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University Science Scholars Program

Science Scholar Successes

Ryne Ramaker is on a roll! He has had an amazingly successful last eight months!

Ryne is a junior biology-chemistry double major who graduated from Bentonville High School in 2008.  He is a member of the University Science Scholars Program and the Donaghey Scholars Program.

This past summer he was one of only ten undergraduate students selected to participate in an undergraduate research program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s School of Medicine.During his internship, Ryne worked with UAB’s director of cancer research, Dr. Boris Pasche, on a ground-breaking cancer therapy.  The therapy consists of a series of finely tuned, cancer-specific electromagnetic fields administered in an entirely non-toxic and non-invasive manner.  Ryne’s work involved uncovering the mechanism of action of this new treatment before Phase III clinical trials were conducted.  Specifically, he worked with hepatocellular carcinoma, a form of liver cancer common in South America and Africa.  Because many of the afflicted people are poor, an inexpensive, easily disseminated treatment is sorely needed.
Ryne has presented his results at conferences in Alabama and Arkansas. His work has won a 1st place award for biological research at UAB’s Summer Undergraduate Research Conference and Arkansas’ INBRE Conference and a 2nd place award at the International BioNanoTox Symposium held here in Little Rock. The results of this work, along with results from other members of Dr. Pasche’s lab are in the process of being submitted to a major scientific journal.
Here at UALR, Ryne is now conducting research with Dr. Steve Grace of the Biology Department.  His new project (“Evaluation of antioxidant phytonutrient composition in tomato varieties of commercial importance to Arkansas”) was recently funded by an Arkansas SURF grant.  The goal of this project is to develop a rapid and efficient method for determining metabolite concentrations and antioxidant properties of important tomato varieties.  He has also received funding from UALR’s Graduate School to support his research.

Updated 6.28.2012

Science Scholar involved in cancer research

Ryanaward.jpg
On May 31st Ryne Ramaker, a University Science Scholar, began his eight week internship with the University of Alabama Medical School in Birmingham, Alabama. Little did he know that by the end of the internship his work would earn him 1st place in life sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s 2010 Summer Research Expo.

Ryne worked on a study concerning the effectiveness of radio wave frequencies as a treatment for tumors with Dr. Boris Pasche, head of Hematology and Oncology at the school’s hospital and head of cancer research at the university. Different tumors are sensitive to different frequencies of radio waves. This novel treatment involves the use of low-level electromagnetic fields emitting radiation anywhere from 100 to 1000 times less than a mobile phone. it isn’t the strength of the radiation that is key, but the frequency and how it affects different types of cancer. This type of treatment has shown clinical success in Phase Two trials and is about to move to a much larger multicenter Phase Three trial.

Ryne’s days were long, starting at 6:30am and not concluding until around 7:00pm. He worked with cell cultures, human tissues, and multiple assays. He attended the internship with 10 other students from schools such as Rice, Boston University, and the University of Michigan.

When asked about his experience during the internship, Ryne said, “It was a lot of work and a great experience. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I learned and how friendly and helpful everyone at the university turned out to be. I obtained quite a bit of lab experience, advice, and was able to network a great deal. It was hard work, but I enjoyed it.” Ryne’s experience lasted until July 24th.

Ryne began the process by completing an online application and the necessary paperwork requested. Information on other internship opportunities is located in the University Science Scholars Program office in Frigourgh Hall, room 215.

Updated 8.6.2010

Scholar Spotlight - Dawn Johnson

Dawn Johnson loves what she does. This senior Geology major from Little Rock is involved in many projects. Satellite images of the western side of Lake Maumelle (one of the primary water supplies of Little Rock) have revealed a discoloration of the water. Dawn is one of the people trying to discover the cause of the discoloration. Her project is entitled “Tracing organic carbon sources in Lake Maumelle.” She took water from 25 different sites, all at one meter below the surface. She is testing these to determine the types and amounts of suspended solids and organic components (such as lignin and tannin).As a volunteer, Dawn is helping the Arkansas Geological Survey. A sinkhole has developed in Malvern, AR. An environmental concern is whether this sinkhole might contaminate local drinking water. A dye has been added to the sinkhole in order to allow researchers to trace the flow of water from the sinkhole. Dawn is analyzing samples to detect the flow of water from the sinkhole.Dawn’s awards and achievements are amazing and include the following:Earth Science Academic Achievement Award

Teaching Assistant Award

Field Camp Award

2nd place in the Arkansas Academy of Sciences for Student Presentations in the Physical Sciences

2010-11 Geology Club President

Updated 8.6.2010

Dawn Johnson presents research at national meeting.

Dawn Johnson, an undergraduate Geology major and member of the University Science Scholars Program, is presenting her research on the “Use of geochemical proxies to identify watershed inputs to Lake Maumelle, Central Arkansas” at the 2009 Geological Society of America annual meeting in Portland, Oregon.

Click here to view the abstract.

Updated 10.19.2009

Dawn Johnson receives ASTA funding

Dawn Johnson, an undergraduate Geology major and member of the University Science Scholars Program, has been awarded funding to conduct an undergraduate research project entitled, “Tracing organic carbon sources in Lake Maumelle.”

Lake Maumelle is the source of almost all of Little Rock’s drinking water. The water is treated with chlorine to kill potentially dangerous bacteria before people drink the water. Although chlorination kills dangerous bacteria, it can also produce dangerous trihalomethanes and halogenated acetic acids when it reacts with dissolved organic (carbon-containing) compounds.

Dawn’s project is designed to discover and measure the land sources that add dissolved organic compounds to the water of Lake Maumelle. These sources may change as development proceeds around the lake. Dawn’s work will help in deciding what types of land use around Lake Maumelle are compatible with using its water for Little Rock public consumption.
Dawn’s mentor is Dr. Amelia Robinson, Assistant Professor of Earth Science at UALR.

Updated 3.6.2009

Scholar receives research funding

Jonathan Eller, USSP participant and Chemistry major, has been awarded funding to support his undergraduate research. Starting in January 2009, he is working on “Synthesis and self-assembly of polymer tethered nonoparticles.” His project will use simple chemistry to put nanoparticles in particular spatial arrangements and study how these molecules self-assemble in thin films.

Specifically, polystyrene molecules will be attached, using different chemical techniques, to spheres composed of 60 carbon atoms (buckyballs) Then these molecules will be characterized using a variety of chemical methods. After the molecules are synthesized, they will be applied as thin films to a substrate and their three dimensional shapes will be analyzed and characterized.

Jonathan’s work has potential applications in the development of less expensive, flexible solar collectors.

Jonathan’s mentor is Dr. Brian Berry, Assistant Professor of Chemistry at UALR.

Updated 2.12.2009

Not just for freshmen!

The University Science Scholars Program is also available to those upperclassmen who meet the Requirements for Admission and who are majoring in Biology, Chemistry and Geology. If you are interested in joining the program as an upperclassmen, please see the information under How can I apply to USPP? and fill out the application to be considered for the program. We will continue to accept and process applications until all the vacancies have been filled.

Updated 6.11.2008