UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications

The University of Texas at Tyler Students Excel at State Sciences Conference

March 31, 2017

Media Contact:  Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer–Strategic Communications & Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.539.7196 (cell)

The University of Texas at Tyler biology and chemistry students were recognized for outstanding research during this year's Texas Academy of Sciences Annual Meeting, Dr. Martin Slann, College of Arts and Sciences dean, announced.

Senior chemistry major Zachary Warren of Abilene placed first and earned the "Best Undergraduate Neuroscience Poster" Award for his presentation, "Characterization of Spatial and Temporal Expression of c16orf52 in Zebrafish." His faculty mentor is assistant biology professor Dr. Brent Bill.

In addition, graduate biology student Elizabeth Hankle of Kansas City, Kansas placed third for her presentation, "Determining the Host Fish for the Louisiana Pigtoe Mussel, Pleurobema riddellii." She was awarded a TAS research grant in the amount of $1,000. Her faculty mentor is biology professor Dr. Neil Ford.

"It was a great meeting, and we were well represented by excellent students and faculty," said Dr. Neil Gray, The University of Texas at Tyler Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry chair, who also serves as the current TAS president.

Other top student researchers are listed with their research title and faculty mentor.

Junior chemistry major Jessica Bird of Grapevine, poster – "Constructing Peptide-Based Molecular Building Blocks for the Controlled Assembly of Nanomaterials," assistant professors of chemistry Drs. Sean Butler and Dustin Patterson.

Junior chemistry major Christy Hjorth of Diana, poster – "Cloning and Expression of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Elastase in E. coli for Examining Inflammatory Response of Lung Tissue," Patterson, in collaboration with professor of biology Dr. Ali Azghani.

Senior chemistry major Andrea Hernandez of El Salvador, poster – "Enzyme Folding Improves Catalytic Activity of Enzyme Cargos in Virus-Like Particle Nanoreactors," Patterson.

Biology graduate student Andrew Glen of Columbia, Missouri, oral presentation – "The Relationship Between Mesohabitat Structure and Mussel Communities in an East Texas River," Ford.

One of the 14 campuses of the UT System, The University of Texas at Tyler features excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at The University of Texas at Tyler, which has an enrollment of almost 10,000 high-ability students. The University of Texas at Tyler offers courses at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine as well as a location in Houston.