Questions or comments?
Contact us at
nikolau.research@iastate.edu
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Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program
Research Experience for Undergraduates opportunities are offered by the Nikolau Research Group through the NSF Engineering
Research Center for Biorenewable Chemicals (CBiRC), the NSF hydrocarbon biofuel research project (EFRI), the NSF Arabidopsis metabolomics research project, and the Ames Laboratory Student Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI).
Spring 2013 REU participants:
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Riley BRIEN
School: Iowa State University
Major: Electrical Engineering
Year of study: Junior
REU project: I have two projects: The first project is to conduct metabolite profiling with the archaea Methanosarcina acetivorans; this project seeks to identify new metabolic functions by expressing the Methanosarcina acetivorans genes in E. coli and profiling the metabolism of the resulting strain. The second project is called Genetic-based metabolic diversity influenced by environmental modifiers – in this project I am conducting metabolite-profiling studies of different Arabidopsis ecotypes grown at two different temperatures.
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentors: Lucas Showman, PhD student, and Jennifer Robinson, MS student |
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Ai CHEN
School: Iowa State University
Major: Biochemistry
Year of study: Junior
REU project: My project is to combine metabolomics and morphological data gathered from the analysis of eight different Arabidopsis ecotypes grown at two different temperatures.
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentor: Jennifer Robinson, MS student |
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Ting CHEN
School: Iowa State University
Majors: Biology
Year: Junior
REU projects: I have two projects that relate to acetyl-CoA metabolism in plants. The first one studies BCCP1 and BCCP2 proteins in Arabidopsis plants and the second project studies metabolites in ACL-double mutant Arabidopsis plants. In the projects I will conduct PCR to genotype individual plants, identify those that double and triple mutants. These plants will be analyzed by extracting metabolites and these will be analyze by GC-MS.
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentor: Libuse Brachova, lab manager |
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Reid CLAUSSEN
School: Iowa State University
Major: Biology
Year of study: Senior
REU project: Elucidating the control of fatty acid biosynthesis in yeast. How can we plump up yeast? This multidisciplinary project is the combined effort of Dr. Basil Nikolau's and Dr. Eve Wurtele’s laboratories. Recently a family of uncharacterized yeast genes was identified through bioinformatics, and was hypothesized to affect fatty acid biosynthesis. An effort began to investigate and validate each of the 21 genes’ function within yeast and how they influence fatty acid metabolism. The project involves the use of yeast shuttle vectors and the transformation of multiple genes into wild-type and the respective knock-out yeast strains. Lipid accumulation studies include: TLC analysis of polar and neutral lipids, fatty acid content measured by GC-MS and visualization of lipids within individual yeast cells by fluorescence microscopy.
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentor: Alexis Campbell, postdoctoral research associate |
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Sam CONDON
School: Iowa State University
Major: Biochemistry
Year: Senior
REU project: My work in the Nikolau Group focuses on the production of simple hydrocarbons, such as n-alkanes and n-alkenes, on maize silk tissues. I am working on a few experiments this year. The first is determining the double bond positions of the alkenes found in our samples of maize silk through dimethyl disulfide derivatization. Also, I am examining two environmental factors that could influence expression of hydrocarbons on the silk: pollination and the use of a protective shoot-bag. Later on in the year, I will examine the hydrocarbons in a sample of maize silk that has been cut into discrete sections. Analyzing the hydrocarbon content in each section will enable us to examine the development of hydrocarbons across multiple gradients, which could lead to clues as to how these compounds accumulate on the silks.
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentor: Marna Yandeau-Nelson, associate scientist |
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Taylor EDGAR
School: Iowa State University
Major: Biochemistry
Year: Senior
REU project: My project involves preparing pure protein samples that I will use in biochemical and metabolic assays. The techniques I am learning include, but are not limited to, heterologous protein expression using E. coli as a host, protein purification using affinity chromatography, and assessing purity, concentration, and fold using SDS-PAGE, spectrophotometry, and circular dichroism, respectively. I hope to come away from this experience with not only the understanding of the techniques of protein expression but also the knowledge of how to analyze recombinant proteins.
