Chair`s message www.bgsu.edu/departments/biology Forensics

Transcription

FALL 2013
Bio:Life
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES ALUMNI NEWSLETTER
Chair’s message
It has been a great start to the academic year!
We have over 250 new students in
the biological sciences major and over 700
undergraduates in total. With over 80 Ph.D.
and M.S. students, our Life Sciences building is
bustling with activity.
Dr. Mike McKay, Ryan Professor, is planning
a second trip to Germany this spring for students
to experience marine biology in the Baltic
Sea; Dr. Hans Wildschutte, in his first attempt
at NIH funding, secured a grant to study the
microbiological community in Lake Erie; and
Dr. Moira van Staaden has extended her very
successful NSF SetGo program to study the effects
of our five years of summer research projects
for undergraduates on their career successes
in science.
We recently celebrated the 50th anniversary
of the Marine Biology Laboratory with Dr. Cindy
Stong and approximately 100 alumni participated
in a symposium describing their career successes
and networked with current students. We also
started this year with a new specialization
in forensic biology to complement our new
relationship with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal
Investigation as they begin construction on a new
facility just outside our building.
We hope that your lives are rich and that you
find the time to enjoyably reflect on your career
start here at BGSU. If you aren’t already, please
become a recruiter for BGSU by talking with your
neighbors, your employees, and your relatives
about your career and how it started here. We
count on you to help recruit the next generation of
scientists, health professionals, science teachers,
and science-savvy citizens who can also claim that
they received their start here at BGSU!
Jeff Miner
Associate Professor and Department Chair
www.bgsu.edu/departments/biology
Forensics specializations broaden options
The announcement by the state last spring that
it would build a Bureau of Criminal Identification
and Investigation crime lab on campus prompted
the creation of a new focus area at the
University. Started in the fall, the departments
of criminal justice, chemistry and biology
now offer undergraduate specializations in
forensic sciences.
“As soon as the president and the attorney
general made the announcement about the
building, my phone started ringing off the hook,”
remembers Dr. Steven Lab, chair of the criminal
justice department.
With interest in forensics already piqued
by popular television shows such as “CSI,” the
new specializations fit perfectly with students’
desires, Lab said. BGSU will join the very small
number of colleges nationally with on-campus
crime labs. Having access to personnel from a
state-of-the-art crime lab will provide students
opportunities for learning through internships
and guest lectures. That interaction will help
prepare them for careers in public safety and the
growing field of forensic sciences.
Dr. Michael Buerger is developing the
introductory forensics investigation course
for criminal justice. The department is also
planning a course on legal aspects of forensic
investigations, which will be open to forensics
students in chemistry and biology as well,
Lab said.
Biology will develop a new class: Molecular
Biology Techniques Laboratory to train both
forensic students and molecular biology students
in molecular techniques used in forensics labs
(and elsewhere). “We hope to have it running
next spring,” said department chair Dr. Jeffrey
Miner, adding that the University will then be
among a limited number of schools offering such
a class.
The molecular lab classes will be small, and
students will work closely with Dr. Scott Rogers,
who has experience in the discipline.
“Science is driven by technique,” Miner
said. “You have to be able to do high-end work
to get a job in the molecular biology and forensic
science area. I think every undergraduate student
in molecular biology and forensics, including
some graduate students, will want to take this
course.”
“I had long thought forensics would be
a natural extension of analytical chemistry,”
said Dr. John Cable, chemistry department
chair. “That’s where the overlap lies. Analytical
chemists basically ask ‘What is this substance
and how much of it is present?’ Linking this with
forensic science means applying the standard
techniques to samples relevant to forensic
investigations.”
Bio:Life
50 Years of “Makin’ Waves”
The 50th Anniversary Marine Lab Symposium and Reunion
By Robert Michael McKay, Ryan Professor of Biology and Director, Marine Program,
and Matthew Partin ‘96, ‘99, ‘08, Lecturer and Coordinator, Marine Lab
Marine Lab Founder and Emeritus Director Cynthia Collin Strong (left)
celebrating the marine lab anniversary with June Ryan ’84, RDML, USCG (right)
Over 100 alumni and friends gathered on
Friday, October 4 to celebrate the 50th
Anniversary of the Marine Lab at BGSU.
From its humble beginnings in winter 1963
sharing space with the Comparative Anatomy
Lab in the basement of Moseley Hall, BGSU’s
Marine Program has developed into one of
the University’s marquee programs and now
attracts students from across the Midwest.
We owe much of the success of the
Marine Program to Marine Lab Founder and
Emeritus Director Cynthia Collin Stong whose
vision and energy helped guide and sustain
the marine lab during its first 30 years of
existence. Over this period, Cindy mentored
scores of students both in the classroom and
in the field, leading over 30 field excursions
to the Florida Keys, Belize and other exotic
destinations.
Honoring Cindy’s contributions, marine
lab alumni responded with great enthusiasm
and generosity in 2003 to an initiative to
www.bgsu.edu/departments/biology
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rename the Marine Biology Scholarship to
the Cynthia Collin Stong Marine Biology
Scholarship as part of our 40th anniversary
event. The scholarship fund has since
provided support to 34 undergraduate
students to attend summer field programs
such as those offered by our consortium
partner, the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory.
