Tag: department of genetics and biochemistry

Pursuing a Ph.D. wasn’t always the plan for biochemistry alum Sydney Clark ’25, who is currently a first year Ph.D. student in the Healthcare Genetics and Genomics Laboratory under the School of Nursing at Clemson University.

“Although I had strong grades, I didn’t imagine I would be accepted into a PhD program right out of undergrad. I was told I needed to have a very clear trajectory for why I wanted to pursue graduate school and where I wanted to end up after I received a graduate degree. While I still do not have a perfectly defined path for my future, I know this was the best next step I could have taken.”

Originally from Charleston, SC, Sydney came to Clemson for undergraduate studies, graduating in May 2025 with a degree in biochemistry with minors in microbiology and biological sciences. Sydney first joined the Healthcare Genetics and Genomics Lab during her junior year and later applied to continue the Ph.D. research with the help of her mentor, Dr. Aubrey Mattingly.

“I am now working as a Graduate TA/RA for the HCG Lab, where I help train undergrad students in various aspects of cancer research.”

Sydney’s dissertation work focuses on the use of natural pharmaceutical extracts to treat breast cancer in a zebrafish model organism. Specifically, she studies how these herbal extracts influence the regulation of key anti-cancer genes involved in apoptosis, proliferation, migration, and other processes.

“This program has already allowed me to gain hands-on experience with a wide range of laboratory techniques, including culturing, fluorescent tagging, metabolomics, embryo microinjections and fluorescent microscopy, among others. More importantly, it has given me the freedom to explore, experiment and teach others the “why” behind what we do in research.”

When graduating Ph.D. student Sabrina Pizzaro was an undergraduate biology major at North Greenville University, she participated in the Biology National Science Foundation – Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) here at Clemson working with G&B’s Dr. Hong Luo. Though Luo’s specialty – plants – might not have sparked Sabrina’s interest, Clemson, the department and the Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovations Center (EPIC) did!

“It was a great experience! I loved the environment of the campus and knew I wanted to come back. I knew I was interested in some of the EPIC labs, so I got to meet with a handful of professors I was interested in working with, including Dr. Jim Morris. There was research that interested me, and I would be within an hour of both mine and my husband’s families; it seemed like a perfect fit!”

Sabrina arrived on campus in Fall 2019 and began courses, research and TA work.

“I taught in the teaching labs for three years! Getting to interact with our undergraduate students was truly an honor; we have amazing students in our program.”

Sabrina’s Ph.D. research in EPIC focuses on Trypanosome brucei, the parasite that causes African Sleeping Sickness. In these parasites, glycolysis occurs within specialized peroxisomes, called glycosomes, rather than in the cytosol, and the bloodstream form of the parasite is completely reliant on glycolysis for ATP production.

“Our lab focuses on how to target the glycolytic pathway. I’ve worked on two main projects; one where I have studied using peroxisomal targeting sequences to traffic drugs into the glycosome where they can inhibit glycolytic enzymes and the other where I studied two putative proton transporters involved in regulating the pH of the glycosome.”

Something other than coursework and research that has been a prevalent part of Sabrina’s time at Clemson is the Genetics and Biochemistry Graduate Student Association (GBGSA).

“For the past few years, I’ve served on the leadership team for the GBGSA. The main goal of GBGSA is to foster community within our graduate student body, and that goal really resonates with me. I think that community is incredibly important in every aspect of life, and grad school is far from an exception to that rule.”

When not on campus, Sabrina loves to bake sourdough, watch Clemson Women’s gymnastics, rock climb, lead worship at church, grow carnivorous plants, crochet amigurumi and design nail art.

On October 22nd, Sabrina presented her Ph.D. defense titled Exploring Glycosomes as Therapeutic Targets for Trypanosome brucei and will graduate this December.

Today, October 20 is World CRISPR day, the day CRISPR was first used to edit a human genome — was established to celebrate its transformative impact on science, medicine and biotechnology.