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentor: Bryon Upton and Jason Hart, PhD students
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Vone Jeat (VJ) KWAN
School: Iowa State University
Major: Genetics
Year: Senior
REU project: My work is focused on studying transgenic Arabidopsis plants carrying wax synthase genes from different organisms. These analyses include seed germination, seedling cultivation, plant DNA extraction, PCR and other lipid extraction and analysis by GC-MS.
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentor: Daolin Cheng, PhD student |
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Ray LIU
School: Iowa State University
Major: Accounting
Year: Freshman
REU project: I work on a project that will reveal the genetic-based metabolic diversity influenced by environmental modifiers, using Arabidopsis as the model organism.
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentors: Jennifer Robinson, MS student, and Libuse Brachova, associate scientist and lab manager |
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Sara PEDERSON
School: Iowa State University
Majors: Biochemistry
Year: Senior
REU project: I am creating a thioesterase-gene mutant library as part of a directed evolution of the enzyme. The goal is to find a thioesterase mutant that will produce amounts of short and medium-chain fatty acids (6C-14C). Following the discovery of such a mutant, the sequence will be analyzed by expressing each gene in E. coli, and the resulting fatty acid products will be analyzed by GC-MS.
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentor: Fuyuan Jing, PhD student |
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Yijun (Sherry) Qi
School: Iowa State University
Major: Biochemistry
Year: Junior
REU project: I am conducting metabolic profiling of plant samples using GC-MS. I grow plants and collect samples and extract metabolites. These metabolites are analyzed with GC-MS in the WM Keck Metabolomics Research Laboratory.
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentor: Zhihong Song, Associate Scientist |
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Kelsey SCHIELTZ
School: Iowa State University
Major: Chemical Engineering
Year: Junior
REU project: My project is "Functional analysis of candidate maize genes involved in hydrocarbon biosynthesis using the model plant Arabidopsis." I am growing and genotyping the Arabidopsis plants to prepare them for the introduction of the maize genes, which we will do this summer. My work involves PCR and DNA gels, as well as plant handling and seed collection.
Mentor: Jennifer Chmielowski, PhD student |
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Christopher SEVERN
School: Iowa State University
Major: Kinesiology and Health: Pre-Physician Assistant
Year: Senior
REU project: I work on fatty acid regulation within yeast. The project title is Elucidating the control of fatty acid biosynthesis in yeast. How can we plump up yeast? My work is focused on the characterization of gene candidates that may have a role in fatty acid metabolism.
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentor: Alexis Campbell, postdoctoral research assistant |
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Chelsea SHOLANDER
School: Iowa Statel University
Major: Biochemistry
Year: Senior
REU project: I am preparing large quantities of pure proteins, specifically recombinantly produced acetyl-CoA carboxylase and acyl-CoA synthetases, which will be biochemically characterized to identify metabolic differences. The techniques I am using include heterologous protein expression using E. coli as a host, protein purification using affinity chromatography, and assessing purity, concentration by SDS-PAGE. Biochemical characterizations of the pure proteins are aimed at identifying the substrate specificities of each enzyme. I anticipate that through this experience I will have a better understanding of the techniques of protein expression and knowledge of how to analyze recombinant proteins.
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentor: Jennifer Chmielowski, PhD student |
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Yinan ZHAO
School: Iowan State University
Major: biochemistry
Year: Junior
REU project: My project is to analyze the morphological differences among different Arabidopsis ecotypes. I use Photoshop as a tool to measure the expansion of the surface area of plants grown under different temperature. Even though this task s rather easy and basic, I realize the importance of the data in understanding how plants grow. I’ve learned to use two kinds of tools to measure area and length, and the importance of paying special attention to detail and accuracy.
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentor: Jennifer Robinson, MS student |
Summer 2012 REU participants:
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Riley BRIEN
School: Iowa State University
Major: Electrical Engineering
Year of study: Junior
REU project: Determining gene function in Methanosarcina acetivorans
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentors: Lucas Showman, PhD student, and Libuse Brachova, associate scientist and lab manager |
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Reid CLAUSSEN
School: Iowa State University
Major: Biology
Year of study: Senior
REU project: Elucidating the control of fatty acid biosynthesis in yeast. How can we plump up yeast?
