Bio students ready for a very wet lab include
Jamin Wieringa (’13), Katy Carlson (’13), and
Laurie Stubenrauch (’14) with Dr. Greg Murray .
In this Issue::
Wet Labs Make a Comeback! 1— 2
Bio Summer Research Program 3
Bio Briefs 4—8
Faculty News 9—11
Student/Department News 12 —14
January 2013 Volume 13, Issue 1
Hope College Biology Department - Visit our website at: http://www.hope.edu.academic/biology
Holly Vander Stel (’14) gets ready to release her turtle with a big smile!
Wet
This past semester, Hope College biology students continued to carry out our mission of “learning biology by doing biology” with renewed flourish! For example, students in Dr. Murray’s Biology 315 (Advanced
Population and Community Ecology) class participated in a turtle population survey involving 30 institutions across the nation, sponsored by EREN (Ecological Research as Education Network: http://erenweb.org/ , which is funded by the National Science Foundation’s Research Coordination Network program). EREN’s goal is to create a model for collaborative ecological research involving undergraduate students and faculty at primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs). TurtlePop, just one of several ecological projects created by
EREN, is investigating changes in the population structure of turtles across an urbanization gradient. For example, it is hypothesized that the secondary sex ratio of turtles will become more male-biased as urbanization increases, as a result of higher female mortality in areas with higher road density. Also, predation at turtle nests may be strongly influenced by the level of urbanization.
Bennett Riddering (’13), Anne McManis (’14),
Delilah Clement (’13), and Laurie Stubenrauch (‘14) retrieve several Painted Turtles ( Chrysemys picta ) from a turtle trap; all turtles were released unharmed after several measurements were recorded by the class.
Students retrieve turtle trap from a pond a t Stu
Visser Trails
,
September 2012.
1
Jonathan Turkus (‘14) with Dr. Murray, measures the middle claw length of a Painted Turtle, the most common species in this pond.

Wet
The turtle species that we study in this project may serve as model species for the conservation of other freshwater turtles.
Worldwide, roughly 45% of freshwater turtle taxa were listed as threatened in the 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. By better understanding how common freshwater turtles respond to changes along an urbanization gradient, one can devise improved conservation strategies for the many imperiled freshwater turtle species (EREN, 2012). Last summer, Dr. Greg Murray attended an
EREN workshop where he received training to implement the standardized protocol for this project. Bio 315-Fall 2012 constituted the only Michigan team, but they sampled 43 turtles in just 2 days of trapping, which we suspect is the national record this year!
Based on a mark-recapture model, the class estimated there are approximately 85 turtles in this one pond at Stu Visser Trails in
Holland Township, and most of them appear to be males. Next fall, we will be able to determine survivorship of “our” turtles – stay tuned!
The first trap on the first day yields the biggest fresh water turtle anyone has ever seen – “Big
Mamu”, a Snapping Turtle
( Chelydra serpentina) , who was released gingerly… and as quickly as possible! (Note numerous smaller turtles who fortunately were not devoured by the giant snapper.)
“Big Mamu” makes his/her way
back to the pond…and freedom!
Sharpie codes are temporary. Each turtle also is marked with coded permanent notches in the marginal scutes of the carapace; note one such notch above the M in the photo. Notches do not harm the turtle and are critical in allowing longterm study of survivorship and reproduction.
Brennan Sieck (’15) and Austin Homkes (’14) complete the measurements that will allow us to determine sex of the turtles, and record growth rates over the long term.
After a hard day’s class, the turtle wranglers of Bio 315 take a break at the northside Captain Sundae for….turtle sundaes of course!! Pictured from left to right: Dr. Murray, Jamin Wierenga, Kelly Krueger, Dr. W-M, Anne
McManis, Delilah Clement, Laurie Stubenrauch, Nick Blogin, Rachel Kreb,
Tom Gable, Austin Homkes, Bennett Riddering, Jonathan Turkus, and Holly
Vander Stel, with Brennan Sieck and Katy Carlson kneeling in foreground.
2

Summer 2012 was highlighted by another productive year of undergraduate research projects accomplished by our students and their Biology research mentors. Students, mentors, and project titles are listed below. Many of these projects have now culminated in research posters presented at Hope College and elsewhere, publications, reports, and manuscripts in preparation. Congratulations to the 2012 research participants (pictured below) for a job well done!
On your left,
Danae Harris
(‘14) and
Elizabeth
Billquist (‘13) of Dr.
Putzke’s lab
Above, Lisa McLellan
(‘15) of Dr. Best’s lab
Amanda Beck (‘14) above working in
Dr. Barney’s lab.
Jonathan Turkus
(‘14) right, keeps Dr.
Bultman’s lab running smoothly!
