UNews - Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Celebrating the versatility of ribonucleic acid (RNA)

caroline.zentner — Mon, 30 Jul 2018 16:51:26 +0000

Wednesday, Aug. 1 marks the first ever annual RNA Day, a celebration of the vital biological molecule, ribonucleic acid. RNA is a close relative of the commonly known molecule, DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), and they, along with protein, are the three major biological molecules required for life.

Students at the Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute (ARRTI) at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge heard the call for an RNA Day celebration and they stepped up to host several activities in the community. They will be at the Downtown Lethbridge Farmers Market on Wednesday, Aug. 1 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with fun kids’ activities, such as colouring and word searches, and the chance to talk to an RNA scientist.

Dr. H-J Wieden, bottom centre, works with students in the lab.

"I hope RNA Day shows the public more about research and how members of the scientific community are using RNA to try and better the lives of people, in a wide range of applications from medicine to agriculture," says Sydnee Calhoun, a fourth-year undergraduate studying biochemistry. "Since this is the first RNA Day, I hope we continue to build on this event for many years to come."

"I feel as though RNA Day is a great stepping stone towards making RNA knowledge mainstream,” says Jessica Semmelrock, another fourth-year biochemistry student. “I'm looking forward to the circulation of this knowledge, which I hope will bring the general public closer to the exciting research that is going on around them."

In addition to this free public outreach activity, ARRTI will also be hosting a livestream of a scientific lecture. The RNA Society and the organizers of the Ribosome Synthesis Conference have arranged for the keynote lecture by Dr. Ed Hurt (��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Heidelberg) to be shared live with the international RNA community. The talk is titled “Insights into the mechanism of eukaryotic ribosome biogenesis” and will be viewable at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 1, in room C640 of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall.

“RNA will play a critical role in the new age of biotechnology — the rational design and engineering of biomolecular-based systems and molecular machines,” says Dr. Hans-Joachim Wieden, the founding director of ARRTI. “The role of RNA in new and upcoming disruptive technology has been foreshadowed by the recent commercial successes of the CRISPR gene-editing platform and the emergence of RNA-based therapeutics and pesticides.”

An artist's rendition of an RNA strand

The field of RNA research has been expanding ever since it was identified as a molecule unique from DNA in the 1930s. Since 1957, there have been 31 Nobel Prizes for RNA Biology, with nine Nobel Prizes in Chemistry and 22 in Physiology or Medicine. In 1993, the RNA Society was formed to facilitate sharing and dissemination of experimental results and emerging concepts in RNA research. The RNA Society is a non-profit, international scientific society with more than 1,800 members. It hosts a peer-reviewed scientific journal (RNA), an annual scientific conference and is responsible for the declaration of Aug. 1 as RNA Day.

At the U of L, RNA research is flourishing within the ARRTI, with eight research groups and more than 100 trainees working on problems related to cancer, antibiotics, viral infections and agriculture.

“Many of the most-deadly viruses in the world have an RNA genome,” explains Tyler Mrozowich, a master’s student in the lab of Dr. Trushar Patel. “The study of this exceptional molecule will help us understand these viruses, and ultimately, help us combat the diseases they cause.”

“For me, the greatest outcome of RNA research is the development of RNA therapeutics,” says Chris Lindgren, another master’s student in the Patel lab. “To see someone’s face when they learn that they have been cured of a disease would make all the long days in the lab and the sleepless nights worthwhile.”

The significance of RNA research for the future of Canadians was recently endorsed by a $1.65-million training grant, jointly held by the U of L and the Université de Sherbrooke. The grant will allow these leading RNA-research institutions to develop the RNA Bioengineering and Innovation Network Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) to train job-ready leaders and innovators in the field of biotechnology.

Interdisciplinary collaboration leads to research publication

caroline.zentner — Wed, 23 May 2018 21:36:26 +0000

A collaboration between ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and international scientists has led to a prestigious publication for doctoral student Ryan Kung (BSc ’15).

Under the supervision of Dr. Stacey Wetmore, Kung’s research into how the structure of a DNA damaging agent affects biological consequences was recently published in the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology.

