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Limulus
NEWSLETTER
Department of Biological Sciences, Wagner College, Staten Island, NY
Volume 2011, Issue Spring-04
April/May, 2011
SENIORS IN THE RFT MAJORING IN BIOLOGY, MICROBIOLOGY, OR BIOPSYCHOLOGY
In the front from left to right: Aimee Marin, Jessica LaVacca, Nidhi Khanna, Roseanna Valant, Julianna Maniscalco,
Violeta Capric (junior), Bedrije Goga, Lauren Raynor, Farha Rashid, and Shaza Irfan. In the back from left to right:
William Etts, Glenn Muoio, Peter Pisano, Philip Kaplan, and Terence Downing. Not in the photograph are the seniors
Felicia Giunta and Victor Stora. Graduating seniors who finished their RFT in last fall: Kaitlin Eppinger, Medije
Mashkulli, Alex Molesan, and Caroline Mroz.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
The last Limulus in the academic year 2010/2011 presents our
graduating seniors (see above) and their achievements (see
below. That Nidhi and Farha graduate is of course welldeserved. However, for the newsletter and for me it is a loss.
It will be difficult to substitute such diligent editors. With
pride we celebrate the tenure of Dr. Cook and with sadness we
realize that Dr. Houlihan is leaving us.
HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!
Dr. Horst Onken, The Editor
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�The Newsletter of the Department of Biological Sciences, Wagner College
BIOLOGY STAFF AND FACULTY NEWS
BIOLOGY PROFESSOR RECEIVES TENURE
Dr. Heather Cook has been at
Wagner College for several years.
She teaches many courses in the
biology department including:
Cells, Genes, and Evolution,
Gene
Expression
and
Development, Molecular Cell
Biology, and Science: The Good,
the Bad, the Controversial (the
Freshman RFT). She is an active
researcher and her new research
project focuses on the effects of endocrine disrupting
chemicals on drosophila development. In the past, Dr. Cook
received the “Teaching with Technology” award at the Faculty
Awards Dinner in 2009. Recently, she learned that she
received tenure. The members of the biology department went
to celebrate Dr. Cook’s good news. Photographs from the
event are pictured in later pages of the newsletter. On the
behalf of the Limulus Staff, I would like to congratulate Dr.
Cook!
Contributed by Nidhi Khanna with a photograph from Dr. Moorthy
DR. ONKEN BECOMES NEW DIRECTOR OF THE
HONORS PROGRAM
Dr. Horst Onken is an associate
professor of Physiology and Zoology
at Wagner College. Dr. Onken has
been teaching at Wagner since 2006
and has received recognition for his
exceptional work. He was the
recipient of the “Teaching with
Technology” award and the Faculty
Award for Exceptional Performance in
the Area of Scholarship.
Dr. Onken has published articles in
various prestigious publications, including two articles in the
Journal of Experimental Zoology. The papers published in this
journal were co-authored by his Wagner research students. His
research interests include studying epithelial tissue and
working with the Aedes agypti mosquitoes. In addition to his
extensive research schedule, Dr. Onken teaches several
courses in the biology department including Human Biology,
Forms and Functions, Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, and
Animal Physiology. This past year, he published a chapter in
the book Epithelial Transport Physiology. He also serves as
the chair of the Academic Honesty Committee.
Dr. Erica Johnson has been the director of the Honors Program
for several years. She has done exceptional work for the
program, and this year alone, the number of graduating
students that participated in the program has doubled. At the
end of the summer, she will be stepping down as the director.
Dr. Onken will be the new director of the program beginning
this fall semester. Congratulations to Dr. Onken!
Contributed by Nidhi Khanna
FAREWELL TO DR. DEVORAH LIEBERMAN
Since 2004, Dr. Devorah Lieberman
has worked hard to create a platform
at Wagner College where every
student could have opportunities
through their classes and their cocurricular activites to contribute to
the College, to the local community,
to
the
greater
metropolitan
community, and to the international
community. At Wagner, the faculty
members are deeply dedicated to
teaching and advising students as well as pursuing scholarship
in their disciplines. The principal mission of the Wagner
administration is to support the educational programs of the
College, the work of the faculty, and the learning of our
students. Dr. Lieberman’s responsibility, as Provost and Vice
President for Academic Affairs, was to oversee this process.
