W science faculty receive SURF Awards for summer research

Four faculty members in Mississippi University for Women’s Department of Sciences and Mathematics have received Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Awards to conduct research with undergraduates this summer.

Dr. Davida Crossley, associate professor of microbiology; Dr. Michael Dodson, assistant professor of biology; Dr. Ghanshyam Heda, professor of biology; and Dr. Benjamin Onyeagucha, associate professor of biology, all received awards.

The Mississippi IDeA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence (MS-INBRE) presents SURF awards to faculty at primarily undergraduate institutions in Mississippi to assist with introducing undergraduate students to biomedical or public health research.

The MS-INBRE SURF grants provide research funding for the faculty serving as principal investigators for the research and a $6,000 summer salary for the students. As part of the SURF program, the participating students are required to present a poster at the Mississippi IDeA/EPSCoR Conference on Thursday, July 23, in Hattiesburg at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Crossley, along with senior biology major Destiny Roberson, will determine if the YAP1 gene is involved in helping the pathogenic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum survive stressful conditions. The ultimate goal, if the gene is indeed involved, is to find a way to use the gene for targeted therapy to combat the respiratory illness.

“Molecular research is highly expensive, and this grant helps to make this project possible,” Crossley said. “The summer is also an opportunity for us to have a lot of time to focus solely on just the project, providing one-on-one research mentorship, all without interruption from courses.  We are excited about this opportunity, and we can’t wait to see the results of our project.”

Dodson will work with senior biology major Jackson Thompson to analyze the levels of microplastics and heavy metals in urban soils to see the effect it has on edible plants, if any. The goal is to determine whether or not the plants absorb any of the materials into their tissues, potentially making them unsafe for consumption.

“This is my biggest grant to receive to date, and since I just received my Ph.D., I am excited to see how to grow my lab presence on campus and increase our department’s research capability,” Dodson said. “I want to show just what kind of students and research we have going on here at The W.”

Dodson and Thompson will be joined in the lab by Savannah Voigt, who is participating through the Summer Scholars Program at The W.

Heda, along with Zarin Raya, a senior chemistry major, will investigate the therapeutic potential of specific small molecules for treating cystic fibrosis. Previous research by the Heda Lab generated some meaningful positive biochemical and functional data on the effectiveness of these small molecules called “triazole compounds.”

Raya will be working on confirmatory studies using immunohistochemical techniques in collaboration with scientists and core facilities at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Onyeagucha will work with Ogbonna Osondu, a senior business administration major.

The two will work with colon cancer cells in culture to study a gene called ZNF493. They are investigating the role that gene plays in colon cancer.

The award is for two months, lasting June 1- July 31.