“It was encouraging and exciting that something I did a lot of work on was published and added knowledge to the field,” says Kung. “I’m really thankful that Stacey set up this collaboration for me and allowed me to conduct this research and expand my knowledge in this area.”

The research involved studying DNA damage related to a class of compounds called aromatic amines, which come from many different sources in the environment, such as vehicle exhaust, oil refining and tobacco smoke.

“We looked at DNA damage that was very similar to an aromatic amine that we know is very toxic and causes bladder cancer. We wanted to know if it would behave the same way if we changed the structure slightly,” says Kung.

Dr. Richard Manderville, at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Guelph, and Dr. Shana Sturla and Florence Berger, at ETH Zürich in Switzerland, created the damaged DNA and marked it with a fluorine atom. The presence of the fluorine atom allowed Kung to gain critical information about the structure of the damaged DNA using both computational and experimental methods.

“Their help was instrumental in the making of the damaged DNA,” says Kung. “The collaboration and the ability to work with these people and learn from them was a great opportunity and I really enjoyed that.”

At the U of L, Kung and Wetmore worked with other researchers within the Canadian Centre for Research in Advanced Fluorine Technologies (C-CRAFT). This state-of-the-art facility provided the high-quality equipment that allowed Kung to make a significant contribution to the research. Kung and Wetmore used powerful computers to model what was happening at the microscopic level.

“The experimental information collected about these systems is complicated and difficult to interpret. Computer modelling therefore plays a critical role in allowing us to understand the effects of DNA damage,” says Wetmore. “The modelling expertise that Ryan has developed thus far in his graduate studies makes collaborations with international, interdisciplinary research groups possible and successful.”

In collaboration with Tony Montina, who is the U of L’s nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) facility manager, Kung also looked at the samples of damaged DNA using NMR spectroscopy.

“The use of fluorine NMR in this project provided a powerful piece of experimental evidence that could be used to confirm the computational work done by Ryan,” says Montina. “This project represents an excellent example of the high quality transdisciplinary research being done by C-CRAFT and the diversity of training that students like Ryan are able to obtain while carrying out graduate studies at the U of L.”

“Using a combination of computational and experimental techniques, we found that there could be two structures, one of them was very similar to undamaged DNA and likely would not have a huge impact on the body,” says Kung. “The other structure we found distorted the DNA more and would likely have more serious consequences. Even a small change in the structure of DNA can have a big biological impact.”

Originally from Linden, a village northeast of Calgary, Kung came to the U of L intending to eventually enter education. He knew he wanted to study science but felt equally drawn to mathematics and chemistry. He flipped a coin and chemistry won.

“As an undergraduate, I was encouraged to do research with different groups and one that really fascinated me was Dr. Wetmore’s computational chemistry,” says Kung. “We focus on the micro level so we can understand small changes. Those small changes can have large effects, such as cancer and other immune disorders. You can’t always predict from the small change what’s going to happen in the large system.”

Kung has been awarded a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship, an NSERC Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship Doctoral Program, Alberta Innovates Technology Futures (AITF) Graduate Student Scholarship and a School of Graduate Studies fellowship.

U of L computational chemistry students build international networks

caroline.zentner — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 17:44:34 +0000

Two ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge doctoral students have built international connections early in their careers, thanks to Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements (MSFSS) from the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC).

Katie Wilson (BSc ’13), who spent three months at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Porto in Portugal, and Stefan Lenz (BSc ’13), who spent three months at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Rhode Island, are being supervised by Dr. Stacey Wetmore, a professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. They are in the process of finishing the requirements for their PhDs in computational chemistry, a field that employs computers to help solve chemistry problems.

“It was amazing,” Wilson says of her time at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Porto. “I wanted to learn new techniques to model biological systems and Dr. Wetmore is connected to Dr. Maria João Ramos’ group in Porto, so I went there to learn the methods they are using. For any scientific advancement, you need that collaboration in order to go forward.”

Lenz went to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Rhode Island to work with Dr. Deyu Li, an experimental expert in the field of DNA repair. Lenz had the opportunity to learn experimental techniques used to study DNA repair.