CRISPR, which is short for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, is a powerful gene-editing technology that research scientists use to selectively modify the DNA of living organisms so they can study gene function in disease, develop diagnostic tests and identify novel treatments. 

CRISPR was discovered in bacterial immune systems and works by acting when a virus attacks, save tiny pieces of the viral bacterial DNA. The next time the virus appears, the bacteria use CRISPR and a protein called Cas9 to locate and destroy the invader’s DNA.

For World CRISPR Day Clemson News highlighted two of the department’s faculty who use CRISPR in their research to advance human health.

Stephen Dolan

Dr. Stephen Dolan’s lab focuses on Aspergillus fumigatus, a fungal pathogen responsible for serious infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. By generating and studying fungal mutant strains using CRISPR, Dolan’s team investigates how Aspergillus responds to infection-relevant stressors and antifungal treatments.

“CRISPR has allowed us to move beyond the well-adapted lab strains we used to rely on. Now we can edit genes in pathogens taken directly from patients or the environment to better understand how they survive and cause disease,” he said.

Jennifer Mason

Dr. Jennifer Mason works on DNA damage and repair, studying how cells respond to DNA damage, including damage caused by sunlight exposure. 

Mason obtains cancerous and non-cancerous cell lines from human patients and predicts the genes essential for that DNA repair. She then uses CRISPR-Cas9, an enzyme, to knock the gene out. Once the gene is knocked out, she monitors a mutant or knockout cell line to see if the cell can still repair DNA damage. 

Before CRISPR, many DNA repair experiments that make specific changes or knockouts would not have been feasible due to cost and time. 

“I got my Ph.D. in human genetics in 2010, and we were limited to the availability of patient cell lines where patients with these disorders consent to having skin biopsies taken,” Mason says. 

Read more in the Clemson News article.

Associate professor Rajan Sekhon along with a team of researchers at Clemson University and partner organizations have received a $2.4 million, four-year grant to map genes that control leaf senescence in corn. Funded by the National Science Foundation through both the Plant Genome Research Program and the Cross-Directorate Activities program, this project aims to sustain photosynthesis longer, improve yield stability and support smarter on-farm nitrogen use.

“Our goal is to set the timing of leaf senescence so plants stay productive when it counts and still finish cleanly for harvest, which can also help keep more nitrogen working on the farm,” Sekhon said.

This project will determine when senescence, which is the aging process where plants recycle nutrients, begins and how quickly it proceeds. Sekhon’s group will map the genes and regulatory switches that control senescence by using a systems genetics approach that integrates physiology, metabolomics, transcriptomes, chromatin accessibility and single cell RNA sequencing. Artificial intelligence, primarily large language models (LLMs) and machine learning, along with advanced statistical methods, will combine these data to pinpoint genes and regulatory switches that set senescence timing in corn and possibly other crops.

“While we’re focused on the process of senescence, we are developing methods and datasets that can translate to other traits and crops,” he said.

Nitrogen is essential for protein formation in corn because it is a fundamental component of amino acids, the building blocks of all proteins.

“Most kernel protein is storage protein with limited amino acid balance, so lowering total kernel protein does not automatically reduce nutritional value. If we get the timing of leaf senescence right, we can keep yield steady and, over time, help more nitrogen remain on the farm.”

Read more in the Clemson News article.

If you haven’t already, you’ll probably spot freshman biochemistry student Jackson Miller on the paint line at Clemson games, whether it’s on the jumbotron or even on ESPN. Jackson is passionate about all things Clemson, Disney, sports, family and his future dentistry career.

“Originally from the small town of Lake Wylie, SC located just outside of Charlotte, NC, I come from a small family of four that brings me constant joy and laughter. We are probably the biggest Disney fans on the face of Earth. This Christmas I will be making my 24th trip and I couldn’t be more excited since I will be there on Christmas day for the first time.”

Jackson attended a small private Christian school called Gaston Christian School with only 1,000 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. This small, tight-knight community is what led him to Clemson.

“That is what played a huge role in my college search. I wanted to find a college that gave me that same feeling as my school back home, family. Clemson was just that for me. As soon as I walked on campus, I could feel the love and family.”

Since being on campus for a few months, he has found everyone to be friendly and loves the people and connections made so far from in the Shoeboxes to Central Spirit, which is the club that Jackson has gotten most involved in.

“Central Spirit is such a great and tight community where we are constantly having fun. That being from yelling at games in hopes of helping our Tigers to victory or goofing off while at flag practice. The community has welcomed me so quickly and it has been such a blessing to have these people in my life.”

As an aspiring orthodontist, the biochemistry department seemed like a perfect fit for Jackson, providing the perfect blend of chemistry and biology. It is also a huge plus that our program is an excellent preparer for the DAT.

“I have met so many dentists and orthodontists telling me how it is a great program here at Clemson and a great way to be prepared for a dental school wherever I end up. The hope is to be able to help other kids like my sister feel more confident with their smiles and less scared of the people behind the mask at the dentist office.”

Now almost halfway through his first semester, Jackson is enjoying college life, getting involved in organizations and immersing himself in his studies.

“It is a true blessing to be at the school I wanted to be at more than anywhere else.”

Today, September 17th, is International Microorganism Day, raising awareness of the importance of microorganisms within our daily lives. Though tiny and can’t be seen with the naked eye, most are harmless and some are even beneficial, however, others can make us sick.

To commemorate the day, Clemson News highlighted three College of Science faculty members whose research involves microorganisms, including genetics and biochemistry’s Dr. Manuel Fierro and his research with the cell biology of the microorganism that causes malaria.

Malaria is caused by a single-cell eukaryotic parasite that invades other cells. Fierro investigates the different biological pathways necessary for the parasite’s survival. Malaria has developed resistance to every anti-malarial drug.

“That’s why my type of research is important to continue increasing knowledge about malaria and which biological pathways or proteins are critical for its survival. That can then inform the rest of the community, and it could result in another much needed anti-malarial,” Fierro says.

Read more in the Clemson News article.

Biochemistry alum Griffin Thomas ’25 plans to attend medical school but took a year to get his feet wet in industry conducting research with the Department of Neurosurgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC.

Lenox Hill Neurosurgery is a top destination for advanced cranial and spinal care, consistently ranking among the best hospitals in the world for neurosurgery by annual rankings in U.S. News & World Report.

Griffin is not new to research. While an undergraduate he performed research in Dr. James Morris’ lab where he studied the metabolism of T. brucei and Nagleria Fowleri.

This also isn’t Griffin’s first time at Lenox Hill. One summer, he had the opportunity to shadow in the Department of Neurosurgery at Lenox Hill Hospital – the very same department he works in now.

“This experience affirmed my passion to pursue a career in medicine and my interest in neurosurgery.”

Griffin is using his time at Lenox Hill to hone in on and perfect his research skills before applying to medical school and is finding his time valuable.

“It’s going great! I’ve really enjoyed learning how to use clinical research and technology to optimize patient care. I’ve spent a lot of time exploring ways to incorporate AI into neurosurgical practice.”

Congrats and continued good luck to recent graduate Griffin!

Two students from the Department of Genetics and Biochemistry joined the National Scholars Program(NSP), which serves students from all majors who demonstrate a unique combination of academic excellence, intellectual curiosity, leadership ability and demonstrated impact on their local and global communities.

Both Elizabeth Polatty and Evgenia Zheltov are sophomore biochemistry majors.

Scholars were chosen from more than 6,000 applications to the Honors College. They receive personalized support to develop their leadership skills and deepen their academic experience, equipping them to excel in the classroom and beyond. Many National Scholars go on to earn major University awards and nationally competitive fellowships.

The National Scholars Program strives to create a transformative community offering life-changing experiences and developing thoughtful scholar-leaders who listen, critically examine their place in the world, and use their talents to serve.

