At the American Society of Microbiology Joint Branch Meeting of South Caroina (SC ASM) on November 9th, biochemistry and molecular biology master’s student Bryson Woodard received an Honorable Mention for his poster presentation titled, “Construction and Characterization of Transgenic Cell Lines for the Analysis of Glycosome Heterogeneity in Trypanosoma brucei“.
Bryson works in Dr. Meredith Morris’ lab in the Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center (EPIC). The lab focuses on Trypanosoma brucei (the causative agent of African Sleeping Sickness) as a model organism and seeks to explore and close knowledge gaps within the parasite’s cellular biology.
“We are interested in the diversity of glycosomes, which are essential metabolic organelles within the Trypanosomes; previous research findings suggest that not all glycosomes are the same.”
To assess this diversity, Bryson and his lab mates use an endogenous tagging technique to attach fluorescent protein tags to essential glycosomal membrane proteins. These tagged membrane proteins allow analyzation of glycosomal diversity using fluorescence expansion microscopy and advanced forms of flow cytometry.
“To date, we have successfully attached our first fluorescent tag to our selected membrane proteins, subsequent attachment of additional tags and analysis is to follow.”
Attending the SC ASM fall meeting was an excellent experience for Bryson, where he was able to learn more about microbiological research happening in our state, network with other scientists and faculty and further prepare for his career as a physician.
“I am honored to have received an honorable mention for my poster presentation. I want to thank the conference organizers, my advisor, Dr. Meredith Morris and my lab mates for supporting me in these endeavors.”
Director of the Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovations Center (EPIC) and professor of Genetics and Biochemistry Dr. Kerry Smith has taken a role with the Clemson University School of Health Research (CUSHR) as campus research director for the Prisma Health Education and Research Institute (PHERI).
“In this role, I am able to extend my efforts beyond my own laboratory’s research and assist in advancing impactful health-related research in diverse scientific and clinical fields,” said Smith.
PHERI, a collaboration between Prisma Health, Clemson, Furman University and University of South Carolina, seeks to bridge the gap between academics, research, clinical practice and healthcare transformation in a way that is innovative, inter-institutional, inter-professional and interdisciplinary. In his new role, Dr. Smith will work to build and enhance research collaboration between Clemson researchers and clinical faculty from Prisma.
“The increased collaboration will be advantageous for both Clemson researchers and the clinical faculty, as it will enable the Clemson researchers to conduct health-related research in an applied environment that will have a positive impact on individuals,” Smith said. “This will enable the clinical faculty member to offer scientific assistance for innovative interventions that could potentially be implemented outside of Prisma Health–Upstate.”
As campus research director for PHERI, Smith expects these collaborations to continue to generate presentations at conferences for academic researchers and for physicians and healthcare professionals, publications in peer-reviewed journals and external funding.
“Kerry has shown his commitment to our vision of expanding health research at Clemson,” Sherrill said. “We look forward to his success in his new role as Clemson University Campus Research Director for Prisma to enhance our research partnerships and Clemson’s health research mission.”
Assistant professor Dr. Stephen Dolan studies microbial interactions in human infections, particularly the dynamics within polymicrobial communities that contribute to complex, multi-species infections.
Since joining Clemson University in 2023 as an assistant professor in the Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, his lab has been part of the Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center (EPIC) — a leading interdisciplinary hub for cutting-edge research on devastating pathogens.
Dr. Dolan earned his Ph.D. in 2016 from Maynooth University in Ireland under the mentorship of Dr. Sean Doyle. His dissertation research employed comparative ‘omics and reverse genetics to uncover novel regulators of toxin production in the pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus.
Prior to moving to the US, he was a Herchel Smith research fellow at the University of Cambridge, where he worked in Dr. Martin Welch’s lab. This fellowship allowed him to leverage comparative ‘omics techniques to study the key respiratory pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, while also developing expertise in fungal-bacterial interactions in clinical settings.
Dr. Dolan’s research centers on respiratory infections in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF), where abnormal mucus makes them vulnerable to a wide array of bacterial, viral and fungal pathogens. Rather than focusing on a single model organism, he has deliberately pursued broad training across multiple co-infecting human pathogens—most notably Aspergillus and Pseudomonas.
