Members of the Duina lab attending the
2018 Yeast Genetics Meeting at Stanford University were, from left, Michaela Edwards ’19, Jessica Campbell ’19, Sam Byrd ’19, Dr. Andrea
Duina, Brianna Hoyt ’19, and Sydney Ozersky ’17.
CONWAY, Ark. (December
16, 2019) — The work of a research team headed by Hendrix College Professor of
Biology Dr. Andrea Duina has resulted in an article recently published in the journal Transcription. The researchers working in Duina’s
laboratory included Jessica Campbell ’19 and Michaela Edwards ’19, who
were undergraduates at the time the work was completed, and Sydney Ozersky ’17,
an alumna who worked as a technician in the lab.
The overarching goal of the Duina laboratory is to gain further insights
into the fundamental mechanisms utilized by cells to ensure proper expression
of their genetic material. This research, funded by the National Science Foundation,
involved studying DNA transcription, the first step in the gene expression
process. Duina lab researchers use the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae for their studies, and due to the high
degree of genetic and functional conservation across all species, their work
provides insights into human biology as well.
“In particular, since the gene expression process is at the heart of
essentially all aspects of cell and organismal functions, these studies
contribute to our understanding of a process of central importance to all of
life,” Duina said.
The article, “Evidence that dissociation of Spt16 from
transcribed genes is partially dependent on RNA Polymerase II termination,” was published Dec. 6.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of being a faculty member at Hendrix
College is to have the opportunity to interact and mentor bright and highly
motivated undergraduate students,” Duina said. “In addition to having generated
the critical data that led to our most recent publication, Jessica and Michaela
also presented their work at several meetings, including the 2018 Yeast
Genetics Meeting at Stanford University. I believe that these types of
experiences are invaluable for our students as they move forward in their
careers beyond Hendrix.”
About
Hendrix College
A private liberal
arts college in Conway, Arkansas, Hendrix College consistently earns
recognition as one of the country’s leading liberal arts institutions, and is
featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change
the Way You Think About Colleges.
Its academic quality and rigor, innovation, and value have established Hendrix
as a fixture in numerous college guides, lists, and rankings. Founded in 1876,
Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. To
learn more, visit www.hendrix.edu.