三个人通过电脑屏幕进行研究

化学教授通过学生的研究使课程变得生动

朱莉·伊尔, 中国博彩平台的化学副教授, 为八名PSU-LV学生提供了改变他们一生的本科研究经历.
作者:Dennille Schuler
朱莉·埃利为八名PSU-LV学生提供了改变他们一生的本科研究经历

十多年了, 朱莉·伊尔, 中国博彩平台化学副教授, 是否曾与本科生进行过深入的化学研究, 提供了一个宝贵的机会,大多数大学生没有得到的经验.

在过去的两年里,她与哈比卜·亚兹吉密切合作, 施赖尔中国博彩平台, 和Noorhaan Abouomar, 他们都是前PSU-LV学生, 他们都转到中国博彩平台伯克分校后还继续和埃莉一起工作. Forthcoming from that research will be at least two articles on the binding of four different molecules to riboflavin binding protein. Previous to this research Habib and Noorhaan contributed to research with six other PSU-LV students who worked with 伊尔 for five years total. 这些学生包括贾斯汀·科恩, 保罗Flauta, 莉莉安娜Nassar, 马修Mekolochik, 莎拉·拉姆齐和克里斯托弗·香农. 一篇文章, “Estimated Binding Energies of Drug-like and Nondrug-like Molecules in the Active Site of HIV-1 integrase, 1双.pdb, and Two Mutant Models: Y143R and N155H” was published from the research appearing in the Advances in Bioscience and Biotechnology Journal.

“Dr. 伊尔 has provided her students a tremendous and unique opportunity to gain high-quality hands-on research as undergraduate students that has spanned semesters, 有时是年份,甚至是校园位置,道格拉斯·霍克斯特勒说, PSU-LV学术事务临时主任. “作为一个杰出的研究机构, Penn State emphasizes the value of research and we are proud to offer students the chance to work with esteemed faculty on research at PSU-LV. 我赞扬博士。. 对学生的研究进行优先排序, 给她的学生充足的机会来展示他们的研究和发现.”

埃利在哥伦比亚大学获得化学教育哲学博士学位. While at 中国博彩平台 she has spent half of her research on chemistry education, 另一半用于科学研究, 主要是生物学和生物化学. 伊尔 earned a master of science in secondary education with a minor in health from Northern Illinois University, 以及纽约州立大学布法罗分校的生物学学士学位. 自2001年9月以来,埃利一直在PSU-LV任教.

在2010年春夏休假期间,埃利与奥巴马博士一起工作. Michael Katzman是中国博彩平台好时医疗中心的传染病专家. 在研究HIV-1整合酶的过程中,她学到了宝贵的新技术, 参与HIV繁殖的三种酶之一. 她继续申请并与她的PSU-LV学生分享她在好时学到的技能.

“I also learned something new during that experience – that I need to ask for help,埃利说。.

This lesson possibly enhanced 伊尔’s ability to work so closely with her student researchers.

“我从不因为他们的成绩而挑选研究生. 我很乐意说“我不知道”或“我不明白”.“我想知道他们是善良的,而不是评判的. 我希望他们能够质疑事物,能够问他们‘你怎么看’?’”埃利说. “这是一种相互给予的关系,是一种非常独特的学习经历. 我们平等地一起工作,这需要一定程度的尊重.”

Habib and Noorhaan had 伊尔 for chemistry lecture and lab during their first year at PSU-LV when they expressed interest in possibly working with her. Both students were mentored by 伊尔 during the second semester of their freshman year so they would be ready as sophomores to begin research.

第一个研究课题是, Habib and Noorhaan worked on together was finishing up the estimated binding energy research 伊尔 had started along with other PSU-LV students. Their research looked at the estimated binding energies of drug-like and nondrug-like molecules in the active site of HIV-1 integrase. HIV-1整合酶是最后一种被开发出药物的与HIV相关的蛋白质.

他们展示了他们的海报, titled “Estimated Binding Energies of Drug-like and Nondrug-like Molecules in the Active Site of HIV-1 Integrase, 1双.pdb和1双突变.pdb”,2016年8月在费城举行的美国化学学会会议上.

在这之后, their research moved to the next phase where they explored the binding affinity of flavins with riboflavin binding protein (RBP). RBP在胎儿发育中很重要. 他们研究了从荧光光谱中获得的结合亲和力, 等温滴定量热法, 从计算化学中估计结合能.

