[305] MTSU Researchers Prep for Feb. 9 Posters at the Capitol Event

Release date: Feb. 8, 2011

News and Media Relations contacts: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919 or ttozer@mtsu.edu

College of Basic and Applied Sciences contact: Dr. Tom Cheatham,
615-898-2613 or cheatham@mtsu.edu

MTSU Researchers Prep for Feb. 9 Posters at the Capitol Event

(MURFREESBORO) — Twelve MTSU students will provide seven presentations being showcased Wednesday, Feb. 9, during the sixth annual “Posters at the Capitol” in Nashville.
Along with their mentors, the MTSU student presenters will be joined by research peers from the other Tennessee Board of Regents schools — Austin Peay, East Tennessee, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and University of Memphis — and those from the University of Tennessee campuses at Knoxville, Chattanooga and Martin.
An expected 61 poster presentations are scheduled to begin around 10 a.m. in the Legislative Plaza hallway. MTSU’s contingent will stay until about 3 p.m. The public is welcome to view the posters and talk to the young researchers.
“It should be a great day for the students,” said Dr. Tom Cheatham, College of Basic and Applied Sciences dean. “Sen. (Bill) Ketron is helping us make arrangements this year. The only change for us is that UT-Martin is joining the UT contingent for the first time, and we have more posters than ever.”
The MTSU students include co-collaborators Ryan Nichols of Nashville and Catherine Chokuba of Franklin; Katrina A. Smith of Murfreesboro; Lindsey Bailey of La Vergne; Samuel Mitchell of Nashville; collaborators Jessica Taylor of Manchester, Nikhil Reddy of Murfreesboro and Daniel Gouger of Chattanooga; Daniel Messick of Shelbyville; and collaborators Matt Cooley of Camden, Jason Pomeroy of Lascassas and Kyle Wiseman of Murfreesboro.
Ian Hajizadeh of Nashville and George Carter of Kingsport are alternate co-presenters.
The students expect to discuss their research with their respective state legislators. After lunch, they will pose for photos with new Gov. Bill Haslam.
Dr. Andrienne Friedli, Undergraduate Research Center director and professor of chemistry, and Emily Born, coordinator of the Faculty Research and Creative Activity Grant and URC coordinator, are spearheading the MTSU students’ participation at Posters on the Hill.
Assisting Cheatham with set-up preparations are academic advisers Jennifer Danylo, Travis Tipton and Andrew Symonds and executive secretary Sheila Bleam.

A listing of MTSU student presenters, their faculty mentors and abstract titles includes:
• Nichols and Chokuba with faculty mentor Dr. Daniel Erenso, abstract title “Studying Elasticity by Zapping, Trapping and Stretching Red Blood Cells Extracted from Normal Mice with Sickle Cell Disorder”;
• Smith with Dr. Ngee S. Chong, “Characterization of Aminobiphenyl Isomers and Their Interactions with Calf Thymus DNA and Nucleotide Bases”;
• Bailey with Dr. Scott Handy, “One Pot Halogenations and Cross-Couplings in Ionic Liquids”;
• Mitchell with Friedli, “Porous Silica Films as a Reliable Medium for Sensing Protein-Antibody Binding Events”;
• Taylor and Reddy with Dr. Norma Dunlap, “Synthesis of Cyclopropyl Daniel Gouger, Peptidomimetics with Potential Anti-HIV and Alzheimer’s Activity”;
• Messick with Dr. Nate Phillips, “The Effects of Daminozide on Flower Production and Sex Ratios in Hydroponic Greenhouse Cucumbers”; and
• Cooley and Pomeroy with Dr. Mark Abolins, “Movement of Groundwater Along Fold Hinges in Central Rutherford County, Tennessee.”
The alternate poster presenters are mentored by Erenso on “Efficacy of Gene Therapy in Sickle Cell Mouse Model as Measured by the Red Blood Cells’ Elastic Response.”

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Media welcomed.

Media note: MTSU News and Media Relations Director Tom Tozer will be attending the first part of Posters at the Capitol on Wednesday. He is available to assist you in setting up interviews with any of the MTSU student researchers. His cell phone number is 615-653-6209.


In Brief

Twelve MTSU student researchers will be participating in the 2011 Posters at the Capitol, Wednesday, Feb. 9, starting at 10 a.m. at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville. MTSU’s 12 students, who are part of 61 total poster presentations from across the state, will meet their individual state legislators, and explain and answer questions about their research with the lawmakers or others in attendance.


Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree — the only one in Tennessee — as a model program. MTSU recently unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

For MTSU news and information, go online to mtsunews.com.