McDonough-Stukey team: Left to right: Marshall Willey (‘13),
Daniel Obregon (‘14), Eric Cox (’13), Anthony Gasparotto (’13),
Danielle Goodman (’13)
Joseph Adamson (’14) - Mentor: Aaron Putzke, Title:
Callosobruchus and Climate Change: Bean Beetle Phenology Modeling;
Michael Atwell (’13) - Mentor: Jianhua Li, Title:
Use of primer-walking approach to amplify the entire plastid genome of maple trees ; Amanda Beck (’14) - Mentor: Chris Barney, Title: The Effects of Intermittent Heat
Exposure on Water Balance in Rats;
Elizabeth Billquist (’13) - Mentor: Aaron Putzke, Title:
A Fes/Fps-type Non-receptor Tyrosine Kinase is Required for Hematopoietic
Development in Zebrafish; Jonathan Binder, Vassar College (’14) - Mentor: Jianhua Li, Title: Use primer-walking approach to amplify the entire plastid genome of maple trees ; Eric Cox (’13) – Mentor: Joe Stukey, Title: A Toxic Ride through the Pumpkin Patch: Identification of Cytotoxic Regions in Mycobacteriophage Pumpkin; Andrew
Dolehanty (’14) - Mentor: Leah Chase, Title: Determining Intracellular Localization of System x c
-: Preliminary Study and Method Development; Maria Eguiluz (’15) - Mentor: Aaron Best, Title: Generation and Comparative Analysis of Metabolic Models for 25 Sequenced. Members of the Genus, Shewanella; Ronald Ellis, Atlanta Metropolitan
College (’13) - Mentor: Aaron Putzke, Title: FRK-1 in the Stream of Cellular Maturation and Differentiation: A Conversation of a Stem Cell-Like Cell Population in Caenorhabditis elegans ; Anthony Gasparotto (’13) - Mentor: Virginia McDonough, Title: Investigations in lipid uptake and intracellular trafficking in the model organism
Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Danielle Goodman (’13) - Mentor: Joe Stukey, Title: Investigating the cytotoxic effects of mycobacteriophage Vix Gene 80; Matthew Harder (’15) -
Mentor: Aaron Putzke, Title: Investigating Fer Kinase Regulation of Gene Transcription During Development; Danae Harris (’14) - Mentor: Aaron Putzke, Title: Study of Fer kinase regulation in blood cell development indicates vasculogenesis regulation; Jacob Johnson (’14) - Mentor: Chris Barney, Title: The Effects of Intermittent Heat Exposure on Water Balance in Rats; Lisa McLellan (’15) - Mentor: Aaron Best, Title: Regulation of hyaluronic acid metabolism in Streptococcus pneumoniae by RegR; Alexis Meelker
(’14) - Mentor: Jianhua Li, Title: Phylogenetic and biogeographic studies of Apios (groundnut) based on plastid and nuclear DNA data; Danielle Mila (’14) - Mentor: Aaron
Putzke, Title:
Regulation of Seam Cell Function by the Non-Receptor Tyrosine Kinase, FRK-1, in
C. elegans, Daniel Obregon, Loyola College (’14) - Mentor: Joe Stukey,
Title: Cytotoxicity of Mycobacteriophage Vix_80 Gene is Localized to the N-terminal Domain; Ellen Ray (’15) - Mentor: Chris Barney, Title: The Effects of Intermittent
Heat Exposure on Water Balance in Rats, Brennan Sieck (’14) - Mentor: Tom Bultman, Title: Effects of a Fungal Endophyte on Resource Allocation in the Grass Lolium arundinaceum; Jonathan Turkus (’14) - Mentor: Tom Bultman, Title: Epichloë Endophyte Distribution Among North American Canada Wildrye Populations and the
Influence of Infection on Plant Resistance to Insect Herbivores; Andrew Valesano (’14) - Mentor: Aaron Best, Title: Generation and Analysis of Genome-Scale Metabolic
Models for the Genus Shewanella using Model SEED; Holly Vander Stel (’14) - Mentor: Jianhua Li, Title: Phylogenetic and biogeographic studies of Apios (groundnut) based on plastid and nuclear DNA data; Jamin Wieringa (’13) - Mentor: Tom Bultman, Title: Effects of salicylic acid and a fungal endophyte on herbivore resistance in the grass
Lolium arundinaceum;
Marshall Willey (’13) - Mentor: Virginia McDonough, Title:
Differential regulatory response for the Δ 9 desaturase in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae based on fatty acid species and intracellular amount.
3

Have you ever wondered what your job might be like if you move into the workforce with your Bachelor’s Degree? There is a wide diversity of possibilities – too many to cover in one newsletter! But here are two sample “vignettes” from two terrific
Biology alums. Courtney just graduated last year with a B.A. in Biology and a double major in French, and, after completing several internships and research experiences in different states and even countries before she graduated from Hope, she secured a position with the University of Michigan. Kara, who graduated in 2002 with a B.S. in Biology and a double-major in
Political Science, has been working in the field of environmental education, and after completing internships and related job experience at other centers, has been working at the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary since 2010.
Courtney Long (’12): “ For my job description, I am a Lab/Classroom Services Technician working in the Undergraduate Science Building (USB) at University of Michigan. I am affiliated with the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) and the Department of
Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB). I help keep the undergraduate biology courses running by purchasing, preparing, and distributing all the equipment, chemicals and materials used in the biology labs. I manage two student assistants who help me prepare and distribute the lab materials. I also help troubleshoot with the Graduate Student Instructors when a laboratory procedure isn't working for the students. So I have become very familiar with the equipment I used to use as a student myself, because I sometimes have to put it back together! Like pipettors and microscopes! It gives me a better appreciation for all the materials students use, when I have to make them. For example, I have probably poured over 1,500 LB plates for one E. coli experiment that week. Then I had to collect them all and count the hundreds of bacteria colonies growing on each plate. It's pretty fun though, because I enjoy this type of work. Since I was never a student at
U of M, I also enjoy how I get to learn new laboratory techniques and materials as I work because they teach different labs than Hope.
Techniques like how to read an Enterotube, or do a Western blot. I can't wait to see what else I will learn and where else this position will take me as I become a part of U of M staff.”
Kara Haas (Schwieterman) ’02: “ My current position is Environmental Education
Coordinator, Kellogg Bird Sanctuary at Michigan State University’s Kellogg Biological Station.
