Student-Faculty Research

Research Interests

I am a broadly trained biochemist who studies bioactive natural products that shape interactions between plants and animals and have medicinal properties.  I am especially interested in polyphenols, terpenoids, and glucosinolates that disrupt epigenetic systems and those that may have neuroprotective effects.  I identify and extract these substances from plants, seaweeds, sponges, and corals and screen them for interesting bioactivity.

Current Projects

• I have an NSF grant to study glucosinolates from leafy green vegetables as inhibitors of HDAC enzymes in animals.
• I am screening rare plants from the Chicago Botanic Garden for useful medicinal properties.
• I continue to study “epigenetic weapons” from plants which disrupt gene expression and phenotypic plasticity in animals.
• I do consulting work and training for companies in the healthcare fields, especially related to neurodegenerative disorders.   

How to Apply

I consider applications from Biology majors, Chemistry majors, BCMB majors, Neuroscience majors, and Environmental Science majors, usually in their junior or senior years.  I seek students who show success in their coursework, are good fits for our existing grant-funded projects, and who can commit at least two semesters of 560-level student-faculty research.  Research students work about 8 hours a week.  In my lab most research is conducted in the laboratory, greenhouse, and field sites between 8 am and 5 pm.  I expect students to complete a well-designed project and present the findings at the all-campus research symposium.  Advanced students who dedicate more time may be eligible to attend regional or national conferences and/or be a co-author on a future publication.  Interested students should email me to set up a time to meet, to visit the lab, and learn more.

Current Availability

I have a few openings for Spring 2026 and more for Fall 2026. I focus on 560-type research projects, usually related to federal grants. I aim to have students as coauthors on presentations and publications, as these have currency and meaning outside of the College.  To focus on these goals, I am not currently mentoring honors projects.

Applicant Qualifications

My work is interdisciplinary, and I often have the need for bench biochemists to do enzyme assays and chromatography as well as students interested in working with plants and insects.  Students interested in biochemistry, metabolism, natural products, chemical ecology, and neurodegenerative disorders are often good fits.  Students should have completed some or all of their 200-level coursework.  Courses such as: Analytical Chemistry, Metabolism, Cell, Physiology, Genetics, or Ecology can also be helpful but are not required.  If we have had a class together, and you found it interesting, that’s a good sign.  Ultimately, I select research students based on fit for current projects, experience, maturity, and how well our schedules sync up so we can overlap in the research lab.  I usually meet with interested students in October/November (for spring) and April/May (for fall).

Research Interests

Current Projects

How to Apply

Current Availability

Applicant Qualifications

Research Interests

My lab studies the molecular mechanisms that regulate monocyte and macrophage function, two key cell types of the innate immune system that drive inflammatory responses. Our current work focuses on immunometabolism, examining how lipid molecules produced through the mevalonate pathway regulate inflammatory signaling.

Current Projects

1. Metabolic regulation of microRNA expression in human monocytes: Examining how depletion of lipid intermediates from the mevalonate pathway alters microRNA expression and downstream regulation of inflammatory genes.
2. Effects of mevalonate pathway disruption on protein and vesicle trafficking in macrophages: Investigating how depletion of mevalonate pathway lipid intermediates affects intracellular protein and vesicle trafficking processes important for inflammatory signaling.

These projects employ approaches including:

• Isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and monocytes from human blood
• Immune cell culture (human and mouse monocyte/macrophage models), pharmacologial manipulation of the mevalonate pathway, and inflammatory stimulation using pathogen-associated molecules
• Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR)
• Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA)
• Western blotting
• Confocal microscopy
• Flow cytometry

How to Apply

I advertise research openings to Biochemistry & Molecular Biology majors by email when positions become available.

Current Availability

There are no current openings in the lab.

Applicant Qualifications

Qualifications are listed when positions are announced but typically include introductory biology coursework, strong interest in biomedical research, and the ability to commit consistently to laboratory work.

Research Interests

Current Projects

We are currently investigating the role of yorkie during fruit fly embyrogenesis.

How to Apply

Research opportunities, when available, are broadly advertised via college communication channels (Handshake, WorkDay) and posted in Rector Science Complex. Interested students are encouraged to apply.

Current Availability

Research opportunities will next be available for the 2026-2027 academic year.

Applicant Qualifications

We do research on specific afternoons during the week, advertised at the time of reserach opportunities, so availability is a critical factor in applicant qualifications. First priority is given to majors in Biology or Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, since I am a member of this department and program, respectively, and to students who have completed Biology 216: Genetics, since we work with genes and gene expression. Excellent attention to detail, adaptablilty, and a growth mindset are welcome personal traits. Previous research experience or familiarity is not necessary.

Research Interests

Cell division is the most crucial process undertaken by all eukaryotic cells. My lab studies the structure, dynamics, regulation, and mechanism of the actomyosin contractile ring that mediates cell division in early sea urchin embryos. Our studies employ advanced microscopic imaging including fluorescence-based widefield, confocal, and super-resolution microscopy.  Here is a link to a recent paper published in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2024.1483345

My lab also investigates the innate immune activities of the cells that populated the coelomic fluid of echinoderms such as sea urchins, sea stars, and sea cucumbers. We are in the process of determining the functions of the various cell types that are represented in these different animals. The importance of understanding innate immunity in these animals is highlighted by the epidemic of the bacteria-based sea star wasting disease over the last decade that has wiped out billions of these keystone species animals and transformed entire marine ecosystems.

