UT Chem/Biochem Dept

The 2003-2004 Beckman Scholars: Lauren Woodard (nee Harkinson)

Faculty Mentor:Professor Karen S. Browning Length of term: Summer 03, Fall 03, Spring 04, Summer 04. Honors & Awards:University Honors (Spring 01­Spring 04); Undergraduate Research Fellowship Awards (twice); George L. Clark/McCorp Scholarship; Unrestricted Endowed Presidential Scholarship; Chemistry & Biochemistry Department Scholarship; Pirrung Family Scholarship; Order of Omega; Order of the Dagger Publications: Poster - Stanford Cancer Biology Retreat 2005 - Oral Gene Therapy with phiC31 Integrase; Poster - American Society of Gene Therapy 2006 - Liver Gene Therapy for Hemophilia with phiC31 Integrase; Talk - American Society of Gene Therapy 2006 - Cellular Localization and Cell Cycle Dynamics of phiC31 Integrase in Mammalian Cells; Talk - Stanford Cancer Biology Retreat 2006 - Cellular Localization and Cell Cycle Dynamics of phiC31 Integrase: Implications for Gene Therapy; Poster - Stanford Genetics Dept Retreat 2006 - Liver Gene Therapy for Hemophilia with phiC31 Integrase Where is she now? Graduated with Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry with Highest Honors, and Special Departmental Honors, May 2004. Lauren is in graduate school at Stanford University in the School of Medicine. How can I contact her? lauren88@stanford.edu

Beckman research project in the Browning Group:

Cloning and Expressing Recombinant eIF4G, a Subunit of Arabadopsis eIF4F

Eukaryotic translation initiation involves a number of factors that must be present for the small ribosomal subunit to load onto a capped and polyadenylated mRNA. Among these complexes is eIF4F, which includes subunits eIF4G, eIF4E and eIF4A. The large subunit, eIF4G, was cloned as both a full-length gene and a truncated version into a vector for expression in E. coli cells. The full-length version does not express well. For the purpose of raising antibodies to eIF4G, the truncated eIF4G was co-purified with eIF4E. Preliminary results from the rabbit polyclonal antibodies suggest that they are specific for eIF4F.