LA SIERRA UNIVERSITY BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT NEWSLETTER
June 2016
BIO LOG
Research Emphasis Week
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
B i o l o g y D e p a r t m e n t 1 s t p l a c e
P o s t e r c o m p e t i t i o n
B y


Research Emphasis Week

Dr. Natasha Dean’s
Microbiology Lab


Dr. Arturo Diaz’s Lab


Dr. Lee Grismer’s Lab



Dr. John Perumal’s Lab
New Faculty Member—Dr.
Arun Muthiah
Dr. Raul Diaz’s Lab
Dr. Eugene Joseph’s Lab
Dr. Nate Sutter’s Lab
1
2
3
4
5
Dr. Trueblood’s Lab

Dr. James Wilson’s Cutting
Edge Science Class

Earth Day & Environmental
Awareness Campaign

GB III Camping Trip


Pre-Dent Society

Pre-Med Society


Tri-Beta Society

Club Bulletin Boards
(Continuation)

Department Awards - Annual
BBQ

Department Chair Message
Environmental Club
Affiliated Club Information
Bulleting boards
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A r t u r o
d i a z
O
n June 1st, La Sierra University held its annual Research Emphasis Week poster competition. This
event is the cornerstone of Research Emphasis Week and this year nearly 60 posters were displayed
in the hallways of both floors of the Thaine B. Price Science Complex. This event gives students the opportunity to share the interesting and
diverse range of research that is
taking place on campus, from biology and chemistry to education and
psychology. The Biology department is proud to announce that Josephine Simorangkir, who works in
Dr. Arturo Diaz’s lab, was awarded
first prize for her research on the
role of COPII components in the
replication of brome mosaic virus.
This is the third consecutive year
that a student working in the Biology department has won first place.
Josephine’s project consists of
characterizing the role that cellular
proteins play during the replication
Josephine Simorangkir working in the Diaz’s Lab.
of positive-strand RNA virusPhoto credit : Natan Vigna
es, which are the largest genetic
class of viruses and include many
serious human pathogens such as hepatitis C virus, Dengue, and Zika. In particular, she is looking at
whether COP II components, which are involved in transporting protein cargo from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus, contribute to inducing and maintaining the vesicle-like membrane-bound
compartments that positive-strand RNA viruses create to organize and to protect their RNA genome during
replication. The results will shed light on the virus-host interactions required for proper replication compartment assembly, which will help in developing novel broad-spectrum antiviral strategies going forward.
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10
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12
A
run grew up as an SDA in India. He has a Bachelors degree (B. Sc) in Zoology with minors in botany and
chemistry. Watching live motile bacteria under a microscope exited him and led him to
pursue a masters (M.Sc) degree in medical microbiology, which he obtained from Christian
Medical College, Vellore, India. Before moving to the US to further enhance his education,
he taught Anatomy, physiology and microbiology to medical, nursing and clinical science
students in India and Nepal. Arun’s PhD studies at Loma Linda University focused on microbial pathogenicity, in particular he analyzed the role that glycans (sugar) play in the maturation of virulence proteins in Porphyromonas gingivalis, a periodontal pathogen. Since
graduating he has been teaching Anatomy & physiology, microbiology and general biology at community colleges in the Inland Empire. He is married to Sally, an RN, and
has a teenage son. He likes what he does ( i.e. Teaching) and is aiming to continue research in the field of microbial pathogenicity.
Page 1
LA SIERRA UNIVERSITY BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT BIO LOG
D r .
D e a n ’ s
S e c r e t s
B y
M i c r o b i o l o g y
o f
t h e
June 2016
L a b
I n v i s i b l e
C h r i s t o p h e r H u y n h , E a r v i n A y a p a n a a n d M a r i n a
C o o r d i n a t e d b y D r . N a t a s h a D e a n
M
icrobiology labs are fun for students because of
the “hands-on” nature of the labs, but there’s a
lot that goes on behind the scenes. Success
depends on two arms of the prep team: (a) me-
dia and (b) cultures.
Media is
critical for microbiology labs
because microorganisms need
nutrients to
grow. Bacteria
can be grown in
a laboratory
setting at high
densities in liquid medium
Students in Microbiology class analyzing data
called a broth,
but they can also grow on solid medium. There are different
types of solid media: slants are solid media in a test tube hardened at an angle, agar deeps are solid media in a test tube hardened upright, and plates are solid media in Petri dishes. Media
also differs in its composition. Some of the common media we
use are Nutrient broth, Nutrient agar, Trypticase Soy broth and
Trypticase Soy agar. Media are sterilized by autoclaving. The
autoclave is our best friend because the high temperature
(121oC) and high pressure of the autoclave kills all microorganisms.
Media preparation takes dedication.
A lot of what we do is very timeconsuming, as we prepare media by the
hundreds, sometime even by the thousands for just one lab that happens every
Petri dishes and test tubes
Wednesday. When you factor in the numwith growing bacteria
ber of students per quarter and the number of exercises per lab, it’s easy to imagine how this process
can be expansive. The most important part of making media is
first and foremost having good sterile techniques to minimize
contamination. Second to that is the ability to work well with
other technicians. Teamwork is more than an option; it’s a
requirement.
It also demands the ability to follow directions as changes
to the recipe can negatively affect bacterial growth. People who
have worked in media have said that it is like baking. You have
to accurately measure all of your ingredients, and then mix
them together. Dispensing media into test tubes and sterile
plates is the most labor-intensive part of media preparation.
