Southern Ontario Undergraduate Student Chemistry Conference (SOUSCC)
Trent University Chemistry Undergraduate Students are encouraged (normally during their fourth year) to participate in this annual undergraduate conference. The conference provides the opportunity for senior undergraduate students to present their work and to foster new relationships with chemistry students and faculty from other universities. The best presentations, as evaluated by a panel of judges from industry and academia, are awarded certificates and cash prizes. Trent Chemistry Students have represented their Department and University very well for numerous years. Below you will find listings of these presentations and prize winners.
Biological Chemisty
Characterizing the Giardia lamblia Flavohemoglobin.
Johnathan Almey
For this presentation Johnathan won
First Prize in Biological Chemistry
The Effects of Nitrosative Stress on Giardia lamblia.
Lindsay Ninivirta, Janet Yee and Steven Rafferty
The Effect of Heme on Giardia lamblia.
Wan Hsin (Wendy) Tseng, Janet Yee and Steven Rafferty
Analytical & Enviromental Chemistry
Selenocyanate: Production by Green Algae and Analysis Using Molecular Mass Spectrometry.
Kelly Leblanc & Dirk Wallschlager
For this presentation Kelly received an Honourable Mention
Behaviour of Thioarsenates and Arsenic Oxyanions during Preservation in the Presence of Calcium.
Matt Smith & Dirk Wallschlager
Biological & Medicinal Chemisty I
Effects of nitrosative stress on the expression levels of flavohemoglobin in Giardia lamblia
Eva Shyong Quin Yap, Janet Yee & Steven Rafferty
For this presentation Eva won First Prize in Biological and Medicinal Chemistry Division I
Expression and Characterization of a hypothetical heme-binding protein HBP2 in Giardia lamblia.
Rolinda Carter, Ray March, Steven Rafferty & Janet Yee
Biological & Medicinal Chemisty II
Expression & characterization of a b-type cytochrome from Giardia lamblia
Samiah Alam, Steven Rafferty & Janet Yee
Detection of subunit exchange in nitric oxide synthase homodimers by differential tagging and anion exchange chromatography
Simanga Gama & Steven Rafferty
Physical, Theoretical Computational Chemistry
Electron-bombardment matrix-isolation and PEPICO studies as complementary techniques in ion chemistry: An FTIR study of the decomposition of the vinyl fluoride cation.
Brian Linford, Mark Parnis & Matthew Thompson
Biochemistry/Biological Chemistry
Site Directed Mutagenesis of Mg (II) Coordinating Ligands in the Active Site of Alkaline Phosphatase Chahal P., Rafferty S.P.
Differential Affinity Labeling of the Two Subunits of the Homodimeric Nitric Oxide Synthase from Staphylococcus aureus Allows Study of Rapid Subunit Exchange Howlader T., Rafferty S.P.
Quantitative Determination of the Binding of Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) to Liver Fatty Acid Binding Protein by ESI-MS Katunda B.R., Rafferty S.P.
The Application of Counterflow Centrifugal Elutriation and Quantitative RT-PCR in the Cell Cycle Analysis of Giardia lamblia Reaume C., Yee J.
Expression and Characterization of a Flavohemoglobin from the Early Diverging Eukaryote, Giardia lamblia Luu B.K., Rafferty S.P., Yee J.
Polymer and Materials Chemistry
Probing Hybrid Material Properties Using Azobenzene Photoisomerization Campbell S.E., Vreugdenhil A.J.
Development of Chromate Free Sol-Gel Thin Film Corrosion Coatings Doped with Corrosion Inhibitor/ b-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complexes for Active Corrosion Protection Le Roy J.J., Vreugdenhil A.J.
Physical, Theoretical and Computational Chemistry
The Observation of Ar2H+ and its Counterions: A Matrix-Isolation FTIR Study Baldwin J.M., Parnis J.M., Thompson M.G.K.
Biological
Investigating the Conserved Residues of the Co-Factor Binding Site of Staphylococcus aureus Nitric Oxide Synthase.
Kempt, C., Rafferty, S., Lustig, D.
For this presentation Cora wonThird prize in the Biological Chemistry Session
Characterization of p105: A Putative Transcription Factor in Giardia lamblia.
Haynes, N., Yee, J., Rafferty, S.
Cell Cycle Synchronization of Giardia lamblia by using Counterflow Centrifugal Elutriation.
Ouellet, C., Yee, J.
Effects of Phosphorus Food Quality on Gene Expression in Daphnia pulex
McCarthy, S., Yee, J., Frost, P.
The Influence of Iron on the Infection of Daphnia magna by the Bacterial Parasite Pasteuria ramosa.
Hamilton, J., Frost, P., Yee, J.
Inorganic
Synthesis and Characterization of a Water-Soluble Azobenzene Derivative for Use as a Sol-Gel Crosslinking Agent.