Current Projects

1. Light microscopic imaging of the structural organization of myosin II clusters we have shown to initiate the assembly of the cytokinetic contractile ring in sea urchin and sea star embryos. These studies are combined with those involving specific inhibitors to dissect out the roles of actin filaments, myosin II function, and the involvement of the critical cell division regulatory G-protein Rho in contractile ring assembly.
2. Cryo-Electron Tomography imaging of the contractile ring to provide the first 3D nanoscale architecture of this structure in any animal cell. (Application pending to the NIH National Network for Cryo-ET Centers)
3. Investigating the evolutionary conservation of innate immune mechanisms present in echinoderm phagocytes versus those in the professional phagocytes of mammals - macrophages and monocytes.

How to Apply

Please e-mail me (henson@dickinson.edu) with a statement of interest informed by reading some of the recent research papers that my lab has published.

Current Availability

I am currently waiting to learn of the outcome of my application for a Dana Research Assistant for 7 weeks full-time (with housing) this summer (2026). For academic year 2026-27 I expect to have availability for 1-2 student(s) per semester.

Applicant Qualifications

No specific background or courses, although taking BIOL 313: Cell Biology would be helpful.

Research Interests

The lab studies a 356-nucleotide subviral RNA that, within plants, enhances symptoms of the parent virus.  Since this small RNA does not code for protein, the sequence and/or structure of the RNA must be mediating this function.  In certain contexts, the small RNA multimerizes; specific fragments of the RNA also can be found within plants.  Current work aims to understand how and why these various RNAs are present in infected plants.

Current Projects

Current lab work involves constructing RNA multimers and assessing their ability to replicate and persist in plants, and assessing how and why the RNAs fragment.

How to Apply

E-mail Prof Kushner to request a meeting to discuss semester-based research opportunities.

Current Availability

Prof Kushner currently is making plans for 1-2 students to work in the lab in Fall 2026; students interested in working during that timeframe (or possibly Spring 2027/Fall 2027) should e-mail Prof Kushner to set up a time to chat.

Applicant Qualifications

Typically, students should complete a 200-level BIOL course (ideally Genetics) prior to working in the lab (exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis).

Research Interests

Current Projects

• Lewis Acid Free Activation and Amidation of Sulfonyl-Fluorides through Click-Chemistry
• Nickel Catalyzed C-F Activation and Amidation via Germylamine Substitution
• Hydrogen Atom Transfers via Germanium Hydride Reagents
• Radical Cross Coupling Phenol & Hydroquinone Derived Photocatalysts

How to Apply

Current Availability

Applicant Qualifications

Research Interests

Our lab is interested in understanding how gene expression differs in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells from normal cells and how the AML gene expression program can be altered to more closely resemble the normal cell program. To do this we employ current molecular genetic techniques to quantitatively measure gene expression at the messenger RNA and protein levels and evaluate phenotypic changes in the cancer cells in response to targeted drugs and manipulations of gene expression through gene transfer. Our goal is to identify genes that can bring leukemia cells to a more normal state in the hope that “gene therapy” could provide a new treatment strategy for a currently high mortality disease.

Current Projects

Each member of the lab investigates a gene we have reason to believe could affect leukemia cell properties in partially reversing the oncogenic phenotype, operating as co-researchers in a team pursing the overall goal of a better understanding the molecular basis of AML.  Current projects are investigating genes known to be involved in cell proliferation and cell survival (two hallmarks of the cancer cell). Examples of ongoing project titles are:

• “The role of the transcription factor gene, TGIF1, in the inhibition of AML cell proliferation”
• “The role of BCL2 proteins in initiating cell-death in AML cells”
• “Reprogramming the AML transcriptome through transcription factor gene transfer”

How to Apply

Applications for research positions can be requested from Prof. Roberts. The application consists of questions about course preparation, lab experience, and motivation for pursuing cancer research in the context of possible career goals.

Current Availability

• Spring 2026: Full, 8 students
• Summer 2026: Full, 4 students
• Fall 2026: 2-4 new positions available [team of ~8]
• Spring: 2027: 1 or 2 new positions available [team of ~8]
• Summer 2027: 1 or 2 new positions available [team of 4 or 5]

Applicant Qualifications

Student co-researchers will be expected to design, conduct, and analyze experiments under the guidance of Prof. Roberts. This will require a fundamental knowledge of genetics and cell biology achieved by completing BIOL132 and BIOL216. Additional coursework in cell and molecular biology is beneficial but not required. One semester of observation and assistance, while not being enrolled in BIOL560 for course credit, is highly recommended . Students enrolled in BIOL560: Student/Faculty Research, should reserve, on average, six hours per week devoted to their research project. Student co-researchers obtaining significant results over two or more semesters will be invited to attend and present at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (this involves the submission and reviewed acceptance of an abstract for poster presentation). Finally, preference will be given to candidates who will benefit the most significantly from the research experience regarding their post-Dickinson career plans. This does not mean a “promise” to pursue cancer research is expected.