Despite the workload, it’s still a great job because every media
technician knows that the secret of success for each experiment
lies with the media. In 24 hours, the magic of microbiology
G a y i d
becomes clearer and invisible creatures become
visible to the naked eye.
Culture technicians
understand this magic.
Growing and working
with bacteria is a very
unique and interesting
experience because seeing
how a small sample of
bacteria multiplies abundantly shows how great
life truly is. Without a
doubt, growing bacteria is
a very important part of
the microbiology lab:
Media Technician, Christopher Huynh, by the
The only way to determedia ingredients shelves.
mine how a changing
environment affects bacterial growth is to start with bacterial
cultures. The wise technician knows that you have to select the
right medium and control environmental conditions if you want
bacteria to multiply overnight (18-24 hours).
The growth needs of the bacterium depend on the organism
itself. For example, Escherichia coli may grow quite well on
minimal medium like Nutrient broth or LB broth, while other
organisms will require a richer, more complex medium such as
Brain-heart infusion (BHI). Also, temperature greatly affects
microbial growth. Again, E. coli may grow well from 30- 37oC,
while heat-loving thermophiles like Geobacillus stearothermophilus grow best between 55-75oC.
In addition to dedication and skill, maintaining bacterial
cultures also requires proper aseptic techniques. Proper aseptic
technique is probably the most important skill to have while
working with bacteria (along with patience) because it not only
guards against cross-contamination, but it ensures the technician’s safety.
Knowing that
some of the
microorganisms
you work with
can make you
sick if you’re
not careful demands that the
culture room
remains clean,
well organized,
and strictly off
Microbiology Teaching Assistants for the Spring quarter.
-limits to those
Front row, seated: Patricia Gerungan, Cynthia Gouw, Marina
Gayid, Cindy Wen Chok. Back row, standing: Christian Mata
who are unPadilla, Earvin Ayapana, Kyle Pham, Christopher Huynh.
trained.
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LA SIERRA UNIVERSITY BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT BIO LOG
D r .
A r t u r o
T
D i a z ’ s
June 2016
L a b
he Diaz lab is composed of Dr. Arturo Diaz and students
Josephine Simorangkir, Cheyenne Feig, Phoudong Keovilay, Jennifer Yoo and Jieun Ahn. The Diaz lab focuses on a
group of viruses known
as positive-strand RNA
viruses, which includes
many serious human
pathogens such as hepatitis C virus, rhinovirus
(the predominant cause of
the common cold), as
well as recently emerged
viruses like Dengue,
Chikungunya, and Zika.
Research interests include
the study of host and viral
factors involved in viral
replication, viral pathogenesis, and anti-viral
host responses. Since
Diaz’s research students. From left: Jennifer Yoo, Jieun Ahn, viruses remain serious
Phoudong Keovilay, Cheyenne Feig, and Josephine
threats to public health
Simorangkir.
due to a lack of effective
controls and the continuing emergence of new, highly pathogenic
viruses, the development of more effective virus controls requires
better understanding of virus replication and virus-host interactions.
and in forming the replication complexes. Josephine is focusing
on the role that components of vesicle transport from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi play in BMV replication. Cheyenne and Phoudong are working on a protein family known as the
reticulons, which partition and stabilize highly curved membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum and have been shown to
stabilize the BMV replication compartments. Jieun and Jennifer
joined the lab at the beginning of Spring quarter so they have
been learning basic lab techniques and assisting on the reticulon
project.
In particular, research in the Diaz lab focuses on testing and
refining a proposed model for positive-strand RNA viral replication complex formation, structure, and organization using brome
mosaic virus (BMV) as a model system. Currently the lab is
working on two major projects that involve identifying and characterizing the role that cellular proteins play in viral replication
Work in the Diaz lab will
continue over the summer in
collaboration with colleagues
at Virginia Tech University.
T
he R. Diaz Lab has been
working hard toward establishing the most species
diverse Squamate reptile
(snakes, lizards) research facility in the
USA. We will be housing and breeding >15 species of diverse body plans,
colors, patterns, and dependence on
sensory systems. We have been utilizing modern genomic techniques
(transcriptomes, genomes), gene expression (mRNA and protein), embryo
Dr. Diaz.
tissue and organ culture. Moreover,
Photo credit: Natan Vigna
classic techniques in anatomy such as
histology and clearing skeletons will be used to understand how
the reptile embryonic body changes over time to give species
specific anatomies. Specifically, we are using lizards and snakes
to understand the evolution of the vertebrate skull, formation of
reptile skin and its coloration, and the development of the musculoskeletal complex of the hands and feet. With the use of very fun
With regards to her experience in the lab so far Jieun mentioned that she “enjoyed learning techniques on DNA and protein
extractions. I like how the concepts learned in Biology and other
science classes are used in research. I also enjoyed applying the
things I learned in class to the techniques and experiments done
in lab”. Working in the lab has broadened Jennifer’s view on
possible occupations that she may want to pursue in the future.
“I feel that my experience
here has positively changed
my view on research. Previously I had little knowledge
about what goes on inside the
lab beside the small insight I
received in biology and
chemistry lab and the stereotypes presented by society.”
Last year’s (fall quarter) group of research students sporting their best Christmas sweaters.
From left, front row: Tania Sandoval, Ronia Ali,
Cheyenne Feig, and Josephine Simorangkir Back
row: Phoudong Keovilay, and Dr. Arturo Diaz.
toys such as Micro Computed Tomography to make 3D renditions
of embryos for study using animation software (such as the image ,on the right, of a Desert Grassland Whiptail Lizard, photo
rendered at USC Imaging Center).
