Jennifer A. Bennett, Ph.D.
William J. von Liebig Scholar in Biology
Courses:
BI 222 Cell Biology Lecture BI 221 Genetics Laboratory Module
BI 220 Genetics Lecture BI 399 Special Topics in Microbial Genetics
BI 121 Biology I Laboratory Microscopy Module BI 307 Molecular Techniques
BI 121 Biology I Laboratory DNA Module BI 489 Biological Research
Research Interests:
The Bennett Lab:
Dan Bukowski ('09) Ryan Johnson ('10)
Aubrey Cyphert ('09) Katherine Manupipatpong ('10)
Travis Hull ('09) Nicholas Sepulveda ('10)
Jonathan Skoner ('09) Courtney Sturey ('10)
Lindsey Draper ('10)
Past Members :
Brent Kanar ('08) - Accepted to University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine
Katie Heugel ('08) - Accepted to Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine
Kristen Yohn ('07) - Research Technician at Brigham and Women's Hospital affiliated with Harvard University
Bennett Lab in the Juniata News:
Travis Hull '09 Wins Research Fellowship
Travis Hull '09 Wins Goldwater Scholarship
Aubrey Cyphert '09 Named to Cross Country Division III All-Academic Team
Nicholas Sepulveda Receives St. Andrew's Scholarship at University of Aberdeen
My Research Group:
Travis Hull
Travis Hull (‘09) is the recipient of an undergraduate research fellowship from the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). The ASM Undergraduate Research Fellowship (URF) is aimed at highly competitive students who wish to pursue graduate careers (Ph.D. or MD/Ph.D) in microbiology. Travis submitted an application in the spring of 2007 with a proposal of the research he is conducting in my laboratory. The proposal lists the following three specific research goals: 1) Identify interesting cell division and sporulation mutants of Streptomyces coelicolor using a high efficiency in vivo transposon system. 2) Determine the locations of the transposon insertions on the chromosome using primers that anneal to the known transposon sequence. 3) Characterize the newly identified genes using microscopy, genetic and biochemical techniques.
The fellowship provided funds for Travis to pursue the project at Juniata during the summer of 2007, and to attend the national ASM conference in the summer of 2008. As a result of this fellowship, Travis has already isolated two novel genes that he has begun to characterize. Following graduation, Travis plans to pursue a career in the field of infectious disease research as a physician scientist.
Travis Hull was also awarded a travel grant to present his research at the 2007 ASM General Meeting in Toronto, Canada. Travis competed against almost 800 undergraduate, graduate and medical students as well as post-docs for one of the 160 Corporate Activities Program Student Travel Grants. (Submitted and published on-line as an article for the Juniata Campus News)
Aubrey Cyphert
Aubrey Cyphert ('09) was awarded a von Liebig Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship to conduct research in my laboratory last summer. Aubrey has already identified five interesting developmental mutants possessing transposon insertions in genes of previously unknown function. She has begun to characterize these mutants and will continue her research in the summer of 2008 after returning from study abroad in Africa. Aubrey plans to pursue a career in microbiology as an epidemiologist.
Brent Kanar
Brent Kanar ('08) was awarded a von Liebig Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship to conduct research in my laboratory this past summer. Brent's research project focuses on the study of two known cell division genes. He will defend a Senior Honors Thesis describing his research this spring. As my teaching assistant for freshman Microscopy Module, Brent has also isolated hundreds of potentially interesting developmental mutants using transposon mutagenesis. He is currently interviewing at dental schools around the country, and is interested in the possibility of conducting research in dental school.
Publications:
Bennett, J. A., R. M. Aimino and J. R. McCormick. 2007. Streptomyces coelicolor genes ftsL and divIC
play a role in cell division, but are dispensable for colony formation. J. Bacteriology. 189:8982-8992.
Bennett, J. A., J. Yarnall, A. Cadwallader, R. Kuennen, P. Bidey, B. Stadelmeier, and J. R.
McCormick. Streptomyces coelicolor cell division genes ftsI and ftsW are required for efficient
cell division. Accepted to J. Bacteriology, pending minor revisions.
Bennett, J. A. and J. R. McCormick. 2001. Two new loci affecting cell division identified as
suppressors of an ftsQ-null mutation in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). FEMS Microbiology
Letters. 202:251-256.