This comprehensive approach enables him to decipher the complex mechanisms of microbial communication during infection. By using clinical isolates from people with CF, Dr. Dolan explores how the physiology of both pathogens shifts when co-cultured in a model CF environment, compared to when they are grown in isolation.
Dr. Dolan’s research goal is to leverage this cross-kingdom perspective to uncover how fungi respond to bacterial presence (and vice versa) in polymicrobial settings. This insight is crucial for developing innovative therapeutic strategies that could revolutionize the treatment of microbial infections. Pathogenic microbes not only impose a significant burden on healthcare but also impact agriculture.
His research aims to elucidate the physiology and behavior of fungi during human infections, particularly in their interactions with bacteria. By advancing our mechanistic understanding of these processes, he seeks to contribute to the development of novel approaches to combat microbial pathogenesis.
Jessica Aycock is a second year Ph.D. student in Dr. Stephen Dolan’s lab housed in the Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center (EPIC) at Clemson University. This fall she had the opportunity to intern at IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock, AK.
The IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics Internship program is designed to provide a unique opportunity for the next generation of scientists to explore an alternative career option in biomedical research by gaining experience in a national resource and core facility environment. Interns are encouraged to bring proteomics samples related to their project, enabling them to work on their own research while they are interning.
Jessica spent two weeks at IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics gaining a unique hands-on research experience which included managing the entire behind the scenes proteomics workflow – sample prep, mass spectrometry and downstream bioinformatics processing – on her own Ph.D. research samples.
“Not only did I deepen my understanding of my own research, but the experience also broadened my perspective of career opportunities beyond traditional paths.”
In addition, Jessica learned the ins and outs of mass spectrometers including instrumentation, operation and contribution to data acquisition. She also had the chance to explore career options outside of industry and academia, learning how a national core facility functions.
“Learning the intricacies of proteomics through participating in the IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics internship was an amazing, eye-opening experience. Moving forward, I plan to use these insights to advance my research in the Dolan Lab and explore new directions in the field of proteomics!”
IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics provides unmatched and cost-effective access to state-of-the-art quantitative proteomics platforms and education, outreach and training opportunities that will increase the capacity of National Institutes of Health-funded investigators to perform cutting-edge biomedical research.
You may have seen Morgan in your favorite yoga class, walking around the Life Sciences Building on her way to lab, reading a new book in the library or she may have served you a coffee at All In Coffee Shop.
As an Honors senior biochemistry major from Fort Mill, SC, Morgan likes being around like-minded people in the Genetics and Biochemistry Department.
“The Genetics and Biochemistry Department has introduced me to some of my best friends and has exposed me to so many of our incredible research faculty. My research mentors and professors have continuously inspired me to become a better student and researcher, and I would not be where I am today without each one of them.”
For three years, Morgan performed research in Professor Dr. Hong Luo’s lab, which is focused on transgenic turfgrass modifications in hopes of developing genetic lines that are less susceptible to environmental stressors like heat and drought.
“My primary role was in transgene containment to prevent genetic contamination with naturally occurring grass species, but the work that was published dealt with a miRNA that improved crop yield.”
The summer of her freshman year she spent at the Center for Human Genetics under Drs. Trudy Mackay and Robert Anholt studying the genetic underpinnings of cocaine use disorder in Drosophila melanogaster. Morgan researched the effects of a multiple-day period exposure to cocaine in fly lines that were genetically predisposed to cocaine addiction.
“Coupled with behavioral assays that proved cocaine exposure led to adverse physical effects, my research reinforced the idea that prolonged cocaine use disorder has a genetic component.”
This summer, Morgan was granted a position in the Duke PRIME-Cancer program in Dr. Stefanie Sarantopoulos’ lab studying chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease, which is an autoimmune disease that can develop in leukemia and lymphoma patients that receive stem cell transplants. Here, Morgan’s focus was studying the role of the TLR7-IRF5 signaling pathway on the activation of lung fibroblasts, which leads to fibrotic airway diseases that are common in cGVHD patients.
“My experience here was great! I became close with my mentors and the members of the lab, and the program exposed us to so many great researchers around Duke. It was great to meet students from around the country with similar interests!”
When Morgan was named a Seifert Scholar the summer after her sophomore year, she began working in Dr. Kerry Smith’s lab, which is her main focus this year. Her research in Dr. Smith’s lab is centered on the importance of glycolysis in Cryptococcus neoformans, which is a primary cause of fungal meningitis. She has been working to identify biochemical inhibitors that target different steps of glycolysis to prevent their growth as potential therapeutic interventions for patients with fungal meningitis.