Above. A cleared and stained (Alizarin Red: Bone, Alcian Blue: Cartilage)
skeleton of a Meller's Chameleon, the largest chameleon in Africa. This
technique allows one to study the skeletal tissue of a vertebrate in place to
better understand how organisms are constructed and compare different
species to understand how they all diverge.
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LA SIERRA UNIVERSITY BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT BIO LOG
D r .
G r i s m e r ’ s
B y
D
H a y d e n
r. Grismer’s herpetology lab had a very
busy, productive 2015–2016 school
year. There are currently four students working in his lab: Anthony Cobos, Hayden Davis, Matthew Murdoch, and Alexandra
Sumarli. However, the lab is about to get
much smaller as Anthony, Hayden, and Alexandra were all accepted into graduate
schools—Cal State Northridge, Villanova
University, and San Diego State University,
respectively—to continue their studies.
This year, Alexandra Sumarli had her
Dr. Grismer and new lab member, Zoe
paper describing a new species of skink
from Peninsular Malaysia accepted and, once published, it will be her
second peer-reviewed paper published while working under Dr. Grismer. Both Anthony and Hayden published their first peer-reviewed
papers this year with Anthony’s paper describing a new species of
Gecko and Hayden’s paper describing a new species of frog, both of
which were from Peninsular Malaysia.
Matthew is currently working on a few projects. He has been
working on a comprehensive study of the evolution of Geckos from the
Cardamom mountains in Cambodia, a study of the body sizes and characteristics of cave-dwelling Geckos, and a checklist of the biodiversity
found on an island off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
Dr. Grismer and his students all had the opportunity to present their research at the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles meeting at Kansas University during the summer of 2015 and the
following week they headed to Malaysia to expand their projects and
D
June 2016
L a b
D a v i s
collect more data.
Lastly, Dr. Grimser’s lab
has received its second round of
funding from the National Geographic Society and has recently
been invited to do survey work in
mountains and limestone formations in Myanmar.
Top: New species of frog described in Hayden’s paper.
Left: Hayden Davis (left) and
Anthony Cobos off the coast of
Northeast Malaysia.
Left: Alexandra Sumarli holding a
Fijian iguana. Top. Matthew Murdoch
holding a Reticulated Python caught in
Kelantan, Malaysia.
Dr. Joseph’s L Ab
r. Joseph’s research laboratory focuses on the effects of oxidative stress on bone-like cells. Oxida-
tive stress
can
cause
cells to mutate and may lead to cancer and metabolic diseases. Research in the laboratory focuses on cellular
mechanisms that counteract the effects of oxidative stress on bone cell cultures. Recently, the research
laboratory has also acquired an additional cell line (human
pancreatic cancer cells – Panc-1 CRL 1469). This new cell
line is used to study the anti-cancer effects of EGCG (an
active ingredient in green tea) on human pancreatic cancer
cells. Students who work in the lab develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. They also are given the
opportunity to learn and apply several biomedical research
techniques. Part of the undergraduate research team is
featured in the picture below: [From left to right: Samuel
Bolivar, Kevin Bautista, Kelly Fong, Abigail Rodriguez,
Nok Hang (Tony) Lai]. At the end of each school year, the
data generated in the laboratory through individual student’s projects are analyzed and displayed. Students get the opportunity to present their
work during Research Emphasis Week at La Sierra University and at the international Experimental Biology Meetings, upon acceptance of any
poster abstracts submitted.
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LA SIERRA UNIVERSITY BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT BIO LOG
D r .
B y
P e r u m a l ’ s
C h a n
June 2016
L a b
M e e ( E s t h e r )
L e e
O
ur lab has seen some interesting developments this year; first we had the addition of three new sophomores, Eugenie Choi, Tristan Luu and myself to the group, which included Somyung Ji and Victoria
Nguyen who are seniors and Fred Choi who is a junior. Then we had a rude awaking to the reality of ecological research when our planned experiments of a large batch of plants growing in the greenhouse was attacked
by what we deduced was a field mice which chewed the base of most plants. So we had to reinstate the experiment in the growth chamber in the research lab itself. So currently we are working on an experiment to determine how various pollutants affects the growth and establishment of Zea mays (corn). We decided to use detergent, vinegar, and motor oil as the pollutants.
As we moved forward with the experiment, we are confronted with more challenges. We had some issues with
the growth chamber particularly with the lightings which were rather intermittent so we had to improvise some
additional lightings and to ensure that all the specimens studied were getting uniform exposure to the lights we
moved the plants randomly throughout the duration of the treatment.
We are about to gather the data from the experiments and are looking at plant height, leaf area, biomass, and
root-shoot ratio to conclude this experiment. We are all excited to find the real relationship between pollutants
and plants. We will be analyzing the data using various statistical methods and are working on having a poster
to be presented at the research emphasis week in June, 2016.
D r .
S u t t e r ’ s
From left: Tristan Luu, Somyung Ji, Chan Mee Lee, Eugenie Choi,
Victoria Nguyen, Dr. Perumal, and Fred Choi.
L a b
T
he Sutter lab studies how the genomes of dogs, horses and rabbits are altered via events in domestication.
Domestication is fairly rare: only about 1% of the 4000 mammal species have been domesticated. Furthermore, a number of striking changes to certain traits accompany domestication as a result of intense selection
by breeders: body size changes radically, other skeletal shape changes ensue (think of a dachshund’s legs or a
bulldogs snout, for example) and coat coloration and patterns diversify. We aim to understand how SINE
(short interspersed elements) retrotransposon insertions into genes may enable these rapid changes in traits.
