{"id":16636,"date":"2018-11-26T16:35:54","date_gmt":"2018-11-26T21:35:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/?p=16636"},"modified":"2024-02-03T21:12:07","modified_gmt":"2024-02-04T02:12:07","slug":"tusculum-chemistry-and-biology-students-begin-new-undergraduate-research-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2018\/tusculum-chemistry-and-biology-students-begin-new-undergraduate-research-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Tusculum chemistry and biology students begin new undergraduate research program"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

Annie McCullough, left, and Pau Peir\u00f3 Vila, who are junior chemistry majors, perform research at Tusculum University.<\/p><\/div>\n

Undergraduate chemistry and biology students at Tusculum University<\/a> are exploring new frontiers typically associated with the masters and doctoral levels that might present solutions to varied subjects impacting the world.<\/h3>\n

This semester, Tusculum\u2018s natural sciences department kicked off a more formalized research program, which prepares students for further studies at advanced stages of their academic and professional careers. The inaugural group consists of three chemistry<\/a> majors and two biology<\/a> majors who are putting their knowledge and talent to work in the Meen Center\u2019s research labs.<\/p>\n

The topics being explored are renewable energy and cancer. Specifically, the group is looking into designing and making new materials for solar energy conversion and new drugs for chemotherapeutic applications.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have developed this program to prepare students fully to enter a comprehensive research program at the masters and doctoral levels or to pursue a career in industry immediately after graduation from Tusculum,\u201d said Dr. Dennis Ashford, an assistant professor of chemistry at the university. \u201cWe are training them to develop critical thinking skills and presentation capabilities and to become independent scientists. This is an excellent opportunity for the students, and we are thrilled to be able to incorporate it in our offerings.\u201d<\/p>\n

Recently, the natural sciences department earned a $5,000 grant from the East Tennessee Foundation to pay for supplies, such as chemicals and instrumentation, for the undergraduate researchers. Dr. Ashford said he has submitted another grant application and is looking for others that will empower Tusculum to grow the research program.<\/p>\n

Tusculum\u2019s involvement will be ongoing, with the initial group of students handing off their work to their successors. Dr. Ashford said the department wants students to present their results at regional and national conferences and to publish in peer-reviewed professional journals.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are seeking to increase the knowledge base in renewable energy and cancer research with our audiences,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are, of course, also hopeful our students\u2019 work will lead to breakthroughs in these areas and any others we study in the future. It\u2019s impressive to imagine research that originated at Tusculum could influence the health and well-being of our fellow humans.\u201d<\/p>\n

The research program enables students to learn chemistry and biology concepts in class and then experience them firsthand in the research lab. Annie McCullough and Pau Peir\u00f3 Vila, who are junior chemistry majors, said the program will give students an advantage when they apply for graduate schools and jobs because they will be able to highlight their experience with chemicals, lab equipment and research methods.<\/p>\n

Peir\u00f3 and McCullough are tackling renewable energy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s such a big field that\u2019s so important, but I think it\u2019s overlooked a little bit,\u201d McCullough said. \u201cIt\u2019s interesting to research this topic and see what can be accomplished or how things could be better addressed. We might not save the world, but there is still a lot of value in examining this subject in greater depth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carter Delsorbo, a junior majoring in biology with a pre-medicine concentration, is working on the design of new photodynamic chemotherapeutic medications.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf this drug works, chemotherapy will be a much less challenging experience for people who have been diagnosed with cancer,\u201d Delsorbo said. \u201cPatients will not experience the effects of chemotherapy nearly as much, and it could increase their chances for survivability. I\u2019m enjoying my participation in this project, which could transform the care of cancer patients.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peir\u00f3 views the program as a great opportunity to hone his skills and to use them to make a positive difference in people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re learning about the things we can do,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are improving our abilities, and maybe we will be fortunate and find something that no one ever saw before. With research, you never know what you\u2019re going to discover, but I am excited about all of the possibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

McCullough recognizes her group is a trendsetter for the program and hopes the five researchers will inspire future students in the natural sciences department to know research might be an option for them. She said it can even serve as a recruiting tool for the university.<\/p>\n

If he pursues a medical career, Delsorbo knows his experience with Tusculum\u2019s research program will help him better appreciate the reasons it takes awhile for medicines to make their way through the development and approval process. But most of all, he sees long-term positive results for Tusculum now that it has initiated this program.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis could evolve into something that could be the hallmark of the whole university,\u201d Delsorbo said.<\/p>\n

For more information, please watch the following video on Tusculum\u2019s YouTube channel: https:\/\/youtu.be\/6wHJcrfeNgg<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

CONTACT: Jim Wozniak<\/strong>
\nEmail: jwozniak@tusculum.edu<\/a> <\/strong>
\nPhone: 423-636-0552<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Undergraduate chemistry and biology students at Tusculum University<\/a> are exploring new frontiers typically associated with the masters and doctoral levels that might present solutions to varied subjects impacting the world.<\/h3>\n

This semester, Tusculum\u2018s natural sciences department kicked off a more formalized research program, which prepares students for further studies at advanced stages of their academic and professional careers. The inaugural group consists of three chemistry<\/a> majors and two biology<\/a> majors who are putting their knowledge and talent to work in the Meen Center\u2019s research labs.<\/p>\n