“I have identified Baicalein as a potential enolase inhibitor, so I am diving further into that and plan to develop an enolase knockout strain to confirm the phenotypic effects of both. I plan to apply for departmental honors with this project this fall.”
Morgan’s future plans include applying to graduate school this fall to obtain her Ph.D. in biochemistry or pharmacology, hoping to work in project leadership in the pharmaceutical industry. After her Ph.D., she plans to get her Master’s of Public Health to become involved in researching disparities in drug and medical care access in underserved and underrepresented communities around the world.
“My international travels have inspired me to gain work and research experience out of the country as well, so I will be looking for degree and training opportunities abroad.”
Drs. Manuel Fierro, Andrew Jezewski and Kristina Mercer (left to right) join the G&B team.
The Department of Genetics and Biochemistry is excited to welcome two new tenure track assistant professors and a new lecturer to their departmental faculty: Drs. Manuel Fierro, Andrew Jezewski and Kristina Mercer.
Dr. Manuel Fierro is currently a post-doctoral researcher with Dr. Josh Beck in the Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology at Iowa State University and will be joining the department and Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center (EPIC) as a tenure track assistant professor. His research has been focused on characterizing the essential protein trafficking machinery in Plasmodium, a genus of parasites that cause malaria in humans. We look forward to Dr. Fierro joining us this October.
Dr. Jezewski is currently a postdoctoral fellow in Damian Krysan’s Lab in the Stead Family Department of Pediatrics at the University of Iowa. Like Dr. Fierro, he will be joining the department and Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center (EPIC) as a tenure track assistant professor. Dr. Jezewski brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the field of eukaryotic pathogens. We are excited to have Dr. Jezewski joining the department officially in January 2025.
Dr. Mercer comes to us with 25 years of experience as a research scientist at Emory University, five years as a public health scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and three years as a lecturer of biology and course coordinator of biology labs at Kennesaw State University. We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Mercer, who will begin teaching BCHM/GEN 3040 this fall semester in August 2024 as a lecturer for the department.
Please join us in welcoming Drs. Fierro, Jezewski and Mercer to the Genetics and Biochemistry, the College of Science and the Clemson University family!
Gracie Dellinger graduated in May with degrees in genetics and microbiology
Gracie Dellinger ’24, recent genetics and microbiology alum, was one of the six Clemson members recognized with the country’s most prestigious STEM-focused graduate research fellowship, awarded annually through the National Science Foundation (NSF).
The NSF’s Graduate Research Fellowship program helps ensure the quality, vitality and diversity of the country’s scientific and engineering workforce by supporting outstanding students pursuing research-based graduate degrees at accredited United States institutions.
Gracie, originally from McClellanville, South Carolina, was a part of the Clemson Honors College and has been performing undergraduate research in EPIC with Dr. Kim Paul since the summer after her junior year of high school, focusing on the parasite that causes African Sleeping Sickness, a disease that can be fatal if left untreated. Last summer, Gracie attended a Research Experience for Undergraduates at UNC Chapel Hill, exploring different adaptations of an intestinal pathogen responsible for a hospital-acquired disease called C. difficile infection.
Gracie will be attending Duke University School of Medicine in the fall, where she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in molecular genetics and microbiology. She was also awarded a fellowship called the James P. Duke Fellowship, which aims to attract and develop outstanding scholars at Duke.
Over seventy attendees from around the southeast gathered to learn the latest about research on the molecular biology and biochemistry of some of the leading killers on the planet. The meeting keynote, given By Dr. Michel Grigg of the National Institutes of Health, explored the unusual genetic diversity of human pathogens from around the world, seeking answers to the differences in disease outcomes seen amongst closely related parasites. For pictures from the event, see: http://jmorri28.wix.com/epic#!cbep-photos/c1k7t
EPIC and EPIC Scholars are hosting our Third Annual Cell Biology of Eukaryotic Pathogens Symposium on Thursday and Friday, October 22nd-23rd. Come join us for two days of the latest research on Eukaryotic Pathogens from around the region, with a keynote presentation by Dr. Michael Grigg of the NIH. Registration and more information can be found atepicscholars.wix.com/cbep.