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentor: Alexis Campbell, postdoctoral research associate |
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Colin HUESER
School: Iowa State University
Majors: Biochemistry
Year: Senior
REU project: Verification of catalytic residues of plant acyl-ACP thioesterase
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentor: Fuyuan Jing, PhD student |
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Ray LIU
School: Iowa State University
Major: Accounting
Year: Freshman
REU project: Fatty acid biosynthesis
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentor: Libuse Brachova, associate scientist and lab manager |
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Sara PEDERSON
School: Iowa State University
Majors: Biochemistry
Year: Senior
REU project: Directed evolution of acyl-ACP thioesteras
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentor: Fuyuan Jing, PhD student |
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Thomas PIRES
School: Oberlin College
Major: Chemistry
Year: Junior
REU project: Bioengineering a yeast-based system for the investigation of plant fatty acid elongases
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentor: Alexis Campbell, postdoctoral research associate |
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Yijun Qi
School: Iowa State University
Major: Biochemistry
Year: Junior
REU project: Environmental study of Arabidopsis ecotypes
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentor: Jennifer Robinson, MS student, and Zhihong Song, assistant scientist |
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Joshua SCARALIA
School: Johns Hopkins University
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Year: Junior
REU project: Bioengineering for biorenewable chemicals by the expression and functional characterization of novel KASIII genes
Research location: Nikolau research group, Iowa State University
Mentor: Shivani Garg, PhD student
UPDATE received from Joshua, October 2012:
I have started working in a research lab here at Johns Hopkins University under Dr. Andre Levchenko. The current project I am working on involves modeling enzyme fluctuations during the yeast mating pathway. This project involves analysis of enzymatic cross talk between the mating pathway and the filamentous growth pathway in S. cerevisiae. Specifically, we are investigating how the mating MAPK, Fus3, can dynamically regulate the activity of Tec1, a transcription factor promoting filamentous growth, when yeast cells are exposed to alpha-factor. Its really interesting how we go about doing it and I thoroughly enjoy the research.
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Amanda TAYLOR
School: Michigan Technological University
Major: Chemical Engineering
Year: Senior
REU project: Advanced biofuels – Hydrocarbon synthesis in the algae E. huxleyi
Research location: Jacqueline Shanks research group, Iowa State University
Mentor: Mark Brown, PhD student |
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Katherine (Katie) SCOTT
School: California State University, Chico
Major: Cell, Molecular, Micro Biology
Year of study:
REU project: Elucidating biosynthetic pathways of polyunsaturated long-chain alkenones and other neutral hydrocarbons in the marine haptophyte Emiliania huxleyi
Research location: Wolfe lab, California State University, Chico
Mentors: Nina Kirmiz & Gordon Wolfe, California State University, Chico |
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Sherley M. VEGA
School: University of Puerto Rico, Magueyez
Major: Industrial Biotechnology
Year of study: Senior
REU project: Creation of ura3 mutants of high lipid procuding strains of D. Hansenii
Research location: Nadathur research lab, University of Puerto Rico, Magueyez
Mentor: Vilmaris Bracero, research technician
Photo, left to right: Vilmaris Bracero, Sherley Vega
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Summer 2011 REU participants:
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Dalia ABO-SHEASHA
School: Iowa State University
Major: Software Engineering
Year of study: Senior
REU project: Developong methods for displaying metabolomics data in a pathway context on the web
Research location: Dickerson research group, Iowa State University
Mentor: Dr. Julie Dickerson, Iowa State University |
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Kelsea BROWN
School: University of Oklahoma
Major: Science Education
Year of study: Freshman
REU project: Metabolomics: A functional genomic tool for deciphering functions of Arabidopsis genes
Research location: Sumner research lab, Samuel Noble Roberts Foundation
Mentors: Drs. Zhentian Lei & Lloyd Sumner |
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Jonathan LOGTERMAN
School: Iowa State University
Major: Computer Science
Year of study; Sophomore
REU project: Integrating metabolomics concepts into the 3D educational software Meta!Blast via artificial intelligence approaches
Research location: Wurtele research lab, Iowa State University
Mentor: James Fiderlick |
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Oren ASSERAF
School: California State University, Chico
Major: Microbiology
Year of study: Senior
