CONWAY, Ark. (August
13, 2020) — Dr. Andrea Duina, a professor of biology and chair of the biochemistry-molecular
biology program at Hendrix College, has received a three-year, $480,000 grant
from the National Science Foundation (NSF) that will help undergraduate
students gain new insights into some of the fundamental mechanisms that
regulate how genes are utilized by cells. This grant is the latest in a series
of NSF grants awarded to Duina for research that increases the scientific
community’s understanding of life beginning at the cellular level.
“Since proper
g
ene regulation is essential for most cellular and organismal functions, these
studies address questions with far-ranging implications,” Duina said. “For our
studies, we use the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as the model
system, and given the high degree of functional conservation across all life forms,
findings from these studies will shed new light into processes relevant to all
organisms, including humans.”
This grant, one
of five received by Duina from the NSF for undergraduate research in his lab at Hendrix,
will provide more opportunities for Hendrix students to carry out cutting-edge
research.
“Students will
further develop their skills in various aspects of the scientific process,
including experimental design and execution, data interpretation and
evaluation, science communication to other scientists and to the general
public, and critical evaluation of current research literature,” Duina said.
In addition to
the grant’s direct benefit to students who conduct research in Duina’s
laboratory, it will have an expanded impact at Hendrix through the elements of
this project that Duina plans to incorporate into some of the courses he teaches.
“This NSF grant
also stands as a testament to Hendrix’s strong commitment in promoting
state-of-the art STEM undergraduate research on campus,” he said. “Hendrix can
be proud of its role in developing well-rounded and well-prepared scientists.”
About Hendrix College
A private liberal
arts college in Conway, Arkansas, Hendrix College consistently earns
recognition as one of the country’s leading liberal arts institutions, and is
featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change
the Way You Think About Colleges.
Its academic quality and rigor, innovation, and value have established Hendrix
as a fixture in numerous college guides, lists, and rankings. Founded in 1876,
Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. To
learn more, visit www.hendrix.edu.