SINEs are known to disrupt normal gene splicing and expression levels and we have therefore created catalogs
of thousands of SINEs inserted in the dog, horse and rabbit genomes in order to check for possible gene disruptions. We are also using these datasets to study genes controlling rabbit body size variation.
From left: Dr. Nate Sutter, Alexis Chrispens,
Jordan Orosco and Jose Salome Correa.
Right figure: Agarose gel electrophoresis is a simple means of genotyping SINE insertion polymorphisms. This gel shows a dog SINE that is polymorphic: it is inserted into a particular locus in some
genome copies but not inserted in others.
Dr. Trueblood’s Lab
octopi, grinding fish tissue, catching salps, gathering more data, and
he adventures in aquatic physiology continue in
working the data up for publication.
the Trublood lab. This year we had the pleasure
Dr. Trueblood’s Researchers Testimonials
of being the proud parents of approximately 10,000
octopus babies. We were very fortunate to have severBeing a part of Dr. Trueblood’s lab is a ton of fun and a great learning experience.
al of our Red Octopus (Octopus rubescens) deposit
Learning hands on lets you implement what you've studied
and brood eggs in our lab. Shauna Cyr and Luke
in the classroom and apply it in the lab. I especially enjoy
working with the octopus and seeing what intelligent creaGardner did a great job caring for and attempting to
tures they are. Dr. Trueblood is a great teacher and mentor
rear this huge number of offspring. Besides working
because he always makes sure you understand the experiments, loves answering my millions of questions, and
with the babies, we also collected data on the effect of
ocean acidification on metabolism and critical oxygen partial pressure in makes lab fun by hiding fart (motion-sensor) machines
around for us to find.
this species.
- Shauna Cyr
T
When she wasn’t wrestling octopus in the aquaria room, Sophomore
research student Shauna was at the lab bench working on muscle enzyme kinetics from two ectomorphs of Bluegill sunfish (Lepomis
macrochirus). Her work on this project was presented at the 2016 Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology annual meeting
in Portland, Oregon.
Collective it has been a great
year for research. This summer will be spent wrestling Left: baby octopus, approx. size 2mm. Right Adult octopus in a respirometer,
Working with Dr. Trueblood has been a great and motivating experience. There are
many things I've learned by being an active participant of his research team. Working with Dr. Trueblood over the past 2 years, I had the privileged of observing various different deep sea critters, especially one of his favorites, the octopus. I have
had a lot of memorable hands on experience in his lab of which I found most beneficial was learning how to critically analyze scientific journals. With this new and developing skill one day I will write a scientific article of my own. The experience of working with Dr. Trueblood has opened my eyes to new
and different branches of science, making it one of
my most memorable educational experiences.
-Luke Gardner
approx. 200 grams.
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LA SIERRA UNIVERSITY BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT BIO LOG
S c i e n c e
B y
S
June 2016
D r . J a m e s W i l s o n ’ s
A t t h e C u t t i n g E d g e
C a s s a n d r a
S a v a l a
& B r e t t
C l a s s
M c k e a n
tudents enrolled in the Science at the Cutting Edge class, Biology 410, attended the Experimental Biology Conference at the San
Diego Convention Center on April 3rd, 2016. This
annual meeting is a time when many different researchers and
scientists come together to present and explore recent scientific
studies. In addition, this conference showcases new technologies
that can be used in research labs. In total, over 14,000 scientists
attended, as well as six sponsoring societies in areas associated
with biochemistry, anatomy, and nutrition, among others. People
who attend this conference range from well-experienced researchers to undergraduates who are eager to explore a career in
science. This conference gave the Biology 410 students an inside
look into how scientists interact with one another in the research
field. Overall, the Experimental Biology Conference is a great
Group of students who attended the conference lead by Dr. Wilson.
opportunity to learn more about various research fields and also get an inside view on life as a scientist.
Earth Day & Environmental Awareness Campaign
O
By Pamela Fernández
n April 22,
students, professors and
staff gathered
at Cossentine Hall for our
yearly Earth Day and
Environmental Campaign
Assembly. On this official world-wide Earth
Day, we are reminded of
the importance of creating awareness and individual consciousness on a
cause that affects us all. Three students and Environmental club members; Shauna Cyr, Joseph Ramos and Alexandra Sumarli presented on
the following topics: History of Earth Day, The Water Conservation and
Climate Change, respectively.
In her talk Alexandra Sumarli mentioned
that underground water extracted from within the La
Sierra campus property is used to water the green
areas on campus. Even though this water may seem
“free of charge” eventually the depletion of these
pockets of underground water will leave the ground
unstable, resulting in sink holes. This information
incentivizes us to make changes on our own campus.
Nevertheless, it is important to point out that several
areas, especially around Price Science Complex,
Cossentine Hall and Palmer Hall, have been popuDr. Adeny Schmidt, CAS
lated with desert and native vegetation to reduce
Dean presenting a certificate of appreciation to
water usage while maintaining a beautiful landMrs. Alma Wagner, one of
scape.
the volunteer judges.
The annual Environmental Awareness
Campaign concluded its campus evaluation for 2016 by recognizing
those departments that best complied with the following guidelines:
energy efficiency, water conservation, recycling and general impressions
on environmental awareness. The four volunteer judges that came and
evaluated each department building and several administration offices
this year were Tom Hutchinson from CL Industrial Coatings, Alma
Wagner who is a Project Manager at Bernard’s, Ronald Liu and John
Sanger with Keep Riverside Clean and Beautiful. The Department of
Biology won first place while the Department of History, Politics and
Sociology and the Department of English finished in second and third
place, respectively.