REU project: Elucidating biosynthetic pathwayys of polyunsaturated long-chain alkenones and other neutral hydocarbons in the marine gaotiohyte Emiliania huxleyi
Research location: Wolfe research lab, California State University, Chico
Mentor: Dr. Gordon Wolfe, California State University, Chico
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William CUTHBERTSON
School: Washington State University
Major: Biochemistry
Year of study:Freshman
REU project: Development of an accurate mass-retention index library for LC/MS-based plant metabolomics
Research location: Lange research lab, Washington State University
Mentor: Narayanan Srividya, postdoctoral research associate
Photo, left to right: William Cuthbertson, Dr. Mark Lange |
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Samuel HONEY
School: Kansas State University
Major: Biology
Year of study: Sophomore
REU project: Metabolomis of lipid components in green leafy vegetables as a function of chopping
Research location: Welti research lab, Kansas State University
Mentors: Drs. Ruth Welti and Mary Roth, Kansas State University
Photo, left to right: Samuel Honey,Dr. Ruth Welti
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Nerymar ORTIZ ORTERO
School: University of Puerto Rico, Magueyez
Major: Industrial Biotechnology
Year of study: Sophomore
REU project: Creating gne disruptions in the yeast Debaryomyces hansenii
Research location: Nadathur research lab, University of Puerto Rico, Magueyez
Mentor: Edna Justiniano, PhD student, Nadathur Lab, University of Puerto Rico, Magueyez
Photo, left to right: Edna Justiniano, Nerymar Ortiz Ortero |
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Ali RASHID-DIVANFARD
School: California State University, Chico
Major: Biochemistry
Year of study: Senior
REU project: Elucidating biosynthetic pathwayys of polyunsaturated long-chain alkenones and other neutral hydocarbons in the marine gaotiohyte Emiliania huxleyi
Research location: Wolfe research lab, California State University, Chico
Mentor: Dr. Gordon Wolfe, California State University, Chico
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Summer 2010 REU participants:
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Ikenna ANYANETU
School: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
REU project: Plantmetabolomics.org testing and quality assurance
Research location: Dickerson research lab, Iowa State University
Mentor: Dr. Julie Dickerson, Iowa State University
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Amy DIXON
School: Iowa State University
Major: Biology and Biological Illustration
REU project: Creating new module centered on metabolomics for Meta!Blast 3D educational software
Research location: Wurtele research lab, Iowa State University
Mentor: Dr. Eve Wurtele, Iowa State University
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Udochukwu OKORAFOR
School: Columbia University
Major: Chemical Engineering
Year: Sophomore
REU project: Genetic engineering of E. coli from chemical production
Research location: Bobik Lab, Iowa State University
Mentor: Dr. Thomas Bobik, Iowa State University |
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LeeAnn BLATTNER
School: Washington State University
REU project: Extraction of terpenoids from Arabidopsis tissues
Research location: Lange research lab, Washington State University
Mentor: Dr. Mark Lange, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University
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Nina KIRMIZ
School: California State University, Chico
REU project: Elucidating biosynthetic pathways of polyunsaturated long-chain alkenones and other neutral hydrocarbons in the marine haptophyte Emiliania huxleyi
Research location: Wolfe research lab, California State University, Chico
Mentor: Dr. Gordon Wolfe, California State University, Chico
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Lucus LANDERS
School: Graduated from Ardmore High School, Ardmore, OK, in Spring 2010 and will enroll at The Pratt Institute, NY, NY, in August 2010
REU project: Exploring metabolomics as a tool for elucidation of gene function
Research location: Sumner research lab, Samuel Noble Roberts Foundation
Mentor: Dr. Lloyd Sumner, Samuel Noble Roberts Foundation |
Summer 2009 REU participants:
REU students mentored by graduate students in the Nikolau Research Group.
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Luke PREST
School: University of Iowa
Major: Biochemistry/Pre-med
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Ames, Iowa
REU project: Optimizing the purification process of 3-ketoacyl synthases expressed inEscherichia coli
Mentor: Shivani GARG
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Sumira STEIN
School: Michigan State University
Majors: Chemistry and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Year: Senior
Hometown: Fraser, MI
REU project: Isolation of new thioesterases from coconut, a plant that produces short chain fatty acids
Mentor: Fuyuan JING
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REU participants and mentors at the research poster session culminating the 2009 program.
Left photo: PhD student Fuyuan Jin with REU participant Sumira Stein
Right photo: PhD student Shivani Garg with REU participant Luke Prest
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