Likewise, this year’s anniversary
featured a successful fundraising campaign
to create an endowment for marine lab
operations to ensure sufficient resources
for the lab into the future. To help make
this a reality, Cindy has generously offered
to match donations that are allocated
to the Marine Lab Operations Fund to a
maximum of $12,500. While we have not
quite reached our goal, we are getting close
and through the continued generosity of
alumni and friends, we hope to announce
the establishment of this fund by the end of
the year.
Following the model of our 40th
anniversary celebration, the day started
with a symposium in the BowenThompson Student Union theater featuring
presentations by 14 alumni whose careers
have spanned much of the 50-year history of
the Marine Program. These individuals were
selected to represent the diverse interests,
career paths and life experiences of our
graduates and represented state- and federal
government agencies (Dr. Joy Marburger
‘74, Dr. Greg Doucette ‘79, Sarah Goldman
‘02), the armed forces (RDML June Ryan
‘84), academia (Dr. Patricia Biesiot ‘72,
‘75, Dr. Carol Stepien ‘79, Dr. Ron Oldfield,
Dr. Adam Smith ‘05, ‘07), industry (Dr.
Jim Guckert ‘82) and zoos and aquariums
(Rick Payeff ‘88, Ray Popik ‘04). Another
presentation featured two of Cindy’s Ocean
Focus alumni (Terry McKibben ‘80 and Scott
Hoff) who continue leading high school trips
to the Florida Keys inspired through Ocean
Focus. Joe Choromanski ‘82, Vice President
of Husbandry at Ripley’s Entertainment
had hoped to participate but was waylaid
trying to secure US Fish & Wildlife Service
inspections and clearances of animals being
imported to the new Ripley’s Aquarium
of Canada, the opening of which he was
overseeing.
In addition to presentations by our
alumni, we were joined by the Dean of the
College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Simon
Morgan-Russell and Chair of Biological
Sciences, Dr. Jeff Miner, who provided
introductory remarks and formally welcomed
our guests. A highlight of the day was a
captivating keynote by Dr. Eddie Herdendorf,
a friend of the Marine Program and Director
Emeritus of the Ohio State University’s Stone
Laboratory. Dr. Herdendorf served as science
coordinator for the Columbus-America
Discovery Group in 1989 during the group’s
search and eventual discovery of the gold
rush ship, S.S. Central America, which sank
200 miles off the Carolina coast in 1857
carrying 300 tons of gold. While studying the
shipwreck, Herdendorf identified as many as
“Those leading the BG Marine Lab have kept in place the spirit of community
we had, as well as the undergrad-based opportunities and focus on problem
solving. It was clear that what we experienced lives on.” - Jim Guckert ’82
a dozen new species, including glass sponges, deep-sea woodborers,
sea anemones and coral.
Following the keynote, he presented us with a sediment core of
foraminiferal ooze collected from the site that will soon be on display
in the department.
Following the symposium, many of the participants returned to the
marine lab for an open house. For nearly two hours, the lab was packed
with returning alumni interacting with our current students who were
eager to show the results of their hard work. In addition to Marine
Program students and faculty, Senior Vice President for Academic
Affairs and Provost, Dr. Rodney Rogers along with Vice President
for Research and Economic Development and Dean of the Graduate
College, Dr. Mike Ogawa were on hand to welcome our alumni and
friends. Also attending the open house were Patrick L. ’74 and Debra
(Scheetz) ’74 Ryan. Deb Ryan presently serves as Chair to the Board of
Trustees, is a biology graduate and along with her husband Patrick, are
generous supporters of biological sciences at BGSU.
The day finished with a banquet and program at the student union.
During the reception, candid shots during their BGSU days of nearly
everyone in attendance kept the audience laughing and helped to bring
back a lot of memories. Thanks to Mike Godfrey and Terry McKibben
‘80 for digitizing Cindy’s slides and putting the show together. A dear
friend of the Marine Program, Mrs. Phyllis Evans ‘52 brought some
smiles to those in attendance while offering a blessing recounting
an experience she shared with her late husband, Dr. William (Bill)
Evans ‘53, ‘88 (Hon) while he was posted in Washington serving as
Under Secretary of Commerce and NOAA Administrator. Following the
banquet, Cindy kept everyone laughing as she recounted the beginnings
of the marine lab. We also heard from BGSU senior Justin Grubb who
shared his new venture “Running Wild”
Dr. Patricia Besiot ’72 (right) with current student Victoria Hunter
which promotes conservation education in an adventure format and the
audience was treated to an inviting travelogue by Ms. Lynn Funkhouser
‘64 who shared her passion for conservation and photography while
diving the pristine reefs of the “Apex of the Coral Triangle” in the
Philippines.