Once again and to conclude the event, Dr. Perumal, the creator of this
campaign since 2006, encouraged all the participants to make a difference and be conscious of our actions towards the environment.
From left: Dr. Trueblood, Biology Dept. Chair; Dr. McBride, English Dept. Professor, Dr. Schmidt,
CAS Dean; Dr. Howe, History, Politics and Sociology Dept. Chair. Speakers: Alexandra Sumarli,
Joseph Ramos, Shauna Cyr & Dr. John Perumal, Biology Dept. Professor and Env. Club sponsor.
* A special thanks to the Provost office and to Dr. Schmidt from the CAS office
for their support and participation.
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LA SIERRA UNIVERSITY BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT BIO LOG
June 2016
GB III Camping Trip At Edmund Jaeger Sanctuary
O
B y
S h a u n a
n Friday, April 22nd 2016, thirty-five General Biology III students spent Earth Day
stuffing supplies and camping gear into vehicles. With
high spirits, the group headed to the Edmund Jaeger
Nature Sanctuary.
The Edmund Jaeger Nature Sanctuary is about
50 miles east of Indio and a little past Joshua Tree National Park. The Bureau of Land Management has entrusted this plot of land to La Sierra University. During
our stay, some rules were implemented to preserve
the natural habitat, and protect the wildlife in the area.
This entailed digging a hole for biodegradable waste
not too far from the canopy where food was prepared,
and taking back any recyclables in plastic bags.
As evening set in on the first day, amidst the
hustle and bustle of setting up camp and figuring out
the perfect place to pitch tents, Dr. Perumal began
making his infamous Laksa: a popular Malaysian curry
fusion with Chinese and Indian influences, served over
rice noodles garnished with bean sprouts, and shreds
of thinly sliced tofu, gluten and eggs. While the pots
were cooking, Dr. Perumal received a call that one of
the students took a wrong turn, and got his vehicle
hopelessly stuck in the sand. This was the first of many
sand-related vehicle mishaps on the trip! Well into the
evening, after hours of pushing and pulling, the gang of
students that volunteered to help free the vehicle finally threw in the towel and came back to camp hungry and tired. Once everyone had their fill of second
and third helpings of Laksa, the group migrated towards the campfire where marshmallows were being
roasted for s’mores, Group 1 led out in vespers.
On day two, we were awoken to the smell of a
Campsite
view
A s h l o c k
classic all-American pancake-and-egg breakfast. The breakfast
was complimented with a brilliant sky bursting with an array
of vibrant colors. Group 2 led out in a song service and worship, after which the campers split into three groups. The first
set out on a hike to the top of the mountain nearby, while the
second went back to where the car waited, from the night
before. The last group stayed in camp, and explored the nearby rock formations.
Everyone met back at camp for the spaghetti and salad lunch prepared by Group 3. In the late afternoon, Dr. Perumal took the group on a nature walk where he pointed out
various adaptations in desert plants, including the spines being considered ‘modified leaves’ on cacti, or the fleshy modified stems, leaves and roots that store water in succulents.
We ended the hike with a sundown worship led by Alejandrina.
Sunday began abruptly at five fifty in the morning. A
loud rustling on the side of our tents followed by Dr. Perumal
exclaiming, “It’s morning! Time to get up!” could be heard
throughout the camp. Scratched by desert plants and rocks,
burned by the scorching sun and dirty from three days without a proper bathroom facility, the students left the campsite
with so much more than just cuts, burns and dirt. They left
with a sense of closeness and unity that only spending time
together in the beauty nature can accomplish.
Some of
the desert
vegetation
found in
the area
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LA SIERRA UNIVERSITY BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT BIO LOG
P r e –
B y
D e n t
A l f r e d o
June 2016
S o c i e t y
M a r t i n e z
T
he Pre-Dental Society is an organization on campus, whose goal is to guide students through the dental admissions process and offer
opportunities to be involved in the field of dentistry both in and outside of campus. Throughout the years, each and every one of the
officers have been accepted to Dental Schools across the country. The club does the best it can to offer students opportunities to network with other pre-dental students and dental schools. Some of the activities that took place during the 2015-2016 school year include a dinner with the LLUSD ASDA chapter, multiple mini interviews with dental students, Informative Meetings, PAT NIGHTS, and involvement in campus activities.
The dinner with the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry – American Student Dental Association chapter took place in the Fall Quarter of 2015 at Prince Hall. PreDental students were dressed in professional attire and were introduced to several current
first-year dental (D-1) students while enjoying a prepared meal. After the introductions,
students were then allowed to engage in a Q&A with the D-1 students. Many great and
interesting questions surfaced on the floor, many of which will come valuable to those applying in the near future. After the Q&A, the students were given a tour of the dental
school, which included the two Simulation Labs and the main Dental Clinic.
The second time the Pre-Dental Society met with the LLUSD-ASDA students it
was with the Speed-Dating event that took place once more at Prince Hall. This time
around, however, students engaged with the D-1 students in an interview manner. The D-1
students asked the Pre-Dental students questions in order to simulate a real interview. After
the Speed-Dating event, some of the students were taken to bowl and socialize with each
other outside the classroom setting.
Most other nights, the Pre-Dental Society has met on campus at Cossentine Hall
for PAT NIGHT. PAT NIGHT is an evening in which the officers of the society share their
knowledge of the PAT, the perceptual ability portion of the DAT exam, by showing students how to solve the different types of problem sets they will face when preparing and
taking the real PAT.