Dr. Lieberman has been an active reader of the Limulus
monthly biology newsletter, and the Limulus staff would like
to wish Dr. Lieberman good luck in her future endeavors. She
has accepted a position as President of the University of La
Verne, and we are confident that she will do a superb job. We
thank you for your support throughout your time at Wagner
College.
Contributed by Gregory Balaes
DR. HOULIHAN TO TEACH AT RANDOLPH COLLEGE
NEXT FALL
Dr. Houlihan began teaching at
Wagner during the fall 2008
semester. Even though he has
been at the college for a few
years, Dr. Houlihan has
definitely helped the biology
department grow. He will be
leaving Wagner to teach at
Randolph College in the fall.
Randolph College is in Virginia
and is a small liberal arts
college. He will be teaching
microbiology and genetics classes to undergraduate students.
Additionally, he will teach a class that is similar to Wagner’s
Cells, Genes, and Evolution and will have students conducting
research in his lab. The biology department and all of Dr.
Houlihan’s students will miss him dearly, and wish him the
best of luck in the fall.
Dr. Houlihan received his Bachelors in Molecular Biology
from the University of Mississippi. He later obtained his PhD
in Microbiology from Cornell University. Dr. Houlihan’s
research is focused on plant microbe interactions, specifically
the ways in which plants resist and respond to infection. He
recently became more interested in gastrointestinal
microbiology research.
Dr. Houlihan has taught several courses at Wagner including:
Cells, Genes, and Evolution, Plagues and Outbreaks, Applied
Food, Microbial Physiology, Microbiology, Microbial
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�The Newsletter of the Department of Biological Sciences, Wagner College
Ecology, Immunology, Serology, and a few years ago, he
began teaching a freshman learning community with Dr.
Stearns entitled, “Human Health and Survival.”
Prior to Wagner, Dr. Houlihan admits that he had very limited
teaching experience. “I had some teaching assistantships in
graduate school, but at Wagner, this was the first time I was
able to teach in this capacity,” he stated.
Additionally, Dr. Houlihan mentioned that it was extremely
rare for a college with less than 200 undergraduate students to
have such an impressive microbiology program. He said,” The
microbiology program is very unique and is made up of
dedicated faculty. I believe that it is good for the college to
have such an excellent program.”
Dr. Houlihan enjoyed his time at Wagner and believes that the
family environment is beneficial both to the students and
faculty. “The thing that stood out at Wagner was that it felt
like everyone was part of a family. This aspect of the college
is something that I will truly miss,” he said.
worked in the PennGen Lab for
Inborn Errors of Metabolism and
the Deubler Lab for Genetic
Testing. Stora’s research mentor
was Dr.Urs Giger DVM PD FS
MS ACVIM. The results from this
research are being presented at the
American College of Veterinary
Internal Medicine in Denver. It is
under review by the Journal of the
American Veterinary Medical
Association (JAVMA).
Additionally, he is the vice president of Allied Health for the
Pre-Health Society. He is the SGA representative for Tri-Beta
and works in the Peer Tutoring Center as the biology tutor. On
the behalf of the Limulus staff, I would like to congratulate
Victor on all of his accomplishments and wish him the best of
luck in the fall!
Contributed by Nidhi Khanna
Contributed by Nidhi Khanna
BIOLOGY STUDENT NEWS
SENIOR ACCEPTED BY TOP SCHOOLS
Senior biology major and psychology
minor Peter Pisano received acceptances
from four prestigious dental schools.
Peter was accepted to the University of
Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
(UMDNJ) and New York University’s
College of Dentistry last semester.
During spring semester, Pisano learned
that he gained admission to the School
of Dental Medicine at Stony Brook
University and Columbia University. He
will be attending Stony Brook
University in the fall.
Additionally, Pisano will be graduating with departmental
honors. He will receive the Kevin Sheehy Award in Biology,
given in recognition of the highest cumulative grade point
average in the study of biology and the Dr. Norman L. Freilich
Memorial Award, given to a graduating student accepted into
medical or dental school at the Senior Awards Banquet that
will be held before Commencement.
On the behalf of the Limulus staff, I would like to congratulate
Peter on all of his accomplishments!