“Computational chemistry can’t solve all of the problems and, by the same token, experiments can’t provide all of the insights we’d like either,” says Lenz. “It’s often a dual-headed approach that yields the best results, so establishing a consistent collaboration between a computational lab and an experimental lab can be extremely valuable.”

“An incredible part of a young researcher’s education is exposure to new environments and ways of thinking,” says Wetmore. “Nothing can replace the experience of being immersed in a collaboration between innovative researchers with vibrant and productive research programs. Katie and Stefan have enhanced their graduate education by securing funding from the MSFSS program in order to take advantage of this important opportunity.”

Wilson, who is from Canmore, and Lenz, who is from Coaldale, came to the U of L with very different goals from those they are now pursuing. Wilson had set her sights on becoming a teacher while Lenz wanted to study medicine.

“That was before I realized I couldn’t deal with blood or the hospital atmosphere,” he says, adding he became aware of Wetmore’s work through a tour of her lab. “I really liked the idea of studying DNA and the processes that involve DNA.”

Wilson altered her path when she found she enjoyed her science courses so much so that she only wanted to keep building her knowledge.

“I didn’t want to stop learning; I wanted to be able to apply it more in-depth than if I were to get an education degree,” she says. “I got involved in the co-op program during my undergrad to get a research-related job in the summer. There was a job posting to work with Stacey and understanding how DNA damage affects the body interests me, so I worked in her lab that summer and stayed.”

Wilson studies how damaged DNA is replicated in the body. Repair proteins aren’t perfect and they sometimes miss damaged sites. These damaged sites may be replicated and that can introduce further damage into the DNA that can lead to long-term health effects. Since her return from Portugal, she’s shared what she learned with other students in Wetmore’s lab, which is part of the Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute (ARRTI) and the Canadian Centre for Research in Advanced Fluorine Technologies (C-CRAFT).

Lenz focuses on DNA repair mechanisms. Several repair pathways exist and they use proteins that catalyze chemical reactions or enzymes to search and reverse the damage caused by the things we encounter on a daily basis, oxygen being the most common. Cancer drugs can also damage DNA and Lenz works to find out how repair proteins work, with the hope of synthesizing new drugs to enhance cancer treatment in the future.

Wilson and Lenz were eligible for the Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements because of their NSERC scholarships. Wilson is a Vanier scholar and Lenz was awarded the Alexander Graham Bell Canadian Graduate Scholarship.

“Studying abroad allows you to build connections and collaborations with other researchers, which are always going to be useful when going on in science,” Wilson says. “It’s a huge benefit to my future, and just getting exposed to a different research environment and being able to adapt allows me to be strengthened as a researcher.”

“The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has been great,” adds Lenz. “The U of L has been incredibly generous with computer and monetary resources, and mentorship. Stacey, and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry as a whole, have provided valuable insight and direction into my thesis and guided my career path.”

Lenz and Wilson are also grateful to have received scholarships from the U of L and Alberta Innovates-Technologies Futures.

U of L chemists make most-cited lists

caroline.zentner — Mon, 08 Jan 2018 22:08:52 +0000

The research publications of two ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge chemistry professors have made the Canadian Journal of Chemistry’s (CJC) lists of most-cited papers from the last 20 years and the 100 most-cited papers ever published by the journal.

A 1994 study published in the Canadian Journal of Chemistry and led by Dr. Andy Hakin is one of the most-cited papers of the last 20 years.

Dr. Andrew Hakin, U of L provost and vice-president (academic) and a professor of chemistry, was the lead author of a 1994 study that looked at some fundamental thermodynamic properties of aqueous solutions of selected amino acids, the building blocks of proteins.

“This was a total surprise. It’s always nice to see one of your papers become one of the most-cited in the last 20 years,” says Hakin. “People refer to properties we reported again and again so I’m pleased we made such a meaningful contribution.”

Other authors of the paper include Dr. Michelle (Duke) Hogue, then an academic assistant in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and now a professor in the First Nations Transition Program, Robert McKay, also an academic assistant at the time, now retired, and current U of L senator, and two then undergraduate students, Sheri A. Klassen and Kathryn E. Preuss.