The Pre-Dental Society has kept a presence on club activities as well, with the
club taking part in events such as the HUB Fair, Festival of Nations, and the Year-EndSpectacular (YES). The club tries as much as it can to keep a known presence on campus in
order to keep recruiting members. The club’s goal is to help ignite the passion and
Students posing at the Speed-Dating event.
knowledge of pre-dental students who want to make a difference not only in their lives but
that of others through dentistry.
E n v i r o n m e n ta l C l u b
By Shauna Cyr
T
his year the Environmental
Club had many successful
events, including hikes, campouts,
fundraisers, fairs and recycling
drives. We had a great group of
members that helped the club accomplish many of the goals for this
year. We made many memories and
friendships on Dr. Perumal's camSucculants miniature planter ready to
pouts and enjoyed his delicious
be sold at the Sola House fair event.
Laksa curry noodles. Our biggest
event of the year was the Sola House fair as we were able to raise
funds for the Trax Equestrian Center in Riverside, a facility offering a unique riding program that
coordinates physical and emotional
therapy for disabled kids. With an
awesome turnout, we enjoyed a
home cooked meal made by our officers, henna by Srujana Sammeta,
and s'mores
by the bonfire. We are so thankful for
help from Dr. Perumal, Pamela Fernandez, Hayden Davis, and Tara
Becker from OSI, for making this
year possible, and we look forward to
an even better year next year!
Top. Students
at the top of
Mount Twobit
collecting trash.
Left. “Sola
House” outdoor
spring fair.
Shauna Cyr and Alex Sumarli
posing at the Sola House fair booth.
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LA SIERRA UNIVERSITY BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT BIO LOG
P r e – M e d
B y
J a v i a
June 2016
s o c i e t y
H e a d l e y
T
he pre-med club has not been short on events this year. We started off Fall quarter strong with the How “U” Belong (HUB) fair , which introduces
students to the clubs, departments and services available to them at the La Sierra Campus. We advertised our club, gave out free popsicles, and even
raffled off a few prizes to our members. We continued the quarter with general meetings where officers, professors and medical professionals stopped by to give
advice to our members. Then, near the end of the quarter, we held vespers at Huntington Beach. Many of our members came out to build community, play games, and
welcome the Sabbath. One major highlight of that event was when Dr. Joseph played a few of his favorite trivia games with us. He was very tricky! We finished fall
quarter with our annual Fall Quarter Vespers. We partnered with a bible study group who cooked us great food and shared a wonderful sermon with us.
We began Winter quarter with our participation in the Festival of Nations. We sold hand rolled, clear rice spring rolls with peanut sauce. Everybody loved it!
It was amazing to see all our officers and our members come out to help fundraise for the club. The next big event of the Winter quarter was the officer elections. We
had about 11 different students running for various positions in the club. We finished off Winter quarter with the Pre-Health vespers. The Pre-Health vespers was held
at Dr. Motschiedler’s house this year. About 35-40 of us drove to her house, in the middle of a stormy evening to play games, eat food, and welcome the Sabbath.
In spring quarter of every year we hold our biggest event: The Pre-Professional Conference (PPC). For this year’s PPC we invited doctors, dentists, nurses,
medical students and more. In the morning, we began in Cossentine with opening remarks from
President Wisbey and Dr. Joseph. Following that, we had a panel of doctors eager to share with us
their experience in the medical field. The members were able to ask lots of questions and interact
with them. Next, we had a panel of med school students. The panel of students is always a club
favorite. Club members are always eager to hear about students’ journeys through the hardest times
in their life. After the speaker sessions we had Thai food for lunch, some catered, some made by
our very own officers. Following lunch, we had a variety of workshops that participants could
choose from. Members could choose to learn how to suture and then learn how to care for a gunshot wound or they could join Dr. Joseph for a gross anatomy lab where they could cut open a
cadaver’s head and remove the brain. All in all, the Pre-Professional Conference was very successful this quarter.
Pre-Medical Society and its leaders are looking forward to a new school year. We’re excited to
mentor and help new students reach their career goals. We continue to aspire in bettering the La
Sierra student community around us as we make God the central focus of our mission.
Students at their annual Fall quarter vespers.
Mission-Trip Spotlight: Guatemala Mission Trip Winter 2015
By Abhijeet Andrews
T
he annual Guatemala mission trip is one of our keystone activities of the
Pre-Medical Society at La Sierra University. Our goal as a club is not only
to provide the students with all the resources and aid to get into a medical school
but it’s also to help student’s experience the impact of helping our community.
This year, another excited and ambitious group of students traveled to Guatemala. Dr. Joseph,
the
PreMedical Society Advisor,
has been able
to coordinate
this trip with a
few
friends
that live out
there. Our trip
started right
after the end
of Fall quarter. The group
spent approxiPre-Med students posing after distributing stuffed animals
mately
10
and toys to the community children.
days in Guatemala. Each day was a mission, we were required to wake up early in the morning and get ready for the community outreach activity for the day. The first day
was spent planning and getting settled. We met our hosts and got acquainted
with some of our coordinators that would be leading our mission trip activities.
We spent our first Sabbath at the local SDA church. It was a wonderful service,
and we were all excited to have Dr. Joseph present the sermon for the worship.
For our first activity, we visited another community church and gifted families
food bags. It was definitely a humbling experience to realize that food is not
taken for granted for these families. As each of us handed out food bags, families would hug us with an immense sense of love and appreciation as tears rolled
down their faces. At the end of each day, we reflected on our experiences and
many of us realized how unappreciative we are of the many amenities available
to us in the United States.