Contributed by Nidhi Khanna
GRADUATING SENIOR TO ATTEND DUAL DEGREE
PROGRAM IN THE FALL
Senior double major (Biology/Chemistry) Victor Stora was
accepted to two excellent veterinary schools. Stora will be
attending Louisiana State University and will be pursuing his
D.V.M. (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) and PhD in
Molecular Cell Biology starting this fall semester. Stora was
also accepted to Iowa State University College of Veterinary
Medicine.
Stora conducted research this past summer at the School of
Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He
BIOPSYCHOLOGY MAJORS ACCEPTED TO
GRADUATE SCHOOLS
This year, three biopsychology majors will be attending
various graduate schools this upcoming fall. The Limulus staff
would like to highlight the achievements of these three senior
students.
Leandra Manfredini is a commuter student from Staten Island,
NY. She is a member of various honor societies on campus
including Psi Chi (the International Honor Society in
Psychology), Omicron Delta Kappa (the National Leadership
Honor Society), and Psi Epsilon Alpha (the Biopsychology
Honor Society). Manfredini is also a proud member of the
sorority Alpha Sigma Alpha and served as the VP of
Programming and Ritual for ASA. She also was the Greek
Senate chair for her sorority. Manfredini was accepted to the
City University of New York’s Graduate Program for Doctor
of Physical Therapy (DPT), and will begin her studies this
upcoming fall semester.
Aimee Marin is also a commuter student from Staten Island,
NY. She is a member of ODK, Tri-Beta, Psi Chi, and Gamma
Sigma Epsilon (the Chemistry Honors Society). She founded
the Wagner chapter of Psi Epsilon Alpha (Biopsychology
Honor Society) this year and she served as the organization’s
president. She gained admission to the Evelyn Spiro College
of Nursing at Wagner College. Marin will be pursuing her
second Bachelors in Nursing this fall and hopes to continue
her education at Wagner to receive her Masters in Nursing in
the near future.
Thomas Rammelkamp is a resident student from Long Island,
NY. Rammelkamp is a student athlete and was named to the
NEC (Northeast Conference) Winter Academic Honor Roll on
several occasions during his undergraduate career. Athletes
that are on the NEC Honor Roll need to have a grade point
average of at lease 3.20 and need to have distinction as an
athlete on a varsity college team. He is a member of the Men’s
Track and Field team. Despite having a demanding academic
and athletic schedule, Rammelkamp was able to graduate a
semester early and finished his undergraduate career this past
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�The Newsletter of the Department of Biological Sciences, Wagner College
December. He gained admission to Stony Brook University’s
Physical Therapy (DPT) program and will begin his studies
shortly this upcoming June.
On the behalf of the Limulus staff, I would like to congratulate
all of the biopsychology majors on their acceptances to three
excellent graduate programs! I wish you all the best of luck in
the future.
Contributed by Nidhi Khanna
BIOLOGY STUDENTS HONORED AT UNDERGRAUATE
AWARDS DINNER
The Undergraduate Awards Dinner
was held on Friday, April 29th.
Many students from the department
received honors and recognition for
their exceptional academic work.
The awards that students received
are in italics. The following
students were honorees at the
dinner: Gregrory Balaes (Biology
Major, Spanish Minor)- The
Student
Government
Award,
Terryn Marette (Biology Major)Robert D. Blomquist Memorial Award in Biology; Victoria
Felix (Psychology Major, Biology Minor)- Gertrude Aull
Award; Melanie Valencia (Chemistry Major, Biology Minor)Wagner College Award in Chemistry. Congratulations to all
the honorees!
Contributed by Farha Rashid
BIOLOGY MAJORS RECEIVE ATHLETIC AND
ACADEMIC HONORS
Junior biology major Thomas Iannacone and Tiffany Dawson
received recognition for their outstanding athletic ability.
Iannacone is a distance runner for the Men’s Indoor Track
team and he was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of
the team. During the 2009-2010 season, he had the best time
for his team at the 1500-meter race at the Princeton
Invitational Tournament. Dawson was named the MVP of the
Women’s Tracks and Field team. During the 2009-2010
season, she finished with the team-best and personal-best in
the 60meter hurdles at Fordham. In addition, sophomore
biopsychology major Dominique Serpe and senior
biopsychology major Thomas Rammelkamp were named to
the 2010-2011 NEC Academic Winter Honor Roll.
