlining your interest as well as any new programming ideas you might have.
Will Sutton
President
Lab: Lars Plate
Department/Program: Chemistry
Year: 4th
Undergrad Institution: Sewanee: The University of the South
Fun Fact: I enjoy rock climbing and ultimate frisbee
Research Focus: My research focuses on trying to better understand protein folding by looking at the temporal profile of proteins as they are translated, folded, and trafficked by the proteostasis network, and how disease-causing genetic mutations alter the protestasis landscape. My work thus far has focused on method development, specifically making time-resolved methodologies amenable to membrane proteins.
Raleigh Jonscher
Vice President
Lab: Fiona Harrison
Department/Program: Neuroscience
Year: 4th
Undergrad Institution: University of Colorado
Fun Fact: I enjoy solo backpacking, and my longest hike was 150 miles.
Research Focus: My work focuses on how L-ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) modulates dopaminergic neurotransmission. Using in vitro methods to model dopamine metabolism and murine models of Vitamin C deficiency, I seek to define how oxidative load, transcriptional regulation, and neuroanatomical changes alter the efficacy of methylphenidate (Ritalin).
Megan Ward
Secretary
Lab: Jeffrey Spraggins
Department/Program: Chemical Physical Biology
Year: 3rd
Undergrad Institution: Louisiana Tech University
Fun Fact: I volunteered at a cat rescue.
Research Focus: My research pairs fluorescence microscopy and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) imaging mass spectrometry (IMS). This pairing provides additional functional information about changes in lipid profiles with respect to healthy and diseased states.
Kelly O’Rourke
Treasurer
Lab: Doug Kojetin
Department/Program: Biochemistry
Year: 3rd
Undergrad Institution: Northeastern University
Fun Fact: I have a dog named Goose.
Research Focus: Nurr1 is a nuclear receptor transcription factor that regulates gene programs driving the development and maintenance of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. It can function alone or as a heterodimer with another nuclear receptor, RXRɑ in a nonclassical manner via dissociation of the heterodimer. My project aims to extend and challenge the model of ligand-mediated activation of Nurr1-RXRɑ through pharmacological and functional studies to discover and validate small molecule protein-protein interaction inhibitors.
Lindsey Weissman
Board Member
Lab: Lauren Buchanan
Department/Program: Chemistry
Year: 2nd
Undergrad Institution: Binghamton University
Fun Fact: I did springboard diving in undergrad!
Research Focus: My research aims to adapt TDS analysis to study unnatural amino acids (UAAs) as spectroscopic probes of protein structure and dynamics in complex biological media. Specifically, I am interested in using a combination of TDS analysis with measurements of frequency shifts and cross peak intensities in standard 2D IR spectra of UAA-labeled amyloidogenic proteins to gain insight into physiologically relevant aggregation pathways and structures, including prefibrillar intermediates, that may drive the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease.
LG White
Board Member
Lab: Jeffrey Spraggins
Department/Program: Chemical and Physical Biology
Year:2nd
Undergrad Institution: Texas A&M University
Fun Fact: I have an A24 membership so I can keep up with all the new movie releases!
Research Focus: I use MALDI imaging mass spectrometry to discover the molecular components of dysregulated healing in Post Injury Syndrome following traumatic injury.
Shelby Harris
Board Member
Lab: Derek Claxton
Department/Program: Molecular Physiology and Biophysics/Chemical and Physical Bio
Year: 2nd
Undergrad Institution: Jacksonville State University
Fun Fact: I love dogs! I have a red heeler named Maverick!
Research Focus: My research focuses on the development of novel nanobody binders for the isoforms of the glucose-6-phosphatase catalytic (G6PC) subunits, which mediate the hydrolysis of glucose-6-phosphate. Three G6PC isoforms (1-3) have been identified with distinct primary sequence conservation, tissue expression patterns, kinetic properties, and physiological roles. We hope the development of high affinity nanobodies will aid structural and functional studies of G6PC1-3. Alongside this, I have a fun side project that involves comparing the sequence conservation of G6PC1 between vertebrate animals that live in high or cold environments as a means to see if their adaptation to these extreme environments leads to a more stable G6PC1! We hope this study will give insights to create a more stable human G6PC1 as it is a remarkably unstable protein.
Victoria Federico
Board Member
Lab: David Cliffel and Steven Townsend
Department/Program: Chemistry
Year: 2nd
Undergrad Institution: High Point University
Fun Fact: I love going to concerts
Research Focus: Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are known to have antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties against pathogens such as Group B Streptococcus (GBS), a major cause of perinatal infections and preterm birth. Recent studies suggest that HMOs may also modulate immune responses by inhibiting inflammatory cytokines. My research aims to use magnetic bead-based electrochemical biosensors to evaluate the impact of HMOs on the secretion of three pro-inflammatory cytokines implicated in the context of preterm birth.
Yi-Ching Lin
Board Member
Lab: Dr. Jeffrey Johnston’s lab
Department/Program: Chemistry
Year: 3rd
Undergrad Institution: National Tsing Hua University
Fun Fact: I love hash browns.
Research Focus: My research focuses on antiarrhythmic lead optimization of ent-verticilide and the synthesis of its analogs.