Non-profi t Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit # 608 DEPARTMENT OF Jackson, TN DEPARTMENT of BIOLOGY BIOLOGY 1050 Drive Jackson, Tennessee 38305 NEWSLETTER VOLUME 3.2 | SUMMER 2010

CHAIR’S CORNER INSIDE THIS ISSUE Greetings! We continue to be busy here with new projects Chair’s Corner and challenges around each corner as the Spring, 2010, Faculty Profi le semester recently has come to an end. Where to begin? :: Dr. Jennifer Gruenke Alumni Profi le Well, our two new faculty members already have made a big :: Jill Konkol impact and are fi tting in nicely. Dr. JR Kerfoot, whom you met Department News in our fall newsletter, celebrated the completion of his PhD :: New Faculty in December by offering Marine Biology (as a joint course :: Collaborative Research with Ornithology, offered by Dr. Andy Madison). Drs. Kerfoot Experience :: Honors Program and Madison covered a lot of ground, taking their classes to Georgia and Florida. Please visit our Flickr site at www. fl ickr.com to view photos! Dr. Jennifer Gruenke is making HOMECOMING 2010 her presence felt as well. She recently was installed as the Director of the Hammons Center for Scientifi c Studies. Read Saturday, November 6 more about Dr. Gruenke in our “Faculty Profi le” section. 10:30 a.m. Next, let me update you on our greenhouse. In our Fall issue, Biology Department I indicated that we were moving toward a greenhouse, and Interactive Tour and Raptor Dr. Mark Bolyard we now have received permission to begin the “fund-raising” Exhibit, Part of the Arts in the Park on the Great Lawn. portion of the project. We almost are fi nished developing a promotional brochure to provide information for those interested in contributing toward HONORS PROGRAM greenhouse construction. Please contact me ([email protected]) if you would like a brochure when they are available.

Union University’s General Honors requirements. The Biology Department chosen for contracts. An honors project/ In addition to making progress toward a greenhouse, we also have purchased a fl uorescence Program is a freshman-sophomore requires one to have at least a 3.5 GPA thesis in the student’s major also must be microscope (see photo). This microscope was installed in January and is already being used program. It involves cutting-edge teaching in science and math classes. A one- produced. This project will be defi ned by in several classes and for student research projects. We also have purchased a bio safety with Union’s best professors and best time, one semester probation will be a Biology mentor and two other faculty cabinet to be used for projects involving bacteria students pursuing big questions in small allowed, after which a student will be members. The criteria for the project are and fungi that will be useful for several projects and classes. In addition to the General Honors dismissed if the GPA remains under yet to be delineated by Biology faculty, courses as well. Program, beginning in the fall of 2010, 3.5. To graduate with Discipline-Specifi c but one of the criteria could be potential Discipline-Specifi c Honors (DSH) will Honors, students must attend at least four for publication. Any other requirements While we are excited about adding these new be offered to juniors and seniors. An honors colloquia during their junior and established by the department must be resources to our department, we’re also excited element of the DSH program provides an senior years. The Biology Department fulfi lled as well. Students already admitted about the prospect of adding faculty. Read more opportunity to pursue high level, funded proposes that a specifi c journal club into Discipline-Specifi c Honors may apply about this process in our article on the addition of research under the direct supervision of style colloquium be developed that the for research and travel funds. The Honors new faculty. a faculty mentor in the student’s major. students would be required to attend once Community Leadership Committee Finally, please continue to pray for Bill and Elsie It is designed to challenge students each semester. The other three colloquia anticipates having 3 or 4 departments Smith. Two years have passed since Mr. Smith’s who are looking to be challenged would be from campus-wide offerings. ready to offer DSH this fall. The majority stroke. He seems to make slow progress, and we academically. Students interested in The Biology colloquium would be open to of departments should be ready by fall want to continue to lift them up in prayer. Discipline-Specifi c Honors typically will all, but would cater specifi cally to Biology of 2011, with the rest coming alongside apply at the end of their sophomore interests. Discipline-Specifi c Honors them in fall 2012. Currently, the Biology Please feel free to stop by if you are in the area or year, and an honors contract will be students also must complete 12 hours of Department is planning on offering the to send an email to let us know what is happening. developed. Eligible students must have honors contract courses in the major. The honors program beginning Fall 2011. We appreciate your prayers and support in our work an overall cumulative GPA of 3.5 and Biology Department proposes that any here to God’s Glory! meet any additional department-specifi c three 4-hour 300 level courses could be