Prior to graduation from Hope in 2002 I was lucky enough to have stumbled into the perfect profession, Natural History Interpretation or Environmental Education. During the summer of my junior year I applied for the State Park Adventure program and spent the next three summers as a naturalist in Southwest Michigan State Parks. Teaching people of all ages about nature out on the trail! I was using my degree and having a blast! But I needed to turn my seasonal position into something long term and permanent. Joining a professional organization (National
Association for Interpretation) was the best move for staying connected to the type of professionals I someday wanted to be. My first full time environmental education position was at the Kalamazoo Nature Center, a large non-profit organization. The five years I spent at KNC taught me a lot about the type of educator I wanted to become. To become a better educator I needed to understand the theories behind how people learn so I decided to pursue a master’s degree in teaching with an emphasis on early childhood education. Which I completed at Western Michigan University in 2011! In 2010 I made a difficult decision to leave my fast paced position at KNC for a more focused position at Michigan State University’s Kellogg Bird Sanctuary. As the Environmental Education Coordinator at the Sanctuary I plan and deliver programs for adults and children and oversee the day to day operations including fundraising, care of birds, managing a bookstore, stewardship of 180 acres and more! The Sanctuary’s small, dedicated staff works hard to create a fun place for people to learn about waterfowl conservation and enjoy time in nature. In addition,
I love being part of the Biological Station which is a vibrant research community that is churning out new knowledge on all kinds of things from biofuels to algal biology! My career path wouldn’t be the same without the help of my family. My husband has always been supportive and even volunteers at the Sanctuary because he loves working with captive birds of prey! In
February 2012 we added our daughter Lillian to our family. When Lillian was just a couple of weeks old we took her for her first walk at the Bird Sanctuary! Maybe someday Lillian will lead walks at the Bird Sanctuary and teach groups to identify the migrant ducks on the lake!”
4

Tim Lamam (’83), Ph.D., completed a 9-year project for National Geographic on the Birds of Paradise. You can see Tim climbing the trees to get unique photographs in this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTR21os8gTA&feature=share As we go to press, Tim is scheduled to do a public presentation event at Hope College on the “Bird of Paradise” project at 7:30 p.m. in DeWitt Theatre on
January 30!
Congratulations to Paul Bartell (’93), Ph.D., on his recent paper on bird migration in The American Scientist, a publication of Sigma Xi: http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/feature/2013/1/avian-migration-the-ultimate-red-eye-flight; Avian Migration: The Ultimate
Red-Eye Flight.
Chris Lepcyzk (‘93), Ph.D., who was awarded tenure at the University of Hawaii last year, also had a significant achievement in co-editing the book: Urban Bird Ecology and Conservation (Christopher A. Lepczyk (Editor) and Paige S. Warren (Editor)).
Timothy Dykstra (‘98) came all the way out from Oregon last semester to deliver one of the best Biology department seminars ever ! It was entitled: “Salmon Tales from the Northwest” and described his multi-faceted and multi-disciplinary work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in designing dam-crossing solutions for salmon and other wildlife in the Pacific northwest.
Congratulations to Eric Westhus (‘98) who received his Ph.D. from the University of Missouri in May 2012; Eric’s interdisciplinary graduate program was in Biostatistics and Ecology. (Let’s hear it again for that yellow stats handout!)
Joe Veldman (‘01), Ph.D., is currently a postdoctoral associate in the Zoology department at the University of
Wisconsin, Madison, but recently engaged in the biggest biological event ever – becoming a dad! Daughter
Eliana (pictured to the right) was born on November 10, 2012 to parents Joe and Robin, and is shown here at 2 days old, in precious larval form.
Jonathan Atwell (‘02), Ph.D. has launched into biological, evolutionary and revolutionary movie-making; see the Ordinary Extraordinary Junco – www.juncoproject.org
, which premiered at Indiana University this month to learn remarkable biology from a common backyard bird.
Isabelle Le (‘04), M.D. was awarded the “Outstanding Junior Resident Award” in June 2012 by Wayne State
University Medical School’s Department of Internal Medicine, for her “in recognition of your excellence to learn, dedication to patient care, and excellence in clinical judgment.”
Brittany Gasper (‘05) authored a prize-winning paper published in Science (30 March 2012 Issue, p1590). It was an Inquiry-Based
Instruction Prize winner! Brittany is currently a visiting assistant professor at Florida Southern College, after receiving her Ph.D. last year from Purdue. Title: Adapting to Osmotic Stress and the Process of Science; Link: http://www.sciencemag.org/ content/335/6076/1590.full?sid=8a91e7ee-3803-4530-8687-1d1b43014252
Bio alums Jamin Dreyer (‘06), Austin Dreyer (‘08), David Gonthier (‘07), and John Rodstrom (‘05) made headlines (and gained additional notoriety) when they wrote an eloquent, pre-election op-ed piece “ Santorum's stance on global warming ignores 'real science' ( http://www.mlive.com/opinion/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/02/santorums_stance_on_global_war.html
) which was picked up by
Mlive as well as the Grand Rapids Press.
You gotta love those interdisciplinary skills!
Last year, Christian Piers (‘07) was working at a seahorse breeding facility in Hawaii while doing graduate work in creative writing before embarking on a new career in dental school; you can see his seahorse farm video at YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=z3SiRFg1vJw&feature=youtu.be
Back in June 2012, Kyle Smith (‘07) wrote to Dr. Greg Fraley: “ I thought you'd appreciate knowing how small the world really is.
Today is my second day of residency at Uof M for family medicine. We had pediatric life support today in small groups, and in my group of about 15 people, there were 3 others from your comparative vertebrate anatomy course! I also ran into 4 other Hope grads in the hallways.”
Alan Sielaff
(‘08), M.D. started his residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of Michigan this past fall and was one of our presenters at Biology Advising Night in October.
Marlie Johnson (‘08), DVM, continues to branch out in her veterinary adventures. In the photo on the right, Marlie feeds a grizzly bear honey while another veterinarian draws blood. Research on grizzly bear hibernation, behavior and reproductive neurobiology is a long term project at Washington State University
College of Veterinary Medicine.
5

Jillian Greshel (‘09) VanderYacht was accepted to the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and is beginning her veterinary studies there in January 2013!
Tori Mork
(‘10), who was last working in environmental science up in Muskegon, has recently fallen in love with China and is currently on her second year stint teaching English in China and intensively studying Chinese.
Adam Zantello (‘10) has been working for NOAA at the Lake Michigan field station in Muskegon.
