#andrews stem

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Chris Kim, one of our Biology - PreMed majors who was recently accepted to Loma Linda University School of Medicine's class of 2019, shares his experiences at Andrews. 

"Looking back, a career in medicine was not really on my mind for the majority of my K-12 years--I was actually more interested in art and design growing up. My interest in medicine arose while taking AP Biology my junior year of high school where the complexity and beauty of our natural world was a constant inspiration for me from then on. That experience as well as wanting to serve the people around me to the greatest of my ability--a desire developed through being involved in missions--pushed me toward an undergraduate degree in Biology in the pursuit of becoming a physician.

“Medicine aside, what drew me to Andrews University was its strong biology program as well as the unique, Seventh-day Adventist community that provided a hub for both academic and spiritual growth. In my three years here, Andrews provided a number of opportunities that put me in a great position for success to go beyond my undergraduate studies. Especially in the biology department, I've come to know many of the teachers very well and it was apparent to me that they were also interested in getting to know me. Moreover, having the opportunity to be a lab TA, Family Group Mentor for freshmen orientation, or even the current president of our Pre-Med Club, Andrews University provided the means to set myself apart extracurricularly when it came to applications for medical schools.

“I applied this past fall, and I'm extremely blessed and humbled to have been accepted to the Loma Linda University School of Medicine Class of 2019! I plan on starting school later this year and hope to continue my development as a professional.”

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We love to see our students succeed, and we're sharing a short write up Chris sent us about what led him to medicine and why he chose Andrews University for STEM! Do YOU have a success story you want to share? Feel free to drop us a line at [email protected]!

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AU STEM SPOTLIGHT: Alyson Drew & Dr. Hyun Kwon

Alyson Drew is one of the two undergraduate research assistants working with Dr. Kwon through the Undergraduate Research Scholar Award (URS) Program. A Biology major, Alyson is specifically in an interdisciplinary research project that combines the specialties of Mechanical Engineering and Biology: they are studying a simpler way of detecting cancer biomarkers in the bloodstream.

This Biomedical research is focused on using biosensors to analyze biological molecules, a procedure that doesn't require invasive techniques. Their ultimate goal is to improve current technology by cutting down costs and time in cancer diagnoses.

On October 22-24, they traveled to San Antonio, Texas to present their findings at the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Conference. The title of their presentation was, "Paper-based Biosensor for Colorimetric Detection of PSA Biomarker."

The abstract for their research is as follows: 

"Prostate cancer is commonly screened in the bloodstream by detection of excess PSA, prostate-specific antigen which is a protein the prostate produces in large quantities when tumors are present. In order to facilitate inexpensive and disposable detection, diagnostic tools have begun to be created out of paper and wax which wick solutions through channels based on their hydrophobicity. George M. Whitesides, who pioneered the majority of this work, designed a paper-based LFD, lateral flow device, effective for detecting liver function which we are modifying to detect PSA. In this paper, we designed an oPAD, origami paper analytical device, specific to PSA using GNPs, gold nanoparticles, which provide a colorimetric, qualitative, inexpensive, efficient, and disposable design to detect prostate cancer through the bloodstream. We are currently concept-testing our design with PSA, but we hope to design a device that can be easily modified to detect many other biomarkers for disease."

Stay tuned to see what more their research yields at the Undergraduate Research Symposium next spring! 

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Dr. Jason Beckrow for PREMED CLUB

On Tuesday, Oct 30, Dr. Jason Beckrow, DO FACOI came to Andrews University to speak to students interested in the medical field about compassion and responsibility in practicing medicine, as well as any other general questions students might have on the subject. Dr. Beckrow practices in St. Joseph and is the founder of Lighthouse Oncology and a medical director for Hospice at Home. In addition to giving advice about developing and maintaining the skills necessary to connect to and genuinely care for patients, he emphasized that it is these things that set us apart from machines in this day and age where technology is both prevalent and accessible.

Dr. Beckrow also shared some stories, one of which was his experience being interviewed for Michigan State University. It was one of the best interviews that he’s ever had because he wasn't expecting to get in at all, so he was very relaxed. Also, he and the interviewer ended up talking about his experiences traveling around the world for the whole interview, which he did after not getting into osteopathic medical school his first time applying. He was accepted and attended MSU shortly thereafter. From this story, Dr. Beckrow illustrated that while it focusing on academics is necessary, it is also important to pursue your passions and broaden your life views and experiences, as this differentiates us from computers as well as other people in or pursuing the medical field.

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SUMMER SPOTLIGHT: BCHM 421 - Biochemistry I

Senior Biochemistry student, Gideon Nyakundi, took time with Andrews STEM to answer a few questions about BCHM 421.

1) What is biochemistry about?

Gideon: Biochemistry is the mix of understanding the chemistry and biology of the body, like the pH in the stomach/blood and how water plays a major role in our lives besides being a universal solvent.

2) What is the summer school class like? 

Gideon: The summer school class is very fast paced because we cover a chapter or more in a matter of 4 hours. Then you have to read in order to comprehend what you just learned in class, AFTER finishing your homework lol. It is overwhelming the first week because you are used to a class of 50 minutes and you usually cover a section or two.

3) What do you enjoy most about the class?

