Kevin Militello, associate professor of biology, has been awarded a renewal of the Academic Research Enhancement Award grant for his project Cytosine DNA Methylation and Transcriptional Repression in African Trypanosomes. <\/p>\n
The $387,768 award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases will provide for supplies, data, travel, a part-time research technician and stipends for student researchers over the summer. <\/p>\n
In the first round of research, Militellos lab found a modified DNA base in Trypanosoma brucei, a parasite that carries the African sleeping sickness. <\/p>\n
Theres been a lot of interest over the past couple years in new bases Its like a language, he said, comparing finding the new bases to finding new letters in the alphabet. Were trying to figure out what it is. <\/p>\n
Even though its modified, its considered a new base, said senior Sarah Cantatore, a biology student researching with Militello. In biology, a small change makes a big difference. <\/p>\n
In this round of research, Militello said that he hopes to determine which organisms have the new bases, which genes have them and what their function is. <\/p>\n
Usually the modified base inactivates the gene, said Cantatore. No ones been able to create a vaccine against the sleeping sickness because the organism has a protein coat that rapidly changes the modified base may be involved in controlling the genes responsible for the protein coat. <\/p>\n
According to Militello, he routinely has three to seven students in the lab. <\/p>\n
Their data has gone into published articles even in the grant submission, he said. <\/p>\n
With money tight, Militello said that this grant is important for student growth. There are close to 900 biology students at Geneseo and not enough research positions for everyone. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Original post: Kevin Militello, associate professor of biology, has been awarded a renewal of the Academic Research Enhancement Award grant for his project Cytosine DNA Methylation and Transcriptional Repression in African Trypanosomes. The $387,768 award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases will provide for supplies, data, travel, a part-time research technician and stipends for student researchers over the summer Continue reading
\nBiology professor Kevin Militello awarded $387,768 for second round of research<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"