Many are owed thanks for helping to make the event a great
success. Of course, Cindy is an inspiration to all of us. She has
been a motivating force in keeping her alumni together and active
as participants during the past two reunions. We are indebted to
Deb McLean, Executive Assistant in Biological Sciences who was
responsible for much of the planning and for keeping us on task. Deb
has already informed me that she will have retired before the 60th
Anniversary reunion but with a little coaxing, I’m sure we can bring her
out of retirement to help in the planning of that. We also appreciate
the efforts of Ann Krebs with Marketing & Communications who was
a pleasure to work with in promoting the event. And of course, our
appreciation goes out to all of the alumni and friends through whose
generosity, both the Cynthia Collin Stong Marine Biology Scholarship
and the Marine Lab Operations Fund will help to support current and
future students of the Marine Program.
We would like to close with some remarks sent following the
reunion by Jim Guckert ‘82 which nicely captured the spirit of the event
and of the Marine Program as it exists today: “Those leading the BG
Marine Lab have kept in place the spirit of community we had, as well
as the undergrad-based opportunities and focus on problem solving.
It was clear that what we experienced lives on.”
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Bio:Life
‘Running Wild’
in Costa Rica
“When you do a documentary like this
with wildlife, monkeys and snakes just
get thrown at you by the jungle and
you have to be ready for it.”
According to seniors Justin Grubb and Alex Goetz, they were more
than ready for the wildlife they encountered while on a trip to Costa
Rica as part of a BGSU Stuart R. Givens Memorial Fellowship. The
Givens Fellowship provides up to $6,000 to a BGSU undergraduate
to support a self-designed, off-campus experience in a manner not
otherwise possible through an academic program, regular summer job,
enrichment program or study abroad program.
Grubb, who is majoring in marine biology, and Goetz, who is
studying film production, spent three weeks in the Central American
country in May shooting scenes for a wildlife and conservation show
called “Running Wild.” The show is the brainchild of Grubb, who says
he came up with the concept in high school.
Grubb and Goetz initially paired up their sophomore year while
working for “BG on TV” at WBGU. While there they shot several
episodes of “Wild Adventures with Justin Grubb.” Eventually they
decided it was time to try to make “Running Wild” a reality.
The pair explored their options, investigating Kickstarter, the
online fundraising website, and various grants, but it was a fellow
student who gave them the idea to pursue a Givens Fellowship.
“The odds were stacked against us,” Goetz said. “You’re supposed
to have a year left in school and I’m graduating in December.” It’s also
unusual for one fellowship to be shared between two people.
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After what Goetz called a nerve-racking interview, the pair got the
go-ahead to pursue their project.
Equipped with two DSLR cameras and a tripod, they left for Costa
Rica on May 4. After a boat trip to Bahia Drake and an ATV ride, they
found their way to the remote town of Tamandua and the biological
station there.
“There was no electricity and no cell phone service,” said Goetz.
“Tamandua is a town of just 200 people who don’t speak any English.
In the rain forest where we were staying everything was lit by candles
and we slept under this shelter someone had kind of built.”
The lack of gear made it easy for them to traverse the country.
Their travels took them to Manuel Antonio on the western coast of the
country, the marine park in Puntarenas, Curu and the cloud forest of
Monteverde. They even climbed to the top of the continental divide.
“We were going to the most bio-diverse place on earth, so we
could see almost anything and it would be awesome,” Grubb said. “We
saw a quetzal, one of the most endangered birds in the wild, and it was
a breeding male. All types of monkeys, including a squirrel monkey, the
most endangered primate in Central America.”
But what they were really looking for was snakes.
Much to the dismay of their guide, both men inched their way
closer to a yellow-sided green pit viper, which is very venomous, in
search of the perfect shot. Grubb also scuba dived with sharks and
wasn’t afraid to eat a few insects on camera.
Save for a case of sun poisoning, and a few snake bites, the pair
left Costa Rica relatively unscathed and with close to 200 gigs worth of
video footage.
After getting back to the United States, they made a website
for “Running Wild.” Grubb emailed the link to his professors, old high
school teachers and the director of the Toledo Zoo, Jeff Sailer. Sailer
reached out and said he wanted to meet them.
“From there they approached us about doing videos for the zoo,”
said Goetz. “When we got back we never expected that.”
Both have since been hired by the zoo, Grubb as a biologist and
Goetz as a videographer. The pair has already produced several videos.
“We’re happy about the opportunities with the zoo and excited
about the opportunities to come,” said Grubb.
As for “Running Wild,” Goetz says he’s going to keep editing and
promoting the series online at http://runningwildtv.com/adventure/,
building their fan base and looking for avenues to get it on the air.
From Lake Erie
to Lake Onega
Biology faculty collaborate
with scientists in Russia
We were only a couple of hours into our
9-hour train ride from St. Petersburg to
Petrozavodsk and already questioning the
wisdom of our research foray to remote Lake
Onega in the Russian Republic of Karelia.
Checking my email earlier that day in St.
Petersburg, I was informed that some of our
equipment was stuck in Russian customs.
Language barriers were also challenging
us. Not that this was unexpected, but
my colleague George Bullerjahn who
accompanied me has a working knowledge of
Russian. Or at least I thought he did! While
George for some reason could remember the
words for “men’s and ladies’ footwear” he
was at a loss as to how to request something
as simple as a plastic bag at the grocery store.
