BIOrhythms
a publication of the Washington University Biology Department for Undergraduate Majors
Faculty Spotlight: Heather Barton
Solitary confinement is an unjust system
Girls must learn to see themselves as scientists
Bio 200/500 Research Spotlights
Hannah White on the Perlmutter Lab
Joel Perlmutter’s lab has many different projects, most of which are focused on the development of new PET radiotracers for Parkinson disease. My project in the lab is to study a non-human primate model of Parkinson disease, and the effects of a new drug, Carboxyfullerene (C3), on neurotransmitter levels and dopaminergic cells in different regions of the brain.
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Ben French on the Elgin Lab
I have been working in Dr. Elgin’s lab for the past two and a half years to analyze the characteristics of an unusual chromosome in Drosophila (fruit flies). The fourth chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster is unusual because this tiny chromosome is almost entirely heterochromatic yet contains about 80 protein-coding genes.
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Kevin Yin on the Rentschler Lab
In the Rentschler lab, we aim to address heart disease by looking at how developmental pathways and gene regulation networks are associated with various heart diseases. We are specifically interested in how alterations of genes during development or in the adult can lead to arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia.
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Samuel Kim on the Kummer Lab
In the Kummer lab, we are focused on creating the tools needed to help localize the foci of neural circuit dysfunction. Although the historical attention has been on axonal injury, with synapses below the resolution of classical techniques, new technology enables us to overcome this barrier.
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Send Us Your Ideas and InformationFaculty Spotlight: Heather Barton
Heather Barton grew up in Meadville, a tiny town in western Pennsylvania. She completed her undergrad work at Grove City College near her hometown. Her family, including her parents and four sisters, lived a quiet country lifestyle. She spent many hours as a child playing outside in the dirt, in streams and in the woods. Nature was a big part of her life from a very young age and her desire to figure out how things work in nature was a driving force behind her interest in biology.
Heather expanded her horizons in her grad school and postdoc years. Every school she looked into was geared toward wildlife ecology and evolutionary biology, her primary interests. She settled on Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS where she worked in the conservation genetics lab of Samantha Wisely studying the micro-evolution of rabies in stripe skunks. Because Kansas State was the main location for rabies diagnostics in the US, there was no shortage of samples for lab-based research, with several states represented over at least a decade. Read More...
BIOrhythms archive
January 2019
This issue features new biology faculty member Heather Barton, new Area C course Bio 4195 Disease Ecology, Bio 500 Research spotlight about Kevin Yin in the Rentschler Lab, Biosurf, and a new Living Earth Collaborative undergrad group.
November 2018
This issue features new biology faculty member Dr. Mary Lambo, changes to the Neuroscience Track of the Biology Major, Bio 500 Research spotlight about Benjamin French in the Elgin Lab and the new Biology Commons.
September 2018
This issue features new biology chair Joe Jez, the Biotech Explorers Pathway, Undergrad Research Symposium, Career Center events and more.
April 2018
This issue features new biology faculty member Jonathan Losos, Bio 1811, MedPrep Global Scholars Program, Bunche Scholar Awards, Minority Association of Rising Scientists, and Career Center Events.
February 2018
This issue features new biology faculty member Keith Hengen, Bio 3411: Research Spotlight on Molly Shallow’s work in the Hengen Lab, Career Center events, summer internship opportunities, the Public Health Major at Wash U and more.
November 2017
This issue features new faculty member Dr. Rachel Penczykowski, Bio 4936: Seminars in Ecology and Evolution, the Bio 500 research of Odion Asikhia in the Strassmann/Queller Lab, Career Center events, and more.
September 2017
This issue features information about Tyson Research Center, Bio 200/500: Independent Research with focus on the Blodgett Lab, new student group Wash U Women in STEM, Career Center events, and more.
April 2017
This issue features information about Dr. Petra Levin, Bio 4492: Infectious Diseases: History, Pathology and Prevention, the new Microbiology major track, Career Center events, and more.
February 2017
This issue features information about Dr. Kate Hanes, Bio 4524: Structural Bioinformatics of Protein, Wash U Global Brigades Student Experience, Career Center events, WU Achieve, JCUBES, STLAURS and more.
November 2016
This issue features information about Dr. Fahd Ahmad, Bio 2652 PEMRAP, Synapse and more.
September 2016
This issue features information about Dr. Allan Larson, Bio 4183 Molecular Evolution, S.A.R.A.H. recruiting, student groups JCUBES and Synapse, Undergraduate Research Symposium and more.
April 2016
This issue features information about Dr. Richard Vierstra, JCUBES meetings, upcoming events at the Career Center and various prizes and awards for biology graduates in the class of 2016.
February 2016
This issue features information about Dr. Mitch Kundel, Bio 171: Neuroscience Futures 1, JCUBES meetings, upcoming events at the Career Center and various other undergraduate opportunities.
November 2015
This issue features information about Dr. Maggie Schlarman, Bio 3493: Bacterial Bioprospecting and Biotechnology, Organization for Tropical Study opportunities, Student Clubs, and upcoming events at the Career Center.
September 2015
This issue features information about new Assistant Professor Carlos Botero; Bio 373: Laboratory on the Evolution of Animal Behavior, Career Center events, Neuroscience Colloquium, PARC certificate requirements, Undergraduate Research Symposium and more.
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All issues of BIOrhythms dating back to September 2008
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