Ivy McDaniel '08
- Sharon Torigoe ’07
Sharon Torigoe ’07 and Ivy McDaniel ’08 received recognition for their research presentations at the 28th Annual Asilomar Chromatin and Chromosomes Conference.
Ivy won one of several awards typically given to graduate students or postdoctoral fellows and Sharon was recognized as an unofficial runner-up. The students were two of only three undergraduates to give presentations out of 60 speakers at the international scientific event.
Jennifer Armstrong and Emily Wiley, both professors of biology in the Joint Science Department of The Claremont Colleges, attended the conference with the students. “Emily and I are so proud of our students who presented their own research at the level of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows,” said Armstrong.
Ivy received an award for Best Presentation by a Graduate Student or Postdoctoral Fellow for her presentation, “Genetic studies of chd1 in Drosophila melanogaster.” The molecular biology major’s lecture was centered on her chd1 protein research. Chd1 is a DNA-binding protein that modifies DNA packaging and is believed to be important in the process of gene expression. Ivy’s lab cohort, Jennifer Lee ’07, who contributed to the research, also attended the conference.
“We were able to demonstrate that small undergraduate institutions make significant contributions in the research community,” Ivy said.
In her presentation, “Characterization of a Histone Deacetylase in Tetrahymena thermophila,” Sharon, a biology-chemistry major, offered an examination of how DNA is packaged into the nucleus and the role of enzymes in the process.
“I found many scientists took interest and discussed new ideas and future experiments with me after my presentation,” Sharon said.
“Deeply impressed by both Ivy and Sharon, conference participants from major universities asked how they could recruit students like them into their graduate school programs,” said Wiley. “I have never before received so many compliments at a conference.”
Most of the young scientists who contribute lectures and research papers are graduate students or post doctorates. According the Armstrong, the conference organizer said she was especially proud to give the award to an undergraduate.
“I felt extremely fortunate to present [my research] at a large-scale conference,” Ivy said. “It was a tremendous learning experience for me, and left me eager to get back to work.”