Each of these faculty guide undergraduate research with support from K-INBRE. But, more than just guiding research, these faculty are active mentors with each student.
Dr. Virginia Rider
We are interested in understanding the action of female sex hormones in normal target cells and disease. A major focus of our research is to clarify the mechanisms involved in preparing the uterus to accept an embryo. The maternal cells that interface with the fetal placenta are of particular interest. The proliferation (increase in number) and differentiation (conversion of stroma to decidua) of these cells is regulated by progesterone and estradiol. We are studying how these hormones stimulate two different but related processes in the same cells.
The autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) occurs 10 time more often in women than men. Ongoing research in our laboratory suggests that the female sex hormone, estradiol, alters the expression of genes involved in T cell activation. The mechanisms by which estradiol exerts these effects are being delineated.
Current Students: Emily Walters, Rebecca Bryon, Elise Johannesen, Kylie Quick, Dustin Graham, Caleb Burrows.
Contact Information: phone (620.235.4739) / fax (620.235.4194) / e-mail
Dr. Dan Zurek
My lab is investigating a potent antimicrobial protein from soybean with the ultimate goal of producing a novel antibiotic. Antibiotic resistance is an enormous and rapidly growing problem among numerous human pathogens formerly easily controlled by existing drugs. Discovery of new antibiotics is essential. Research has focused on isolating new medicinal compounds from rare tropical plant species, but little attention has been paid to crop species which can be grown in quantity.
We have cloned a gene from soybean (Glycine max L.) encoding an enzyme possessing glucanase activity, potentially capable of degrading bacterial and fungal cell wall structures, resulting in abatement or termination of microbial growth. It has shown considerable activity against several species of gram negative bacteria (E. coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Proteus vulgaris) as well as against Charcoal Rot (Macrophomina phaseolina), a significant fungal pathogen of soybean, corn, cotton, and many other plant species of agronomic importance responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars lost to American farmers annually. Analysis of purified recombinant protein from a yeast expression system is underway to quantitate the efficacy of this protein as an antimicrobial agent.
Contact Information: phone (620.235.4746) / fax (620.235.4194) / e-mail