“It was the beginning of a series of papers on the thermodynamic properties of aqueous solutions of amino acids,” says Hakin. “We started to measure densities, from which you get volumes and heat capacities, to a very high degree of precision. The work is being referenced because they have become the values that people use. People have referred to them again and again.”

A 1969 study by Dr. Loren Hepler is on the list of the 100 most-cited papers ever published by the Canadian Journal of Chemistry.

On the list of the 100 most-cited papers ever published by the CJC is a 1969 paper by Dr. Loren Hepler, a founding chemistry professor at the U of L. After leaving the U of L, Hepler became a faculty member at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta and Hakin joined his research group as a post-doctoral fellow in 1987. After the fellowship, Hakin joined the U of L.

“The equipment that Hepler used when he was in Lethbridge is what I used with the amino acid studies,” says Hakin. “I’m delighted that two professors associated with the U of L Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry have been recognized in this way.”

Spooky Science has genome goo, ghost cannons and yes, exploding pumpkins

caroline.zentner — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 15:56:41 +0000

The organizers of Spooky Science Weekend aim to occupy youngsters with activities that are fun and engaging while at the same time sparking an interest in the sciences.

“Spooky Science is of course a fun event for the children and a way for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge to engage with the community, get together and share some fun. But the bigger purpose behind that is really to excite the children and the next generation for science,” says Dr. Ute Kothe, a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the faculty supervisor for the Let’s Talk Science Outreach program. “If we instill a sense of curiosity and questioning this early, it’s a lifelong attitude that the children will carry with them.”

Batman spent some time with his namesake at last year's Spooky Science Weekend.

An interest in science has never been a problem for Laura Keffer-Wilkes, a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge PhD candidate and co-ordinator of Spooky Science Weekend. As a high school student, she recalls having fun isolating the DNA in bananas. The same experiment is in this year’s lineup of activities under its Halloween name — genome goo.

“It’s really easy and kids love it,” she says. “You just crush up the banana and you mix in some dish soap and salt and then you rinse it with some isopropyl alcohol — all things you have in your house, right? Then you get these goopy strings.”

Genome goo is one of 10 activities in the lineup, along with a magic show by Wayne Lippa, an instructor in the department. Spooky Science enlists the help of about 20 undergraduate and graduate students for each of the three sessions.

“We couldn’t do it without our volunteers. They’re amazing,” says Keffer-Wilkes.

Getting youngsters interested in science at an early age gives them a foundation for learning about scientific inquiry and skills they’ll use throughout life.

A father and daughter perform an experiment at last year's Spooky Science Weekend.

“We believe strongly that this enables them to become critical citizens who are able to deal with problems in everyday life. Often, applying science skills of inquiry and questioning really helps you get along. That’s why we do science outreach,” says Kothe.

Keffer-Wilkes, who’s originally from Ontario, completed an undergraduate degree at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Guelph. A six-month internship at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lethbridge Research Station brought her out west. Following her internship, she decided to resume her studies, completing a master’s degree at the U of L and now working on a doctorate. Keffer-Wilkes joined the Let’s Talk Science Outreach program at the U of L a few years ago.

“I want to get young kids excited about science so they understand it,” she says. “I want to educate more people that science isn’t scary and we need to understand to be able to make informed decisions for our country.”

Because of its popularity, all sessions of Spooky Science filled up shortly after registration opened on Oct. 8. The activities are free but cash donations are never booed.

Media are welcome to attend any session of Spooky Science. The Friday session goes from 6 to 8 p.m. and the Saturday sessions go from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall Atrium.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge C-CRAFT symposium to showcase power of fluorine and NMR spectroscopy

trevor.kenney — Fri, 05 Dec 2014 19:00:32 +0000

The first centre of its kind in Canada, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Canadian Centre for Research in Advanced Fluorine Technologies (C-CRAFT), presents a Symposium Celebrating NMR Spectroscopy and Fluorine Chemistry, Friday, December 5, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the U of L.