Each day was filled with valuable life experiences. During the next few days, we
traveled to different parts of Guatemala to reach to families, orphans, students at
a SDA boarding school, and a nursing home. We were able to donate shoes and
clothes for the children. In addition, we organized games/activities for the chil-
dren. Those children were
beyond excited to have us
visit them. In fact, we
were informed that these
children wait for us.
They’re anticipating our
arrival each year around
Christmas time. This was
a
common
theme
throughout the trip. This
community out there in
Guatemala expects a
group of 10-15 student
missionaries from La
Pre-Med members and Dr. Joseph posing in front of
Sierra University every
the pyramids at the Tikal National Park.
winter. They’re excited to
have us spend time with
them, and when we get there they make us feel at home. I have seen and experienced the impact this mission trip has on us, the students, as well as the community we serve. Our mission as Christians has always been to be a positive influence in the world. Paul writes to the Galatians “You, my brothers and sisters,
were called to be free. But do not
use your freedom to indulge the
flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” The impact of putting
love into action is profound. Humility and love shown by Jesus in his
lifetime is to be mirrored to the
people around us. We are, if I may,
required to serve one another humbly as Christ served us.
Our intentions for this mission trip is
to let students experience and
Children holding their new shoes. One of the
realize the needs of the communiprojects Pre-med carries on with donors’ help.
ties around the world. We want to
have students be moved by the impact of serving. As we fixate ourselves to
serve one another, we grow and learn. We learn to love. We learn to be patient.
We learn to appreciate. In the process, we start to mold a better world around us.
Page 9
LA SIERRA UNIVERSITY BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT BIO LOG
T r i — B e t t a
C o o r d i n a t e d
b y
D r .
June 2016
C l u b
N a t a s h a
D e a n
Tri-beta welcomes each of you with personal messages. As one of the clubs housed
in the Biology department we offer programs and activities for you, all-year-long. We
invite you to attend. We are very excited to meet you.
learn more about the natural world. With the help of my fellow officers and sponsor Dr.
Dean, I hope to create events through Tri-Beta for socializing, learning, and community
involvement.
Syria Armenta (Treasurer, 2014-2017)
I am Syria Armenta and this year is my second year as the treasurer for the Tri-Beta
Honor Society. I have managed the club's budget and helped bring awareness to the
school about the different careers paths students can follow with a biology degree. I'm
excited to plan for this year's induction and to plan for more events for the club and it's
members. Tri-Beta allows for students to not only learn more about the role of biology
in their academic lives but allows students to reach out to our campus and our community.
Abigail Rodriguez (Secretary 2014-2015; Vice President, 2015-2016)
I have fully enjoyed serving as an officer these last two years. Not only has our club
become a great team, but we have also become a family in the process. What Tri-beta
has meant for me is being able to be part of a great group of people who are not only
enthusiastic about biology but excited about helping our community as well. I will be
graduating in June, and am working to pursue a career in medicine. My advice to those
still in their undergraduate studies would be to get involved, whether it be in Tri-beta or
any other club on campus!
Lauren Bathan (Secretary, 2016-2017)
My name is Lauren Bathan and next year I will be assuming the position of secretary in
the Tri-Beta National Honor Society of La Sierra University. As next year’s Tri-Beta
secretary, I hope to spread the word about this club and get people excited again about
Biology and Tri-Beta. Since I have recently become a member of Tri-Beta, I am also
really excited for the opportunities and experiences it has in store for me, whether it be
the ability to receive a better understanding of the world of Biology or the ability to
create connections and shape relationships with my fellow officers and club members. I
am really thrilled to be a part of Tri-Beta and can’t wait do my best to contribute to and
serve the club next year.
Alice Lim (Religious VP 2014-2015; President, 2015-2016)
My name is Alice Lim and I am the president of the Phi Omega chapter of the Beta
Beta Beta National Biological Honor Society. Beta Beta Beta is an important resource
for biological and scientific opportunities for its members and anyone else enthusiastic
about biology. Beta Beta Beta is a club that provides activities that stimulate an interest
in biology, motivate accomplishments in academics, and promote community outreach.
In the upcoming year, we are excited and determined to expand our membership and
improve our club by promoting scholastic and fun activities for our club and by creating opportunities that will essentially expand our members academic horizons.
Christin Abdelmessih (Secretary 2015-2016; Vice-President, 2016-2017)
As secretary of the Tri-Beta Biological Honors Society, it is my responsibility to maintain membership and club records including minutes of officer meetings, manage our
Orgsync webpage, and work with the Social VP and President to organize and keep
track of events. Being part of Tri Beta has been a valuable experience where I am able
to use my ideas and skills to promote the club chapter and life sciences on campus. I
believe Tri-Beta is a great opportunity to incorporate the sciences with student involvement activities that bring together various backgrounds. For next year, I hope to contribute in creating joint club activities with other biology/health clubs through fundraising events, camping/science museum visits, and community volunteering days.
Merna Nissim (Co-Out Reach Coordinator, 2016-2017)
I'm so honored to be a member in this valuable club. As an Out-Reach Co-coordinator,
I'm aiming to create a link between the activities of the club on campus and off campus.
In cooperation with my co-coordinator and LSU career services, I will do my best to
help the club attendees and any biology major find volunteer opportunities, and any
other activities that might help them reach their goals. Last but not least, I'll work hard
to honor this awesome club and this great opportunity in my professional life, under the
leadership of my Dear Dr. Dean.
Diego del Carpio (Co-Out Reach Officer, 2016-207)
I am very excited to be an officer of Tri-Beta. The society's main goal is to help students get a further understanding in the biological sciences. I look forward to helping
provide opportunities to help out the community, specifically in locations where we can
Tri-Beta members at their annual Induction Ceremony. The event took
place at the Price Science Complex back patio.
