{"id":2541,"date":"2012-10-01T15:43:22","date_gmt":"2012-10-01T19:43:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/greatminds\/?p=2541"},"modified":"2015-07-25T13:06:47","modified_gmt":"2015-07-25T17:06:47","slug":"a-closer-look-at-student-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/greatminds\/2012\/10\/01\/a-closer-look-at-student-research\/","title":{"rendered":"Culturing Independent Inquiry"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the tissue culture lab in the University of Mary Washington\u2019s Jepson Hall, Chloe Fusselman donned a white lab coat, put on gloves and carefully picked up a beaker of liquid. She was practicing her sterile lab techniques with her adviser, Professor of Biology Deborah O\u2019Dell<\/a>, since the methods are critical to her research project this semester. Fusselman and fellow senior biology major Kara Arbogast are both researching the chemical bisphenol A, known as BPA, in separate projects. Both students received undergraduate research grants<\/a> from UMW for their work.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Senior Chloe Fusselman practices sterile techniques in a lab in Jepson Hall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fusselman\u2019s project looks at the effect of BPA, a chemical found in many everyday household products, on healthy prostate cells. BPA, O\u2019Dell explained, mimics the hormone estrogen and is frequently linked to breast cancer.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the literature, there are some references that BPA could be linked to prostate cancer, too,\u201d O\u2019Dell said. Research like Fusselman\u2019s will help scientists find out.<\/p>\n

As Fusselman developed her research topic last semester, she became fascinated by the possible links between the chemical, found in everything from plastic water bottles to baby bottles and soft plastic toys, and health problems in humans.<\/p>\n

\u201cBPA is in a lot more things than people think,\u201d Fusselman said. \u201cThe research is important because it can open people\u2019s eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Arbogast\u2019s project examines the same chemical, but rather than cancer, looks at its effect on child development, specifically of the brain and reproductive systems, by analyzing rat fetuses that have been exposed to the chemical.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Professor of Biology Deborah O’Dell (background) observes senior Chloe Fusselman in the lab<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The results of her study could have implications for humans, since childhood exposure to chemicals like BPA may lead to long-term health problems. In fact, a recent study received national media attention for suggesting a possible link between BPA and childhood obesity.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is why moms shouldn\u2019t give babies bottles that contain BPA,\u201d Arbogast said. \u201c[The chemical] stays in children\u2019s systems longer because they can\u2019t metabolize it like adults.\u201d<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t her first research project at UMW. Last year, she examined the levels of estrogen levels in dairy products.<\/p>\n

\u201cI definitely would recommend it for anyone interested in research,\u201d she said of the undergraduate research experience at UMW, which gives students the independence to come up with their own topics with the support of expert faculty.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s really cool that you can do that here. Not everyone can say they designed their own research project.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Senior Kara Arbogast shows lab techniques she uses in her research project<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For Fusselman, the experience is perfectly timed with her application to a physical therapy graduate program.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe independent study is helping me prepare for grad school,\u201d she said. \u201cIt takes everything I have learned in classes and labs and puts meaning behind it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Experiences like those of Arbogast and Fusselman not only contribute vital information to the biology field, but help students become knowledgeable and well-rounded consumers of information.<\/p>\n

\u201cUndergraduate research allows students to get an appreciation for how science is done,\u201d O\u2019Dell said, explaining that the program fosters both technical skills and critical thinking. \u201cThey are applying what they have learned through the biology major.\u201d<\/p>\n

Photos taken by Kimmie Barkley ’14<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Student lab research reveals real-world applications.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":113,"featured_media":3601,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"umw_cb_additional_links":[[]],"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_advisory_expires_time":"","_advisory_meta_include":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[16,42],"class_list":{"0":"post-2541","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-show","8":"tag-biology","9":"tag-dodell","10":"entry"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCulturing Independent Inquiry - Great Minds<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/greatminds\/2012\/10\/01\/a-closer-look-at-student-research\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Brynn Boyer\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/greatminds\\\/2012\\\/10\\\/01\\\/a-closer-look-at-student-research\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/greatminds\\\/2012\\\/10\\\/01\\\/a-closer-look-at-student-research\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Brynn Boyer\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/greatminds\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/f6487f4f9a44f09123904a29935aaf0e\"},\"headline\":\"Culturing Independent Inquiry\",\"datePublished\":\"2012-10-01T19:43:22+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2015-07-25T17:06:47+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/greatminds\\\/2012\\\/10\\\/01\\\/a-closer-look-at-student-research\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":575,\"commentCount\":1,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/greatminds\\\/2012\\\/10\\\/01\\\/a-closer-look-at-student-research\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/greatminds\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/20\\\/2012\\\/10\\\/Bio-Research_gm1.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"biology\",\"Deborah O'Dell\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Show on Great Minds\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/greatminds\\\/2012\\\/10\\\/01\\\/a-closer-look-at-student-research\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/greatminds\\\/2012\\\/10\\\/01\\\/a-closer-look-at-student-research\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/greatminds\\\/2012\\\/10\\\/01\\\/a-closer-look-at-student-research\\\/\",\"name\":\"Culturing Independent Inquiry - 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