With plenary speakers Dr. Jean-François Paquin (Université Laval) and Dr. Klaus Schmidt-Rohr (Brandeis ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ) joining world-class researchers within C-CRAFT, the symposium will examine various applications of the element fluorine and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.

“C-CRAFT is the first Canadian centre focusing on research and training around the element of fluorine and brings together a unique team of researchers with a wide range of expertise,” says Dr. Michael Gerken, a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the director of C-CRAFT. “While we were formalized as a centre nearly one year ago, this symposium is somewhat of a launch event for C-CRAFT.”

Fluorine is a unique element because of its reactivity in the elemental form and the large number of applications of fluorine compounds. For example, it has been estimated that 20 per cent of pharmaceuticals on the market contain fluorine and 30 to 40 per cent of agrochemicals contain fluorine.

“Fluorine chemistry is definitely a strength that is unique to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, and this centre is a way to build on that strength by getting together scientists who are interested in this chemistry in order to share knowledge, conduct research together and to provide services and expertise that are helpful to industry,” says Gerken.

The symposium will feature a host of talks throughout the afternoon, beginning with Paquin’s address at 1:10 p.m. when he presents Revisiting the Use of Fluoride as a Leaving Group. The U of L’s Dr. Stacey Wetmore follows at 1:50 p.m. as she presents Using Fluorine to Understand DNA Damage. At 4:20 p.m., Nora Foroud and Jim Miller of the Lethbridge Research Centre – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada present NMR Resolutions of Agricultural Traits: From Soil Chemistry to Crop Health.

“Since the centre was opened, we have added a 700 MHz NMR spectrometer, thanks to $1.6 million of funding through the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Alberta Government and the U of L,” says Gerken. “NMR spectroscopy is a powerful technique that allows for even more in-depth study of fluorine compounds and can be used in trans-disciplinary studies by researchers of various departments at the U of L and from other universities, research institutes and industry.”

C-CRAFT and the magnetic resonance facility at the U of L are already gaining a reputation as the hub for fluorine researchers across Canada and worldwide to collaborate with each other and share their expertise on fluorine and NMR spectroscopy for areas such as pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, plastics, oil production, biochemistry and neuroscience.

The symposium, to be held in C640, features a total of eight presentations.

Making Strides in Environmental and Medical Science

david.kirby — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 18:36:52 +0000

The horizon for sustainable energy and cancer treatment may soon become a little bit brighter, thanks to pioneering new research being performed by Dr. Nehalkumar Thakor.

Dr. Nehalkumar Thakor is the new Campus Alberta Innovates Program Chair of Synthetic Biology and RNA-based Systems at the U of L.

Thakor is the new Campus Alberta Innovates Program Chair of Synthetic Biology and RNA-based Systems at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. Appointed to the seven-year position this past September, the microbiologist is undertaking an innovative research program that will explore two distinct aspects of gene expression regulation. The first will look at how to use metabolic engineering and gene expression to produce sustainable energy.

“Humankind is being challenged right now because we are running out of our fossil fuel supply and we need an alternative energy source,” says Thakor, who is also an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. “My general objective is to study RNA-based system biology, particularly in the area of energy and environment.”

RNA, or ribonucleic acid, is a molecule involved in a variety of biological functions, including coding, decoding, regulating and expressing genes. Thakor’s goal is to try to use RNA to adjust the genetic expression that occurs in the cells of microorganisms. Achieving that would make it possible to then feed microorganisms plant waste that they would then convert into glucose, a core ingredient of biofuel.

This type of biofuel, Thakor says, is more sustainable than the most common alternatives currently available — biodiesel and bioethanol, both of which rely on using agriculture (canola for biodiesel and corn for ethanol) for their production.

“The problem is that lots of arable land is required to produce those biofuels, and this ultimately competes with food production,” he says. He adds that ultimately his research could improve the sustainability of other biotechnological processes, such as those involved in producing antibiotics and biodegradable plastics.

Thakor’s second research priority is to examine the role of gene expression regulation in protein translation during oncogenesis, or the formation of cancer. Specifically, he wants to understand why a regular a cell exposed to stress — such as being deprived of oxygen or nutrients — will die, but a cancer cell will survive.