Congratulations to the department’s student athletes!
Contributed by Nidhi Khanna
SENIORS RECEIVE DEPARTMENTAL HONORS
Some seniors received special recognition for their
outstanding work in the biology department. Three seniors
received awards for presenting at a conference, and for their
high GPA. Congratulations to Peter Pisano, Caroline Mroz,
and Philip Kaplan!
Contributed by Nidhi Khanna
LIMULUS EDITORS
Farha Rashid and Nidhi Khanna,
student-editors of Limulus, and
fourth-year students at Wagner,
will be graduating, and therefore
leaving not only Wagner
College, but also the Limulus
staff. Although their enriched
contributions will no longer
continue to captivate Limulus
readers, they will continue their
journey elsewhere.
Nidhi, for example, will be
taking on a summer internship as she prepares herself to begin
working on obtaining her Master’s degree. On the other hand,
apart from her studies, Nidhi was a part of a wide range of
extracurricular activities both at Wagner College and
elsewhere. Not only was she a student editor for Limulus, the
Biology Newsletter, but also section editor for the Wagnerian
and the Editor-in-Chief of Kallista (the college yearbook). “I
feel that my experiences in all three of these publications has
helped me grow as a leader, and I had a chance to strengthen
my writing skills,” said Nidhi. She was also a member of the
Pre-Health Society and served as the secretary during her
junior year. Additionally she was a member of the Pre-Health
Program, Interfaith on Campus, Biology Club, Spanish Club,
Tri-Beta, ODK, and the Honors Program. In addition, Nidhi
spent her spare time volunteering full-time in Staten Island
University Hospital, and was a philosophy tutor. Nidhi
graduated as a double major in biology and philosophy.
When asked about her interest in science, Nidhi went on in
explaining an interesting anecdote, “When I was a senior in
high school, my school had a ‘Global Warming Day,’ and
invited a guest speaker from a local college. Dr. Stearns was
the guest lecturer and he gave an interesting lecture that
actually sparked my interest in science. He spoke about global
warming and how there is so much scientific evidence that
indicates that global warming is a growing problem. Many
students believed that global warming is just a political issue,
and there were two sides to the issue. Dr. Stearns tried to tell
students that it is important to separate falsehoods from facts,
and we need to understand that there is a lot of scientific
evidence that supports climate change. After that lecture, my
interest in science grew, and I had a new appreciation for it.”
Farha, also has plans to continue her
education with plans to apply to
dental school and take the DAT after
graduation. She has also been
actively involved in Wagner, and
was an active member of the college
community. Farha was a member of
the Pre-Health Society, Pre-Health
Program,
Muslim
Student
Association, Honors Program, and
the Biology club. Farha also served
as the Historian for Tri-Beta. Additionally, Farha continues to
volunteer and shadow dentists in Staten Island University
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�The Newsletter of the Department of Biological Sciences, Wagner College
Hospital, where she provided administrative support for well
above 100 hours. Farha also currently shadows a local dentist,
and had previously worked as an aide at the Cerebral Palsy
Association of Middlesex County, where she assisted in taking
care of children with Cerebral Palsy by helping students with
math and reading.
When asked about her experience at Wagner, and her interest
in biology, Farha stated the following: “I absolutely loved my
experience at Wagner College. These four years truly flew by.
My experience at Wagner has been enriched due to all the
wonderful professors. I am really happy with my decision to
be a biology major because the professors of the department
are very supportive and helpful. Every since I was a little girl I
was fascinated with nature. There was a pond near my house
and I would go look for different animals. My interest in
biology grew as I got older and doing with research with Dr.
Stearns here at Wagner has allowed me to explore biology in a
more sophisticated way. My interest in biology has expanded
and I hope to take all of the knowledge I have acquired with
me to my future goals.”
On behalf of the Limulus staff, and the biology department,
we would like to thank both Nidhi and Farha for their time and
commitment to the monthly Limulus newsletters.
Contributed by Gregory Balaes
board includes President Joanna Emilio, Vice President
Sheldon Rozman, Secretary Victoria Felix, Treasurer William
Rivera, and Historian Nimrod Philippe.
