| Lisa Miller
Lisa Miller is a biophysical chemist at the National
Synchrotron Light Source and an adjunct Associate Professor
in the Departments of Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering at Stony Brook University.
She obtained her B.S. in Chemistry from John Carroll University
in 1989, her M.S. degree in Chemistry from Georgetown University
in 1992, and her Ph.D. in Biophysics from the Albert Einstein College
of Medicine in 1995. Her Ph.D. research involved using x-ray and
infrared light to study the binding of oxygen and carbon monoxide
to hemoglobin and myoglobin. After graduating, Lisa worked at Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory where she used x-rays to probe the
manganese ions in photosynthesis. In 1999, Lisa became a staff scientist
at BNL, where she is currently focusing on applications of
synchrotron x-ray and infrared imaging to diseases such as
osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s disease. In her spare time,
Lisa enjoys backpacking, hiking, running, and photography. |
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| Randy Smith
Randy Smith is Science Associate at the NSLS. He obtained
his B.S. in Chemistry and Olivet Nazarene University in 1998 while
working at Reedy Scientific Instruments, where he helped develop
a microFTIR technique to analyze GC effluents cryogenically captured
in an Argon matrix. In 2001, Randy obtained his M.S. in Chemistry
at Washington State University, where his researched visible and
near-infrared photoluminescent properties of Mn2+:ZnS nanocrystals
under high pressure using diamond anvil cells. After graduating,
he worked as a Technical Support Engineer American Xtal Technology,
Inc (Fremont CA) where Randy investigated processing problems in
the manufacture of GaAs and other III-IV semiconductor substrates.
In 2003, Randy took his current position at the NSLS, where he develops
beamline instrumentation and general impovements on several infrared
beamlines. He also serves as local contact for beamlines U10B and
U4IR where he instructs visiting scientists on beamline operation
and support users in integrating experiments to beamlines. |
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| Meghan Ruppel
Meghan Ruppel is a graduate student at Stony Brook
University, currently pursuing her PhD in Biomedical Engineering.
Meghan received her Bachelors of Engineering in Engineering Science
in 2004 and her Masters of Science in Materials Science in 2005,
both from Stony Brook University. Meghan has been performing research
at the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National
Laboratory since the summer of 2003, when she started working under
the advisement of Dr. Lisa Miller in the Science Undergraduate Research
Internship (SULI) program. Meghan has used synchrotron infrared
microspectroscopy to study bone composition in various diseases
such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Meghan also helped design
and implement a fluorescence-imaging accessory for beamline X26A,
which assists in data collection for many of the group's projects.
Meghan’s PhD project consists of growing bone cells and studying
how they are affected by osteoporosis treatment. In addition to
performing research at the NSLS, Meghan is also a member of Tau
Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society and the American Society of Bone
and Mineral Research. In her spare time Meghan enjoys reading, traveling,
spending time with family and friends and driving her MINI Cooper. |
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| Andreana Leskovjan
Andreana Leskovjan is a graduate student in the Medical
Physics track of Biomedical Engineering at Stony Brook University,
where she also obtained her B.S. degrees in Physics and Psychology
in 2001. After graduating, Andreana worked in the Medical Department
at BNL using functional neuroimaging to research cocaine addiction
in human subjects, and obtained her M.S. in Medical Physics from
SBU in 2005. Andreana is currently working towards her Ph.D. as
a Research Assistant at the NSLS under the direction of Dr. Lisa
Miller. She is involved in a project using spectroscopic techniques
in vitro to obtain information about how metal ions (zinc and copper)
in the brain are involved in amyloid beta misfolding and aggregation
in Alzheimer’s disease. This research will eventually progress
to an in vivo study using a mouse model. In her spare time, Andreana
enjoys traveling, playing the piano, swimming, poker, and is a huge
Miami Dolphins fan (Go Fins). |
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| Megan Bourassa
Megan Bourassa is a graduate student in the Chemistry Department
at Stony Brook University, working towards her Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry.
In 2007, she obtained her BS degree in Chemistry from Pacific Lutheran University
in Tacoma, WA. Megan is currently a Research Assistant in Dr. Lisa Miller’s lab
at the NSLS. Her research involves an in vitro model of Alzheimer’s disease to
study the interactions between zinc and amyloid-beta in neurons. She is also developing
a method for the FTIR imaging of live cells using attenuated total reflectance.
This technique may later be applied to her study of Alzheimer’s disease and neurons.
In her spare time, Megan likes to run, travel, and play tennis.
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| Alvin Acerbo
Alvin Acerbo is a graduate student at the Biomedical
Engineering program at Stony Brook University, pursuing his Ph.D. degree. In May
2006, he received B.S. degrees in Biochemistry and Computer Science
at Iona College in New Rochelle, NY. He is currently working towards
his Ph.D. as a research assistant at the National Synchrotron Light
Source under the guidance of Lisa Miller and Larry Carr. His research
involves improving the contrast and resolution of images obtained
through Fourier Transform Infrared imaging using point spread
function deconvolution, determining the biological effects of boric acid on
melanoma cells, and elucidating the mechanism behind the formation
of small mineral nodules in the early stages of bone growth. In his
spare time, Alvin likes to travel abroad, hike trails along the Hudson
Valley, and spend time with friends.
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| Gulgun Cakmak
Gulgun Cakmak is a visiting research scholar in Dr. Lisa Miller’s
group. She is a PhD student in the Molecular Biophysics Laboratory of Professor
Feride Severcan in Department of Biological Sciences at Middle East Technical
University, in Ankara, in Turkey where she also obtained her M.S. degree. Gulgun
obtained her B.S. degree in Biology from Hacettepe University in Ankara, in Turkey.
During her master studies, she investigated the effects of nonylphenol, a very
ecotoxic biodegradation product of non-ionic surfactants used in detergents,
herbicides, pesticides, paints and cosmetics, and 17b-estradiol, a natural estrogen,
on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) liver using FTIR spectroscopy. Gulgun has
been performing research on the effects of ionizing radiation, used in radiation
therapy, and a radioprotectant amifostine on brain tissue using conventional
FTIR microspectroscopy and Synchrotron- FTIR microspectroscopy (U10B) at the
National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratory. As a part
of her PhD thesis, this work will be helpful to understand the relation between
ionizing radiation and tissues and the effects of radioprotectants on the biological
systems at molecular level and to increase the quality of life of cancer patients.
In her spare time, Gulgun likes reading, traveling, swimming and cooking.
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| Simone Park
Simone Park is a senior at Stony Brook University
majoring in physics. She is interested in becoming a biophysicist
to continue investigating biological processes such as diseases
and plant physiology with the aid of physical tools. During the
summer of 2007, she worked as a SULI student under Lisa Miller at
the NSLS. She also collaborated with Chang Jun Liu of Brookhaven’s
Biology Department to develop a high-throughput method of screening
mutant Arabidopsis thaliana plants using Fourier Transform Infrared
(FTIR) spectroscopy. In line with the nation’s quest to develop
alternative fuels, degrading excess lignocellulosic biomass into
ethanol can be a good alternative. One way to degrade lignocelluloses
is to modify specific genes in the plant that hinder their breakdown.
This project aims to find mutants that are deficient in acylesterases
and acyltransferases, enzymes that help to maintain the recalcitrance
of cell walls. By experimenting with sample preparation and by interpreting
FTIR’s specific information, Simone hopes to reveal a method
that will efficiently screen mutants that are good candidates for
use in bioethanol production. |
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