And then there was the train…the Arktika
makes its way from St. Petersburg north
to the Arctic port of Murmansk stopping at
Petrozavodsk en route. This was not a train
for tourists, nor was it an “express”. Rather, it
took its time and all the while we could enjoy
the stench of diesel, unfiltered cigarettes and
decades of Baltika beer spilled through the
corridors of our aged passenger car. And did I
mention that it was late March and we were
still in the grips of Russian winter?
We arrived at Petrozavodsk station
around 1 a.m. wondering if we would be
met by anyone, as correspondence with our
Russian hosts had been a little vague. We
were in luck as Vasiliy, one of our hosts,
was there to take us to the Hotel Karelia,
our comfortable home for the next five days.
It being dark, we had no feel for our new
environment. That changed quickly the next
morning upon awakening and seeing frozen
Lake Onega just outside our window.
Lake Onega is the second largest lake
in Europe after Lake Ladoga, also located in
Russia’s north. I came to be introduced to
Lake Onega while attending a Large Lakes
congress in Konstanz, Germany in October
2012 where I presented the results of our
work investigating the winter limnology of
Lake Erie, a project that has been ongoing
since 2007. Our field surveys of ice-covered
Lake Erie have documented expansive underice blooms of cold-adapted phytoplankton,
so abundant that the water is discolored
brown. A number of the European scientists
were very interested in our results and I was
approached several days later by a couple of
Russian scientists affiliated with the Northern
Water Problems Institute (NWPI) of the
Karelian Research Center, Russian Academy of
Sciences. They had collected preliminary data
from the Russian Great Lakes supporting a
similar phenomenon of under-ice algal blooms
and were interested in a comparative study.
Ever ready for new experiences, we set
the wheels in motion to try to make the visit a
reality. The first challenge was funding which
we addressed with a pitch to the National
Science Foundation (NSF). George Bullerjahn
and I were already funded by NSF to conduct
research into winter limnology of Lake Erie
and the NSF was receptive to our request for
an International Supplement to offset travel
expenses to visit Russia. We also thought
this would be an excellent opportunity for
our doctoral student Mark Rozmarynowycz
‘07, ‘09, a native of Sheffield Lake, OH to
gain some international research experience.
Fortunately, the flexibility of funds available
from the Patrick L. and Debra Scheetz Ryan
Endowment made Mark’s participation
possible.
Despite our initial trepidation, the trip
was a success. Our hosts at the NWPI were
wonderful, ensuring we were well taken care
of. Professor Nikolai Filatov, Director of the
Institute, welcomed us on our arrival and
introduced us to scientists from the institute
with whom we would be working. Our visit
to the NWPI started with a day-long research
symposium where we introduced our Russian
colleagues to the North American Great Lakes
through research presentations and we, in
turn, learned about the Lake Onega ecosystem
whose watershed is heavily forested
and supports pulp and paper, and salmon
aquaculture industries. The following day was
spent “on” Lake Onega where we manually
augured holes through the ice that was three
feet thick even in late March. We collected
water samples and also returned to the
institute with ice cores for analysis. Through
support from the Department of Energy’s Joint
Genome Institute, a genetic analysis of the
organisms living in the lake (and ice) during
winter is underway and will be compared with
our results from Lake Erie. During our visit to
NWPI, we enjoyed an excellent collaborative
working relationship with the scientists. We
are especially indebted to Professor Filatov
for coordinating our visit, Dr. Natalia Kalinkina
Continued on pg. 6
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Bio:Life
Continued from pg. 5
of NWPI, Dr. Sergei Komulainen of the Karelian Research Center’s Institute of Biology
and Yulia Slastina, a doctoral candidate at the NWPI who not only carried the bulk of the
analytical work, but also prepared homemade chicken soup and meat pies following our
field surveys on the lake. Aside from our fieldwork on Lake Onega, highlights included a
trip to the Kivach Natural Reserve and its famous waterfall, eating fish sashlik (barbeque
salmon on skewers) along the shores of Onega and following the best-of-seven KHL ice
hockey final between Dynamo Moscow and Traktor Chelyabinsk. Our doctoral student
Mark, who is an avid birder, even rose to the top rank on a Russian bird watching list while
recording birds during the trip.
On our return to St. Petersburg, we visited with our former graduate student,
Dr. Natalia Ivanikova ‘06 who returned to Russia following her Ph.D. work at BGSU. It
was wonderful to catch up with her and she provided an excellent guided tour of Saint
Petersburg State University. A highlight was the Twelve Collegia building, which was
commissioned by Peter the Great, and whose upper walkway extends for nearly 500
yards and is filled with sculptures and busts of famous graduates in mathematics and the
sciences such as the chemist Mendeleev to whom we owe the Periodic Table.
We also had an opportunity to visit with colleagues at the Russian Academy of
Sciences Center for Ecological Safety and learned about their biomonitoring projects where
they use freshwater invertebrates (mussels, crayfish) as sentinels to detect toxins in the
drinking water supply. There was interest in a possible collaboration to adopt this approach
as an early warning to detect algal toxins produced in Lake Erie.