Contributed by Gregory Balaes
PRE-HEALTH SOCIETY
The Pre-Health Society held elections this past month. The
new VP of Allied Health will be Samar Alwani, a rising junior
biology major. The results for the other E-Board positions will
be announced shortly. For more information, please contact
Pre-Health
Society
President,
Felicia
Giunta
at
Felicia.giunta@wagner.edu.
Contributed by Nidhi Khanna
BIOLOGY CLUB NEWS
This semester members of the biology club completed their
community service off-campus. Club members and other
students from the Wagner community took a trip to the NYC
Bodies Exhibit at South Street Seaport. The event was a
success and students stated that the trip was both fun and a
good learning experience.
The biology club held elections this last month.
Congratulations to the new E-Board!
President (Janna Denisenko), Vice President (Brittney Ayala),
Secretary (Judy Betz), and Treasurer (Radislav Meylikh).
Contributed by Nidhi Khanna
TRI-BETA NEWS
Members of Tri-Beta have helped Dr. Palestis with “Project
Safe Flight” and monitored the grounds of Harborview and
Megerle for any birds that may have hit the glass windows
during this migration season. Additionally, members assisted
Dr. Onken in a garden clean up and helped remove weeds
from the garden planters near the Megerle parking lot.
Tribeta inducted new members who were carefully selected by
the executive board. Medije Mashkulli, the Tri-Beta President,
stated, “I am really satisfied with our selection and I feel our
newest members have shown excellence in the sciences.” New
members include: Samar Alwani, Gina Auricchio, Gregory
Balaes, Judith Betz, Jessica Bianculli, Nicole Bouchard, Janna
Denisenko, Joanna Emilio, Victoria Felix, Nimrod Philippe,
William Rivera, Sheldon Rozman, Felicia Rubertone, Brianna
Samson, Lisa Schneider and Melanie Valencia.
The tradition of initiation took place on April 27th, where
members of Tri-Beta were sworn in, including the new
members of the executive board. The 2011-2012 executive
PRE-DENTISTRY SOCIETY
The Dental Society won the “New Organization Award” at
Wagner College’s annual Undergraduate Awards Ceremony.
The award represents a club that has responded to a need in
the Wagner College community and set a tone for other
groups to follow. The Student Government Association (SGA)
selected the Pre-Dentistry Society for the award because just a
year after their formation, they have more than 35 dedicated
members and serve as a great outlet for the pre-dentistry
students. They have held events such as CPR certification
(open to everyone on campus) and handed out information and
toothbrushes to students to educate them about the importance
of dental and oral care. They have been extremely visible and
active, thus setting a tone for other groups.
Dental Health Promotion, which took place in April, was
again a huge success. Students in the Pre-Dentistry Society
handed out over 250 tooth brushes to members of the Wagner
community. While previous events were meant to collect
donations for Operation Smile, this event accepted donations
for the Oral Cancer Foundation instead.
Lastly, Dr. Steven Cisternas, a local dentist, had a symposium
at Wagner College. He spoke about specific topics in general
dentistry, and gave helpful advice to prospective dental
students. He discussed his experiences both before and after
dental school, including his insight for pre-dentistry students.
Gregory Balaes, the Pre-Dentistry Society President had
commented on the symposium. He stated, “Dr. Cisternas was
able to connect with the students on a personal level, and
offered advice that was truly unique, and inspiring. His
personable attitude, and pronounced charisma not only had a
positive influence on the students, but were particularly
motivational. Cisternas emphasized the importance of
PAGE 5
�The Newsletter of the Department of Biological Sciences, Wagner College
preventative dentistry, in order to help stop dental issues
before they arise. He also portrayed his vision of his dental
practice, called Richmond Hill Dental Design Studio (located
on 211 Richmond Hill Road, in Staten Island) as a sincere and
caring dentist, where patients are treated with the utmost care,
to the point where they should feel comfortable enough in the
office as they are at home. The Pre-Dentistry Society, and the
Pre-Health Program would like to thank Dr. Cisternas for his
captivating symposium, and for taking the time to connect
with the students.”
Contributed by Farha Rashid
BIOPSYCHOLOGY HONOR SOCIETY
This past academic year, senior Aimee Marin founded the
Wagner chapter of Psi Epsilon Alpha, with faculty advisor Dr.
