Biology Archives - Sattler College https://sattler.edu/blog/tag/biology/ Equipping Jesus' Peaceful Revolution Mon, 04 Mar 2024 16:56:49 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://sattler.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/favicon.png Biology Archives - Sattler College https://sattler.edu/blog/tag/biology/ 32 32 Our Ally, Bacteria – Episode 009 https://sattler.edu/blog/our-ally-bacteria-episode-009/ https://sattler.edu/blog/our-ally-bacteria-episode-009/#respond Mon, 04 Mar 2024 16:53:16 +0000 https://sattler.edu/?p=10620 Don’t miss a future episode. Subscribe wherever you get podcasts! Dr. Nelson Chepkwony began studying microbiology after bacteria in crops caused an outbreak of disease in his native Kenya. He has been admiring the beauty and complexity of microorganisms ever since. In this episode, he talks with Zack Johnson about his academic journey, helping African students study in North America, and growing faith in secular academic environments. He also shares some of the benefits bacteria bring us, including preventing cancer, teaching us new engineering techniques, and helping us make insulin and cheese. Dr. Nelson Chepkwony holds a Ph.D. in Microbiology from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from Cornell University. His research focuses on bacterial adhesives and biofilm formation, aiming to develop synthetic bioadhesives for various applications. With a background in microbiology supervision and quality control, Nelson has also contributed to industry standards in food and pharmaceutical testing. Committed to education and mentorship, he has taught microbiology courses, tutored undergraduates, and spearheaded mentorship programs for African students. Outside academia, Nelson is actively involved in Christian fellowship and enjoys soccer, travel, and herding cattle in his native Kenya. Learn more about studying human biology at Sattler College. Mentioned in this episode: Chapters: 0:04 Microbiology Research and Career Path6:32 Mentoring International Students in Academia14:14 Faith, Education, and Microbiology28:41 Harmony Between Science and Faith34:42 Education and Faith Discussions at Sattler Transcript This transcript has been auto generated and likely contains errors. Zack Johnson: 0:04 It is February 8th, 2024, and I’m here with Dr Nelson Chepkwony. Thank you so much for being here with me today. Nelson Chepkwony : 0:11 I am so excited. Zack Johnson: 0:12 Yeah, me, I am as well, and moving forward is okay if I call you Nelson throughout this, we can just have a conversation. So I usually love to just read through people’s bios. I was looking at your bio and I might need some help pronouncing a couple things, because you’re in the realm of microbiology, those are your passions and I am not, so I always need corrected. Are you ready to go? Yep, all right. Dr Nelson Chepkwony received his bachelor’s of science in biological sciences from Cornell University and his PhD in microbiology from Indiana University. Nelson has worked as a post-doctoral fellow and research scientist at okay, you’re going to have to say this from Canada and French. Nelson Chepkwony : 0:56 University of Montreal. Zack Johnson: 0:58 In Quebec, canada. That didn’t sound French to me, but there’s some accents on it. He has researched extensively how bacteria attach the surfaces and form biofilms, with a specific focus on the synthesis and properties of bacterial adhesives, or holdfast, and their adaptation to different ionic environments marine versus freshwater. His research aims in part to develop synthetic bioadhesives in order to eliminate biofouling and corrosion and improve adhesive uses on wet surfaces. Wow, yeah, anything you have to say about that, or explain that part of your bio to somebody who doesn’t know what I just read. Nelson Chepkwony : 1:42 Yeah, that is mouthful, but in just very layman terms is bacteria want to stick to service, so they produce a very specific glue. And my interest is actually how can we mimic that glue and be able to use it in medicine in binding things the way we usually use other glues? Usually most glue don’t work in wet surfaces, but the bacteria have engineered a way of doing it and it’s amazing that we can leverage that and people to synthesize the glue that can work in different environments. Zack Johnson: 2:17 Wow, I have a hunch that when you began your college studies that wasn’t one of your passions. So can you tell me a little bit about the journey to how you specialized throughout your studies and just sort of the path that your research took you on and how you chose to study that particular topic? Nelson Chepkwony : 2:41 Yeah, so I’ve been passionate about research since high school. But when I joined Cornell University for my biology program, my advisor, dr Rebecca Nelson, was doing studying Aflatoxin. Toxins are like toxins that are produced by some fungus that poison food. The Aflatoxin had an impact in Kenya sometime in 2003. It killed about 40 people. So when I saw our lab was studying how this toxin can be prevented, I was excited about research and that is how that was the gateway to research. So I worked with her studying how Aflatoxin is produced. It’s produced by this aspergillus flavors just fungus and then eventually that was for my own anesthesies. But eventually, when I was now after graduation, when I wanted to kind of focus, I look at the labs and I was also looking for something that had application. So when I look at bacteria how people use bacteria to produce different components I saw that those group in Indiana was studying how bacteria stick to surfaces and how we can not really mimic that bacteria to produce a synthetic glue. That is important. That’s how I end up now moving from studying the Aflatoxin to more friendly, because the water bacteria that I produce are friendly. You don’t have to worry about the toxins. So that’s how I was drawn now into the field of studying microbes and the interest was like how can we leverage bacteria to be our own allies? Most people think bacteria is some pathogenic that causes disease, but when I read actually the description in this Indiana website, we’re saying that actually we can make this as allies to help us develop new things like nuclear, new components. So that’s how I end up moving from studying the Aflatoxins to now to bacteria. Zack Johnson: 4:43 And what like as a young person. How many years did it take you to sort of develop that? To me it sounds like a very specific research topic, and my guess is […]

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]]> https://sattler.edu/blog/our-ally-bacteria-episode-009/feed/ 0 A Journey into Medicine: A Conversation with Sattler Alumni Joy Weiler https://sattler.edu/blog/a-journey-into-medicine-with-joy-weiler/ https://sattler.edu/blog/a-journey-into-medicine-with-joy-weiler/#respond Thu, 31 Aug 2023 21:44:24 +0000 https://sattler.edu/?p=9326 We recently interviewed one of Sattler College’s recent alumni, Joy Weiler, who was accepted into Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey Pennsylvania and has embarked on her journey into medical school. Join us as we learn about how she found her passion in medicine and how Sattler College prepared her for her future.

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]]> https://sattler.edu/blog/a-journey-into-medicine-with-joy-weiler/feed/ 0 A Christian Perspective on Pursuing a Medical Career: A Conversation with Sattler Alumni David Dodson https://sattler.edu/blog/a-christian-perspective-on-pursuing-a-medical-career-a-conversation-with-sattler-alumni-david-dodson/ https://sattler.edu/blog/a-christian-perspective-on-pursuing-a-medical-career-a-conversation-with-sattler-alumni-david-dodson/#respond Thu, 02 Feb 2023 21:54:00 +0000 https://sattler.edu/?p=9319 Congratulations are in order for David Dodson, Sattler College biology Alumnus 2022, who has recently been accepted into medical school. In this blog post, we delve deeply into his perspective on medicine and Christianity, how his Sattler College experience has prepared him for the journey to medical school, and advice he has for aspiring medical students.

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