Interns
The Plant Transformation Facility sponsors many interns from organizations such as Iowa State University’s Program for Women in Science and Engineering and National Science Foundation’s REU and RET programs for students and teachers. Non-sponsored internships may also be set up for interested persons.
Hafeez Mahwish
College Junior
Albion college, Albion, MI
May 28 - Aug 2, 2008
Project: Characterization of recombinant glucanase activity produced in maize.
Anita Dutta
Science Department Chair
Scavo Campus, Des Moines, IA
Jun 14 - Aug 2, 2007
Kevin Lu
College Student
May 14, 2007 - present
Suzette Smedes
High School Teacher
Des Moines, IA
Jun 13 - Aug 2, 2006
Project: Assessment of key parameters to achieve bacteria high transformability in E. coli and A. tumefaciens.
Zach Regelin
College Senior
University of Northern Iowa
Jun 13 - Aug 2, 2006
Project: Assessment of key parameters to achieve bacteria high transformability in E. coli and A. tumefaciens.
Javier Garcia Ruiz
College Student
University of Chapingo, Mexico
October 11 2005 - May 31 2006
Maryam Zamarian
High School Junior
Ames High School, Ames, IA
Jan 18 - Apr 28 2006
Sponsor: REU
Mentor: Jennifer McMurray
Project: Creation of an Agrobacterium-mediated transformation vector for the transformation of rice, maize, and soybean utilizing Hygromycin or Bar as the selectable marker.
Andrew Huber
High School Senior
Rivermont Collegiate High School, Davenport, IA
May 16-27 2005
Mentor: Jennifer McMurray
Project: General overview of the Plant Transformation Facility involving transforming DNA to bacteria, then to maize plants, and extracting DNA from transgenic maize leaf tissue for analysis.
Katie Lutz
High School Senior
Ames High School, Ames, IA
June 14 - July 23 2004
Sponser: Program for Women in Science and Engineering
Mentor: Jennifer McMurray
Project: Optimization of the starch extraction protocol and using that protocol to determine if the gamma zein promoter localizes proteins to the starch granules in transgenic maize kernels.
Kat Hudson
Middle School science teacher
June 21 - July 30 2004
Sponsor: RET
Mentor: Francois Torney
Project: Construction of a user friendly vector system for plant transformation.
Candice Long
High School Sophomore
Ames High School, Ames, IA
January 21 - May 14 2004
Sponsor: REU
Mentor: Sule Karaman
Project: Sub-cloning of the CTB gene (from Vibrio cholera) under the endosperm specific promoter (gamma zein promoter) for production of plant-derived vaccine in corn.
Penny Fang
High School Junior
Ames High School, Ames, IA
June - July 2003
Sponser: Program for Women in Science and Engineering
Mentor: Margie Paz
Project: To evaluate the growth of different Agrobacterium strains used in genetic transformation of plants, at wavelengths in the 550-650nm range and determine bacterial density.
Erin Thatcher
High School Junior
June - July 2003
Sponser: Program for Women in Science and Engineering
Mentor: Margie Paz
Project: To study some factors affecting soybean transformation including culture media of Agrobacterium, duration of seed sterilization prior to explant preparation, and rooting media.
Crystal Cordes
College Junior
University of Nebraska
June - July 2002
Sponsor: REU
Mentor: Huixia "Sylvia" Shou
Project: To determine the ion leakage (therefore, cold tolerance) of cold tolerant transgenic maize plants exposed to differing cold temperatures.
Amanda Ehrler
High School Junior
Bellevue High School, Bellevue, IA
June - July 2002
Sponser: Program for Women in Science and Engineering
Mentor: Margie Paz
Project: To determine an efficient surface sterilization method of soybean seeds, evaluation of cultivars to determine genotype(s) amenable to Agrobacterium-mediated transformation; and determine an Agrobacterium strain that efficiently infects soybean tissues for transformation.