Alumna Faith Whitehouse (‘10), who is also a professional photographer, recently had her photograph of a golden eagle chosen as the winner of the "Wyoming Nature" category in Wyoming Public Media's Photo Contest. Check it out at: http://wyomingpublicmedia.org/ post/wpm-photo-contest-winners
Jonathan Hertel (‘10; Biology Education) has been working as Research & Evaluation Associate, EiE at the Museum of Science, Boston.
“I contribute to the growing field of STEM educational research by helping to design, conduct, and analyze mixed-methods research and evaluation for Engineering is Elementary (EiE), a nationally-disseminated curriculum engaging elementary students in problem-based engineering design challenges that integrate their science learning.” Interdisciplinary applications!
Meanwhile, Anne Short (‘11) sent some memories of her Yellow Stats Handout while analyzing data for her graduate project; Anne is completing an MA program in Zoology through Miami University, which takes place at the Brookfield Zoo (grad school at the zoo!).
Don’t throw that Yellow Stats Handout away, advise several alumni!!!
Jennie LaRoche (‘12) presented her research on parental care in Eastern Bluebirds at the Michigan
Bird Conservation Initiative in March 2012, then interned at Bald Head Island, and is starting work with the Minnesota Conservation Corps this year.
Jennie LaRoche with baby sea turtle at Bald Head
Erica Jansen (‘12) began graduate work at the U of Michigan Public Health MPH program in
Epidemiology and wrote “… Hope has definitely prepared me well for grad school! The first semester was pretty introductory, but this next semester will be more applied. I got a part-time job working in one of my epidemiology professors' lab, just basically keeping track of his blood serum samples and aliquot them out for analysis in other labs. I also owe that job to my undergrad research experience! The professor that I am working with is from Colombia and he does a lot of work there. As long as I get funding, that is where I will do my internship this summer. There are a couple of different projects that I could be working on, but they all have to do with nutrition. I am so excited to be able to put what I am learning into action and to experience the culture of Colombia!”
James DelBene (‘12) completed a MOTE internship in Sarasota, FL working under the direction of Jack Morris taking care of nurse and bonnethead sharks and yellow, cownose, and Atlantic stingrays. Jim is currently applying to graduate school.
James DelBene and friend
Hilary Bultman (‘12) gave a combined poster/oral presentation at the Michigan Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts conference in March 2012 on her ecological research in Iceland. Hilary is currently in the Entomology graduate program at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and wrote: “ I hope to identify aspen genes that govern phenotypic traits of interest (e.g., growth, phenology, defense chemistry) that affect associated insect communities.” Genes through ecosystems – that’s a lot of biology!
Kelsey Moore (‘12) was accepted to the Graduate Program in Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
Emily Van Wieren (‘12) recently wrote to us: “ I have been busy working at Van Andel Research Institute. I transitioned from an intern to a full time employee in late August, and am now officially an "assistant research technician." I'm enjoying it a lot so far. I have been working with the mice a lot and doing dissections and micro CT scanning of bones and staining and imaging slides. I'm working under a post doc who is researching joint and bone diseases like osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. I'm also still doing the normal things around the lab to keep the space organized and everything flowing smoothly.”
6

Ingrid Slette
(‘12) secured an internship with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Maryland and recently wrote:
“… I'm working at this really cool experimental global change wetland site, and I'm going to be focusing my individual project on an invasive species of Phragmites reed grass, looking at how it responds to experimentally increased atmospheric CO2 concentration and increased nitrogen input, and doing some DNA work to try to determine the level of genetic diversity in this population and how different genotypes respond to the treatments.” More genes to ecosystems!
Nick Davros (‘12; Biology Education) taught the Upward Bound summer program in biology during 2012, and then secured a Biology teaching and coaching position in Rifle, Colorado.
Jonathan Brooks (‘12) has been working in the laboratory of Dr. Colleen Iverson (‘01) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory since Feb.
2012. Jonathan wrote: “ We are setting up a new experiment in a Dogwood plantation where the trees will be labeled with a carbon-13 isotope. I have been helping do some of the initial measurements at the site and maintaining the trenches that separate the root systems of each tree. Back in the laboratory, I have been learning how to run the instruments we use for element and isotope analysis. I have also been helping with some of the most dangerous work I have ever done in a laboratory. It is called a Cryo-extraction. The goal is to extract the water from plant tissue without letting any water evaporate. We are doing this by placing the plant tissue in a glass tube, in liquid nitrogen, under a vacuum, and then sealing the tube using a propane torch. After this, the tube goes through cycles of heat and cold to get the water out. Placing a glass under extreme heat, cold, and pressure simultaneously... what could possibly go wrong? Overall, I am really enjoying the work I'm doing at ORNL and I'm learning a lot in the process.” At press time, we hope Jonathan is still in one piece!
At the annual ASBMB meeting in April 2012, Cailtin Peirce (‘12) won best undergraduate poster in Systems Biology, and Marshall
Willey
(‘13) won best presentation in Lipid Biology. Congratulations!
Sioned Sitkiewicz (‘12): Sioned (pictured on right) spent part of last year working for
Fairweather Science ( http://www.fairweather.com/environmentalscience.html
), conducting scientific surveys in Alaska.
Lindsey Springstroh (‘12; Biology Education) spent the summer of 2012 teaching the
Upward Bound program at Hope College and then secured a position at Lane Tech College
Prep High School in Chicago Public Schools; Lindsey is teaching AP Biology and Marine
Biology.
Anne Georges (BMB ‘12) was awarded a National Science Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship Award just before graduating last year, and is currently a graduate student at Washington University in St. Louis. Congratulations, Anne!!
Danielle Goodman (‘12) received an Honorable Mention for the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship in March 2012
( http://www.act.org/goldwater/ ). Congratulations, Danielle!!
Shelby Peterson (‘12) was accepted to the Ph.D. program at the University of Michigan in Biomedical Science .
