Principal Investigator	Institution	Dept.	Project
Dr. Todd Sandrin	UW Oshkosh	Biology and Microbiology	effects of metals and their speciation on expression of bacterial metal resistance mechanisms; mass spectrometry-based approaches to microbial fingerprinting
Dr. Teri Shors	UW Oshkosh	Biology and Microbiology	characterization of D9 and D10 proteins of vaccinia virus (VV) and the MCOO2L gene product of MCV
Dr. Toivo Kallas	UW Oshkosh	Biology and Microbiology	Rieske iron-sulfur protein; electron transport and signaling; oxygen radicals; iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis
Dr. Michelle Michalski	UW Oshkosh	Biology and Microbiology	detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in deer and ticks in Wisconsin
Dr. Lisa Dorn	UW Oshkosh	Biology and Microbiology	detection of novel gene expression patterns among recombinant inbred plants whose seeds were either cold treated before germinating or not cold-treated using microarrays
Dr. Dana Vaughan	UW Oshkosh	Biology and Microbiology	characterization of retinas before and after induced retinal degeneration
Dr. Sharon Hawi	UW Oshkosh	Biology and Microbiology	applications of fluorescent semiconductor nanocrystals
Dr. Robert Wise	UW Oshkosh	Biology and Microbiology	effects of heat stress on the proteome of cotton
Dr. James Paulson	UW Oshkosh	Chemistry	mitotic phosphoproteins; dephosphorylation of proteins during mitotic exit
Dr. David Hall	Lawrence University	Chemistry	rhinovirus infection and regulation of genes involved in asthma
Dr. Colleen Byron	Ripon College	Chemistry	enzyme electrochemistry
Dr. Maragaret Stevens	Ripon College	Chemistry	molecular genetics of sea urchins
Dr. Masanori Iimura	Ripon College	Chemistry	organic/organometallic chemistry; catalysis
Dr. William Whitehead	Ripon College	Archaeology	identification of ancient plant remains; isotope fractionation and diet in humans
Dr. Russ Feirer	St. Norbert College	Biology	cellular and molecular biology of Arabidopsis
Dr. Cynthia Oschler	St. Norbert College	Chemistry	protein expression in synaptic neurotransmission
Dr. Warren Johnson	UW Green Bay	Human Biology	characterization of global regulatory factors in E. coli

Dr. Jim Paulson and chemistry major Kelly van Vleet use the GelDoc and the fluorescence imager to study protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation in mitotic chromosomes. Proteins were first separated by electrophoresis in SDS polyacrylamide gels and then, using the fluorescence imager, phosphorylated proteins were visualized with "ProQ Diamond," a new phosphoprotein specific fluorescent stain. Afterwards, both phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated proteins were visualized by staining the gels with Sypro Orange and scanning on the fluorescence imager, or by staining with Coomassie Blue and photographing with the GelDoc. Katelyn Burgett (REU Site at UW Oshkosh student participant in 2006) continued van Vleet's work with Paulson. Miranda Wheeler (REU Site at UW Oshkosh student participant in 2005) worked with Paulson to characterize protein phosphatase I in chromosomes with MALDI.

Recently, Eric Kracht (undergraduate microbiology major and recipient of a UW Oshkosh Faculty-Undergraduate Collaborative Research Grant ) worked with Dr. Todd Sandrin to explore mechanisms by which a naphthalene-degrading bacterium indigenous to Fox River sediments (Comomonas testosteroni) resists the toxic effects of cadmium. Specifically, Kracht and Sandrin investigated proteins that were induced or suppressed by cadmium. The team isolated two proteins of interest and worked to characterize each. Proteins were separated using gel electrophoresis instrumentation also housed in the Core Facility.

From Summer 2004 to the present, several students including Jennifer Okon (undergraduate microbiology major), Phillip Anderson (undergraduate microbiology major) and Darryl Horn (Biology graduate student) worked with Dr. Sandrin to obtain genetic fingerprints of E. coli isolates found contaminating beaches and recreational swimming waters across Wisconsin. The complex fingerprints were obtained using gel electrophoresis equipment within the Core Facility. Analyses were performed using software contained within the Facility. An example gel, containing several fingerprints, is here, while graphic representation (principal component analysis) of the relationship of some of these isolates can be found here. Tom Siegrist (Biology graduate student), Weston Fredenberg (Biology undergraduate student, former REU Site student participant, and current WiscAMP grant recipient) and Phil Anderson are also investigating rapid, mass-spectrometry-based microbial fingerprinting techniques.

Two undergraduates recently finished up working with Dr. Sandrin. Utilizing additional instrumentation within the Core Facility, Candace Otte (undergraduate microbiology major) explored pH-dependent cadmium toxicity, while Carissa Schubert (REU Site at UW Oshkosh student participant in 2005 and Beloit College undergraduate) further characterized effects of this toxic metal on E. coli growth kinetics and began further exploring physiological effects of cadmium on global gene expression in using microarray technology. Aso Qader (undergraduate microbiology major) used 2-d gels and MALDI-TOF-MS to investigate whether medium-dependent cadmium speciation affects protein expression in E. coli.

Dr. Michelle Michalski (UW Oshkosh Biology Department) and undergraduates Megan Erickson, Rebecca Selle and Carla Rosenfield are using the gel imaging instrumentation in the Core Facility to determine the prevalence of tickborne disease in Wisconsin ticks and deer. Specifically, DNA from Anaplasma phagocytophilum, a bacterium that causes Human Granulocytic Granulosis in humans is being amplified from deer blood and visualized on the GelDoc EQ. Dr. Michalski has worked with two REU Site at UW Oshkosh student participants during the past two summers on related projects.

Katrina Olson, a graduate student in the Department of Biology and Microbiology at UW Oshkosh, worked recently with Dr. Robert Wise to characterize effects heat stress on the proteome of cotton. Specifically, the team sought to characterize the proteome of subcellular structures located within chloroplasts.

Dr. Jerrrold Lokensgard (Lawrence University Chemistry Department) is working with undergraduate Yong Seokchoi to characterize a novel kairomone produced by Chaoborus that affects Daphnia. For their study, Lokensgard and Seokchoi are using our electrospray-ionization ion trap mass spectrometer.

Dr. David Hall (Department of Chemistry, Lawrence University) is using instrumentation within our Core Facility to advance his research program. He is collaborating with Dr. Bea Holton of UW Oshkosh, Dr.Ann Palmenberg of UW-Madison and Dr. Brian Volkman of MCW to identify the function of the EMC virus 2A protein. The 2A protein is unique among picornaviruses in that it is not a protease; however, deletion analysis has shown that it is important for viral replication. Dr. Hall has used the MADLI to identify protein-protein interactions between 2A and host proteins. An undergraduate he mentored recently, Jessi Wahlig (an REU Site at UW Oshkosh student participant) and John Schneider (Lawrence University undergraduate student) have identified 5 potential protein binding partners for 2A. To date, they have confirmed that the PP2a phosphatase complex interacts with 2A through the B56 subunit. Chemical inhibitors of PP2a suggest that 2A is inhibiting the phosphatase complex.

More updates to follow. . .