The topics being explored are renewable energy and cancer. Specifically, the group is looking into designing and making new materials for solar energy conversion and new drugs for chemotherapeutic applications.<\/p>\n

Read the full article…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nTusculum chemistry and biology students begin new undergraduate research program :: Tusculum University<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, nofollow, max-video-preview:-1, noimageindex, noarchive, nosnippet\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2018\/tusculum-chemistry-and-biology-students-begin-new-undergraduate-research-program\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Tusculum chemistry and biology students begin new undergraduate research program :: Tusculum University\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Undergraduate chemistry and biology students at Tusculum University are exploring new frontiers typically associated with the masters and doctoral levels that might present solutions to varied subjects impacting the world. This semester, Tusculum\u2018s natural sciences department kicked off a more formalized research program, which prepares students for further studies at advanced stages of their academic and professional careers. The inaugural group consists of three chemistry majors and two biology majors who are putting their knowledge and talent to work in the Meen Center\u2019s research labs. The topics being explored are renewable energy and cancer. Specifically, the group is looking into designing and making new materials for solar energy conversion and new drugs for chemotherapeutic applications. Read the full article...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2018\/tusculum-chemistry-and-biology-students-begin-new-undergraduate-research-program\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"TUSCULUM UNIVERSITY NEWS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-11-26T21:35:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-02-04T02:12:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news_research-students.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Tusculum University\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Tusculum University\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2018\/tusculum-chemistry-and-biology-students-begin-new-undergraduate-research-program\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2018\/tusculum-chemistry-and-biology-students-begin-new-undergraduate-research-program\/\",\"name\":\"Tusculum chemistry and biology students begin new undergraduate research program :: Tusculum University\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2018-11-26T21:35:54+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-02-04T02:12:07+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/cef656f462ede9b4bda5a306b2604d7c\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2018\/tusculum-chemistry-and-biology-students-begin-new-undergraduate-research-program\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2018\/tusculum-chemistry-and-biology-students-begin-new-undergraduate-research-program\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2018\/tusculum-chemistry-and-biology-students-begin-new-undergraduate-research-program\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"News and Information\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"News\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Tusculum chemistry and biology students begin new undergraduate research program\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/\",\"name\":\"TUSCULUM UNIVERSITY NEWS\",\"description\":\"News for Alumni, Parents and Friends\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/cef656f462ede9b4bda5a306b2604d7c\",\"name\":\"Tusculum University\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/53eba475289de9e9f9816c381f31d93e?s=96&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/53eba475289de9e9f9816c381f31d93e?s=96&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Tusculum University\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/author\/admin\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Tusculum chemistry and biology students begin new undergraduate research program :: Tusculum University","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"nofollow","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1","imageindex":"noimageindex","archive":"noarchive","snippet":"nosnippet"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2018\/tusculum-chemistry-and-biology-students-begin-new-undergraduate-research-program\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Tusculum chemistry and biology students begin new undergraduate research program :: Tusculum University","og_description":"Undergraduate chemistry and biology students at Tusculum University are exploring new frontiers typically associated with the masters and doctoral levels that might present solutions to varied subjects impacting the world. This semester, Tusculum\u2018s natural sciences department kicked off a more formalized research program, which prepares students for further studies at advanced stages of their academic and professional careers. The inaugural group consists of three chemistry majors and two biology majors who are putting their knowledge and talent to work in the Meen Center\u2019s research labs. The topics being explored are renewable energy and cancer. Specifically, the group is looking into designing and making new materials for solar energy conversion and new drugs for chemotherapeutic applications. Read the full article...","og_url":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2018\/tusculum-chemistry-and-biology-students-begin-new-undergraduate-research-program\/","og_site_name":"TUSCULUM UNIVERSITY NEWS","article_published_time":"2018-11-26T21:35:54+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-02-04T02:12:07+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news_research-students.jpg"}],"author":"Tusculum University","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Tusculum University","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2018\/tusculum-chemistry-and-biology-students-begin-new-undergraduate-research-program\/","url":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2018\/tusculum-chemistry-and-biology-students-begin-new-undergraduate-research-program\/","name":"Tusculum chemistry and biology students begin new undergraduate research program :: Tusculum University","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/#website"},"datePublished":"2018-11-26T21:35:54+00:00","dateModified":"2024-02-04T02:12:07+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/cef656f462ede9b4bda5a306b2604d7c"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2018\/tusculum-chemistry-and-biology-students-begin-new-undergraduate-research-program\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2018\/tusculum-chemistry-and-biology-students-begin-new-undergraduate-research-program\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2018\/tusculum-chemistry-and-biology-students-begin-new-undergraduate-research-program\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"News and Information","item":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Tusculum chemistry and biology students begin new undergraduate research program"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/","name":"TUSCULUM UNIVERSITY NEWS","description":"News for Alumni, Parents and Friends","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/cef656f462ede9b4bda5a306b2604d7c","name":"Tusculum University","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/53eba475289de9e9f9816c381f31d93e?s=96&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/53eba475289de9e9f9816c381f31d93e?s=96&r=g","caption":"Tusculum University"},"url":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/author\/admin\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16636"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16636"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16636\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17211,"href":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16636\/revisions\/17211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16636"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16636"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16636"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}