Interns and Rotation Students

The Plant Transformation Facility sponsors many interns from organizations such as Iowa State University's Program for Women in Science and Engineering and National Science Foundation's REU and RET programs for students and teachers. Non-sponsored internships may also be set up for interested persons.

Xingji Chen

Plant Biology
Ph.D. Rotation student, Iowa State University
Feb 2016 - Mar 2016

Maxwell McReynolds

Plant Biology
Ph.D. Rotation student, Iowa State University
Sep 2015 - Dec 2015

Garrett Janzen

Genetics
Ph.D. Rotation student, Iowa State University
Oct 2013 - Dec 2013

Vincent Brazelton

Genetics
MS, Rotation student, Iowa State University
Sep 2013 - Aug 2014

Christopher Hernandez

Agronomy, Genetics
Intern, Iowa State University
Jan 2013 - Mar 2013

Nathan Reem

Plant Biology
Ph.D. Rotation student, Iowa State University
Sept 2012 - Nov 2012

Amber Testroet

Master Rotation student, Iowa State University
Aug 2012 - Present

Katrina Lutap

Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Ph.D. Rotation student, Iowa State University
Jan 2012 - Mar 2012

Rachel Mccoy

College student
Intern, University of Evansville
Jun 2011 - Aug 2011

Zachary Larson

Department of Agronomy
Intern, Iowa State University
Nov 2010 - Dec 2010

Prashant Ambilwabe

Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Ph.D. Rotation student, Iowa State University
Aug 2010 - Oct 2010

Angela Nguyen

Biology
Summer Intern, Iowa State University
May 2010 - Aug 2010

Yi Zhu

Interdepartmental Plant Biology
Ph.D. Rotation student, Iowa State University
Mar 2010 - May 2010

Dafang Wang

Interdepartmental Plant Biology
Ph.D. Rotation student, Iowa State University
Jan 2010 - Mar 2010

Alice Hui

Interdepartmental Plant Biology
Ph.D. Rotation student, Iowa State University
Jan 2009 - Mar 2009

Brandon Jeffrey

Genetics (Interdisciplinary)
Ph.D. Rotation student, Iowa State University
Nov 2008 - Dec 2008

Tian Lin

Interdepartmental Plant Biology
Ph.D. Rotation student, Iowa State University
Sep 2008 - Oct 2008

B.S., Shandong University, China, 2008

Chichun Yang

Interdepartmental Plant Biology
Ph.D. Rotation student, Iowa State University
Sep 2008 - Oct 2008

M.S., China Agricultural University, China, 2005

Hafeez Mahwish

College Junior
Albion college, Albion, MI
May 28 - Aug 2, 2008
Project: Characterization of recombinant glucanase activity produced in maize.

Anita Dutta

Science Department Chair
Scavo Campus, Des Moines, IA
Jun 14 - Aug 2, 2007

Kevin Lu

College Student
May 14, 2007 - August 10, 2007

Suzette Smedes

High School Teacher
Des Moines, IA
Jun 13 - Aug 2, 2006
Project: Assessment of key parameters to achieve bacteria high transformability in E. coli and A. tumefaciens.

Zach Regelin

College Senior
University of Northern Iowa
Jun 13 - Aug 2, 2006
Project: Assessment of key parameters to achieve bacteria high transformability in E. coli and A. tumefaciens.

Javier Garcia Ruiz

College Student
University of Chapingo, Mexico
October 11 2005 - May 31 2006

Maryam Zamarian

High School Junior
Ames High School, Ames, IA
Jan 18 - Apr 28 2006

Sponsor: REU
Mentor: Jennifer McMurray
Project: Creation of an Agrobacterium-mediated transformation vector for the transformation of rice, maize, and soybean utilizing Hygromycin or Bar as the selectable marker.

Andrew Huber

High School Senior
Rivermont Collegiate High School, Davenport, IA
May 16-27 2005

Mentor: Jennifer McMurray
Project: General overview of the Plant Transformation Facility involving transforming DNA to bacteria, then to maize plants, and extracting DNA from transgenic maize leaf tissue for analysis.

Katie Lutz

High School Senior
Ames High School, Ames, IA
June 14 - July 23 2004

Sponser: Program for Women in Science and Engineering
Mentor: Jennifer McMurray
Project: Optimization of the starch extraction protocol and using that protocol to determine if the gamma zein promoter localizes proteins to the starch granules in transgenic maize kernels.

Kat Hudson

Middle School science teacher
June 21 - July 30 2004

Sponsor: RET
Mentor: Francois Torney
Project: Construction of a user friendly vector system for plant transformation.

Candice Long

High School Sophomore
Ames High School, Ames, IA
January 21 - May 14 2004

Sponsor: REU
Mentor: Sule Karaman
Project: Sub-cloning of the CTB gene (from Vibrio cholera) under the endosperm specific promoter (gamma zein promoter) for production of plant-derived vaccine in corn.

Penny Fang

High School Junior
Ames High School, Ames, IA
June - July 2003

Sponser: Program for Women in Science and Engineering
Mentor: Margie Paz
Project: To evaluate the growth of different Agrobacterium strains used in genetic transformation of plants, at wavelengths in the 550-650nm range and determine bacterial density.

Erin Thatcher

High School Junior
June - July 2003

Sponser: Program for Women in Science and Engineering
Mentor: Margie Paz
Project: To study some factors affecting soybean transformation including culture media of Agrobacterium, duration of seed sterilization prior to explant preparation, and rooting media.

Crystal Cordes

College Junior
University of Nebraska
June - July 2002

Sponsor: REU
Mentor: Huixia "Sylvia" Shou
Project: To determine the ion leakage (therefore, cold tolerance) of cold tolerant transgenic maize plants exposed to differing cold temperatures.

Amanda Ehrler

High School Junior
Bellevue High School, Bellevue, IA
June - July 2002

Sponser: Program for Women in Science and Engineering
Mentor: Margie Paz
Project: To determine an efficient surface sterilization method of soybean seeds, evaluation of cultivars to determine genotype(s) amenable to Agrobacterium-mediated transformation; and determine an Agrobacterium strain that efficiently infects soybean tissues for transformation.