Research Interests

Research in the Somers Lab uses Saccharomyces cerevisiae and related yeasts as model systems to understand how genetic and functional variation shapes adaptation and to apply these insights to problems in biotechnology and medicine. We investigate the evolutionary dynamics of yeast domestication by experimentally evolving wild strains and identifying the genomic changes underlying adaptation to laboratory environments. We use functional genomics approaches to uncover the cellular targets and mechanisms of action of complex plant-derived natural products, with implications for drug discovery. Complementing both of these projects, we explore the diversity of wild yeast species to identify traits, such as the ability to metabolize diverse carbon sources and tolerate industrial stress, that can improve the efficiency and robustness of microbial biofuel production.

Current Projects

1. Yeast Domestication and Adaptation: This project examines how domestication shapes genetic and phenotypic variation in yeast by experimentally evolving wild strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its sister species Saccharomyces paradoxus in laboratory environments. By tracking evolutionary changes across populations, the work aims to identify the genomic basis of adaptation and assess how predictable the domestication process is across different lineages.
2. Identifying Targets of Plant Natural Products: This project uses functional genomics in yeast to identify the cellular targets and mechanisms of action of complex plant-derived compounds. By screening a genome-wide yeast knockout library for sensitivity to plant extracts, our research links mutations to compound activity, providing insight into how natural products interact with cellular pathways and identifying their potential as therapeutic agents.
3. Discovering Novel Yeasts for Biofuel Production: This project explores the diversity of wild yeast species to improve microbial biofuel production. By isolating and characterizing new yeasts with the ability to metabolize diverse carbon sources and tolerate industrial stress conditions, the work aims to identify traits that can enhance fermentation efficiency and inform the development of more robust biofuel-producing strains. The false-colored light micrograph above is from a new species of Candida yeast discovered through this project.

How to Apply

Available research opportunities will be advertised and posted in Rector Science Complex. Interested students are encouraged to email Professor Somers with questions.

Current Availability

Research opportunities for the 2026-2027 academic year will be posted in April. I anticipate 2-3 positions will be available. 

Applicant Qualifications

First priority is given to Biology or Biochemistry & Molecular Biology majors who have completed BIOL 216, Genetics. Interest or exprience in computational analysis of large-scale datasets is preferred, but not necessary. 

Research Interests

The Wilkins Astrochemistry Group uses a combination of radio telescope observations and laboratory experiments to investigate the evolution of chemistry from simple ingredients in the interstellar medium. Using telescopes, we map the distribution of molecules and look for patterns between chemical abundance and astrophysical environment. In the lab, we are building a cosmic ice experiment to study ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of solids at 10 Kelvin (-442 degrees Fahrenheit), the temperature of stellar nurseries.

Current Projects

1. Laboratory Investigations of Chemical Evolution in UV-Photolyzed Cosmic Ices around Young Stars: Much of the chemistry that constitutes life as we know it was seeded in the cold, interstellar medium, or the spaces between stars. In molecular clouds of gas and dust, chemistry evolves alongside infant stars from simple ingredients to form prebiotic molecules. The chemical pathways to form such molecules, however, is not yet understood. We are building a cosmic ice experiment to investigate the evolution of astromolecules in cosmic ices exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from young stars. This work will provide insight into some of the chemistry introduced to the early Earth by comets and meteorites.
2. Mapping Heavy Methanol Isotopologues in the Orion Kleinmann-Low (Orion KL) Nebula: Methanol presents a bridge between simple ices and more complex compounds (i.e., those with six or more atoms), many of which are prebiotic molecules. Methanol is also a key intermediate in the Strecker synthesis of the amino acid glycine. While we have a good idea of how methanol forms – predominantly via reactions of hydrogen atoms and carbon monoxide on the surfaces of icy dust grains in protostars – how astrophysical environment affects its isotopic abundances is not yet well understood. We are mapping methanol isotopologues in the Orion Kleinmann-Low (Orion KL) nebula, a star-forming region about 1,300 lightyears away. Due to Orion KL’s relative closeness to the solar system, we can see how methanol’s isotopic ratios vary across the nebula to gain insight into how temperature and density affect isotope ratios, which are later incorporated into more complex molecules.

How to Apply

Students interested in working in the Wilkins Astrochemistry Group may email Prof. Wilkins(wilkins@dickinson.edu) to introduce themselves and their interests in her work.

Current Availability

Two NASA-funded research assistants (Fall 2026, Spring 2027) – Tuesday or Friday afternoon availability required (preference given to returning research students)

Applicant Qualifications

Past coursework with Prof. Wilkins is preferred. No specific coursework beyond General Chemistry (CHEM 131/132 or 141) is required at this time. Astrochemistry (CHEM 490) is expected to be taken by research students when possible (next offered in Spring 2027).