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Home > News > DANA COLLEGE PROFESSOR AWARDED NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRANT | |
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Funds used to further research in mitochondrial morphologyDana College is proud to announce that Dr. Karen Murch-Shafer, assistant professor of biology, has been awarded a $3,000 Nebraska National Science Foundation Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (Nebraska NSF EPSCoR) grant to study mitochondrial morphology. Murch-Shafer’s award comes from the Small Grant Program for Nebraska Women in Science and is for the highest amount program bestows. She plans to use the money to buy a high-resolution digital camera and pay for student assistance on the project. Murch-Shafer will be continuing work she began as a graduate student on the shapes and sizes of mitochondria in cells. Mitochondria are often refered to as the “powerhouse” of the cell, although their evolutionary origins and complete functions are still being researched around the world. Murch-Shafer’s research will look specifically at how exposure to alcohol and viruses affect the shapes and sizes of mitochondria. She and her team will be working with specimens of mice livers provided by Dr. Thomas Jerrells, associate professor of pathology and microbiology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Although Murch-Shafer’s work would be best classified as pure research, her findings could help further research into combating liver disease in humans. “ We are delighted that Dr. Murch-Shafer has been awarded the EPSCoR grant,” said Dr. Brian Viets, Dana College provost and dean of the college. “At Dana, we are committed to involving undergraduates in research and to encouraging women to pursue careers in science. Dr. Murch-Shafer has provided a wonderful way to do both.” Dana College is a private, liberal arts institution that currently enrolls approximately 600 students. The campus is located on 150 acres overlooking the Missouri River Valley in Blair, Neb. Dana grants bachelor’s degrees in more than 35 liberal arts, business, education and pre-professional programs, with an emphasis on personalized teaching from experienced and dedicated faculty. Dana is a college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and its athletic teams compete in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. More information on Dana College can be found on its web site, www.dana.edu. — END — For more information or photos, contact: |
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