A December 2003 graduate, Amanda's interests
in chemistry are bio-inorganic and neurochemistry. After graduation, Amanda
will have completed 7 semesters of undergraduate research. In her freshman year,
Amanda worked with Dr. Dan Jelski on a computational physical chemistry project:
the vibrational modes of Buckminsterfullerene (C60). As a sophomore and junior,
Amanda worked under the guidance of Dr. Philip Kumler on the thermal analysis of
protein and the synthesis of molecular chaperones. As a senior, Amanda's research
has come full circle to work again with Buckyball: studying ruthenium clusters
attached to Buckyball, and how ruthenium-based clusters interact with DNA
base-pairs to interrupt electron transfer down the DNA chain, which is important
in the mechanisms of mutagenesis, carcinogenesis and DNA repair. This project is
under the supervision of Dr. Holly Lawson. Amanda spent the summer of 2002 at the
WM Keck Center for Molecular Electronics at Syracuse University. Working under
the direction of Dr. Jeff Stuart, Amanda grew and isolated the protein
Bacteriorhodopsin. After this summer working at a local winery, and then
finishing her coursework, Amanda plans to apply to graduate schools:
Syracuse U., SUNY Albany, Emory U. and University of Dunedain are possible
choices.
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