Faculty Mentor Research Projects

The Multi-Ethnic Biomedical Research Support Grant was awarded to Texas Woman's University by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). The grant is committed to the recruitment and training primarily of students underrepresented in biomedical research at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Faculty mentors, with research projects in both basic and applied biomedical research areas, are currently participating in the program. There is the option to expand this list of faculty mentors.

Dr. Mary E. Anderson, Associate Professor of Chemistry, uses experiments and computer modeling to study the structure/function relationships of glutathione synthetase, an enzyme used to make the important antioxidant, glutathione ( y-glu-cys-gly).

Dr. Brian Beck, Assistant Professor of Biology, who studies patterns of energetics and sequence variation to understand how protein interactions form and produce function.

Dr. Victor Ben-Ezra, Associate Professor of Kinesiology, who is studying the effects of exercise on risk factors associated with coronary heart disease and diabetes; specifically how exercise influences insulin responses.

Dr. Michael Bergel, Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology, who is working on identifying novel chromatin-associated targets for cancer therapy and cancer prevention; cellular response to stresses (as UV irradiation) on the chromatin level.

Dr. Kyle Biggerstaff, Associate Professor of Kinesiology, who studies the effects of single exercise bouts and exercise training on lipid and lipoprotein-cholesterol metabolism.

Dr. Kimberly Booker, Assistant Professor of Psychology, who is exploring universal screening and appropriate interventions for at-risk youth as well as exploring the incremental differences between social skills interventions for children with social skills deficits.

Dr. Mark Britt, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, who is investigating a model developed in his laboratory to explain enzyme catalysis generally by kinetics and thermodynamic studies of the interactions of enzymes with catalytically relevant ligands.

, who is investigating a model developed in his laboratory to explain enzyme catalysis generally by kinetics and thermodynamic studies of the interactions of enzymes with catalytically relevant ligands.

Dr. Heather Conrad-Webb, Associate Professor of Biology, who is investigating the genetics of rRNA synthesis in Baker’s yeast.

Dr. Kathy DeOrnellas, Assistant Professor of Psychology, who is researching the most appropriate methods for the psychological assessment of children and adolescents with Asperger’s Syndrome and high functioning autism, as well as researching the effects of having a child with autism on the parenting role and the relationship between the child’s parents.

Dr. Mark Hamner, Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science, whose statistical research focuses on finite population prediction and who does statistical consulting using SAS software.

Dr. DiAnna Hynds, Associate Professor of Biology, who is investigating the intracellular signaling pathways that control axon formation, regeneration, and path finding.

Dr. Victorine Imrhan, Associate Professor of Nutrition, who is investigating the use of dietary antioxidants for the prevention and treatment of diseases such as coronary heart disease and breast cancer.

Dr. James Johnson, Professor of Chemistry, who is investigating the steriochemistry and kinetics of a wide variety of nucleophilic substitution reactions in selected organic compounds.

Dr. Camelia Maier, Assistant Professor of Biology, who studies the involvement of phytoestrogens in plant development and sexual reproduction, including the medical applications of phytoestrogens as possible antiestrogens for the prevention and therapy of cancers.

Dr. Sarah McIntire, Chair and Professor, Department of Biology, who is analyzing the structure of Helicobacter pylori plasmid DNA molecules to provide insights into the mechanism(s) of pathogenicity of H. pylori.

Dr. Nathaniel Mills, Professor of Biology, who is working primarily to demonstrate that Leydig cells are required for developing gonads.

Dr. Huanbiao Mo, Assistant Professor of Nutrition, who is studying the modulation of the mevalonate pathway and, consequently, suppression of tumorgenesis by isoprenoids and other chemopreventive phytochemicals.

Dr. Manal Omary, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, whose research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of novel new molecular materials, including metallopolymers and small-molecule transition metal and lanthanide complexes.  These materials have the potential for being used in one or more of the following areas: Polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs ); Solar energy conversion (Organic Photovoltaics, OPVs); Probes for biological systems; Optical sensors for environmental pollutants; Super-/semi-/photo conductors.

Dr. Shannon Rich, Assistant Professor of Psychology, whose research areas of interest are body image disturbance and prevention of obesity in at risk children and women.

Dr. Charlotte (Barney) Sanborn, Chair, Department of Kinesiology, whose research areas of interest are women's health, exercise and osteoporosis, athletic amenorrhea and body composition.

Dr. Lynda Uphouse, Professor of Biology, who is studying the interaction between serotonin and female gonadal hormones in the control of female reproductive function.

The MBRS program at TWU exposes research-oriented students to biomedical science research with the overall goal of increasing the representation of traditionally underrepresented groups in biomedical research fields.