Sarah Colton (‘13) (pictured on the left with Dr. Fraley) has been engaged in a wide range of animal-related research; during the summer 2012 she was a Karner Blue Butterfly surveyor for Allegan County/Michigan DNR and then won the Aw ard for Presentation Excellence for her poster presentation at the international meeting of the Poultry Science Association in Atlanta Georgia. Sarah's poster, based on research in Dr. Fraley’s lab, was titled: Colton, S. and GS Fraley. The Effects of Environmental Enrichment Devices on Feather Picking in
Commercially Raised Pekin Ducks. Poultry Science Assoc. Annual Meeting. Abstract #P268. Congratulations,
Sarah!
Alyssa Stevenson
(‘13) was the recipient of an Armenian General Benevolent Union Summer Internship Program award in New York
(NYSIP), for which she secured an internship in the Emergency Room of Columbia University Medical Center in New York City during the summer of 2012.
Elizabeth Gerometta (‘13) completed an internship for the Tropical Forest Foundation, http://www.tropicalforestfoundation.org/ , during the summer of 2012. She also participated in the Pine Ridge Reservation program through Hope College and learned a great deal about perceptions about wildlife and human-nature interactions among the Lakota people.
Taylor Mann (‘13) completed a research position at the U of Michigan last summer and is currently studying abroad in France!
7

Tom Gable (‘13) has spent the last two summers working with wolves, one stint with a captive wolf facility, and the second working in the
Grand Tetons for scientists in Wyoming that are establishing ranges, survivorship, and productivity of wolves in the region.
Tom Gable on left taking a photo of the Grand Tetons.
Tom on the right with a captive wolf.
Jillian Farkas (‘13) participated last semester in the CIEE Tropical Ecology and Conservation program in Costa Rica.
Rachel Butts
(‘13) participated in the Santiago Summer Health Studies program through IES Abroad in Santiago Chile during the summer of 2012.
Catie Gammon (‘14) participated in the Creation Care Sustainability Program this past fall; the program takes place in Belize, Central
America.
Allyson Schenk (‘14) conducted an internship project during the spring and summer of 2012 under the direction of Dr. Heather Bair (‘97)
Brake, DVM, who works for the Centers for Disease Control. Allyson gathered content material for a revised website the CDC will launch entitled “Healthy Pets, Healthy People” .
Friend Stacey, Bio major Allyson Schenk, and Bio
Alum Heather Bair Brake at the CDC’s quarantine station in Atlanta
Zachary DeBrui ne (BMB, ‘15) presented an invited paper on the importance of Citizen
Science in ornithological research at the annual conference of the Michigan Bird Conservation
Initiative in March 2012.
We congratulate our majors who were accepted into graduate and professional programs this past year – your hard work has paid off! We realize also, that the students we highlight on these pages are only the tip of the iceberg – if you would like to share your current newsworthy items with us, please do so – just let Gloria in the Biology office know about YOU. Thank you!
Congratulations to the following students who were accepted to professional schools: Erika Coombs (‘12; Dentistry, Ohio
State University), Jeffrey Corajod (‘12; Medicine, Loyola Stritch School of Medicine), Lauren Ferin (‘12; University of
Michigan School of Public Health – Environmental Health Sciences), Samantha Gagnon (‘13, Michigan College of
Optometry), Brian Hernandez (‘12; Physical Therapy, University of Colorado), Erica Jansen (‘12; University of Michigan
School of Public Health – Epidemiology), Rachel Jantz (‘12; University of Michigan School of Public Health –
Epidemiology), Dan Meyer (‘12; Dentistry, Southern Illinois University), Regina O’Brien (‘12; Medicine, Wayne State
University School of Medicine), Caitlin Peirce (‘12; Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School), Daniel Smith (‘12;
Medicine, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine), Jeffrey Sweers (‘12; Medicine, Michigan State University
College of Human Medicine (and still contemplating the island biogeography lab from Bio 280), Angelica Willis (‘12,
University of Michigan School of Public Health – Epidemiology).
8

Investiture of Dr. Aaron Best for the Harrison C. and Mary L. Visscher Endowed Professorship of Genetics.
On September 27, 2012, Dr. Aaron Best of the Biology Department received the very high honor of being endowed as the Harrison
C. and Mary L. Visscher Professor of Genetics. This investiture recognized Dr. Best’s many distinguished achievements in the realm of research and science education. Dr. Best’s research, in which he collaborates with several other scientists in different disciplines, both on campus, and beyond, has received national and international recognition. Dr. Best is interested in understanding the evolution of fundamental cellular systems and how microorganisms function at a systems level. His lab focuses on two areas that are exploring these questions: understanding the transcription mechanism of the protist, Giardia lamblia and comparative analyses of microbial genomes linked to wet-lab experimentation. Increasingly, Dr. Best’s expertise in genomics and bioinformatics has made him an expert resource person and collaborator for many other projects that range across fields as diverse as ecology and animal food production. For further information about projects in Dr. Best’s lab, visit in person or check out the website: http://www.hope.edu/ academic/biology/ourdepartment/profiles/aaronbest/
Other biologists at Hope College who currently hold Endowed Professorships are: Dr. Christopher C. Barney, the T. Elliot Weier
Professor of Biology, and Dr. Maria A. Burnatowska-Hledin, the Frederich Garrett and Helen Floor Dekker Professor of Biology and
Chemistry. Professor Emeritae of the Biology Department who held Endowed Professorships are Dr. Harvey D. Blankespoor
(Frederich Garrett and Helen Floor Dekker Professor Emeritus of Biology) and Dr. Eldon D. Greij (Edward and Elizabeth Hofma
Professor Emeritus of Biology).
Dr. Aaron Putzke Receives Towsley Research Scholar Award from Hope College.
Dr. Aaron Putzke, who joined the Hope Biology faculty in August 2009 has received a Towsley Research Scholar Award through the
Hope College Provost’s Office. This award is aimed at enhancing the profesional development of early-career faculty at Hope. Dr.
