Contact information
dneef@hotmail.com

Education
Chemistry & Biology, Valparaiso University, 1999
National Science Foundation Undergraduate
Summer Research Fellow, Summer 1998

Current position: Graduate student, Texas A&M University

Research Project

I worked in Tim's lab from May 1998 to August 1998 as part of a program sponsored by the National Science Foundation. My role in the lab was similar to those of the graduate students. The project assigned to me was to develop two recombinant fusion proteins using the ligand binding domain of the rate estrogen receptor beta. In the first fusion protein rERbeta was combined with the DNA binding domain of the Gal-4 transcription factor for use in gene expression assays. A combination with GST was the basis of the second fusion protein for affinity isolation using GSH column, to be then used in ligand binding studies based on tritiated estrogen. The summer program gave me the chance to obtain lab and equipment experience other wise unobtainable as an undergraduate. The experience was also able to shed light on what it is like to be a graduate student. It not only allowed me to see the dedication and hard work required to be a successful student but also the great award of being successful. I will be starting a Ph.D. program at the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Texas A&M University in May 1999. My first rotation will be with Dr. Andy LiWong studying the structure of large proteins, through reverse micelles, using NMR.