This year, Hampden-Sydney sent two of its students, Brant Boucher ’17 and Jason Halmo ’17, accompanied Associate Professor of Biology Mike Wolyniak to the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology  (ASBMB) in Chicago.  Part of the Experimental Biology federation of 6 biology professional societies, ASBMB is an international gathering of scientists and one of the premiere opportunities to explore the frontiers of biochemistry and molecular biology.

Jason Halmo and Brant Boucher at the meeting

Both Jason and Brant presented work done as part of their work done jointly between the Biology and Chemistry departments.  The work was presented both at an undergraduate-only session as well as the general session for the entire meeting.  Jason presented his work on the characterization of chemical and genetic differences in hopped meads done between Dr. Wolyniak and Associate Professor of Chemistry Paul Mueller.

Halmo presents his work to fellow undergraduates.

Halmo also coordinated an outreach initiative, the Prince Edward County Environmental Molecular Biology Institute (PECEMBI) with Dr. Wolyniak.  Funded in part by a grant from the ASBMB, PECEMBI brought a long-term research project to the students of Prince Edward County High School with outreach support from Hampden-Sydney students and faculty.  Both Halmo and Wolyniak presented a poster on PECEMBI at the meeting.

Presenting at the Public Outreach Poster Session

Boucher’s work was jointly done by Dr. Wolyniak, Associate Professor of Biology Kristian Hargadon, and Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry Rupak Due and focused on the development of bacterial biofilms on titanium bone replacement implants.

Brant Boucher presents his work

ASBMB is one of several national and international meetings that are regularly attended by Hampden-Sydney undergraduates as a culmination of their research work at the College.