Aside from the scientific interactions, we are indebted to our host at the Academy of
Sciences, Dr. Andrei Sharov for providing the experience of a visit to the banya (Russian
sauna). A relaxing way to begin the long journey home.
Marine bacteria may prove
source for new antibiotics
Survival is the
name of the game
even among
marine bacteria,
research by Dr.
Hans Wildschutte,
biological sciences,
shows. In the
competition for food,
some have
genetically adapted to become “super-killers,” able to fend off other
unrelated populations of bacteria in their area while remaining
“friendly” toward closer relatives.
Although the Vibrio bacteria he studies are nonpathenogenic to
humans, the survival mechanisms they have developed show promise
as the basis for new antibiotics with therapeutic properties, said
Wildschutte, whose work was featured in the leading journal Science
last fall.
The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has become a growing
and dangerous problem and of great concern to the medical community,
especially in the United States.
(Above) Dr. Hans Wildschutte and junior biology major Alex Antel
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Dr. R. Michael McKay and doctoral candidate Mark Rozmarynowycz
“Novel antibiotics could be useful in the treatment of illness
caused by gram negative bacteria,” which can be resistant to many
available antibiotics, Wildschutte said. His work is funded by a threeyear, $300,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health.
The Science article, “Ecological Populations of Bacteria Act as
Socially Cohesive Units of Antibiotic Production and Resistance,”
details the initial findings that natural antibiotics produced by some
Vibrio bacteria strains may provoke competition between populations
instead of simply increasing the success of individuals.
As a postdoctoral researcher at MIT before joining the BGSU
faculty, Wildschutte was part of a team that developed tools for
genetically manipulating environmental organisms. This meant that, for
the first time, wild strains could be cultured in the lab and mutated in
order to study how they might function as social units in the wild, or if
they even did function as part of a social structure instead of strictly as
individuals.
Wildschutte is now performing research to identify genes that
encode the antimicrobial factors. He and his students are improving
methods to identify mutants that have lost the ability to kill other
bacteria. Using this optimized method, a search of 20,000 bacteria is
predicted to yield about 20 that no longer antagonize. These mutants
are used to identify the genes that encode antimicrobial factors.
Wildschutte has adapted this research methodology, in
collaboration with Drs. Michael McKay and Goerge Bullerjahn, at BGSU
in order to study important microbial processes among freshwater
bacteria within the Great Lakes. Ongoing research involves diverse
bacterial interactions that can be probed for a range of factors from
novel antimicrobial products to new alternative energy sources.
A Transformational Gift
BGSU’s 18 intercollegiate sports are blessed with some of the world’s most supportive
and enthusiastic fans. Even so, Lee and Marge Meserve have stood out for their
faithful - some would say extraordinary - attendance across multiple Falcon sports
for the past several decades.
That “sheer attendance” alone would make the Meserves a favorite
among student-athletes, coaches and administrators. But, add to that
Lee’s 40 years as a professor of biological sciences and his 16 years of
dedicated service as the Faculty Athletics Representative, helping to
bridge the too-often-disconnected worlds of academics and athletics. Add their status as inaugural Champions Circle donors, annually
contributing the equivalent of one year’s tuition and fees to help an
individual student-athlete year after year. Combine that with their endowing the Meserve Scholarship, given to the senior male and female
student-athletes of the year.
The list goes on, but as it turns out, the Meserves were just getting started. The next chapter of the couple’s dedication and incredible
generosity was announced at the Stroh Center just before the women’s
basketball team played (and handily defeated) the Akron Zips on
Wednesday, Feb. 20. The newest, historic gift from the Meserves is
valued at more than $650,000. Coupled with a planned deferred gift to
endow a biological sciences professorship, the overall impact will be
nearly $1 million, making it one of the largest from a faculty member in
BGSU’s history.
Displaying his characteristic humility, Lee observed, “I can’t imagine having been employed in a place that more suited my goals and
aspirations. Marge and I can’t imagine having lived in a more providing,
more embracing community for the greater part of our lives to date.
“The students have been great, the colleagues have been great,
and the support of the two of us has been great. Since each of us is an
only child, we appreciate the sense of family that we have received,”
Meserve continued. “We are more than honored to be able to give back
to our family.”
Lee Meserve began his teaching career at BGSU in 1973 after
receiving his Ph.D. in zoology from Rutgers University and working at
Vassar College. During his time in Northwest Ohio, he has served as an
assistant professor, associate professor, professor and distinguished
teaching professor of biological sciences.
He holds membership in numerous honor societies including Omicron Delta Kappa and Sigma Phi Omega. In 1990, he was the recipient
of the Hollis A. Moore University Service Award. Two years later, he
was honored with the BGSU Master Teacher Award. Dr. Meserve was
also the recipient of the BGSU Distinguished Teaching Professorship in
1993, received the BGSU Honorary Alumnus Award in 1997 and was
given the BGSU President’s Advising Award in 2001.
Marge Meserve retired five years ago after a career of over 30
years as a medical technologist at Wood County Hospital, where she
was supervisor of the blood bank. Besides BGSU athletics, she is currently deeply involved in gardening and is an enamel-on-copper artist.
She has been involved in the Black Swamp Arts Festival in Bowling
Green for each of the 20 years since its inception.