Zoltan Fulop. This semester the club completed their
community service requirements by donating to Project
Homefront. Project Homefront is a local organization that
collects items such as socks, crossword puzzles, toothbrushes,
and sends care packages to American soldiers serving abroad.
Additionally, the club donated to a local animal shelter. The
organization held its first initiation ceremony in April. The
initiates included: Hayat Abed, Angelo Cacciatore, Deeksha
Chawla, James Cuzzupe, Lisa Duncan, Leonard Giordano,
Leandra Manfredini, Aimee Marin, Maleeha Memon, Richard
Morgan, Caroline Mroz, Ashley Nati, Dominique Serpe, Zoe
Siegel, Alyssa Spivak, Eden Stark, Elissa Troisi, and Milton
Vera. Several members served on the E-Board. The following
members were officers in the club:
President: Aimee Marin; Vice President: Maleeha Memon;
Secretary: Deeksha Chawla; Treasurer: Lisa Duncan; SGA
Representative: Milton Vera.
Congratulations to the new initiates!
Contributed by Nidhi Khanna
EXPERIENCES
ACE LECTURE ABOUT THE HUMAN GENOME
PROJECT
The field of biology has been
advancing every day. Scientists
learned to manipulate pieces of DNA
and even developed ways to use
machines
to
automate
many
laboratory procedures. The first
rough draft of the human genome
project was first proposed at the turn
of the century. The human genome
project
was
an
incredible
technological achievement; however,
the project stirred controversy. Many individuals believed that
the genome project was a crazy idea, and many skeptics did
not understand why it would be useful to sequence the entire
human genome.
George Dewey, Provost and a chemistry professor from the
University of La Verne, gave an ACE lecture at Wagner
College recently. In the near future, Dewey speculated that
parents of newborns might receive a CD-ROM version of their
child’s entire genome. Although sequencing the human
genome had many benefits, there were some problems
associated with sequencing the genome. The human genome
has three billion nucleotide base pairs. It was rather difficult
to try to assemble 3 million reads (reads refer to a fragment in
the genome) in perfect order. Craig Venter, a prominent
American biologist, believed that the best way to sequence the
human genome was to use shotgun assembly. This method
chews up the DNA and the computer will be able to read the
fragments. Contrastingly, Francis Collins, an American
physician-geneticist, believed that the best way to sequence
the human genome was to match 1000 reads with the physical
location of the chromosomes. Nevertheless, Venter’s method
was the most efficient sequencing technique, and he did not
need to identify the chromosomes in the fragments. Many
individuals were still skeptical that it was impossible for a
computer to read the DNA libraries. Eventually, Venter
chopped the DNA a second time, and was able to get a
different set of 1000 reads.
After the human genome project was sequenced, there were
many direct outcomes. The human genome project allowed
scientists to discover 1800 new disease genes and 1000
genetic tests for human disease conditions were developed as a
direct result of the human genome project. Additionally, 50
major types of cancer were identified. There were also many
surprises from the human genome project. Scientists realized
that the number of genes in the human genome is roughly
35,000. The human genome also contains many silent genes.
The outcomes from the human genome project also taught
people about genes and race,
Many individuals believe that race can be defined through
genes. Scientists realized that there are no genes for race and it
is difficult to clearly define race through genes. The human
genome project taught scientists about the differences and
similarities between individuals of various races. There are
three million human single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)
in the genome. The SNPs occur at 1 out of every 1000 bases.
The individual variations between people are due to the SNPs,
and the SNPs allow scientists to compare how individuals are
similar and different from each other. Additionally,
individuals of different racial backgrounds can actually have
identical SNPs. Dewey stated that race is a consequence of
population migrations, but, there is no fundamental difference
between race. Race is defined by society, and there is no
scientific way to accurately define race.
Dewey’s lecture on the human genome focused on the
importance and the controversies surrounding the human
genome project. The human genome project allowed scientists
to study the variations and similarities between human beings.
Additionally, many genetic tests and diseases were discovered
using the data that was obtained from the genome project. The
wealth of data from the human genome project has also
allowed scientists to study the evolution of human beings.
Early humans actually had the genes for brown eyes and
lactose intolerance. As agriculture developed, early humans
were pressured to develop a tolerance for lactose. Even though
there are a lot of ethical issues surrounding the human genome
PAGE 6
�The Newsletter of the Department of Biological Sciences, Wagner College
project, scientists can use the information from the genome
project to study the evolutionary history of human beings.
learned about the different plants and animals that inhabited
both the forest and park.
