Scientific
Research/Papers
Research Experience:
Chapman University Keck Science Center – Orange, CA USA June 2021-May 2022
Research Assistant under the supervision of Dr. Maduka Ogba​​
Chapman University Keck Science Center – Orange, CA USA Aug 2020 – Dec 2020
Anatomy Lab Intern
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Aiding in the teaching and student understanding of anatomy in a hands-on laboratory environment
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Creating review activities to assess the learning and progress of students
Chapman University Keck Science Center – Orange, CA USA Aug 2019-May 2020
Research Assistant under the supervision of Dr. Warren De Bruyn
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Investigating the fluorescence lifetimes of oil samples from around the world.
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Investigating the optical properties of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in both the UV and visible light-absorbing component of dissolved organic matter.
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Measuring both steady state absorption and fluorescence lifetime measurements.
Chapman University Keck Science Center – Orange, CA USA Aug 2018-Dec 2018
Research Assistant under the supervision of Prof. Patricia Lopes
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Investigated the physiological and behavioral aspects underlying disease and sickness symptoms in birds
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Learned lab techniques including: RNA extraction, PCR, brain dissection under a microtome and slide preparation for histological analysis
Curtin University Department of Chemistry – Perth, Australia May 2019-July 2019
International Research Intern under the supervision of Dr. Simon Lewis
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Analyzed clear coat nail varnish with IR spectrometry
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Used an ATR IR machine to analyze samples
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Related data collected to forensic collection and comparison techniques
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Used information to determine if analysis is forensically useful
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Research Papers:
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2021:
Molecular and collision-induced symmetries of greenhouse gases and their influence on climate change
Abstract: Greenhouse gases (GHG) are gases capable of absorbing and emitting thermal infrared radiation. Earth’s atmosphere is composed of numerous greenhouse gases, such as H2O, CH4, CO, CO2, O3, SF5 and NO, that contribute to the trapping of heat in the atmosphere, allowing the planet to maintain a temperature suitable for sustaining life. In order to be a GHG, a molecule must be able to acquire charge asymmetries by flexing or stretching that enable the molecule to emit infrared radiation. An overview of the symmetry elements and operations present in all major atmospheric gases will be reviewed in order to understand the behavior of these gases and if they are expected GHGs. In general, molecular bending serves as the most climatically relevant, as bending creates absorption bands in the atmosphere, in which light of a specific wavelength reflected from earth’s surface is subsequently absorbed by the GHG. For example, while CO2has no dipole moment in the ground state, bending vibrations cause the absorption of infrared radiation in a band near 667 cm-1. However, individual gaseous molecules cannot be analyzed in isolation, as the atmosphere is composed of populations of thermally excited interacting molecules, ranging from weakly bound dimers to elastically colliding monomers, which disturbs initial symmetries and contributes to new dipole moments. Numerous studies have shown the potential for induced absorption to play a significant role in the greenhouse effect in a dense atmospheric composition. Most importantly, the impact of these collisions on the overall greenhouse effect can be amplified depending on partial densities of monomer gases, temperature, and induced dipole moment surfaces. As a whole, an understanding of both the symmetries of individual molecules and collisions of atmospheric gases is essential to predicting changes in the greenhouse effect and subsequently climate change. Spectroscopic analysis can utilize the discussed symmetries to provide powerful input into how to both study and mitigate climate change on Earth. Ultimately, anthropogenically-caused changes to the atmospheric composition and the induced changes in molecular symmetries prove to have a synergistic effect on global warming.
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The Medicinal Chemistry of Lorazepam
Abstract: Lorazepam is a 3-hydroxy benzodiazepine first discovered and marketed in 1977. Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs which act on the nervous system and are used for a wide range of mental and mood disorders such as: panic disorders, anxiety disorders, insomnia, and seizures. Benzodiazepines work on the endogenous chemical receptor, gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA). Lorazepam specifically treats anxiety and the accompanying symptoms as well as epilepsy.
The chemical name for Lorazepam is 7-chloro-5-(2-chlorophenyl)-3-hydroxy-1,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-one. The benzine attached to the diazepine ring is a molecular characteristic of all benzodiazepines. Lorazepam’s unique structure is bulky and leaves it less lipophilic than some of the other benzodiazepines. Because of this, it is highly protein-bound. It has a 90% bioavailability when given orally. The volume distribution of Lorazepam is 1.3L/kg. It gets metabolized by the CYP450 isoenzymes into inactive metabolites, which are then eliminated by the kidneys.
Lorazepam affects the GABA receptor. This receptor is a ligand-gated ion channel in the membrane of cells in the brain. As the GABA neurotransmitters bind to the receptor, it opens and allows Cl- ions into the cell. As Cl-moves into the cell, it reverses the membrane potential and inhibits the firing of new action potentials.
Lorazepam and other benzodiazepines require the GABA neurotransmitter in order to function. Lorazepam acts as an enhancement on the GABA receptor. GABA binds to the GABAAbinding site, while Lorazepam binds to the cleft between the alpha1 and gamma2 GABA receptor subunits. The binding of Lorazepam to the GABA receptor occurs through both hydrogen and lipophilic bonding. The addition of the benzodiazepines binding to the GABA receptor increases the frequency with which the chloride ion channel opens, and chloride ions flow into the cell at a greater rate. This causes the hyperpolarization and stabilization of the cellular membranes and decreases the excitation of nerves. The binding of lorazepam in the amygdala is thought to aid in the relief of symptoms from anxiety disorders, while the binding in the cerebral cortex to the sodium channel is believed to treat seizure disorders.