Much of the existing research on this subject has shown that cancer cells increase the rate of protein synthesis — a vital cellular process that regulates growth and metabolism — which ultimately promotes the survival and progression of cancer. Thakor will investigate the cellular, biochemical, molecular and structural aspects of the regulation of protein translation to determine how these processes affect the development of cancer.

“By learning more about how protein translation occurs in cancer cells, it may provide us with insights into how we can create more effective cancer treatments,” he says.

In addition to his research, Thakor is also developing two new graduate-level elective courses: one on gene expression in health and disease, which he will start teaching in January, and another on immunology.

“I hope my research and teaching can provide students with a basis of understanding of different environmental- and health-related aspects of science and help them go on to become skilled scientists and good doctors,” he says.

Spooky Science ready to spark fun and interest in the sciences

caroline.zentner — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 17:12:58 +0000

This week’s Spooky Science activities are designed to give youngsters a taste of science wrapped up in a bunch of Halloween fun.

While he didn’t get the chance to attend such an event when he was a child, Luc Roberts, a doctoral student majoring in biochemistry, now has the chance to organize it through the Let’s Talk Science Outreach program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

“I really enjoy Spooky Science night. Everything’s exciting to younger children; they really like science and nothing is impossible. They have all these ideas and it’s good if you can get them interested in science at a young age,” says Roberts. “I see a lot of students here who came to some of our other Let’s Talk Science events. It’s nice to think that some people are joining the sciences because of us.”

He remembers the curiosity and creativity he had as a child, building with Lego blocks and getting out the screwdriver whenever a household appliance was broken so he could take it apart and see what was inside.

“I could never put it back together but I would take it apart, just because it was kind of cool inside,” he says.

Luc Roberts, a doctoral student, is one of the organizers of the Spooky Science weekend.

Roberts, who grew up in Lethbridge, had a natural affinity for the sciences when he was in high school. When he began his studies at the U of L, he intended to become an engineer. Those plans changed when he found he enjoyed other sciences more than math. Biochemistry piqued his interest, especially after he took his first serious biochemistry course because he had to apply the knowledge he’d learned in previous classes to solve problems.

“It was just incredibly challenging and I really liked it,” he says.

Roberts and several other students have been organizing Spooky Science Weekend with Dr. Ute Kothe, a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Let’s Talk Science Faculty supervisor, since September.

“Our biggest goal is to make it fun for the children so we put a lot of energy into finding really good activities, adding new activities, but also having safe activities,” says Kothe. “We want to excite the next generation and their parents for science, so that they enjoy and appreciate science and research and see the power of science in explaining the world.”

Children will participate in 13 activities, including making fake blood, fake snot, screaming balloons and small lava lamps. The evening includes a spooky chemistry show, complete with puking and exploding pumpkins, by Wayne Lippa, a U of L chemistry and biochemistry instructor.

“We have enthusiastic, happy children dressed up in their best costumes being focused and engaged in science and totally loving it. Just seeing their eyes is for me the biggest reward ever,” says Kothe.

Media can choose from three Spooky Science Weekend events, all held in the Atrium of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall. The Friday event goes from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturday events go from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m.

U of L students’ work to be showcased at annual Chinook Symposium

caroline.zentner — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 18:00:48 +0000

Students in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry will be highlighting their original research in the eighth annual Chinook Symposium, a student conference that includes a judged poster presentation.

Thirty-five students, including post-doctoral fellows, doctoral candidates, master’s and undergraduate students and a high school student, are participating this year. They have the opportunity to win big prizes, $300 for first place and $100 for second place in their category.

Students explain their research to judges at last year's Chinook Symposium.

“The prize money is drawn from a scholarship that we established seven years ago, based on donations from faculty members. Currently, it sits at $25,000. Most of us have standing donations into the fund so it’s actually a way for our department to give back to the students,” says Hans-Joachim Wieden, a professor in the department.

Corporate donors have also contributed to the scholarship and the Loren Hepler Gold Medal for PhD Research Excellence was added in 2009. Two finalists are chosen, one chemist and one biochemist, to give short lectures as a capstone to the symposium and then a winner is chosen. In 2012, two rookie prizes were added for students presenting at the conference for the first time.