Biology Affiliated Club’s Have Information Neighborhood
By Ryan VanDeventer
The biology department affiliated clubs have a new bulletin board neighborhood.
A sponsored contest between the clubs provided the incentive for the
clubs associated with the biology department to move to an area designated as a club neighborhood. The purpose was to encourage the clubs
to use the deceptively simple space of the bulletin board as a way to engage their own members, increase interest in their club activities and
events, and perhaps attract new potential students to the university as
they visit our campus and the biology department.
Tim Musso, Professor of Art+Design provided the club officers with a brief
tutorial on design theory and concepts on November 19th. With this informational lecture came the announcement of a competition for the clubs
to move their informational bulletin boards into the club neighborhood
on the first floor near the main atrium opposite rooms 101 & 102. Given
moved into the new neighborhood, a move-in reward was provided to
the late date of the presentation it was suggested we actually start the
three of the four clubs in March, and the actual competitive judging took
competition in January. Though most of the clubs did get their boards
place May 17. (continued on Page 11)
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LA SIERRA UNIVERSITY BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT BIO LOG
June 2016
Between the two evaluations Professor Musso made, the following awards are announced for the club’s efforts:
First Place ($250.00):
Second Place ($125.00):
Third Place (($75.00):
Fourth Place ($50.00):
Pre-Medicine Society
Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society
Environmental Science Club
Pre-Dental Society
The awarded funds will be made during finals week by interdepartmental charge vouchers into each club’s operational account.
One of the other facets of the club boards neighborhood is the purchase and installation of track lighting to enhance the displays. Unfortunately this
is still being installed as Facilities was running short staffed for electricians Winter and Early Spring. One section of lighting track has been installed,
and the rest with new light fixtures should be completed before the end of summer. When Fall quarter starts the clubs neighborhood will really shine
with the new lighting. It’s hoped we might be able to repeat the competition earlier in the year, and perhaps make this an annual event.
Biology Department Annual Awards and BBQ 2016
Left. This year’s awardees:
(from left) Jose Salome
Correa, Alfredo Martinez,
and Amadeo Gonzalez.
Below. Dr. Perumal smiling
after receiving his award.
Every end of the school year, the Department of
Biology invites faculty, staff and students to
gather together for the annual End of the Year
BBQ and Awards.
On a sunny, warm day of June 3rd, everyone
started gathering for delicious veggie dogs, a
variety of toppings, cool lemonade and refreshing popsicles.
After the meal, Dr. Sutter announced each of the
award recipients on behalf of the department.
The “Student Employee of the Year” award was
given to Amadeo Gonzalez for his outstanding
work in the biology stock room. Next, the
“Student Researcher of the Year” was awarded
to Jose Salome Correa, who is looking at the
effects of gene disruption by retrotransposons
on rabbit size variation in Dr. Sutter’s lab. Last
but not least, the “Biology Senior of the Year”
was given to pre-dent student, Alfredo Martinez,
who also received the Biology Student of the
Year award given by the College of Arts and
Science during their Awards Assembly.
Students and faculty enjoying
the food and camaraderie.
Closing the awards ceremony, Dr. John Perumal
was the recipient of the “Teacher of the Year”,
which is a special award as it is chosen by the
students.
Page 11
LA SIERRA UNIVERSITY BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT BIO LOG
Biology Department
Newsletter
Bio Log
2016
EDITORS:
Arturo Diaz
Pamela Fernández
Thanks to all of the
writers, photographers, editors, and
everyone that made
this newsletter possible.
M e s s a g e
f r o m
t h e C h a i r o f
D e p a r t m e n t
June 2016
t h e
B i o l o g y
It has been an extremely fulfilling year in the Biology Department. Our students
and faculty have been busy with research trips, mission trips, club trips, adventures in research labs, conference presentations, peer-reviewed publications, graduate school applications, and, of course, classes.
This year has been particularly productive for our undergraduate research students. One of the primary advantages to studying biology at La Sierra University is the opportunity work side by side with faculty members and to participate in data collection, analysis, and publication in their labs. As can be seen in the faculty spotlights of this newsletter,
we have a broad array of faculty research interests, and many opportunities for students to
participate in cutting edge science. This year we had more than thirty students attend major conferences. Additionally four students gave oral presentations and two presented posters of their work at the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, and The Annual Plant and Animal
Genome meetings. Adding to this excitement there were eleven peer-reviewed publications produced with students
as authors, four of these publications had students as lead author in top-notch journals such as Herpetologica, and
the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.
It is exceedingly rare for undergraduates to have the opportunity to work in a research lab, much less present or publish their work in forums typically reserved for faculty and graduate students. The Biology Department is
proud to offer this unique opportunity to our students. It not only enhances their educational experience while
attending La Sierra, but it also opens other doors as they continue on in their careers.
For our current and future students, I encourage you to take the time to speak with each of the faculty in
our department to learn about their research. Take full advantage of the opportunity to work on cutting edge science
while you are here. The experience will greatly further your understanding of biology and open opportunities you
never thought of. To our graduating seniors and Alumni, as you advance in your careers, please remember the experiences you have had working one on one with faculty in their labs and consider giving to support the next generation of student researchers.
-Lloyd A. Trueblood.
Biology Department
4500 Riverwalk Parkway
Riverside, CA 92505
Phone: 951-785-2105
Fax: 951-785-2111
E-mail: biology@lasierra.edu
Web page: www.lasierra.edu/biology
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