Contributed by Nidhi Khanna with a photograph from the University of La
Verne’s website
RUTHIE’S RETIREMENT
Ruthie Hernandez has retired from her position of
housekeeping, and will forever go down in history as one of
the best housekeeping ladies ever! To celebrate close to 45
years of hard work, co-workers from the physical sciences,
social sciences, library, registrar, housekeeping and others
gathered in Megerle Science Hall to wish the best of luck to
Ruthie. Her commitment, strength and kind heart made her
more than just another co-worker. She is truly a friend to
many, and not seeing her smiling face will leave a gap in the
daily routine of those who will miss her motherly attention
and vibrant personality.
Contributed by Nidhi Khanna with photographs from Stephanie Rollizo
RESCUE OF BROWN BAT
Contributed by Gregory Balaes, Stephanie Rollizo, and Professor Linda Raths
CAPSTONE CLASS GOES ON FIELD TRIPS
The seniors in Dr. Palestis’ Ecological and Evolutionary
Theory Capstone course spent their last day of classes outside
of the classroom. Accompanied by both Dr. Palestis and
Stephanie Rollizo, the class visited the William L. Hutcheson
Memorial Forest and the Cheesequake State Park. Students
It began when Dr. Kathy Bobbitt came from her “General
Pathology” class to let us know that as she was teaching about
rabies transmission through an animal such as a bat, a student
questioned if a bat was in their classroom. Dr. Bobbitt
assumed the student was kidding around, but it was not a joke
when she spotted the little brown bat clinging onto the ceiling.
Prof. Linda Raths, Dr. Horst Onken and I immediately went to
investigate. And there, quietly attached to a ceiling tile, was
the tiny creature. Luckily, we are prepared in the biological
sciences department, and after assessing the situation thought
we might be able to rescue the frightened mammal.
With an old butterfly net in hand, Dr. Onken climbed atop a
desk, reached up, and caught the bat! With the helpless
animal trapped, we took it on a quick journey up to the roof of
the science building, and released it. At first its wings were
spread; then it quickly folded them up and rested. We left it
there, overnight, and discovered it had found its way back into
the wild this morning.
PAGE 7
�The Newsletter of the Department of Biological Sciences, Wagner College
Although it is true that bats can transmit rabies, as Dr. Bobbitt
confirms, they still do more good than harm, eating up lots of
mosquitoes, which then decreases the spread of other diseases,
such as West Nile virus. See:
http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/2007/09/15/2007-0915_bats_do_far_more_good_than_harm.html
In addition, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that a
fungus called white-nose syndrome, first noticed in 2006 in
New York bats, has a 95% mortality. See:
http://www.fws.gov/whitenosesyndrome/ . Unfortunately,
according to these studies, it appears the little brown bat, will
become almost extinct in the northeast in 16 years.
For his gallant efforts in saving this elusive, helpful, and now
threatened animal, a big thank you to Dr. Onken!
The research symposium that Rashid attended took place at
William Paterson University. Undergraduate students from the
Mid-Atlantic area presented their findings in biology and
chemistry. Rashid gave a poster presentation.
Contributed by Nidhi Khanna
ALUMNI
Dear Alumni,
Contributed by Stephanie Rollizo with a photograph from the US Fish &
Wildlife Service.
PUBLICATIONS
Palestis, B.G., J. Cabrero, R. Trivers, and J.P.M. Camacho.
2010. Prevalence of B chromosomes in Orthoptera is
associated with shape and number of A chromosomes.
Genetica 138: 1181-1189.
If you are interested in contributing to our newsletter, you
are very welcome to do so. Contact Dr. Onken by e-mail
with
your
submission,
(horst.onken@wagner.edu)
comment, ideas or questions! We are excited to hear about
where you are, how and what you do!
CARTOONS
PRESENTATIONS
Palestis, B.G. and K.E. Eppinger. 2011. A banding study of
common terns on Pettit Island, NJ: Preliminary results.
Greater New York/New Jersey Harbor Herons and Waterbirds
Working Group. Staten Island, NY. January 12-13.