Singleton, T.A., Vreugdenhil, A.J.
Posters
Characterization of a Putative CCAAT-binding Transcription Factor From Giardia amblia.
Colin Du,. Janet Yee, and Steve Rafferty
Urea-Induced Dissociation of Staphylococcus aureus Nitric Oxide Synthase – Applications of a His6/Glu7-tagged Mixed Dimer.
Kyle Hartwick, Cristen Hucaluk and Steven Rafferty
Materials, Theoretical, Analytical and Physical Chemistry
Synthesis and characterization of unusual selenium species using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry
Jeffrey Charters and Dirk Wallschlaeger
Inorganic Chemistry
Synthesis and characterization of titanium complexes for use as epoxide crosslinkers
Melissa Abed and Andrew Vreugdenhil
Determination of Antimony-Sulpur Compounds in Natural Waters
Alison McDonald & Dirk Wallschlaeger
Biological Chemistry
Studies on the cell cycle in an unusual waterborne parasite, Giardia lamblia
Antonio Ruzzini & Janet Yee
For this presentation Antonio was a runner-up in the Biological Chemistry Session
Control of helix content in a short peptide by using a novel azobenzene crosslinker
Pushpanie Peduru Arachchige , Darcy Burns & Steven Rafferty
The interaction of fluorochemicals with liver fatty acid-binding protein: potential mechanisms for bioaccumulation and toxicity
Mark Woodcroft , David Ellis & Steven Rafferty
For this presentation Mark won first prize in the Biological Chemistry Session
Biological Chemistry Poster Session
The role of upstream kinases MKK4 and MKK7, and phosphatases on cadmium-induced JNK activation and toxicity in mouse limb bud cells
Yuka Okawa and Carolyn Kapron
Attending: Comfort Dibal, Nakita Haynes, Daniel Lustig, Joella Joseph, Megan Millar, Jenna Parkes, Tom Singleton, Tuan Tran
Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Chemistry
A Sol-Gel Based Device for Selective Arsenic and Selenium Adsorption
Rheanna Leckie
Biochemistry and Bio-organic Chemistry
Evaluation of the effectiveness of hydroxapatite chromatography in the isolation of the mixed dimer of nitric oxide synthase
Brian Golbourn
The application of quantitative PCR to detect bacterial infection of Daphnia Magna
Elizabeth Pecchia
Expression studies of a recombinant Giardia lamblia TATA-binding protein
Heather Ritter
Purification and characterization of the transcription factor that binds to a conserved motif within the promoters of the core histone genes in Giardia lamblia
Joella Joseph
Inorganic Chemistry
FT-IR Matrix Isolation Investigation into Gas Phase Transition Metal Interactions with Unsaturated Hydrocarbons
Stephen Walker
Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
The Pressure Dependence of Ionization in the Electron Bombardment Matrix Isolation Apparatus
Kaitlynn King
Impact of side-chain structure on the nature of isomerization and fragmentation products of aldehydes and ketones
Matthew White
Analytical Chemistry
The use of lanthanide shift reagents for simplification of the 19-F NMR spectra of highly fluorinated chemicals
McMurdo C., Burns D., Ellis D.
Biochemistry
A study of the kinetics of Alkaline Phosphatease and its two mutants on the magnesium binding site
Khan D., Rafferty S., Burns D.
Environmental Chemistry
The Use of 19-F NMR Spectroscopy to Examine the Partitioning Effect of Pentadecafluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) to Dissolved Humic Acid
Butler J., Burns D., Ellis D.
Determining the pKa of Perfluorooctanoic Acid Using 19-F NMR Spectroscopy
Spires J., Burns D., Ellis D.
Materials and Polymer Chemistry
Triggered release of two medicinal molecules from an epoxy-amine crosslinked silicon sol-gel coating
Hibbert S.E., Vreugdenhil A.J.
Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Investigation of the Tautomerization of Acetaldehyde using Electron Bombardment Matrix Isolation FTIR Spectroscopy
West B.J., Thompson M.G.K., Parnis J.M.
33rd Southern Ontario Undergraduate Student Chemistry Conference
University of Toronto, March 19, 2005
Inorganic Chemistry
The Synthesis and Characterization of a Radiation Cured Sol-Gel Material
Kevin Scotland
Theoretical & Physical Chemistry
A Computational Study on the Formation of Acrylamide via the Maillard Reaction.