Wieden invites the public to attend Friday’s symposium to get a firsthand look at the kind of research the students are conducting.

“I think it’s important to show that we have undergraduates and high school students working on projects that have direct relevance to areas such as public health or our economy,” he says.

The students’ research topics are diverse and apply to issues like cancer therapies, new antibiotics, rare diseases, agriculture and the oil industry.

“It’s a way for students to showcase and explain their work to their parents, friends and family. It’s an opportunity for the people who don’t work with the students day-to-day to ask questions about their research. For the general public, this is an opportunity to feel the pulse of what goes on in our research groups,” says Wieden.

Posters will be installed in Markin Hall and available for public viewing Friday morning from 10 a.m. to noon. Students arrive at 1 p.m. and judging begins. At 5 p.m., the Loren Hepler medal candidates will deliver their presentations, followed by an awards ceremony.

German exchange students learn research skills at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

caroline.zentner — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 16:22:22 +0000

For the past few years, university students from Germany have been able to hone their research skills in labs at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Through the German Academic Exchange Service, Dr. Hans-Joachim Wieden and Dr. Ute Kothe, professors in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, have had German university students work in their labs for up to three months.

“What I like about it is that it brings international experience into my lab,” says Kothe. “I have students who are from southern Alberta so it’s nice for them to talk to the Germans and for the Germans, it’s nice to talk to the students from southern Alberta.

“Of course the science, the lab, the research experience and the techniques are important because it fits into their careers, but it’s also a cultural exchange. We get to know each other and we share a lot of fun.”

This year, Melanie Schwerdtfeger is working in Kothe’s lab while Ursela Barteczko is working in Wieden’s lab. They arrived in Lethbridge in mid-July and will be staying until the end of September.

Ursela Barteczko, left, and Melanie Schwerdtfeger are conducting research in U of L labs this summer through the German Academic Exchange Service.

Students apply for an internship with the German exchange service, selecting their top three choices from a database of available projects. The process is competitive, with only about a third of students and half of the labs succeeding in obtaining a fellowship position.

“I’ve never been outside Europe so it was a chance to travel abroad and Canada was always one of the countries that fascinated me,” says Schwerdtfeger, who is studying molecular medicine in Germany.

In Kothe’s lab, Schwerdtfeger has had the opportunity to put her classroom learning into practice. She has been isolating plasmids from bacteria. Plasmids are small DNA-containing molecules that can replicate apart from the chromosomal DNA in a bacterial cell. Plasmids often transfer resistance genes and that has implications for antibiotic resistance. Schwerdtfeger’s work in the lab involves isolating certain plasmids, with an eventual goal of manipulating the bacteria.

Barteczko, who’s studying molecular biotechnology in Germany, applied for an internship in Wieden’s lab because it matched her field of study and interests.

“I’m looking at the interaction of a protein with the ribosome. We’re trying different techniques to see what affects this binding and what is the function of this protein,” she says.

“The exchange program works in two ways for us. It brings the German students to the lab and so far we’ve always had outstanding students come and contribute to the work,” says Wieden. “It brings them into the lab and our students get accustomed to a German peer.”

UNews - Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Celebrating the versatility of ribonucleic acid (RNA)

Related Topics

Interdisciplinary collaboration leads to research publication

Related Topics

U of L computational chemistry students build international networks

Related Topics

U of L chemists make most-cited lists

Related Topics

Spooky Science has genome goo, ghost cannons and yes, exploding pumpkins

Related Topics

��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge C-CRAFT symposium to showcase power of fluorine and NMR spectroscopy

Related Topics

Making Strides in Environmental and Medical Science

Related Content

U of L appoints Dr. Nehal Thakor as its fourth CAIP chair

Related Topics

Spooky Science ready to spark fun and interest in the sciences

Related Topics

U of L students’ work to be showcased at annual Chinook Symposium

Related Topics

German exchange students learn research skills at the ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

Related Topics

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge C-CRAFT symposium to showcase power of fluorine and NMR spectroscopy

German exchange students learn research skills at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge