Grants help students probe the field of genomics

Four McMaster students spent their summer undertaking leading edge genomics
research alongside top Ontario scientists.

George diCenzo, Brianna Smrke, Carol Saleh and Charles Yin, recipients of the 2011
Ontario Genomics Institute (OGI) Summer Research Fellowship Program, were among
seven Ontario undergraduate students in this summer's program.

Now in its ninth year, the program provides each student with a $5,000 grant for living
expenses while they conduct original research and rub shoulders with OGI staff in peer-
to-peer meetings, journal clubs and roundtable discussions.

Fourth year molecular biology and genetics student diCenzo spent his
summer working with Turlough M. Finan, a professor in McMaster's department of
biology. His work focused on genes in the agriculturally important Sinorhizobium
meliloti bacterium which lives on the roots of alfalfa plants and legumes where it forms
nodules. The bacteria not only provide nitrogen to the plant but leave behind excess
nitrogen in the soil.

Studying these bacteria may lead to a decreased need to apply nitrogen fertilizer, which
can be harmful to the environment, to increase crop and plant yields.

This is the second year diCenzo has undertaken research in Finan's lab. “Both times
have given me tools and experience which will help me in the rest of my career,
wherever I go,” he said. He is unsure whether his future is in graduate school or
medical school.

This was the first summer second year McMaster arts & sciences student Brianna Smrke
has worked in a research laboratory. She investigated how viruses, such as influenza,
are able to fuse and enter cells.

“We were trying to figure out the structure of several proteins of two different viruses,”
she said. “We hope there are certain features in their structure that are the same. If a
drug could be developed to target that structure you could create a drug to target
several viruses, not just one. That could be a big advance.”

The OGI program has given Smrke the opportunity to work alongside established
professionals who call her progress this summer “outstanding”.

“I would put her abilities on a par with many fourth year undergraduates and some
graduate students that I have come across,” said Lee. “She is truly an amazing young
scientist.”

Smrke said she would never have had the chance to look at this “whole different world”
without the laboratory support she received.

“It's been a wonderful learning experience,” she said.

Saleh, a health sciences student, worked to identify a more accurate prognostic marker
to identify the risk of prostate cancer relapse before or at the time of surgery. Currently,
there is no biomarker that accurately determines this.

“My experience with the Ontario Genomics Institute and the lab has confirmed to me my
love for science and my desire to pursue this field,” said Saleh, who would like to one
day become a physician-scientist.

Yin, a student in the Integrated Science Program, worked on campus with Marie Elliot,
assistant professor of biology. Yin's research focused on uncovering novel antibodies
that are effective against antibiotic resistant bacteria. The Elliot laboratory has already
identified two genes present in soil bacterium.

Over the past nine years, the OGI has helped 56 undergraduate students from nine
different Ontario universities gain firsthand exposure to genomics research.

“Our Summer Research Fellowship program forms part of our efforts to build the future
of genomics in Ontario and ensure our younger generation is fully aware of the power of
genomics in helping to solve some of the biggest challenges we face today in
healthcare, climate change, sustainable crop production and finding alternative energy
sources,” said Mark Poznansky, OGI president.