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BRIEFS
Bio:Life
Department News
> Patti Crawford-Mayo joined the Department of Biological Sciences as a secretary I October 2012 after Louise Small
retired last September. Patti’s responsibilities include undergraduate scheduling and registration, and recruitment events organization.
> The Pasakarnis Buchanan Lecture was presented by P. Dee Boersma, Ph.D. from the University of Washington last March. The title of her talk was “Penguins as Marine Sentinels” and she discussed the effects of climate change on Patagonian Magellanic penguins.
> Dr. Karen Sirum, associate professor of biological sciences, was invited to give a talk at TEDxToledo in September of this year. Her presentation was titled “The Science of Learning.”
Bouzat, Graduate
Students’ Lake Erie
Studies Reveal
Microbial Diversity
Work by Dr. Juan L. Bouzat, biological sciences, and former
graduate students Matt Hoostal and Torey Looft is contributing to
the knowledge base about the ecosystem of Lake Erie.
Although some types of bacteria are harmful, helpful
bacteria are crucial to the health and survival of the lake and its
inhabitants. Threatening that health are organic pollutants and
heavy metals such as cadmium, zinc, cobalt and copper.
Bouzat’s team has looked at the distribution across the
lake bottom of bacteria that play a role in transforming organic
pollutants and heavy metals into nontoxic forms, and how
these microbial communities have adapted over time to their
environments.
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The team has found that genes for heavy metal tolerance
have been transferred across genomes of different bacterial
species, likely favoring the adaptation of microbial communities to
environmental contaminants.
Two papers on microbial diversity and the transfer of genes
involved in heavy-metal resistance have been recently published in
the Journal of Great Lakes Research and the Journal of Molecular
Evolution, Bouzat reports. Both papers have received considerable
attention: the microbial diversity paper was highlighted in a press
release issued by the International Association of Great Lakes
Research, and the heavy-metal paper was featured on the cover of
the molecular evolution journal.
“These are good examples of quality research performed
by our students at BGSU,” Bouzat said. Both papers involved the
research of Hoostal and Looft, both from Bouzat’s lab.
Hoostal received his Ph.D. in biology in December 2012. “Of
the five chapters in his dissertation, four have been published in
highly regarded scientific journals,” Bouzat said.
Looft completed his master’s degree at BGSU in 2005,
continued his graduate studies at Iowa State University and
is now an independent research microbiologist at the U.S.
Department of Agriculture. He was back at BGSU Sept. 11 to
present a talk at the Department of Biological Sciences
Seminar Series.
Dr. Eileen Underwood, director of the
herpetology lab and associate professor
of biological sciences, with herp students
and animals at the ArtsX Carnivale
festival last year.
Faculty Retirements
Dr. Donald Deters, a fixture in the microbiology program at BGSU
for 28 years has recently retired. Dr. Deters was the advisor for
our microbiology students for many years. Don taught one of our
core foundation courses (BIOL 2050), microbiology, and cell biology,
and stepped up to also teach our honors course (BIOL 2050H), as
the number of honors students and advanced student population
increased. His research interests included biochemistry, eukaryotic
molecular biology (yeast) and molecular genetics. In addition, he
supervised the research of over 30 students who graduated with
either a Ph.D., M.S. or B.S. degree. Dr. Deters served on numerous
committees at the department and university level, including but not
limited to, the Curriculum, Executive, and Graduate Committees and
was a member of Faculty Senate for twelve years. We wish Don the
best and look forward to seeing him at department seminars. If you
want to contact Don and wish him well, he can be reached at his
BGSU e-mail address at ddeters@bgsu.edu.
Dr. John Graham retired from Bowling Green State University in
May 2013. He joined the biological sciences faculty as an assistant
professor in 1987. In 1993, he was promoted to associate professor
and in 1999, became a full professor. John taught Foundations of
Biology (BIOL 2050) for many years, Molecular Biology, and Molecular
Genetics and was nominated three times for the BGSU Master Teacher
Award. During his tenure, he advised the research of 13 graduate
students and was a committee member for an additional 29 graduate
students. As a molecular scientist, his research brought in multiple
large grants and produced many important publications. Faculty and
students in biological sciences wish John a great retirement and also
hope to see him at department functions. If you want to contact John
and wish him well, he can be reached at his BGSU e-mail address at
johnsg@bgsu.edu.
9
2012 Alumni/Friends Contributions Exceed $55,500
January–October 2013 Alumni/Friends Contributions Exceed $45,500
Again this year we want to recognize and thank our donors
for their generous contributions. If you have provided a
monetary gift to the Department of Biological Sciences
and are not listed below, please let us know and we will
publish a correction in the next newsletter.
