Undergraduate students are invited to apply for a 2024 Walker Summer Research Award.

The Walker Summer Research Award was established by Dr. Graham Walker, a 1970 BSc Honours in Chemistry graduate from ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University, who is currently a professor in the Department of Biology at MIT.

The purpose of the award is to assist promising undergraduate students in gaining research experience with a research group in Chemistry or Biochemistry at ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ during the summer months.

Interested Undergraduate students can apply to the Walker Award Committee:

Walker Award Committee
c/o Nishtha Nagar
chemistry@carleton.ca
Application due date: February 29, 2024

The application must include the following:

1. A cover letter outlining your research experience, your aspirations for a career in research, and a brief description of your intended summer research project. One or two pages is sufficient for this letter.
2. A written affirmation of interest from your intended faculty supervisor to support you for the summer.
3. Your contact information.

If you require more information, please email chemistry@carleton.ca.

The post 2024 Walker Summer Research Award appeared first on Department of Chemistry.

Potato is the largest vegetable crop in Canada. However, it is susceptible to numerous spoilage microorganisms including Fusarium species causing dry rot disease. The disease affects up to 60% of potato tubers during storage and causes up to 25% loss. Fusarium species also produce toxic compounds, which may pose a health risk. Chemical treatments (i.e., pesticide application) are typically used to control dry rot. Chemical treatments have drawbacks, including potential negative effects on health and the environment as well as development of antimicrobial resistance.

Serine Ramlawi (MSc graduate Chemistry/Food Science) and two undergraduate students from the Research Laboratory of Prof. Tyler Avis have published a scientific research paper on the potential of beneficial bacteria as alternatives to control spoilage of potatoes. The paper can be read here (). For more information on the Avis Lab’s research, see /avislab/.

The post Avis Lab Publishes on Methods to Reduce Potato Spoilage appeared first on Department of Chemistry.

Chemistry professor Jeff Smith, Director of the mass spectrometry centre at ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University collaborates with the University of Ottawa to prevent opioid overdose with ground breaking analytical research.

The full story here.

The post Professor Jeff Smith Collaborates to Try and Prevent Opioid Overdose appeared first on Department of Chemistry.

MSc Candidate Grace Daly in Dr. David Miller’s Lab presented on “Can we push out the cheaters?” at the Partnership Exchange this past week.

Plants and fungal endophytes exist in a mutualistic symbiotic relationship, where both organisms benefit from the activity of the other. Some endophytes are ‘cheaters‘ because they use the plant for its resources without providing any benefits in return. The white pine blister rust, is a fungal pathogen which kills white pine trees and therefore heavily impacts Canada’s forestry industry.  Certain endophytes produce beneficial chemicals that help the tree defend itself against harmful fungal pathogens and insects. We are trying to identify fungal endophytes of white pine, which produce chemicals that are specifically toxic to the white pine blister rust. The goal is to introduce these ‘good fungi’ into pine seedlings, to ultimately push out the cheating endophytes and help the tree be more tolerant to the pathogen.

More information can be found .

The post MSc Candidate Grace Daly Presents at the Partnership Exchange appeared first on Department of Chemistry.