Emily R. Currens
Personal Information
Senior Biochemistry Major from Rockford, IL
Education
- Monmouth College, Monmouth, IL: 2017-present
- Rock Valley College, Rockford, IL: 2015-2017
Undergraduate Research
SOfIA (Summer Opportunities for Intellectual Activity)
Monmouth College, Summer 2017
Project: Chemistry of Baking, Dr. Laura Moore and Dr. Michael Prinsell
- Analyzed volatile compounds associated with bread aroma using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)
- Learned about the bread making process and how to analyze GC-MS data
Research Experience for Undergraduates
Saint Louis University, Summer 2018
Project: Biologically Compatiable Photogeneration of Atomic Oxygen Generation, Dr. Ryan M. McCulla and Dr. Christopher K. Arnatt
- Synthesized atomic oxygen precursors that cleanly generate atomic oxygen when exposed to UV light
- Focused in organic chemistry, photochemistry, and biology
- Conducted a cell assay exposing breast cancer cells to the compounds I synthesized
- Used the following instruments: Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (H-NMR), UV-Vis Spectroscopy (UV-Vis), High Pressure Flash Chromatography (HPFC)
- Reviewed literature on photochemistry and generating atomic oxygen in biological systems
- Prepared brief presentations to discuss the research progress for weekly meetings
https://www.slu.edu/~rmccull2/
Undergraduate Biochemistry Research (BIOC 340)
Monmouth College, Fall 2017-present
Project: Chemistry of Baking, Dr. Laura Moore and Dr. Michael Prinsell
- Continued 2017 SOfIA project for independent research
- Analyzing volatile compounds associated with bread aroma using GC-MS
- Altering the bread recipe to detect changes during the bread making process
- Performing Soxhlet extractions and steam distillations to collect liquid samples of bread aroma
Coffee Project
Monmouth College, Spring 2018
Dr. Brad Sturgeon
- Analyzed aromatic molecules in roasted coffee using GC-MS
Presentations
SOfIA 2017
Chemistry of Baking, Dr. Laura Moore and Dr. Michael Prinsell
- Oral presentation for faculty and students in the SOfIA program
- Prepared and presented a poster for public at Monmouth College
2018 REU
Biologically Compatiable Photogeneration of Atomic Oxygen Generation
- Poster presentation for SLU faculty and students - August 2, 2018
- Presented research in Science Seminar at Monmouth College - September 7, 2018
Independent Research
Chemistry of Baking, Dr. Laura Moore and Dr. Michael Prinsell
- 2018 National American Chemical Society Conference in New Orleans, LA
- Alumni Science Symposium - April 9, 2018
- Scholar's Day - April 24, 2018
- 2019 National American Chemical Society Conference in Orlando, FL
- Scholar's Day - April 16, 2019
Experience and Activities
- Lab assistant for CHEM 220 - Spring 2018
- Lab assistant for CHEM 140 - Fall 2018
- ACS Historian - Fall 2018-present
Interests
Biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, and analytical chemistry