Student Research Mentors

A Student Research Mentor is an individual who teaches a full course load during the year, but will devote summers to doing research with undergraduate students.  The goal of a Student Research Mentor is to present the research at a national scientific meeting and publish manuscripts.  Research projects can be independent or collaborative.  Student Research Mentors are also encouraged to collaborate with Idaho INBRE Project Leaders, Investigators or Co-Investigators and work towards a NIH R-award within that collaboration.  The following are our Idaho INBRE Student Research Mentors:

William B. Knowlton, Ph.D.

MSE & ECE
Boise State University
The titles of Dr. Knowlton’s research projects are DNA self-assembly nanostructures and Nanomechanical characterization towards biological materials.

Carolyn Dadabay, Ph.D.

Chemistry
The College of Idaho
The title of Dr. Dadabay’s research project is Isolation of flavonoid compounds from sagebrush and characterization of their antioxidant and anti-proliferative activity.

Mark Gunderson, Ph.D.

Biology
The College of Idaho
The title of Dr. Gunderson’s research project is Examining the effects of endocrine disrupting contaminates on American Alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) inhabiting contaminated sites in Florida.

John H. Thurston, Ph.D.

Chemistry
The College of Idaho
The title of his project is Antimicrobial activity of narrow-band gap semiconductors against S. aureus.

Janice L. Simpkin, Ph.D.

Biology
College of Southern Idaho
The title of Dr. Simpkin’s research project is Changes in Sustainable Activity at on Isolated, Rural Community College.

B. Randolph Smith, Ph.D.

Biology
College of Southern Idaho
The title of Dr. Smith’s research project is Changes in Sustainable Activity at an Isolated, Rural Community College.

Barry Myers, Ph.D.

Math & Computer Science
Northwest Nazarene University
The title of Dr. Myers’ research project is Determining genomic distribution of LINE’s between classes.

Jamee C. Nixon, Ph.D.

Biology
Northwest Nazarene University
Dr. Nixon is a member of Dr. Dennis Stevens’ team at the Boise VA Medical Center.  Her research project is Impact of Antibiotics on Expression of Virulence-associated Exotoxin Genes in Gram Positive Pathogens.

Ron Strohmeyer, Ph.D.

Biology
Northwest Nazarene University
The title of Dr. Strohmeyer’s research project is The role of C/EBP transcription factors in brain inflammation in Alzheimer’s Disease.