Hey there…thanks for checking back in with me! Wow, I am really not sure where the summer has disappeared to. My senior year at High Point University is nearing with much anticipation; nonetheless, this past summer was an extraordinary experience. As you know, I served as an undergraduate research assistant for my second year at Wake Forest University’s Chemistry Department under the direction of Dr. Christa Colyer. For a science major, it is imperative that one has opportunities to conduct research to utilize their talents, skill sets and knowledge in real-life applications. I am thrilled to have been able to conduct research with Dr. Colyer over the past two summers!

My research project this summer focused on determining the optimal binding and separation characteristics of an squarylium-based dye with simple sugars like fructose. First, I found the excitation and emission wavelengths using UV and Fluorescence spectrometers. Second, the wavelengths previously acquired aided me in setting up a method for separation by capillary electrophoresis. Lastly, I conducted various on-column and pre-columns separations using capillary electrophoresis to determine the optimal separation technique.

I cannot begin to express my appreciation to Wake Forest University, Dr. Colyer, High Point University, the HPU Chemistry Department and so many others for giving me the skills and allowing me to have this amazing opportunity. As stated earlier, a research internship is vital to a science major and I can wholeheartedly say that over the past two summers, I have learned a great deal and applied my classroom knowledge. When HPU speaks of experiential learning – this is one great example of how students like myself have the opportunity to work with outstanding faculty and organizations to utilize their classroom knowledge in real-life applications.

I want to end on a quote by famous scientists Albert Einstein, “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.”

Welcome back! Check out the latest in my research from the
Colyer lab at Wake Forest University! In my last update, I had re-tested a theory by modifying my injection pressure test method and begun some new studies with on-column labeling. After those new studies were developed to provide consistent and reproducible data, it was time to analyze the data.

One of the most interesting problems that I encountered with
the on-column labeling was quite a learning experience for me. Dr. Colyer and I determined that using a fructose solution made in DI water would be better than in the phosphate buffer solution. However, every time I injected this solution, there was a huge drift in the current and response for about three minutes until both leveled off. This really confused me! I felt bad taking these graphs, which I determined was “bad” data to a meeting with Dr. Colyer; however, it really was not that “bad” at all. She made me realize that the water base of the fructose solution did not respond well with the electric current on the capillary, thus making the current and response drift. Although, when the injection had run the length of the capillary (eluted from the end), the current and response came to equilibrium. WOW…how simple. This really was an exciting phenomenon to learn about through experience.

Over the next few days, I will begin to wrap up some experiments as my internship is coming to an end. This summer has really gone by fast, all while learning some amazing new concepts and gaining some great experience with research. I will ask that you check back one last time for my last entry for the summer (you will not want to miss it)!

A famous scientist, Wernher Von Braun, once said, “Research is what I’m doing when I don’t know what I’m doing.” Sometimes we may not understand what we are doing or how we will get there while conducing research, however that is the fun of it!

Thank you for coming back for more in the Colyer lab at Wake Forest University! In my last update, I had completed a lot of data analysis from by injection pressure and voltage tests using pre-column labeling on the Beckman CE. Afterward, I met with Dr. Colyer to discuss and lay out my next series of tests.  

One of the first things we decided to do was alter the injection pressure method by varying the time while leaving the pressure constant. This method did make the resulting graph and its resolution much better and of course more accurate. Sometime slight changes can help.

The next big thing was beginning on-column labeling verses what I have been doing with pre-column labeling. With on-column labeling, the dye is pre-mixed with the buffer in the capillary, and then the fructose is injected by itself. Now that I have switched, I had to make a new buffer solution with the SQ-BA dye within it and then run a long condition of my capillary. Here is where things got a little tricky!!! My data was not coming out as expected – a lot of “noise” from the background and low resolution of the major peaks. After pondering on my methods – I had a eureka moment! I made a new fructose in phosphate solution to inject to start with a fresh solution and pre-filtered the buffer before combining my buffer and dye. When one fills the capillary vials, they filter the solutions; however, when I filtered the buffer and dye solution, the dye was being retained on the nylon filter, therefore not binding and separating with the fructose on the capillary. By pre-filtering, I ensured the buffer solution would be filtered while also ensuring the dye remained in solution.

The problems I was experiencing began to subside with the changes mentioned above. Over the next few days, I ran a series of tests including – buffer/dye only, fructose injection, water plug injection, increased fructose concentration injection, and more. Check back with me to see how they all turned out!

Marie Curie stated, “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” Basically, when you hit a roadblock – do not give up. Instead, step back, ponder on what you are doing, and you might just figure it out.

Hello readers,

It is crazy how fast a summer internship can go!  I can’t believe my nine weeks are already done, but in such a short time I was able to learn so much.  Throughout my summer, I quickly realized how paying attention in my classes such as Biochemistry and Molecular Biology prepared me for such an intensive project.  I was able to learn a variety of lab techniques and understand all about diabetic retinopathy.  Although a lot of my experiments did not turn out exactly as expected, I learned that this is part of research.  One must be very perseverant in order to succeed in research and learn how to problem solve issues.  If you are in college, I really recommend applying for an internship next summer.  It is a great way to apply what you are learning in the classroom and receive some hands on experience.  It also is a great way to forge connections and make new friends. 

I presented my research in a poster presentation this past week.  Although it was sad I was going to be leaving GHSU, I was very proud of my poster.  There was a two hour session in which other mentors and graduate students came around and asked questions about our research.  Being able to present yourself is critical to succeeding in both research and medicine.  So I took this opportunity as a learning experience and received many complements on not only my research, but my ability to understand my project.

Welcome back to the WFU lab! There has been a lot occurring here in the lab and I have been a little behind in getting an update out to everyone. In my last update, I had moved to the Beckman CE instrument where I was working on two different types of tests: (1) Injection Pressure and (2) Voltage. After many runs for each of these two types of test, I had generated a lot of data to analyze. Now, you may ask…how do I analyze a graph and what am I looking for?

Well, to analyze a graph, I use the Beckman software program on the computer attached to the instrument, generate a graph from the data acquired by the detector, then set the axis parameters. After all of that, I have a clear graph to begin looking for consistent peaks showing up in each run. For the injection pressure tests, the response would increase as pressure increases, thus making the specific response peak increase in intensity (y-axis). My data and graphs demonstrated this with some background noise interfering with the resolution of the graph. For the voltage tests, the response will appear in a shorter amount of time as the voltage increases, thus the peak should appear earlier or later in time (x-axis). 

Now that I have lots of data and some conclusions, it was time to talk with Dr. Colyer. We met and set out a plan for moving forward! First, I altered my injection pressure test by varying the time and leaving the pressure constant to provide a more accurate analysis via the graphs. Second, she challenged me to try a method called – on-column labeling. I was using pre-column labeling where the dye and fructose was injected thus mixing with the buffer in the capillary. With on-column labeling, the dye is pre-mixed with the buffer in the capillary, and then the fructose is injected by itself.

Carl Sagan once stated, “Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” This quote states exactly the purpose of research…to find something incredible that has yet to be discovered. We may not know how to get there, but by trying, we hope to discover that incredible thing!