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An article titled “Monarch Butterflies Use Regenerating Milkweeds for Reproduction in Mowed Hayfields in Northern Virginia,” co-authored by Ernest Williams, the William R. Kenan Professor of Biology emeritus and lecturer in biology, was recently published in the Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society.

Science students returned this fall to find a significant addition to the analytical capabilities of the Chemistry Department: a PerkinElmer AAnalyst 600 Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometer. The instrument, donated by ICON, plc, enables users to detect and quantify trace elements in water, soil and sediments, and other matrices.

Sidney Wertimer Associate Professor for Excellence in Advising and Mentorship Wei-Jen Chang published a chapter in Biocommunication of Ciliates, released recently by Springer. “Interactions Between Parasitic Ciliates and Their Hosts: Ichthyophthirius multifiliis and Cryptocaryon irritans as Examples” was co-authored by Kassandra Zaila ’15 and Deanna Cho ’15.

Assistant Professor of Biology Andrea Townsend presented a talk titled “Prevalence, pathogenic potential, and fitness consequences of Campylobacter infection on migratory crows” at the 2016 meeting of the North American Ornithological Congress (NAOC) in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 17.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology Simon Coppard was a co-author of a paper titled “Formation of the Isthmus of Panama” published in the journal Science Advances on Aug. 17. The article focused on when the Isthmus of Panama actually formed, joining North and South America.

After watching the documentary Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies and having family members battle with cancer, Joana Mora’18 was determined to play a role in cancer research. This summer, under the advisement of Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology Mark Sasaki, she studied cancer by looking into whether RNF43, a protein coding gene mutated in many types of cancers, is a transcriptional target of p53, a tumor suppressor gene. Understanding their relationship helps explain how various forms of cancer begin.

When Assistant Professor of Biology Cynthia Downs was awarded a Christian A. Johnson Teaching Enhancement award in November 2015, she used the grant to upgrade and expand the vertebrate physiology-teaching lab and offer students high-tech approaches to study aerobic fitness.

 In Germany, the rapeseed honey produced in the spring is known to have an exceptionally sweet taste, and draws a great demand in the honey market. As a beekeeper for eight years, Olivia Box ’17 did not want to miss the opportunity to learn about rapeseed honey and work with bees. This summer, she joined the research group of Sina Alizadeh and Hermann Behling at University of Göttingen in Germany. The goal of the research is to determine the efficiency of pollination at various hive placements.

Zaila showcased her senior thesis findings in an oral presentation called, “Diversities of endosymbiotic Rickettsia in the fish parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis.”

Biology majors Abbas Khan’18, Suxian (Suzy) Lin’18, and Angel Pichardo’17, along with biochemistry major Katherine (Katie) Guzzetta’18 spent the summer exploring the application of nanoparticles in biotechnology at the National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) in Taiwan. The research is under the supervision of Associate Professor of Biology Wei-Jen Chang and in collaboration with Professor Zung-Hang Wei’s mechanical engineering lab at NTHU. In addition to the academic challenge, the research group has described the experience as a cultural adventure.