In summary, lorazepam binds to the GABA receptor in conjunction with the GABA neurotransmitter in order to increase the opening of the GABA receptor. This increase in the ion flow decreases the action potential of the nerves, which causes central nervous system depression, and alleviates symptoms of anxiety and epilepsy.
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2020:
Abstract: The goal of this study was to calculate the reaction coordinate and analyze the transacylation reaction of methyl 2,2,2 trifluoroacetate and methoxide. The study also aimed to compare the reaction coordinate and stationary point energies and geometries to those found in the parent reaction studied by Takano and Houk.1 The analysis of the transacylation reaction used both molecular mechanics and quantum mechanical methods. The molecular mechanical method used was the Merick molecular force field and the quantum mechanical method used was the Hartree Fock method with the 6-31+G(d,p) basis set. The reaction coordinate diagram calculated shows two energy pathways in the gas phase. The two energetic pathways found in this study are the and G-G- , the same pathways as were found in the Takano and Houk study. These two pathways have similar energy profiles. The ion-complex found has an energy of - 29.1 kcal/mol. The tetrahedral intermediates for the G-A and G-G- pathways have energies of - 29.1 and -24.6 kcal/mol respectively. The G-A pathway transition states have energies of -6.2 and -6.3 kcal/mol. The G-G- transition state from the trans acetate isomer has an energy of 0.9 kcal/mol while the transition state from the cis acetate isomer has an energy of -6.4 kcal/mol. The transition states for both pathways showed a final C-O bond length of 1.4 Å. The transition state C-O bond lengths were varied. The G-A transition state has a C-O bond length of 3.4 Å. The AG+ transition state has a C-O bond length of 3.6 Å. The G-G- transition state has a C-O bond length of 4.0 Å. The G+G+ transition state has a C-O bond length of 3.4 Å. The transition state bond lengths were found to be much longer in the fluorinated reaction than the reaction studied by Takano and Houk.
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The Experimental Analysis of Varying Seawater pHs in Pagurus samuelis Hermit Crabs Choice
Abstract: Choice experiments are commonly carried out by biologists in order to determine behavioral choices. Choice experiments have been used to determine both how and why outside factors influence the behavior of animals. The choices that animals make, such as mate choice, habitats, or food are normally based on an evaluation of their environment (de la Haye et al., 2011). The selection of particular environmental factors can be used to test specific behaviors in animals. A study conducted on dairy cows tested the effect of feeding space and the proximity of dominant cows on their willingness to feed. The cows were placed in a Y maze with a choice of high palatability food with a dominant cow nearby or low palatability food alone (Rioja-Lang et al., 2012). Choice experiments have also been used on arthropods. Magallón-Gayón et al. (2011) researched the effect of size on mate choice in Panulirus guttatus, a species of spiny lobsters. It was shown that the males had no preference for size because of a short recovery period, whereas larger females showed a preference for larger males. Briones-Fourzán et al. (2008) used a Y maze experiment to test the influence of aggregation cues and alarm odors on shelter choice in lobsters.
Hermit Crabs are arthropods that fall under the subphylum Crustacea. There are Hermit Crab species that live fully in marine environments and there are also species that live mostly in terrestrial environments but require water to keep moist and reproduce. The species used for this experiment is a terrestrial species, Pagurus samuelis, that lives mostly in intertidal areas along the coast from Baja, California, to Alaska (Emerson, 1981). Seawater is generally between a pH of 7.5 and 8.4 from which it can be inferred that Hermit Crabs are adapted to live in this pH range of seawater. (Guinotte and Fabry, 2008)
Various behaviors of Hermit Crabs have been tested by choice experiments, such as mate choice. The males of Pagurus filholi and other species of Hermit Crabs make choices about which partner they will mate. Goshima et al. (1998) tested the various features which the males may assess when choosing a mate. This experiment determined whether females were ripe just prior to spawning and whether or not this ripening is discernible to the males and if it influences their choice in mate (Goshima et al., 1998). Another behavior that has been studied in Hermit Crabs using choice experiments is shell choice. Rodrigues et al. (2011) used a Y-maze to test the Hermit Crabs preference for gastropod shells or gastropod tubes. This experiment tested this behavioral preference in Calcinus verrilli. The effects of environmental stressors such as pH are still not well studied in crustaceans (Whiteley, 2011), but Ragagnin et al. (2018) studied the vulnerability of juveniles to seawater pH. The reduced pH was found to influence behavioral responses as well as high mortality and reduced growth (Ragagnin et al., 2018).
Over the past few decades many studies have been conducted of the environmental changes and those most impactful in the oceans. Elevated CO2 levels are a major threat to marine life as it causes the acidification of the ocean (Feely et al., 2009). When researching choice experiments in animals it was found that there is a gap in research in the preferences of Hermit Crabs for varying pH levels of seawater. This experiment could begin to shed some light on whether or not Hermit Crabs will be affected by the climbing acidification of the ocean, although further research will be necessary. This experiment will strive to test the choice of pH of seawater in Hermit Crabs by setting up a choice experiment using Pagurus samuelis. This is because seawater has a slightly basic range (Guinotte and Fabry, 2008) which means that when Hermit Crabs live in the seawater, they would be more likely to live in basic seawater than in acidic seawater. The hypothesis for this experiment is that the Pagurus samuelis, Hermit Crabs, will prefer either a neutral or slightly basic pH when given a choice.
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