Dr. Rajan Sekhon, Manwinder Brar and Barath Kunduru, recent Ph.D. graduates from the Sekhon lab, published a Plant Cell study identifying metabolites and genes controlling maize leaf senescence titled, “Temporal analysis of physiological phenotypes identifies metabolic and genetic underpinnings of senescence in maize.” 

Manwinder Brar was first author on a collaborative study with USDA scientists with an article titled “Untargeted metabolomics reveals key metabolites and genes underlying salinity tolerance mechanisms in maize” in Plant Genome.

Dr. Jennifer Mason and post doctoral fellow Josh Turner published “FBH1 and the replication stress response: Implications for genome stability and cancer” in DNA Repair.

Drs. Trudy Mackay and Robert Anholt published three articles together

• “A Drosophila model for mucopolysaccharidosis IIIB” in Genetics
• “Arsenic toxicity in the Drosophila brain at single cell resolution” in Front Toxicoln (where post doctoral fellow Anurag Chaturvedi is first author)
• “Effects of aging on gene expression networks in the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel” in Cell Reports

“Ultrastructural expansion microscopy reveals unexpected levels of glycosome heterogeneity in African trypanosomes” by Drs. Heidi Anderson and Meredith Morris has been accepted in the Journal of Microscopy.

Dr. Andrew Jezewski’s paper “Discovery and mechanism of a highly selective, antifungal acetyl CoA synthetase inhibitor” was accepted into Nature Communications.

Dr. Fabio Morgante had three publications:

• ““Comparing statistical learning methods for complex trait prediction from gene expression” in PLoS ONE
• “Improving polygenic prediction from summary data by learning patterns of effect sharing across multiple phenotypes” in PLoS Genetics
• “Improvement of polygenic modeling of blood pressure traits using lifestyle information in the UK Biobank” in GENETICS

“Non-coding RNAs in plant stress responses: molecular insights and agricultural applications” was published in Plant Biotechnology Journal. Graduate student Xiaotong Chen is the first author, Dr. Hong Luo and two of his other students, Zhaohui Chen and Ryan Watts are co-authors of this article.

Dr. Robert Anholt was asked by Chem Senses to write the obituary for well-renowned artist and scientist Bert Menco when he passed earlier this summer after the pair had worked together for years.

Dr. Hong Luo was invited to give four talks:

• At the Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology at the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium.
• In the session “Biotechnology approaches for animal and crop improvement and environmental risk assessment of genetically engineered organisms” of the Society For In Vitro Biology 2025 Meeting in Norfolk, VA.
• At Lanzhou University as a part of their seminar series.
• At the International Pastureland and Forage Industry Congress 2025 in Hulunbuir, China.

Dr. Stephen Dolan and Ph.D. students Jessica Aycock, Shafi Mondal and Lindsay Pauls attended the Gordon Research Seminar & Conference on Microbial Adhesion and Signal Transduction in Newport, RI, where all three gave research presentations.

Zane Tolbet, a Ph.D. candidate, gave an oral presentation at the Midwest DNA Repair Symposium at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Fabio Morgante was invited to speak at the CM Statistics 2024 conference in London and at Clemson University for the Medical Biophysics Seminar Series. The titles of his talks were “A variational empirical Bayes approach to multivariate multiple regression, with applications to polygenic prediction” and “Exploiting Complexity to Improve Phenotype Prediction,” respectively.

Post doctoral fellow Anurag Chaturvedi gave an oral presentation, titled “Unravelling toxicogenomics: From single cell to populations” as part of a workshop at the Drosophila Research Conference in San Diego.  

Dr. Robert Anholt presented a workshop presentation skills and was a panel member of a grant review writing session at the 2025 SC INBRE Career Development Workshop at the USC School of Medicine in Columbia, SC. He also served on the NIH Special Emphasis Panel/Scientific Review Group for Program Projects: Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) Phase 1.