Biological Sciences Scholarship/General
Activities Foundation Account
David Alderfer
Carol Augspurger
Edwin Bartholomew
Joe/Betty Becker
Anne Benjamin
BP Foundation (Eric Schwamberger match)
Dale/Vicki Bowlus
Glen/Lareen Bowman
David Braun
Greg/Karen DeCamp
Henry/Alyssa Gomes
Robert/Anne Graves (Scholarship fund)
Eric/Elizabeth Hanson
Terry/Janice Hufford
Richard Lyman
Barbara Masters
Debra McLean
Lisa/Dale Merritt
Mark/Frieda Mondl
Mary Ann Roach
Mary Rupnow
Mark/Laura Seeger
Robert/Karen Weiland
Paul/Gerda Woner
Lamar/Sondra Zigler
Dan Macoy
Joy Marburger
Lisa Monk
Robert Mottice
Robert/Marina Naumann
Edward Nolan
Barbara Packard
Valerie Reischuck
Jean Romans
Denise Seliskar
Robert/April Shattuck
Michael/Susie Socha
Eugene Stong
Gary Stoops Jr.
Charles Thomas
Lee Wright
Don Zeisloft
Biology Alumni Sophomore Scholarship
Tristan Codner
Teresa Fisher
Marine Lab Operations Fund
Patricia Biesiot
Marissa Bijarro
Edward Bouton
William/Sharon Brower
John Bucklew
Robert Cape
Kathy Carr
Tristan Codner
Christine Downing
Ron Euton
Phyllis Evans
Pauline Fleming
Nikola Garber
Mike Godfrey
Jim/Laura Goodman
Ted Groat/Peggy Giordano
Allison Groteleuschen
Jim/Susan Guckert
Richard Hochenberg
Nancy Kinney
Jeffrey Klimowicz
Gary/Linda Lemmon
Julie Letterhos
John/Ingrid Link
Dan Macoy
Jane McCleary
Larry/Karen Meyer
Jeff Miner
Robert Mottice
Edward Nolan
Ronald/Janet Partin
Valerie Reischuck
Peter/Sabine Sehlinger
Denise Seliskar
Bree Shollenberger
Michael/Susie Socha
Ron/Gloria Spitler
Carol Stepien
Gary Stoops Jr.
Robin Streichler
James/Elizabeth Uhlik
Dan Woltering
James D. Graham Memorial Scholarship
DaLynn/Sharon Badenhop
Thomas/Virginia McQuistion
Barbara Long Masters Biological Sciences
Research Fund
Barbara Masters
Ralph V. McKinney-Eloise Whitwer Scholarship
Patricia Bauer
Lee/Marge Meserve
T. Richard Fisher Biology Scholarship
Clarence/Marjorie Smith
Larry and Linda Oman Graduate Scholarship
Eaton Corporation (match for Larry Oman)
Thomas/Virginia McQuistion
Robert C. Romans Biology Scholarship
Lorraine DeVenney
John Hancock Financial Services, Inc.
(match for Lisa Merritt)
Lisa/Dale Merritt
Lee/Marge Meserve
John/Bonnie Mucha (in memory of Dr. Robert Romans)
Karlin Award
Gerald/Paula Levy
Ralph V. McKinney-Eloise Whitwer Scholarship
Patricia Bauer
Dr. Suzanne K. Miller Undergraduate
Research Assistantships
Kenneth/Suzanne Miller-Kobalka
Larry and Linda Oman Graduate Scholarship
Larry and Linda Oman Charitable Gift Fund
Lorraine DeVenney
Lisa/Dale Merritt
Terry/Phyllis Morrow
John/Bonnie Mucha
John/Paula Parrish
Jean Romans
Brent Takemoto
Waldo and Evelyn Steidtmann Scholarship
Harry/Sally Crawford
Dennis R. Whitmore Memorial Scholarship
Kevin Diels
Richard/Violet Whitmore
10
Biological Sciences Scholarship/General
Activities Foundation Account
Anne Benjamin
Dale/Vicki Bowlus
Glen/Lareen Bowman
Greg/Karen DeCamp
William/Alyce Dengler
Teresa Gilbert
John Hancock Financial Services, Inc. (match for Lisa
Merritt)
Eric/Elizabeth Hanson
Julie Kadrmas
Debra McLean
Mark/Frieda Mondl
Carol Thatcher
Mary Wolf
Lamar/Sondra Zigler
Keith Imler
Mark/Catherine Sommer
Richard/Violet Whitmore (in memory of Dorothy Brauer)
Dennis/Adrianne Todak (in memory of Dorothy Brauer)
Cynthia Collin Stong Marine
Biology Scholarship
Catherine Bevier
Greg Doucette
Priscilla Douglas
Cheryl Dunn
Kathy Carr
Nikola Garber
Mike Godfrey
Jim/Laura Goodman
Ted Groat/Peggy Giordano
Jim/Susan Guckert
Dennis Law
Gary/Linda Lemmon
Julie Letterhos
Biological Sciences Scholarship
and Award Recipients
Following is the list of scholarship recipients for 2013-14.
This list includes awards for graduating seniors.