Istok Nahtigal
Biochemistry and Bio-organic Chemistry
Expression and characterisation of a recombinant TATA-binding protein from the primitive eukaryote, Giardia lamblia
Alana Grant
For this presentation Alana won Third Prize in the Biochemistry and Bio-organic Session
Expression studies on the Giardia lamblia core histone genes
Anita Tang
Use of the Mixed Dimer System as a Means of Examining Dimer Stability in inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase
Christen Hucaluk
Expression and characterisation of Tryptophan Mutants in the Heme-Binding Site of Nitric Oxide Synthases
Danelle Driscoll
Expression and characterisation of Active Site Mutants of E. coli Alkaline Phosphatase
Adam Guppy
The 32nd Southwestern Ontario Undergraduate
Student Chemistry Conference
Trent University, March 20, 2004
Analytical/Environmental Chemistry
Synthesis and Determination of Thioarsenates for Environmental Analysis
Chris Stadey and D. Wallschlaeger
For this presentation Chris won Third Prize in the Analytical/Environmental Session
Biochemistry
Structure-function Analyses of the Disulfide Bonds of Bacterial Alkaline Phosphatase: A Mixed Dimer Approach
Lambert Ampong and Steven Rafferty
For this presentation Lambert won Third Prize in the Biochemistry Session
Identification and isolation of transcription factors binding to the histone H4 gene promoter in the parasite, Giardia lamblia
Dave Cheung and J. Yee
Inorganic Chemistry and Inorganic Materials
Synthesis, Characterization and Sol-gel Encapsulation of Starch-stabilized, Laser Ablated Gold and Silver Nanoparticles
Cory B. Gilmer and A.J. Vreugdenhil
Physical Chemistry
Investigation of the products of electron bombardment of toluene using matrix isolation infrared spectroscopy.
Danielle Dusome, J.M. Parnis and M.G.K. Thompson
For this presentation Danielle won Second Prize in the
Physical Chemistry Session
Polymer Chemistry
Leaching of the pH Indicator Methyl Orange from Crosslinked Sol-gel Alkylalkoxysilane Materials
Meghan E. Woods and A.J. Vreugdenhil
For this presentation Meghan won Honourable Mention in the Polymer Chemistry Session
31st Southwestern Ontario Undergraduate
Student Chemistry Conference
McMaster University
Saturday March 22, 2003
Analytical Chemistry
Optimization of ASE Parameters for Extraction of Arsenic from Terrestrial Plant Samples
Pam Brittain, Holger Hintelmann & Jian Zheng
For this presentation Pam won Second Prize in the
Analytical Chemistry Session
Biochemistry
Separation of Mixed Dimers of Murine Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Oxygenase Domain by Immobilized Metal Affinity Chromatography.
Sunday Abiria & Steven P. Rafferty
Investigating the repressor function of the 5' untranslated region of the Giardia lamblia Histone H4 gene
Ankelly Armstrong & Janet Yee
For this presentation Ankelly won Honourable Mention in the Biochemistry Session
Development of an Mixed Dimer System for Bacterial Alkaline Phosphatase
Kristen L. Hatcher & Steven P. Rafferty
Theoretical study on the Cooperativity of Calmodulin
Michael I. Owen, Errol G. Lewars E. & Steven P. Rafferty
Investigation of Dimer Interface Mutants of Nitric Oxide Synthase Oxygenase Domain Isotypes
Kerry Presley & Steven P. Rafferty
Investigating the expression and protein-DNA interactions of the histone H4 genein Giardia lamblia
Jennifer M. Rossmann & Janet Yee
Materials Chemistry
Inclusion of late transition metal nanoparticles produced by laser ablation in organic functionalized silica glass materials by the sol gel process.
K. Kyle Pilatzke, Andrew J. Vreugdenhil & J. Mark Parnis
For this presentation Kyle won Third Prize in the
Materials Chemistry Session
Rate of Leaching of Small Molecules in a Sol-Gel Matrix
Lindsay D. Smiley & Andrew J. Vreugdenhil
30th Southwestern Ontario Undergraduate
Student Chemistry Conference
Ryerson University
Saturday March 23, 2002
Analytical and Environmental Chemistry
Method Development for Separation of Cobalamin and its Naturally Occuring
Analogues by HPLC
Marcella Liem
Toxicological Impacts of the Brominated Flame Retardant DE-71 on the Xenopus laevis Tail Resorption Model
M. Shannon McDowell
Modelling the Long-Range Transport Potential of Organic Contaminants to the Arctic
Karen F. Foster, Don Mackay & Todd Gouin
Biochemistry
Mutational analyses of the Giardia histone H4 gene promoter
Dewald Delport & Janet Yee
For this presentation Dewald won Honourable Mention in the Biochemistry Session
Investigations into Isolation and Purification Techniques for Alkaline Phosphatase in Escherichia coli and Giardia lamblia
Darryl G.S. Smith & Steven P. Rafferty
Design and Isolation of Mixed Dimers of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase
Ken F.D. Hoard & Steven P. Rafferty
Insertion of Iron Heme into the Heme-deficient W188F Mutant of the Oxygenase Domain of iNOS
Eric Escobar-Cabrera & Steven P. Rafferty
For this presentation Eric won Third Prize in the Biochemistry Session
The Effects of Cadmium on Embryonic Limb Bud Cells once Activation of the JNK pathway is Inhibited by SP600125
Maggie L. Fondong
Theoretical, Physical and Inorganic Chemistry
Interactions of Ethene with Early First and Second Row Transition Metals: A Matrix Isolation Spectroscopic Study.