Bennett, J. A. and J. R. McCormick. Identification of novel developmental genes using a high
efficiency in vivo transposon system in Streptomyces coelicolor. Manuscript in final revision prior to submission to J. Bacteriology.
Juniata Student Presentations:
National and International Presentations with Undergraduate co-presenters
Hull, T.D.* and J.A. Bennett. 2008. Characterization of Two Sporulation-Specific Cell Division Genes in Streptomyces coelicolor. American Society for Microbiology 108th General Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts. (Invited Student Speaker; American Society for Microbiology Undergraduate Research Fellowship Travel Award)
Cyphert, A.S.* and J.A. Bennett. 2008. The Identification of Four Novel Genes Involved in Sporulation of Streptomyces coelicolor. American Society for Microbiology 108th General Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts. (American Society for Microbiology Corporate Activities Travel Grant Awarded)
Draper, L.*, B.P. Kanar* and J.A. Bennett. 2008. The Identification of Putative Chromosome Segregation Mutants of Streptomyces coelicolor Using a Tn5-based Mini-Transposon System. American Society for Microbiology 108th General Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts.
Hull, T.D.* and J.A. Bennett. 2007. The Identification of Two Developmental Genes by Transposon Mutagenesis of Streptomyces coelicolor. American Society for Microbiology 107th General Meeting, Toronto, Canada. (American Society for Microbiology Corporate Activities Travel Grant Awarded)
Lau, B.*, J.R. McCormick and J.A. Bennett. 2007. Cloning a suppressor mutation of cell division gene ftsQ. National Conference on Undergraduate Research, Dominican University of California.
Local and Regional Presentations with Undergraduate co-presenters
Hull, T.D.*, A.S. Cyphert* and J.A. Bennett. 2008. The identification and characterization of two novel developmental genes in a pharmacologically important bacterium. Undergraduate Research at the Capitol, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Draper, L.* and J.A. Bennett. 2008. Characterization of Putative Chromosome Segregation Mutants of Streptomyces coelicolor Identified by a Mini-Transposon System. 29th Annual Undergraduate Biology Symposium for Western Pennsylvania, Washington and Jefferson College.
Cyphert, A.S.* and J.A. Bennett. 2007. Identification of cell division and developmental genes in Streptomyces coelicolor using a Tn5-derived mini-transposon. Allegheny Branch of the American Society for Microbiology (ABASM) Meeting. (Tie for First Place Oral Presentation; ABASM Travel Award)
Hull, T.D.* and J.A. Bennett. 2007. Characterization of Two whi Genes in Streptomyces coelicolor Identified by a High Efficiency in vivo Transposon System. Allegheny Branch of the American Society for Microbiology (ABASM) Meeting. (Tie for First Place Oral Presentation; ABASM Travel Award)
Skoner, J.D.* and J.A. Bennett. 2007. Construction of a Mariner-based Mini Transposon System for the Random Mutagenesis of Streptomyces coelicolor. Allegheny Branch of the American Society for Microbiology (ABASM) Meeting. (ABASM Travel Award)
Sepúlveda, N.B.* and J.A. Bennett. 2008. Identification of a Putative Two Component Response System and a Serine Protease in Streptomyces coelicolor. Swarthmore College, Regional Microbiology Educators Student Research Symposium (also presented at the Juniata Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium).
Kanar, B.P.* and J.A. Bennett. 2007. Finding a bypass suppressor of ftsL and divIC in Streptomyces coelicolor. Swarthmore College, Regional Microbiology Educators Student Research Symposium (also presented at the Juniata Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium.
Draper, L.* and J.A. Bennett. 2008. Characterization of Putative Chromosome Segregation Mutants of Streptomyces coelicolor identified by a mini-transposon system. Juniata Liberal Arts Symposium. (Awarded 3rd Place Poster Presentation – ASM Student Chapter Faculty Judges)
Hull, T.D.* and J.A. Bennett. 2008. A novel investigation of microbial development with pharmacological applications. Juniata Liberal Arts Symposium. (Awarded 1st Place Oral Presentation – ASM Student Chapter Faculty Judges)
Hull, T.D.* and J.A. Bennett. 2007. The Identification of Novel Developmental Genes in Streptomyces coelicolor Using a High Efficiency in vivo Transposon System. Juniata Liberal Arts Symposium. (Awarded 2nd Place Oral Presentation – Natural Science and Mathematics Division)