Aaron Putzke will be splitting his Towlsey Research sabbatical time by spending the month of January at the VanAndel Research
Institute in Grand Rapids, in collaboration with Dr. Jeff MacKeigan. At the VARI, he will be performing microarray experiments comparing global expression profiles in the absence of a cellular kinase among roundworms ( Caenorhabditis elegans ), zebrafish
( Danio rerio ), and humans. The purpose of these studies is to further examine the evolutionarily conserved mechanism of the required kinase, as it is detrimental to each organism when absent during embryonic development and tumorigenesis. In addition to the microarray experiments, the Putzke lab will be finishing two in vivo studies describing the requirement for the kinase during development where
Zebrafish embryo at 48 hours post fertilization showing the vasculature in green ( fli-1::gfp ) and the blood circulation in red ( gata-1::rfp ). it regulates distinct stem cell populations involved in the vascular and blood cell lineage in zebrafish and hypodermal (skin) stem cells in C. elegans . Through these studies, they aim to not only add significant knowledge to the field regarding the function of this particular kinase, but also to build a bridge that might translate this information into molecular targets for preventing tumor formation and progression in cancers where this kinase has been shown to be active.
Dr. Maria Burnatowska-Hledin, Frederich Garrett and Helen Floor Dekker Professor of Biology and Chemistry,
Forges Professional Research Connections During Sabbatical Fall 2012.
Dr. Hledin spent last summer and semester working in her research lab performing experiments, writing manuscripts and gathering background information for a new research proposal. To date, she completed work that was initiated by her research students in collaboration with Dr. J. Resau at Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids. As a result, they have published two manuscripts coauthored by Hope students. This semester, she was able to complete work on two new research projects that also involved Hope College students. In collaboration with these students, she wrote two manuscripts that are presently being edited by student-coauthors and will be submitted for publication soon. To keep current on the latest endeavors in her area of research and to ascertain that her
Advanced Cell Biology/Biochemistry students are involved in cutting-edge research activities, she attended a national meeting for the American Association of Cancer Research (17,000 participants). She also attended a Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Symposium at
GVSU (Oct 26). While on sabbatical leave, Dr. Hledin also wrote numerous letters of recommendation for students applying to graduate and professional schools, and she even supervised the moving of some heavy lab equipment with Dr. Mike Pikaart!
9

Barney, C. C.
, K. Greenheck, M. A. Nehs, and L. N. Hardy. Endogenous angiotensin II and the regulation of oxygen consumption and colonic temperature in rats. Journal of Thermal Biology. 37: 23-29, 2012.
Barney, C.C.
and M. A. Burnatowska-Hledin ., Johnson, A. E., I. P. Le, B. T. Andresen, J. Stodola, G. L. Dewey, S. B. Dean, J. Resau, P. Haak,
T. Ruch, A. Sartor, I. Lazdins, VACM-1/cul5 expression in vascular tissue in vivo is induced by water deprivation and its expression in vitro regulates aquaporin-1 concentrations. Cell and Tissue Research. 349: 527-539, 2012.
Barney , C.C. and M. A. Burnatowska-Hledin ., *I. P. Le, *S. Shultz, *B. T. Andresen, G. L. Dewey, P. Zhao, *L. Listenberger, P. A. Deen, *A.
Buchwalter
.
2012. Aquaporin-2 Levels in vitro and in vivo are Regulated by VACM-1, a Cul 5 Gene. Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry .
30:1148-1158.
Brady, A. R.
Nearctic species of the new genus Tigrosa (Araneae: Lycosidae). The Journal of Arachnology. 40: 182-208, 2012.
Bultman, T. L.
, A. Aguilera, and
T. Sullivan
. Influence of fungal isolates infecting tall fescue on multitrophic interactions. Fungal Ecology. 5:
372-378, 2012.
Fraley, G.S.,
Clarke, I. J., J. T. Smith, B. A. Henry, B. J. Oldfield, A. Stefanidis, R. P. Miller, I. P. Sari, K. Chng, C. Fabre-Nys, A. Caraty, B. T.
Ang, and L. Chan. Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone is a hypothalamic peptide that provides a molecular switch between reproduction and feeding. Neuroendocrinology, 95: 305-316, 2012.
Fraley, G. S.
, E. Leathley, N. Lundy, E. Chheng, I. King, and B. Kofler. Effects of alarin on food intake, body weight and luteinizing hormone secretion in male mice. Neuropeptides. 46: 99-104, 2012.
Fraley G.S.
, *Leathley E, *Lundy N, **Chheng E, *King I, Kofler B. 2012 Effects of alarin on food intake, body weight and luteinizing hormone secretion in male mice. Neuropeptides. 46(2): 99-104.
Fraley G.S.,
E. Leathley*, A. Nickols*, E. Gerometta*, E. Coombs*, S. Colton*, S. Gallemore*, A. Lindberg*, and B. Kofler. 2012. Alarin
6-25Cys antagonizes alarin-specific effects on food intake and luteinizing hormone secretion. Neuropeptides (in press).
Fraley, G.S.,
Karcher, D., M. Makagon, S.M. Fraley, M. Lilburn. 2012. Effects of flooring type on wellbeing of Pekin ducks. Poultry Sci. (in press).
Fraley G.S.,
*Constant JP, Forbes E, Hallas BH, Leheste JR, Torres G. 2012 . Resveratrol protects neurons from cannulae implantation injury:
Implications for deep brain stimulation. Neuroscience. Jul 13. (in press).
Fraley G.S.,
*Mohr MA, *Leathley E, . 2012. Hypothalamic Galanin-like Peptide (GALP) Rescues the Onset of Puberty in Food-Restricted
Weanling Rats. J Neuroendocrinol. (in press).
Fraley G.S.,
Clarke IJ, Smith JT, Henry BA, Oldfield BJ, Stefanidis A, Millar RP, Sari IP, Chng K, Fabre-Nys C, Caraty A, Ang BT, Chan L.
2012. Gonadotropin Inhibitory Hormone Is a Hypothalamic Peptide That Provides a Molecular Switch between Reproduction and Feeding.
