Student Research & Presentations

Students in my lab have presented their research at several local and national conferences.

Recent presentions include:

Shannon Ryan (Bio '12).  Poster presentation, "Changes in synaptic efficiency in the guinea pig intrinsic cardiac plexus: Effects of acute myocardial infarction and neuromodulators."  Society for Neuroscience. Washington, DC. November 2011.

Annual Experimental Biology meetings in Washington, DC. April 2011.

Samantha Corrado (Bio '11), Philip Feinberg (Biochem '11) and Christopher Palmer (Bio/Anthro '11) presented results from their research on neuronal regulation of cardiac function at the conference.

• Samantha and Christopher presented their work on the effects of norepinephrine and Angiotensin II on cardiac neurons. 
• Philip presented his work on changes in expression of the enzyme, nitric oxide synthase, with chronic heart disease. 

The presentations also included contributions from alumni Allison Girasole (Bio '10).

Student attendance was supported by assistance from Ithaca College Sigma X, H&S EGI grant, and the Bernard Fund. 

Society for Neuroscience Meeting.  This is the preeminent gathering of neuroscientists from around the world. Attendance at these meetings is approximately 31,000 individuals.

• Philip Feinberg ('11, Biochemistry). Poster presentation, "Molecular analysis of NOS mRNA expression in the guinea pig intrinsic cardiac plexus". Philip received support from the Bernard Fund  and by the Ithaca Collelge Sigma Xi chapter to support his travel to the meeting.  Fall 2009.  
   
• Allison Girasole ('10, Biology). Poster presentation, "Modulation of neuronal responses in guinea pig intrinsic cardiac neurons with chronic heart disease:  Changes in sensitivity to norepinephrine, acetylcholine, and angiotensin II.". Ally received a competitive travel award from the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience to support her attendance at the meeting. Fall 2009.
   
• Caitlin Baran ('08, Biochemistry). Poster presentation, "Regulation of neuronal excitability and NOS expression in the guinea pig intrinsic cardiac plexus by chronic cardiac stressors". Caitlin received a competitive travel award from the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience to support her attendance at the meeting. Fall 2008.

• Lauren Houdek ('09, Biology) and Allison Girasole ('10, Biology). Poster presentation, "Characterization of guinea pig intracardiac neurons: A phenotypic and electrophysiological analysis". Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience conference.  Lauren and Allison received support from the Bernard Fund to support their travel to the meeting. Fall 1008.

National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), April 2009   NCUR is held every year at various locations around the United States.  Ithaca College students are selected for attendance at this meeting and selection is very competitive.  Each student must submit an abstract and a supporting letter of recommendation to the Selection Committee, which is composed of the officers of the Ithaca College Chapter of Sigma Xi.  In addition, each student must present evidence that they have given a previous, off-campus presentation of their work.  We believe that only the most outstanding Ithaca College students should be provided with this special  opportunity.  Ithaca College pays the full cost of attendance at this meeting.

• Noah Mishkin. "Analysis of nNOS expression in the cardiac ganglia of guinea pigs with chronic heart disease."

Experimental Biology meeting in San Diego, CA.  April 2008. 

• Caitlin N. Baran, E. Marie Southerland, Jeffrey L. Ardell, and Jean C. Hardwick. Poster Presentation, "Remodeling of the guinea pig intracardiac plexus following pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy".  Caitlin was funded by both the H&S Office: Experiential Learning Curriculum Enhancement Grant and Sigma Xi.

Some Examples of Lab Alumni:

• Linda Schoenfeld ('99) - slide presentation at the Eastern Colleges Science Conference (ECSC) in April of 1998; poster presentation at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Los Angeles, CA in November of 1998; slide presentation at the National Council for Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in April of 1999.  Linda received her masters degree in Neuroscience at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH and is currently in veterinary school in Ohio.
   
• Seth DePuy ('99) - slide presentation at the Eastern Colleges Science Conference in April of 1999.  Seth
  is currently a graduate student in pharmacology at the University of Virginia.
   
• Melanie Powers Fraites ('01) - slide presentation at the Binghamton Science Conference in Binghamton, NY in
  October of 2000; slide presentation at NCUR in Missoula, MT in April of 2000;  poster presentation at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in New Orleans, LA in November of 2000.  Melanie received her Ph.D. in Physiology from the University of Florida in 2006 and is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the EPA, studying reproductive toxicology.
   
• Kristen Sager Cincotta ('02) - poster presentation at ECSC in April of 2000,  poster presentation at the
  conference of Honors programs in Washington D.C. in fall of 2000, oral presentation at the Rochester Academy of Sciences in the fall of 2001, and an oral presentation at NCUR in Widewater, WI in the spring of 2002.  Kristen is currently a graduate student in the Ph.D. program in Neuroscience at Emory University in Atlanta GA.
   
• Kim Stallone Vogelsang ('02) - oral presentation at ECSC in Niagara Falls in the spring of 2002.  Kim is currently completing a residency in pediatric medicine at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse NY.
   
• Jeremy Dobson ('03) - oral presentation at ECSC in Niagara Falls in the spring of 2002.  Jeremy is currently a high school science teacher in Florida
   
• Danielle Federico ('04) and Jessica Peacock ('04) - poster presentation at the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience meetings, held in conjunction with the Annual Society for Neuroscience meetings in New Orleans in the fall of 2003. Danielle is currently in medical school at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse. Jessica is currently living in Seattle, WA.

• Nancy Andersen ('07) and Megan McManus ('06) - poster presentation at the Society for Neuroscience meetings in Atlanta GA in the fall of 2006.  Nancy is currently at senior at IC and Megan graduated in December of 2006.  Megan is currently a laboratory technician at Boston University.