在亚兹吉大二到大三之间, 他和埃利一起在大学公园参加了一个为期一周的生物无机研讨会.

“This is where we were introduced to isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and made connections with the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences which provided grant money that allowed for the use of instruments at University Park. 我们意识到我们的研究需要这种实验技术。.

回国后,湿台式研究开始使用荧光光谱法.

“在开发一种药物时,你希望能够抑制这种蛋白质. 当药物与蛋白质对接时, you want the binding energy value to be negative because that indicates tighter binding with the protein, 希望药物能抑制这种蛋白质. 计算机程序可以估算结合能。. “We used four molecules and wanted to see how accurate computational software was in assessing estimated binding energies. 理想情况下,最好是计算机软件, 这是划算的, 能像湿台式研究一样运作吗, 哪些会因为化学品的成本而变得昂贵. 目标是设计计算机程序来模拟湿台式研究.”

他们展示了他们的海报,标题为, “Spectrophotometric Fluorescence and Isothermal Titration Calorimetry Used to Determine the Binding Affinity of Flavins with Riboflavin Binding Protein and Computationally Calculated Estimated Binding Energy” at the Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Hershey, Pa. 2017年7月.

“当我们向美国化学学会展示, 我们在向研究生展示我们的研究!阿布奥马尔说.

“我们从对HIV-1整合酶的计算研究开始, 到了第二年,我们在一次全国会议上展示了一张海报. 所有这些都是在课外完成的。.

校园小,机会大

Yazgi and Abouomar said they were able to apply what they were studying in real-time to their research with 伊尔, 他们也学到了团队合作的宝贵经验.

“The research offered a good chance to apply and absorb what I learned and not be passively receiving the information. 我的动机是博士. 把我学到的知识应用到这项研究中. I already see how this will benefit me when I am a doctor someday when I plan to take the science and apply it uniquely to my patients,Yazgi说.

Abouomar said one of her friends at University Park was waiting in line for a chance to do undergraduate research but did not have the opportunity because of the size of the campus and the fact that many professors have graduate or doctoral students working on their research with them already.

“这是如此有意义的工作与博士. 伊尔. 有机会在这个水平上做本科生研究是一件令人难以置信的事情. That is why every Friday morning I drove an hour from Berks just to work with her at PSU-LV. 例如, 我学会了如何提纯蛋白质, 哪一项重要的技术是很多大学生都学不到的, 这只是我学到的东西之一,阿布奥马尔说.

“当你和别人一起上课时, 只有一个学期, 但这项研究是多年来共同努力的结果. I see the value in working with others; when thinking and working as a team, 它有助于使这个过程更快,Yazgi说.

亚兹吉于2018年毕业于中国博彩平台伯克分校,获得了生物学学位,是施赖尔中国博彩平台. 曾担任Yazgi的Schreyer中国博彩平台论文导师. 他的论文是他们共同研究的副产品. It was actually the first time that scientific Schreyer Scholar research was completed at 中国博彩平台.

教授和两个戴着帽子、穿着长袍的学生在树下合影

伊尔 (center) attended and walked at the Penn State Berks commencement ceremony in May 2018 to celebrate with Yazgi and Abouomar. 曾担任Yazgi的Schreyer中国博彩平台论文导师. 

来源:朱莉·埃利

Yazgi申请并被好时医学院录取. 他于2018年7月开始工作.

“利哈伊谷校区很小,但这意味着教师更容易找到. Dr. 伊尔 was so helpful and cooperative and you can tell she is truly committed to her students and to research,Yazgi说.

Abouomar于2018年毕业于中国博彩平台伯克分校,获得生物化学学位. She is currently in graduate school at Drexel University where she will earn a master of science degree in biomedical studies. 她说她希望在未来的工作中做一些与病理学有关的事情.

“While Noorhan and Habib came at the end of my research on HIV-1 integrase and completed research on riboflavin binding protein, 我们三个人所取得的成就对于一个小校园来说是惊人的,埃利说。. “我以为这个研究之旅会很简单. I never expected how challenging it would be; how much help we would need. 但这就是研究. I didn’t expect there would be so much learning and mentoring, too, and that all came out of it.”