Neuroendocrinology. 95(4):305-16.
Fraley, G.S., *J
. P. Constant, E. Forbes, B. H. Hallas, J. R. Leheste and G. Torres. 2012. Resveratrol Protects Neurons from Cannulae Implantation
Injury: Implications for Deep Brain Stimulation. Neuroscience.
222:333-342.
Fraley, G.S., *M. A. Mohr, and *E. Leathley. 2012. Hypothalamic Galanin-Like Peptide Rescues the Onset of Puberty in Food-Restricted
Weanling Rats. Journal of Neuroendocrinology . 24:1412-1422.
Li
, J-H, Du, Y.-J., Q.-Y. Dai, L.-Y. Zhang, Y.-X. Qiu, and C.-X. Fu. Development of microsatellite markers for the dove tree , Davidia involucrata
(Nyssaceae), a rare endemic from China. American Journal of Botany. 99: E206-E209, 2012.
Li, J.-H.
, B. Goldman-Huertas, J. DeYoung, and J. Alexander III. Phylogenetics and diversification of Syringa inferred from nuclear and plastid
DNA sequences. Castanea: The Journal of the Southern Appalachian Botanical Society. 77: 82-88, 2012.
Li, J.-H,
Q.-Y., W. Guo, W.-B. Liao, J. A. Macklin, and
J.-H. Li
. Generic limits of Pyrinae: Insights from nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences.
Botanical Studies. 53: 151-164, 2012.
McDonough, V.
2012. Improving Journal Club: Increasing Student Discussion and Understanding of Primary Literature in Molecular Biology
Through the Use of Dialectical Notes. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education . 40: 330-332.
10

Dr. Greg Fraley
spent the last 6 months completing research projects that involve research funded by the Campbell Foundation and GLCA New
Directions Initiative to study putative treatments for Parkinson’s Disease.
This project has generated one 2012 publication and fostered a new collaboration with Dean Moses Lee. Dr. Fraley has also completed international collaborations in conjunction with the poultry industry. One project that included scientists from Australia, Spain, Japan, Germany, and
Italy investigated a newly discovered neurohormone that is considered to be a molecular switch between feeding and reproductive systems.
Another project involved collaborators from University of Arkansas, the
USDA, Australia, Austria and Scotland. This project investigated the effects of different wavelengths of light on deep brain photoreceptors that regulate feeding and reproductive systems. Along with the other projects in
Dr. Fraley’s lab, these projects have produced 6 manuscripts that have been submitted for publication since
January, 2012. Five of these manuscripts have been accepted for publication and the remainder is still under review. Two further manuscripts are currently being written. Despite being on sabbatical, Dr. Fraley has also maintained his relationship with Hope students. He and Dr. Susan Fraley took 6 students to the American
Preveterinary Medical Association (APVMA) annual symposium held at NC State this year. During this meeting, Dr. Fraley was elected to the National Advisory Board for the APVMA. Dr. Fraley is one of 3 standing members and the only member who has ever been elected from a 4-year college. Dr. Fraley also continued his teaching of the Hope Martial Arts class along with Drs. Bekmetjev and Evans. This past spring, they promoted the largest number of students to date—21 students including Hope students, faculty, staff and children of the Hope family. Dr. Fraley’s most important accomplishment during his sabbatical was that he earned his 4 th
Dan (4 th
degree black-belt) in tae kwon do, which now places him in the Master black belt range.
Greg and Susan Fraley made major progress on remodeling their 160-year-old farmhouse and doubled the number of their cows with the births of Buttercup and Saphira J. The picture above is of Drs. Greg and Susan
Fraley in their classic Star Trek garb during the Halloween party for the first anniversary of their neighbor’s band, StoneThrown!
After a "Mythbusters" show, Drs. Greg and Susan Fraley were able to spend time "backstage" with Jamie and Adam. A great couple of guys and just as much fun in person as they are in the show!!
Who you gonna call? MYTHBUSTERS!!!!!!! The Fraley’s pose with Mythbusters, Adam Savag and Jamie Hyneman.
Director of Biology Laboratories Lori Hertel and professor Kathy Winnett-
Murray continued a long-standing tradition of attending the ABLE (Association for Biology Laboratory Education) conference as a workshop-presenting team. This year, the conference was held at the University of North Carolina. Also attending was
Heather Wesp
(’99), a biology instructor for Montcalm Community
College. During the conference, the 3 biologists had the opportunity to visit the
Duke Lemur Center ( http://lemur.duke.edu/ ), where research is being conducted on free-ranging lemurs and sifakas representing a variety of primate species. In the photo, Lori is at a feeding station with Ring-tailed Lemurs.
11

About 100 bio majors and bio-wanna-bes turned out for the Fall Advising Night, which translated a Halloween theme into loads of informative sessions about things to do with biological flair! Many participants turned out in costume, including Dr. Tom Bultman’s Invertebrate Zoology (Bio 422) class, who received points for biologically accurate creature costumes.
Jackie Logan (‘13), Jillian Farkas (‘13), Lizzie
Unterbrink (‘14), and Kelly Krueger (‘14) as ventral
(top photo) and dorsal (bottom photo) views of
Dr. Jianhua Li as Plant Man, delivering the joint session to students currently in Bio 240
Alyssa Bakker (‘14) as the medusa of a
Cnidarian
We could not have delivered such an information-rich evening without the planarians,
Amanda Thomas (‘13) (below) is in a sea urchin (type of echinoderm) costume assistance of several of our own alumni and current students who voluntarily spent time with the up and coming bio-cohort – many, many thanks to the following current and former Bio students for helping to deliver relevant, and fascinating looks at different biological career and research options: Alan
Sielaff (‘08) and Tahnee Prokopow (‘92) - planning for medical school, Jacquelyn Randolet (‘09) and Dr. Tom
Bultman (‘78) - preparing for graduate school, Janelle Kirsch (‘15) and Jared Lincoln (‘13) - Highlights from May
Term 2012, Alyssa Stevenson (‘13) - medical internship at NY Med, Jillian Farkas (‘13) - study abroad in Costa Rica through CIEE; Melinda Miller (‘09) - working with animals at zoos and as a vet tech, Sarah Colton (‘13) - biology research experiences on and off campus , Emily Armbruster (‘13) - research off campus at U. Missouri, Allyson Schenk
(’14) - veterinary internship involving work at the CDC , Megan Ludwig (‘13) - off campus research at U. Minn., Jamie
Grit (‘14) - off campus research at Van Andel Institute, Anne Short (‘11) - internships and Grad School at the Zoo,
Thomas Gable (‘13) - off campus research on wolves in the Grand Tetons.