Fluorescence Microscope FACULTY PROFILE ADDITION OF NEW FACULTY by Beth Lee

DR. JENNIFER GRUENKE IS ONE OF After considering a career in research, AS YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED, THE including the opportunity to work with We are looking forward to hiring someone the new faces in the Biology Department Dr. Gruenke decided she preferred the Department of Biology has been growing our growing and diverse group of faculty, who not only can teach these courses, this year, and she brings a new personality teaching environment to that of a lab. quite a bit lately, and we are going to including new faculty, Dr. JR Kerfoot but also can provide new opportunities for to White Hall as well. Walking into her Her fi rst job was as Assistant Professor continue to grow. There are several (whom you met in our fall newsletter) and student research projects. We also are offi ce for the interview, I could smell the of Biology at in reasons for this growth. First, the Dr. Jennifer Gruenke (article in this issue). searching for a plant scientist to teach our scent of her African Red herbal tea drifting , and, after fi ve years there, she University itself is growing for a variety of current plant courses, (botany and plant from her door. An avid health nut, Dr. taught at Bluefi eld College in Virginia reasons, not the least of which has been This past academic year, we conducted taxonomy) develop new ones, (particularly Gruenke works out for 40 minutes every for two years. From there, she came to the response of the University community, searches to hire two additional faculty plant physiology), help supervise a future day, takes a load of vitamins, and only Union University, and is now an Associate particularly the students, to the February, members, but neither search was greenhouse (see our Fall, 2009 issue), eats nutritious food. In her words, “We Professor of Biology, specializing in 2008, tornado. Second, the programs successful. We will begin the hiring and work with students on research are Biologists! We need to take care of Immunology. She is fast becoming a very that Biology supports, such as Nursing, process again in the fall. projects. ourselves because that’s what we study!” active part of the Biology department, Pharmacy, Athletic Training, and other So, what are the specialties of the taking over the position as director of the health-care related fi elds, are growing, One of our biggest challenges in hiring people we are hiring? First, we are hiring Dr. Gruenke spent her undergraduate Hammons center, and beginning a long- which has led to growth in our courses new faculty is where to put them. someone to teach human gross anatomy years as a Biology major at term research project with T-cells. (along with some adjustments to our Fortunately, this summer our storage room Dr. Jennifer Gruenke and other related courses. The demand in Virginia. One of only six students in curriculum, including the collaborative will be remodeled into two new offi ces. We for gross anatomy courses continues to the Biology program, she received a very Dr. Gruenke’s research will consist of research experience course, described are looking forward to having these new are signing up to work with Dr. Gruenke grow, as the courses are taken not only personal education. From there, she studies of certain regulatory T-cells and their elsewhere in this issue). Third, more colleagues join our department! on this project, and she is looking forward by biology majors, but also by nursing, went on to pursue her doctoral degree in effects on the body. These particular T-cells students are coming to be part of our to working with them in the following pharmacy, and athletic training students. Cell Biology at the , are involved in protecting the human body department for a variety of reasons, where Dr. Gruenke worked on a thesis and tissues against its own immune system. semesters. concerning the infl uenza virus and the However, these cells also protect tumors Dr. Gruenke is a great addition to the Union protein hemagglutinin. Art work related to from the immune system, creating a safe University Biology department, and, if you her research appeared on the cover of the environment for cancer growth. The key to ever need to ask her a question, get health COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH EXPERIENCE Journal of Virology. this research is fi nding the right balance of advice, or see a smiling face on a long day T-cells that will allow for cancer treatment as in White Hall, her door is always open. well as auto-immune protection. Students IF YOU MENTION THE WORDS non-native (invasive) fi sh species with the over the state. They met during and outside “Scientifi c Research” or “Scientifi c ability to assimilate successfully into new of class to set up aquaria and experimental Inquiry,” most people cringe! However, habitats. More specifi cally, their research systems to house the fi sh. Some of the to students training in the biological investigated the infl uence of temperature fi sh were acquired from the local pet store ALUMNI PROFILE sciences, research should be viewed on the feeding rates of two non-native whereas others were captured successfully by Nathan Chatham as an opportunity to acquire the tools species that were introduced into Florida out of the large display aquarium located needed to be