Matthew G.K. Thompson & J. Mark Parnis
For this presentation Matthew won First Prize in the Theoretical, Physical and Inorganic Chemistry Session
Supercritical Water Oxidation of Hazardous Organic Waste.
Andriy Plugatyr, Tina Hayward & Igor M. Svishchev
29th Southwestern Ontario Undergraduate Student Chemistry Conference
University of Toronto at Scarborough
Scarborough, Ontario
Saturday March 24th, 2001
Biological Chemistry
Putative Promoter Function of a Conserved DNA Motif Located Upstream of the Giardia lamblia Histone H4 Gene
Wei Ling Lau
For this presentation Wei Ling won Third Prize in the Biological Chemistry Session
The Effects of Factor XIII and BFGF on Endothelial Cell Proliferation as a Model of Angiogenesis.
Frank Gu
For this presentation Frank received Honorable Mention in the
Biological Chemistry Session
Acid induced structural changes in the core oxygenase domain of inducible nitric oxide synthase monitored by CD, fluorescence and UV/vis spectroscopy
Derek Wilson
For this presentation Derek received Honorable Mention in the Biological Chemistry Session
Physical Chemistry
Molecular Dynamic simulations of supercritical water-oxygen fluids
Birgit Schluttig
Characterising Porous Rocks Using Electrochemical Techniques
Wendy Topic
28th Southwestern Ontario Undergraduate Student Chemistry Conference
Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario
Saturday, March 18, 2000
Biological Chemistry
Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase and Calmodulin Coexpression
Elena Ferrari
For this presentation Elena won Second Prize in the Biological Chemistry Session
Hunting for Genes by Genomic PCR: Stalking Nitric Oxide Synthase in Lower Species
Prameet Sheth
Protein Fusion of the Nitric Oxide Synthase Reductase Domain with Myoglobin
Reem Ahmed Ali
Cloning and Characterization of a Transmembrane Protein Gene in the Primitive Eukaryote, Giardia lamblia
Lorena Jonard-Dimock
27th Southwestern Ontario
Undergraduate Student Chemistry Conference University of Guelph
Saturday March 27, 1999
Physical Chemistry
A Comparison of Three Software Packages (ISIS, ITSIM and SIMION 3D) for the Simulation of Ion Trajectories in a Quadrupole Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer
Matthew W. Forbes, M. Sharifi, Z. Lausevic & R.E. March
For this presentation Matthew won Second Prize in the Physical Chemistry Session
The Fourier Transform Electrochemical Instrument: An Evaluation of Instrument Performance in Fourier Transform A.C. Voltammetry
Alicia L. Taylor, S.O. Engblom & K.B Oldham
For this presentation Alicia won Third Prize in the Physical Chemistry Session
Water Near and Above Its Critical Point: A Study by Computer Simulation
Tina M. Hayward & I.M. Svishchev
Biological Chemistry
Expression and Activity of Recombinant iNOS Reductase Domain: Factors Influencing Electron Transfer
Jennifer McConkey
The Oxygenase Domain of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase: Towards a Mixed Dimer
Carol M. Taylor & S.P. Rafferty
Observations on the Nonconserved N-terminal Domain of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase
Jennifer McDonald, L. Donaldson, L. Kay & S. P. Rafferty
Environmental Chemistry
Development of a Fourier Transform Infrared Technique for Investigating
Concentrations of Ground Level Pollutants
Denise L. McMaster , W.F.J. Evans & E. Puckrin
26th Southwestern Ontario Undergraduate Student Chemistry Conference
York University
March 1998
Assessing the dynamics of uptake of inorganic and methyl mercury by caddisfly nymphs from dietary sources using stable isotopes.
Elizabeth. A. Haack and Holger Hintelmann
For this presentation Elizabeth won First Prize in the Analytical Chemistry Session
Method development for the trace level analysis of phthalates.
Derek C. McDowell and Chris D. Metcalfe
25th Southwestern Ontario Undergraduate Student Chemistry Conference
March 22, 1997
University of Western Ontario
Carbon Dioxide/Nitrogen Copolymers: A Computational Study
Jeta Bylykbashi and Errol Lewars
For This presentation Jeta won First Prize in her Session
Antimitotic and Clastogenic Effects of Various Concentrations of Taxus Species and Individual Taxanes in Meristematic Cell Populations of Allium Sativum L.
Sonia Schellenberger and Alicja Zobel