Palestis, B., I. Nisbet, J. Hatch, J. Arnold, and P. Szczys.
2011. The importance of tail length for sexual selection in
roseate terns. Waterbird Society. Grand Island, NE. March 1316.
PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS
SENIOR PRESENTS AT CONFERENCE
Senior biology major and environmental studies minor Farha
Rashid presented at a conference earlier last month. She
presented her research that was entitled, “Spectral
Photosensitivity of the Pupal Stage of the Yellow Fever
Mosquitro Aedes aegypti Larvae.” This research was
conducted under the direction of Dr. Stearns and was funded
with the generous donations from the Undergraduate Senior
Thesis Research Fund for the Department of Biological
Sciences.
Cartoons from www.lab-initio.com
PAGE 8
�The Newsletter of the Department of Biological Sciences, Wagner College
GUIDELINES FOR CONTRIBUTORS
Authors in all sections should keep in mind that not all readers are specialized in their area of interest. Keep your contribution on a
level that everybody can understand.
Contributions may vary in length between about 50 and 500 words and must be submitted by e-mail to horst.onken@wagner.edu.
Photographs or other images that accompany an article are very welcome, but must be submitted as separate files (high quality jpg
is the preferred file format) attached to the e-mail. Be aware that photographs/images may be minimized in size.
Indicate the section of the newsletter where you want your contribution to appear.
The deadline for submission of a contribution is the 20th of the month. Contributions received later may or may not be considered.
The editor reserves his right to edit your contribution or post an immediate response.
Editing may involve to publish contributions in other sections as indicated by the author.
All contributions will clearly indicate the author's identity.
All contributions are reviewed and publication may be refused by the editor.
The Editorial Board:
Editor: Dr. Horst Onken, Associate Professor
Assistant Editor: Stephanie Rollizo, Dept. Secretary
Student Assistant Editor: Nidhi Khanna (Biology)
Student Assistant Editor: Farha Rashid (Biology)
Student Assistant Editor: Gregory Balaes (Biology)
Student Assistant Editor: WANTED!
PAGE 9
�
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Title
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Limulus: The Newsletter of the Wagner College Biological Sciences Department
Description
An account of the resource
The Department of Biological Sciences circulates a newsletter that will be updated monthly, culminating in two special issues per year (January and September). The January edition reviews the fall semester and the September edition reviews the spring semester and summer events. The name of the newsletter is LIMULUS and it is made available as pdf files.
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Limulus Newsletter, April-May 2011
Subject
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Cook, Heather
Onken, Horst
Lieberman, Devorah A.
Houlihan, Adam
Pisano, Peter
Stora, Victor J.
Manfredini, Leandra
Marin, Aimee P.
Rammelkamp, Thomas J.
Rashid, Farha
Khanna, Nidhi
Iannacone, Thomas
Dawson, Tiffany
Table Of Contents
A list of subunits of the resource.
Letter from the editor / Horst Onken -- Biology professor receives tenure / Nidhi Khanna -- DR. Onken becomes new director of the honors program / Nidhi Khanna -- Farewell to Dr. Devorah Lieberman / Gregory Balaes / Dr. Houlihan to teach at Randolph College next fall / Nidhi Khanna -- Senior accepted by top schools / Nidhi Khanna -- Graduating senior to attend dual degree program in the fall / Nidhi Khanna -- Biopsychology majors accepted to graduate school / Nidhi Khanna -- Biology students honored at undergraduate awards dinner / Farha Rashid -- Biology majors receive athletic and academic honors / Nidhi Khanna -- Limulus editors / Gragory Balaes / Club and society news / Nidhi Khanna, Gragory Balaes, and Farha Rashid -- Ace lecture about the human genome project / Nidhi Khanna -- Ruthie's retirement / Gregory Balaes, Linda Raths -- Capstone class goes on field trip / Nidhi Khanna and Stephanie Rollizo -- Rescue of brown bat -- Publications, presentations, professional meetings, alumni, and cartoons
Creator
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Wagner College, Department of Biological Sciences
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Wagner College, Staten Island, NY
Date Issued
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2011-04
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U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this work. It is provided by Wagner College for scholarly or research purposes only. Commercial use or distribution is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder.
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Wagner College Digital Collections
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application/pdf
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9 leaves
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en
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Text