Gideon: I enjoy the small learning atmosphere of biochem right now. we have about 11-12 students in our class and it is easy to ask the teacher questions on the homework, or even ask questions out loud because we all know each other from taking so many classes together. That's why it's a good environment for a class that expects you to catch on very quickly to the general biology and chemistry concepts.

4) What are some of the challenges in the class?

Gideon: Some challenges...one of them is definitely the fact that it is summer. You want to be like your friends who are traveling, hanging out at the beach, playing sports and doing other great activities once school ends, but you have to stay focused to do well in summer classes. One slip-up and you will feel it in the gradebook if you aren't careful. Another challenge is time management. You have to realize you are doing a lot in a day so you can't just expect to get done in two minutes. you need to space out your day after all the labs and lectures to find time to rest if you need to, work out/exercise if time permits and eat somewhat healthy because you don't want to stress yourself out anymore than you already are.

Here are some pictures from the class! Students in STEM summer courses are provided with "brainfood" every day around 10AM. The main snack changes from waffles to pita & hummus-- but cereal, oatmeal and hot drinks are supplied daily!

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THROWBACK THURSDAY #tbt  The Biology hallway was dedicated to David Steen on May 3rd, 2014 in honor of his 26 years of service. The hallway celebrates the diverse research of Honors and other Undergraduate Research Scholars from the Department of Biology. David A. Steen handcrafted the poster frames used in the display. Dr. Steen served as professor of Biology at Andrews University from 1986 to 2012 and chair of the department from 2000 to 2012. His passion for biology and commitment to excellence, especially displayed in the first semester of Foundations of Biology, awakened a love for biology and spirit of inquiry in many students. Thank you Dr. Steen!!!

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Biology Professor Emeritus, Dennis Woodland, presenting the Hanes Trust Grant check for $2,000 to Tori Steely (BS 2008, MS 2013), who is the science teacher at Battle Creek Academy. The grant was given to her at a school constituency meeting for “A Tall Grass Prairie Reconstruction for K-12 and Public Use.” Congratulations, Tori! The Biology Department and STEM are proud of the good work you are doing at BCA. 

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Many students know Dr. Marian Prince as Math professor at Andrews University. But what if we told you that besides her teaching position, she is involved in an even bigger project?

Dr. Prince formed Charitable Calculators, a non-profit organization in 2011-- shortly after Texas Instruments released their newest model: the TI-NSPIRE. She couldn't help imagining all the older calculators lying around, not being used. Knowing that some school districts and educators were unable to provide calculators due to a low budget, Dr. Prince thought of Charitable Calculators! 

She avidly collects donated calculators, organizes, and then distributes them to schools in need around the United States and in different countries. A few weeks ago, she traveled to North Carolina with a few classroom sets of donated calculators and taught teachers in Greenville how to use them with their students. As far as foreign countries, she's been to Nepal, Macedonia, Albania, Jamaica and Haiti. Teachers/schools can apply for a classroom set of calculators on her website. 

The biggest shock of all, is that Dr. Prince pays for all her trips with her own Andrews University salary. She calls it a"ministry" and uses her trips to give testimonies of how God has moved in her life to teachers, politicians and education officials around the world. She's gotten a few monetary donations in the past, and Professor Poblete and two web-design students even helped design her website! She's relied completely on God to support this organization since the beginning, and Charitable Calculators has become a testimony on its own. 

HOW CAN STUDENTS GET INVOLVED? (contact Dr. Prince: [email protected])

volunteer your time to test calculators/perform data entry

go with Dr. Prince on a Charitable Calculators trip!

donate any calculators you have that you don't use anymore, or ask friends/family to donate their unused calculators 

If you're interested in web-design/computer science, help maintain and re-design the website! (this can be done for a class project too!)

help set up a a blog

help Dr. Prince find ways to recycle unusable calculators (this can be a class project too)

fix broken calculators in your spare time

This list is very minimal, Dr. Prince is open to any ideas! If you want to help in some way, she will think of something for you :)

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This past spring break, a group of Biology students journeyed to the Everglades to study the diverse Floridian ecosystem. Through hands-on activities like snorkeling and canoeing, they were able to explore the ecology of the area in-depth. Here are a few short thoughts from two students who participated this year. 

"While I had a number of valuable experiences on the Biology trip to the Florida Keys and Everglades, possibly the most enjoyable aspect of the trip was the opportunity to connect with the group of people that went. During our time in Florida, we engaged in a number of activities that required us to be able to work together: such as a 2-day canoe trip, snorkeling in the keys, and simply making meals and cleaning up together 3 times a day. While I previously knew most of the group from seeing them around the department, the activities of the trip provided an excellent opportunity to truly get to know each member of the group. I was impressed to see that despite the fact that many of the activities were tough, each group member got along well with an overall attitude of positivity."

-Zach Reichert

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"The Everglades biology trip was an exciting learning experience that will surely be one of the highlights of my years at Andrews University. The days spent trekking through marshes, canoeing through mazes of mangrove tree islands, and snorkeling at the beautiful Looe Key reef taught me so many things about the world I live in that I had not yet been exposed to. In addition to gaining a fuller knowledge of Florida ecology, I was able to share the experience with students and professors who love nature and biology just as much as I do. I can't think of a better way to have spent my Spring Break!"

-Ashley Reichert

Click to see previous findings from the Everglades trips