Kayla Cerri 鈥�21 presents 'sea lettuce' research to American Chemical Society
Kayla Cerri (Biochemistry, 鈥�21) and faculty mentor Amy Deveau, Ph.D. professor of chemistry in the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, recently attended the virtual American Chemical Society National Meeting, which took place from April 5颅 to 16.
On April 10, Cerri presented a virtual poster titled 鈥淓xtraction, Characterization and Analysis of Bioactives from Maine Ulva lactuca鈥� in the undergraduate research symposium.
According to the study, Maine Ulva lactuca 鈥� also known as 鈥渟ea lettuce鈥� 鈥� is an underexplored source of marine natural products. The study found that the composition of organic extracts from Maine Ulva lactuca differ from Floridian Ulva lactuca when the same extraction protocol was used. Data suggest that exogenous factors, such as environmental variables, may then influence the antimicrobial compounds produced by the algae, the researchers said.
In addition to Deveau, Amber Cusson, B.S. 鈥�18 (Biochemistry), M.S. 鈥�20 (Biological Sciences), and collaborators Angela Myracle, Ph.D., visiting research professor in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), and Kristin Burkholder, Ph.D., associate professor of biology in the School of Biological Sciences, contributed to the work.
Cerri鈥檚 research, conducted over the past two calendar year, was funded by 成人直播鈥檚 SURE program in summer 2019 and, in part, by National Science Foundation Grant #1355457 and the 成人直播 Office of Research and Scholarship鈥檚 Faculty Minigrant program.
Cerri is a leader-scholar, serving as president of the Chemistry Club, a member of the CAS Dean鈥檚 Student Leadership Advisory Council, and as a mentor to chemistry and biochemistry majors.