PHRI 2007SUMMER HIGH SCHOOLRESEARCH INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

A Progress Reportby Yak Saturen, Director

Summer ‘07 Intern Program ParticipantsL – R: Alexandra Sarabia, Ms. Constantinescu, TashyanaThompson, Amberly Hernandez, Lauren Small, CatiaGoncalves, Marquis Guzman, Dillon Weiss, Gisel Nunez,Y. Saturen (Director), Ms. Buggs Missing: Kwasi Agyeman( Intern), Petrina Boucher (TA)

PROGRAM STATUS2006 2007

Students 5 9 Teachers 1 2 Staff 2 2 Schools 2 5 PI’s 6 8 Host Institutions PHRI, DMMG

Gisel Nunez presenting her progress report

PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS

2006 2007 Students West Side HS West Side HS Science HS Science Park HS

St. Benedict Prep St. Vincent’s Academy

Univ. Academy Charter HS

Teacher(s)

Science HS Science Park HS St. Vincent’s Academy

Petrina and Kwazi working on his written report

PHRI Summer HSPHRI Summer HSResearch Internship ProgramResearch Internship Program

•SCIENTIFIC METHOD-observing, hypothesis testing, analysis, metric system, research models•CELL BIOLOGY- cell composition, structure, function •CHEMICAL PRINCIPLES- H2O, acids, bases, pH•PHYSICAL PRINCIPLES-matter, energy, bonding•BIOCHEMICAL PRINCIPLES- proteins, enzymes, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, separation and purification methods•BIOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES-levels of organization, genes, gene regulation, cell theory, cell cycle, diseases, population growth, epidemiology, taxonomy and evolution

•PHRI- as a research institute•LAB & RADIATION SAFETY & EQUIPMENT

Introductory Workshop Lecture Topics

Interns Gisel, Alex and Tashyana, at the computer

SUMMER 2007 PROGRAM

FIELD TRIPS Passaic County Sewage Treatment Center

Center for Applied Genomics (ICPH) Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center

Prospective student tour of NYU

SEMINAR SPEAKERS Drs. Karl Drlica, Marcella Rodriguez, & Patricia Fontan,

Fred Kramer, Dave Dubnau,PHRI Dr. Carol Newlon, DMMG

Interns visit the Aaron Dimond AIDS Research Center

Interns visit NYU facilities and campus

Interns visit the Center for Applied Genomics at the ICPH

Noon Seminar with Marcela Rodriguez and Patricia Fontan

Carol Newlon explains the differences between workingat the PHRI Center and at DMMG of the UMDNJ

STUDENT INTERN PROJECT TITLES

Alexandra SanabriaFunction of the DNA binding protein, DprA, in Bacillus subtilis

Amberly Hernandez Development of Drug Resistance in Pathogenic FungiCatia Goncalves Analysis of a Yeast Mutant, ofm6, that is Defective in Maintaining a Chromosomal DNA Fragment Lacking Conventional Replications OriginsDillon Weiss

Meiotic Recombination on Yeast ChromosomesGisel Nunez

The Dual Functions of ComK in Competence Development in Bacillus subtilisKwasi Agyeman

The Suppressor of yihE, a stress response regulator in E. coliLauren Small

Site-directeed Mutagenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Response Regulator PhoP- Addressing Variation Between Virulent Strain H37Rv and Attenuated Strain H37Ra

Marquise GuzmanEfficacy of The Antibiotic Fluoroquinolone in Escherichia coli

Tashyana ThompsonIdentifying the Topology of the Siderophore Interacting Domain (SID) of the M. tuberculosis Iron Transporter, IrtA

Amberly checksher results

Teacher Intern Projects Mentored Research Projects

Mihaela Constantinescu Toxin-antitoxin expression and purification

Monique Buggs Mapping MRSA and MSSA in NJ using GIS

Curriculum Development

On-site Implementation Visits

Monique using GIS to map MRSA and MSSA datafrom New Jersey

Post-Internship Activities

Project SEED Poster Competition

at Seton Hall University

Fifth Annual PHRI SummerHigh School Intern Symposium

at ICPH

Amberly explains her project to one of the judges

Gisel explaining her project to one of the judges

Project SEED Poster Competitionat Seton Hall University

Results:* Four students exhibited their posters, among ~80.

* All four students earned 1st Place Blue Ribbons

* Catia Goncalves and Gisel Nunez were among final fourin the run-off for Grand Prize.

* Gisel Nunez received one of two laptops awarded, as thegrand prize.

Four very proud exhibitors

FEEDBACK FROMPROUD MENTORS

The intern was “very motivated and eager to learn.”

“He seem[ed] intelligent and showed a keen interest.”

“[Concerning the] high school student! I was actually very surprised because she is a very smart kid.”

Mentor Miguel Dias checks Gisel’s work

Mentor, Naomi Kramer and intern, Alexandra Sarabia

Intern Catia Goncalves and mentor, Carmela Irina

West Side HS chemistry teacher, Lamont Scott andhis student, Marquis Guzman.

Newark museum people visiting Science-Explorer-Intern Lauren Small

Current and former interns getting together fora photo-op….

Future Plans

1. After-school student projectsGIS projectContinuing research

2. Staffing PlansNew Teaching AssistantNew Teacher Intern(s)New Student Interns

3. Other:Alumni NewsletterMolecular Biology WorkshopWebsite updates

Petrina Boucher and Juan Robles; TA’s, year 2007 and year 2006, respectively

Rebeca Rene and Petrina Boucher, alumnae of St. Vincent Academy… prospective and former TA’s

PetrinaPetrina Boucher, former intern & Boucher, former intern &Prospective TA, visiting her former mentor and PIProspective TA, visiting her former mentor and PI

Marquise Guzman and proud PI

Alexandra Sarabia, proud teachers and PI

Smitty’s lab group celebrating their two HS interns

The director with sisters, Catherine (‘04) and Lauren Small (‘07)

FEEDBACK FROM HAPPY INTERNS

“I loved the program and enjoyed coming every day.Something new was always presented to me and[it] supplied me with a great opportunity. This is thetype of program that students should be aware of because it extends a hand to better a student’s future.Thank you!!”

“ I had a great summer all in all—it really couldn’t have been any better and I’m really happy to have found this program. Thanks!”

“This program helped me to understand a side of science I did not know. This was an excellent experience for me and I truly thank you.”

Yak Saturen and Amberly Henandez

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The PHRI Summer High School ResearchInternship Program would not have been possiblewithout the support and encouragement of theprofessional and administrative staffs of the PHRICenter and the Department of Microbiology andMolecular Genetics at the UMDNJ. In addition, I wish to thank Dr. David Perlin, thePrudential Foundation, Victoria Foundation and theAmerican Chemical Society-- Project SEED for theirgenerous support.