| [Image: Group photo from the 2003 Summer Best Program] |
| [Image: Brandon Bergeron and Blanche LaCombe (Martin Lab)] |
| [Image: 2003 BEST Summer Program - Daniel Scheer and Bianca Henry (Hansel Lab)] |
Teacher/Student Pairs
- Carmen Beasley/Jackie Broussard - Central Private, Baker
- Brandon Bergeron/Blanche LaCombe – Iota High School, Iota
- Jacqueline (Susie) Freeman/Maggie Richardson – Winnfield High School, Winnfield
- Annette Gentry/Sharde' Thomas - Zwolle High School, Zwolle
- Michael Nelson/Rebecca Henry - Point Coupee Central High School, New Roads
- Daniel Scheer/Bianca Carter - L.E. Rabouin High School, New Orleans
Laboratories that were made available to accommodate a teacher/student pair include the following:
- Richard Cooper, Department of Veterinary Science
- Robert Godke/ Richard Denniston, Department of Animal Science and Embryo Biotechnology Laboratory, St. Gabriel
- William Hansel/Carola Leuschner, Pennington Biomedical Research Center
- Roy Martin, Pennington Biomedical Research Center
- Jim Oard, Department of Agronomy
- Prasanta Subudhi, Department of Agronomy
Research Projects
Carmen Beasley/Jackie Broussard (Prasanta Subudhi Lab)
This group’s research project was entitled “Genetic Variation in Marsh Grass (Spartina alterniflora) Using DNA Markers.” Ms. Beasley and Ms. Broussard extracted and purified DNA from ten varieties of marsh grass and performed Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) polymerase chain reaction using ten different primer sets. They identified the single best primer for differentiating the ten different accessions of the marsh grass. The test resulted in 100% differentiation of the ten accessions. This technique will allow DNA identification of the varieties and aid in the future development of strains that will seed better than the current Spartina alterniflora so that coastal erosion could be fought by dropping seeds from airplanes. Neil Parami aided the group in Dr. Subudhi’s Lab.
Brandon Bergeron/Blanche LaCombe (Martin Lab)
This group attempted to cut out the gene that codes for the enzyme Glucokinase to determine if it is a regulator of food intake in the brain. The title of their project was “Production of Glucokinase Construct for Transgenic Rodent Model Used in Studying Obesity.” The group worked with Kichoon Lee, a BEST Postdoctoral Fellow in Dr. Roy Martin ’s Lab at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center . The group was successful in cutting the glucokinase gene and then inserting it into a plasmid vector, however the insert had the wrong orientation, making it unusable. Further studies will be needed to achieve this goal. Further work in Dr. Martin’s laboratory will reap the benefits of the work done by Mr. Bergeron and Ms. Lacombe.
Jacqueline (Susie) Freeman/Maggie Richardson (Cooper Lab)
This group, under the direction of Richard Cooper and Jackie McManus, looked at several dye markers of transfection in the production of chicken and quail nuclear transfers. Several markers were ruled out as being toxic but one in combination with Fast Green Dye and Trojene transfection agent was determined to be successful. This will allow the monitoring of successful DNA transfer to chickens or quail in the future.
Annette Gentry/Sharde' Thomas (Oard Lab)
This teacher and student, under the direction of Jim Oard and Suresh Kadaru, isolated and transfected the tillering gene into bacteria. This gene is responsible for producing shoots on rice plants, which eventually turn into rice. Eventually this gene will be transfected into rice plants with the ultimate purpose being to increase the yield of rice.
Michael Nelson/Rebecca Henry (Denniston Lab)
This gr oup, under the tutela ge of Brett Reggio and Richard Denniston, researched methods of cryopreserving goat skin cells prior to nuclear transfer. They were successful in developing a cryopreservation method which stabilized the cells prior to nuclear transfer. This group was aided in their study by Tonya Davidson, Allison Landry, a BEST graduate student, Allison Moisan, Angela Klumpp, Ed Ferguson, Seth Alderson in the EBL and Dr. Jill Jenkins at the LSU Aquaculture Center.
Daniel Scheer/Bianca Henry (Hansel Lab)
This group studied the effect of lytic peptide (hecate) conjugates on three cell lines (Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells, Mouse Testicular Cells, and Human Breast Cancer cells). Mr. Scheer and Ms. Carter used an MTT viability assay and trypan blue staining to determine cell death to lytic peptide conjugates to b-HCG and LHRH. The work determined that Chinese Hamster Ovary cells do not contain LH/CG receptors but may contain LHRG receptors; that mouse testicular cells contain low levels of LH/CG receptor but not LHRH; and they verified that human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) contain both LH/CG and LHRH receptors. This study showed the application of an assay to determine which cells were killed by the lytic peptide conjugated to different ligands and the potential of hecate conjugates to be used as cancer therapeutic agents.
“A taste of what it’s like to be a scientist.” BEST teacher
"A+! This was an experience that I will never forget! BEST has given me the guidance I have been looking for with my future!" BEST student.
"I learned so much about new developments in science. I don't just have a vague idea of the concepts, I truly understand what is going on. I will be a much better teacher as a result." BEST teacher.
"This program will change the life of my student. She will now finish her high school studies with a new goal. She wants to pursue an education in some science field whereas before, she was unsure." BEST Teacher