Congratulations to these outstanding students and special
thanks to our donors! To view scholarship criteria, please
visit: www.bgsu.edu/departments/biology/programs/
undergrad/scholarships
Alpha Epsilon Delta Award
Nikki McCoy (Ney, OH)
Karlin Award
Vance Hartke (Bowling Green, OH)
Beta Beta Beta Award
Nicole Ott (Monroeville, OH)
Olivia Birck (Fairfield, OH)
Dominique Kassa (Holland, OH)
Lauren O’Connor (North Royalton, OH)
Ralph V. McKinney, Jr. – Eloise Whitwer Scholarship
Tia Anderson (Oak Park, MI)
Clare Drennen (Bowling Green, OH)
Marie Guthrie (Holland, OH)
Jenifer Nord (Stow, OH)
Devin Wrice (Lorain, OH)
Jonathan Yoo (Wellington, FL)
Suzanne K. Miller Undergraduate
Research Assistantship
Hannah Duffy (Middleburg Hts., OH)
Brittany Novick (Columbia Station, OH)
Natalie Sommerville (Cincinnati, OH)
Devin Wrice (Lorain, OH)
Biology Alumni Freshman Scholarship
(incoming freshmen)
Scott Heidler (Hudson, OH)
Biology Alumni Sophomore Scholarship
Tiffani Bolen (Galloway, OH)
Ashley Dallas (Cincinnati, OH)
Danielle Kemp (Alliance, OH)
Jillian Wray (Lowell, MI)
Robert Zenas (Ann Arbor, MI)
Barry R. Morstain Scholarship in Biology
Brionna Powell (Detroit, MI)
Kathryn Rapin (Toledo, OH)
Jean Pasakarnis Buchanan Scholarship
Lauren Eaken (Lodi, OH)
Amber Gombash (Delta, OH)
Kristopher Holloway (Lorain, OH)
Amanda Kuhlman (Lima, OH)
Linda and Larry Oman Scholarship
(graduate students)
Sarah Lahman (Wauseon, OH)
Multicultural Student Scholarship
Tationa Dennard (Southfield, MI)
T. Richard Fisher Biology Scholarship
Danielle Callicoat (St. Paris, OH)
Margaret Caryer (Cleveland Hts., OH)
Derek Smith (Toledo, OH)
Carmen Wimberley (Detroit, MI)
(incoming freshmen)
Allison Sutton (Pemberville, OH)
Kelsey Weaver (Bowling Green, OH)
Presley Weaver (Bowling Green, OH)
Joseph J. and Marie P. Schedel Scholarship
Katherine Bland (Mason, OH)
Bobbi Carter (Amelia,OH)
Kayla Effinger (Carmen, IN)
Jocelyn Williams (Perrysburg, OH)
Steven S. Steel Scholarship
Justin Grubb (Worthington, OH)
Emily DeArmon (Westlake, OH)
Stephanie Hylinski (Monroe, MI)
Cole Olmstead (Potsdam, NY)
Seth Schulte (Bowling Green, OH)
Cynthia Collin Stong Marine
Biology Scholarship
Marissa Bijarro (Newport, MI)
Lauren Eaken (Lodi, OH)
Kathryn Rapin (Toledo, OH)
Kelsie Saurber (Trenton, OH)
Kathryn Sprague (Hebron, OH)
Myra L. Patchen Biology Scholarship
Nadejda Mirochnitchenko (Oregon, OH)
Harold E. Tinnappel Scholarship
Brittany Novick (Columbia Station, OH)
Kelsie Saurber (Trenton, OH)
Kathryn Sprague (Hebron, OH)
Dawson S. and Sylvia A. Patterson
Scholarship
Autumn Court (Westchester, OH)
Robert Witte (Whitehouse, OH)
Alexander Antel (Parma, OH)
Hannah Duffy (Middleburg Hts., OH)
Natalie Sommerville (Cincinnati, OH)
Make a gift today
Name____________________________________________ Year of Graduation______________
Address ______________________________________________________________________
City _________________________________ State ___________________ Zip______________
Signature______________________________________________________________________
Credit card #___________________________________________________________________
Expiration date__________________________________________________________________
o Visa
o MasterCard
o Discover
Return to: Bowling Green State University, Department of Biological Sciences,
217 Life Sciences Bldg., Bowling Green, OH 43403-0208
Enclosed is my contribution of:
o $25
o $50
o $100
o Other $________
My gift is designated for:
Scholarships (indicate fund)
New Equipment
Department General Fund
Marine Lab Operations Fund
o
o
o
o
Note: Make checks payable to BGSU Foundation Inc., Dept. of Biological Sciences
Bio:Life
contributors
Bonnie Blankinship
Mike McKay
Deb McLean
Jeff Miner
Jen Sobolewski
Tamera Wales
11
Bio:Life
Nonprofit Org
U.S. Postage
PAID
Bowling Green
State University
Bowling Green State University
Department of Biological Sciences
217 Life Sciences Building
Bowling Green, Ohio 43403-0208
Address Service Requested
Please…Let us hear from you!
Your full name:
(Include maiden name if appropriate)
Address:
Graduation year(s):
Degree(s):
Place of employment:
Job title and/or job description:
Appropriateness of BGSU training for this position:
What might be added to better prepare current students for positions such as yours?
Would you and/or your firm be willing to sponsor, if appropriate, undergraduate internships? Circle:
Yes or No
If yes, indicate name, address and email address of contact person:
14AS338
Most memorable moment at BGSU:

Chair`s message www.bgsu.edu/departments/biology Forensics

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