UW Oshkosh
 
 
 

 

Introduction

The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh is a 2007-2009 recipient of the Merck·AAAS Undergraduate Science Research Program Award.  This award provides $60,000 over three years to support undergraduate collaborative research in chemistry and biology.  Students and faculty from both departments will work together on research projects at the interface between the two disciplines.  The grant provides full time support for six students per summer for the three year period.  The Faculty Development Program at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and the College of Letters and Science will also contribute funds to support the project.

 

Description of the Research Projects

Three interdisciplinary research projects will be supported by the grant. One of these projects teams UW-Oshkosh biology and microbiology professor Teri Shors and chemistry professor Brant Kedrowski who will isolate, characterize and study the antiviral properties of chemical compounds in cranberry and grape juices.  Another project pairs biology and microbiology professor Todd Sandrin and chemistry professor James Paulson who will study aspects of mitosis, a process of cell division which may have implications for understanding cancer and other diseases.  The final project pairs biology and microbiology professor Toivo Kallas and chemistry professor Linfeng Xie and involves the chemical synthesis and biological study of the quinone analogue inhibitor tridecyl-stigmatellin. The molecule is a potent inhibitor of respiratory and photosynthetic electron transport, which is important to understanding photosynthesis.  UW Oshkosh students that are interested in applying for summer research positions involving these projects should contact the investigating faculty members.

 

Description of the Award

The Merck/AAAS Undergraduate Science Research Program (USRP) is a national competitive awards program available in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Up to 15 new awards will be made annually. Each award provides up to $60,000 paid over three years at $20,000 per year for joint use by the biology and chemistry departments at each recipient institution. The funding supports research stipends for undergraduate students and ancillary programs that foster interactions between these departments.

Launched in 1993 as a program for institutions in twelve northeastern/mid-Atlantic states, the program expanded to a national competition in 2000. The program goals are to:

●  enhance undergraduate education through research experience that emphasize the interrelationship between chemistry and biology

●  encourage students to pursue graduate education in chemistry and life sciences

●  foster undergraduate programs and activities that bridge chemistry and biology

The program is funded by The Merck Institute for Science Education and administered by AAAS.

  Images on this page are from UW Oshkosh Photobase and the Merck/AAAS program site.