successful. Historically, waters. The students noticed, from in White Hall. Several trials were run, AFTER challenges of patient care thoroughly test one of the fi rst courses taken by medical Junior/Senior-level biology students have literature reviews, that not all non-native allowing students to document the feeding GRADUATING both her medical knowledge and ethical students, Dr. Huggins’ Gross Anatomy been required to develop, implement, species introduced into Florida waters rates at various temperatures for the two FROM UNION standards. These challenges are a huge course was invaluable to Jill’s medical and present original research to fulfi ll non-native fi shes. After the data were in 2007, Jill Konkol part of medical education and are a major education. Dr. Weaver’s Genetics, Dr. graduation requirements. For some collected, statistical analyses were run was accepted component of preparing students for the Wofford’s Developmental Biology, and students, the thought of having to do and results discussed. Each student had to Wake Forest medical fi eld. While medical schools allow Mrs. Smith’s Immunology courses were an individual senior research project is the opportunity to lead throughout different University School of students to experience a wide range of all important and provided relevant intimidating, and, for others, such as those portions of the project. This group then Medicine. Currently specialties, Jill’s current goal is to become information to her medical education. pursuing the 3+1 pre-pharmacy option, it presented a poster detailing their research starting her fourth a primary care physician. Jill hopes to be Classes with Dr. McMahan prepared her simply will not fi t into their schedule. Enter project and hard work at Union University’s year, Jill already able to see patients frequently enough to for the attention to detail that is required the Collaborative Research Experience Scholarship Symposium. They fi elded has enjoyed a build close relationships with them and of medical students. Also, her time with course. This semester-long course is questions from the audience and seemed Jill Konkol wide variety of aid them in maintaining long term health. the cross-country team prepared her for designed to expand students’ familiarity to have a good time, feeding off of each experiences in the She also is thinking of working to serve enduring long work shifts with little rest. with the scientifi c method as well as other’s energy during the presentation. medical fi eld. While her fi rst two years one of the many underserved areas in our enable them to develop a research project, of medical school focused on medical country. The potential shortage of primary When asked if she had any advice for acquire data, and present their fi ndings As no man is an island, such is research. In education, Jill is spending the second care physicians in the near future is current Union students, Jill emphasized the while working in small groups. Beginning a real-world context, the Biology department two years involved in direct patient another driving factor in her decision. importance of having a well-rounded life. with recapping the scientifi c method, at Union University has developed the care at Wake Forest University Baptist She encourages students to enjoy activities the course immediately shifts to brain- were successful, and, for those that were, Collaborative Research Experience to Medical Center. Medical students have Jill feels that her time at Union aided her outside of school and work. Take breaks storming ideas and developing testable some expanded their range faster and to allow student researchers to collaborate the opportunity to experience areas of in her preparation for medical school and enjoy life, or you will burn yourself out research questions and hypotheses. a greater extent than others. The students on research projects and work together medicine such as Pediatrics, Surgery, OB/ in many different ways. The classes before you reach your goal. Jill is thankful proposed the following question: if water in approaching scientifi c inquiry. Whether Gyn, and Internal Medicine. offered at Union provided valuable base to everyone who aided her in her journey This past spring semester, the course temperature infl uences the feeding rate of it is studies documenting the infl uence of knowledge that made the daunting at Union and wishes current students the was offered for the fi rst time under the two invasive species differently, then this temperatures on the feeding rates of fi sh or At the moment, Jill is serving with the amount of required medical information best of luck in reaching their goals. direction of Dr. JR Kerfoot. The inaugural may be part of the explanation as to why cutting-edge cancer research, collaboration Geriatric unit of the medical center and easier to handle. Jill also credits a fi ve students worked together to develop one species is located only in the water of in the scientifi c community is key to is enjoying the time she is able to spend number of professors for their hand in her a project that sought to investigate the south Florida whereas the other is found all reaching the overall goal of science, to with patients. Jill feels that the daily preparation. Because Gross Anatomy is physiological mechanisms that provide pursue truth and document God’s glory.