We also thank Hugh Brown of Pierce
Cedar Creek Institute in Hastings, MI, who presented information about Undergraduate Research Grants for the
Environment & other opportunities at the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute Biological field station
( http://www.cedarcreekinstitute.org/grants.html
).
Biology students travelled to the
Midstates Consortium for Math & Science
which was held at The University of
Chicago on November 9-10, 2012. Dr. Tom Bultman, attended along with Marlene Field of the Consortium:. The
Biology students who attended were:
Matthew Harder (‘15) (mentor Dr. Aaron Putzke) - Investigating fer kinase regulation of gene transcription during development;
Cassondra Cramer (‘13) (mentor Dr. Leah Chase) – Real time analysis of System xc-;
Maria Eguiluz (‘15) (mentor Dr. Aaron Best): Taming of the Shew – Metabolic Modeling of the Genus Shewanella ;
Amanda Beck (‘14) & Jacob Johnson (‘14) (mentor Dr. Chris Barney): The effects of intermittent heat acclimation on thirst and body water status in rats.
12

Tri Beta Inductees 2012:
On April 19, 2012 9 new members and 1 associate member were elected into the Biology Department and
National Tri-Beta Honor Society: Michael Atwell (‘13), Amanda Beck (‘14), Rachel Butts (‘14), Sarah Flinker, Thomas Gable (‘13),
Samantha Gagnon (‘13), Elizabeth Hidlebaugh (‘13), Holly Vander Stel (‘14), Jamin Wieringa (‘13), and Associate Member,
Alexandria Vandervest (‘15). Dr. Jianhua Li is the group’s Faculty advisor.
BBB-sponsored activities during the fall semester included Forest of Fear, assistance with Biology Advising Night, participation in
Tails and Trails, two Biology Movie Nights, Beach Sweep, the annual Myrtle Pull, assisting Club Animalia in Relay for Life, and the
Biology Christmas Party!
In addition, a new board was formed:
President: Samantha Gagnon (‘13)
Vice President: Jamin Wieringa (‘13)
Secretary: Danielle Mila (‘14)
Treasurer: Michael Atwell (‘13)
Historian: Rachel Butts (‘14)
Social Chair: Amanda Schuiling (‘13)
Biology Students Head South! May Term 2012 - Biology 380:
“The Peruvian Amazon, Rainforest, and Machu Picchu”
On May 5, 13 students Michael Atwell (‘13), Sarah Flinker, Guillermo Flores (‘14), David Hayes (‘13), Rikki Henderson, Michael
Hledin, Ryan (Richard) Jones (‘13), Janelle Kirsch (‘15) Rachel Kreb (‘14), Jared Lincoln, Brennan Sieck (‘14), Laurie Stubenrauch
(‘13), Preston Widing (‘14) and Dr. Eldon Greij left Chicago O’Hare for Lima, Peru, on a 22 day adventure. Their interest was tropical biology with an emphasis on the diversity of birds. The group, along with Dr. David Bruggers, of Newton College, Lima,
Peru, spent six days on a 120 foot Amazon river boat, while making daily excursions to tributaries and lagoons for wildlife sighting, and to villages to learn about the culture of Riberneros (river people). Three days in Paracus on the west coast allowed them to visit the Ballestas Islands and the resident seabird colonies, seal lions, and penguins. This was followed by six days of immersion into the rainforest by staying at a lodge and having walking treks and canoe trips including early morning and late evening. Finally, five days at
Cusco, Machu Picchu, and the Sacred Valley allowed them to experience the incredible culture and ancient ruins of the Incas.
13

deKruif Writing Award: Amanda Barber (‘12) - Review Paper
Biology Book Award (Freshmen): Shaylyn Pritchard (‘15) and Lisa McLellan (‘15)
Patterson Award (Senior): Anne Georges (‘12)
Service Award (Seniors): Hilary Bultman (‘12), Anne Georges (‘12) & Jennifer LaRoche (‘12)
Wolterink: Danielle Mila (‘14)
Senior Sigma Xi Research Awards: Phi Beta Kappa:
Daniel J. Ackert
Sharina-Mae C. Bello
Meghan E. Broadbent
Hilary L. Bultman
Erika K. Coombs
Jeffrey M. Corajod
Nickolas J. Davros
Lauren A. Ferin
Bethany J. Fox
Erin N. Hildebrandt
Scott A. Howard
Erica C. Jansen
Rachel L. Jantz
Megan E. Johnson
Jessica C. Kozack
Nicole R. Kubinec
Jennifer R. LaRoche
Courtney A. Long
Hilary Bultman
Jeffrey Corajod
Anne Georges
Bryan Kunkler
Kelsey Moore
Regina O’Brien
Jessica Simmons
Sioned Sitkiewicz
Robert Sjoholm
Ingrid Slette
Emily Van Wieren
Christopher M. Mattson
Dan R. Meyer
Kelsey M. Moore
Regina O’Brien
Michael J. Parrish
Caitlin E. Peirce
Lauren M. Reif
Meredith K. Rice
Kalli A. Shades
Sioned E. Sitkiewicz
Ingrid J. Slette
Alyssa M. Stevenson
Anna R. Strong
Jeffrey P. Sweers
Reid J. Tornquist
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