Northwestern undergraduate students, Emma Baumgardner and Eduardo Costa de Andrade, have been named the 2024-25 recipients of the Chemistry of Life Processes Institute‘s Chicago Area Undergraduate Research Symposium Award. Each will receive $1,000 for the supplies and services needed for their research projects. As a CLP CAURS awardee, they will present their research in April 2025 at the annual Chicago Area Undergraduate Research Symposium (CAURS) 

What is the focus of your summer research project?

Project title: Enzyme-decorated Spiky Gold Nanoparticles in Drug Delivery Applications

Over the summer, I worked on modeling gold nanoparticles and exploring what the nanoparticle surface looks like. For this project, we’re looking at how the shapes of these particles can influence the activity of enzymes, specifically those used in different enzyme-based therapies. Our nanoparticles are star-shaped instead of the more common round ones. Since our nanoparticles have tips and different regions of curvature, they can interact with enzymes differently than a spherical one would. This may lead to having more enzymes on the surface or more favorable enzyme activity. The goal is to potentially be able to deliver enzyme-based therapies for conditions like cancer and metabolic deficiencies better and more efficiently.

What interested you in this line of research?

I came to Northwestern with my heart set on doing organic chemistry research, mostly for the application to biology, which is pretty far from what I’m doing right now. I love the exactness of physical chemistry, but I still like it having an application outside of the research that I’m doing. The potential for this to be used in some therapy for cancer down the line is really exciting for me personally knowing that my research can have an impact on more than just the scientific community.

Do you know what you want to do when you graduate?

I’m not totally sure yet—probably either graduate school or medical school with a focus on research.

Why did you apply for the CLP CAURS Program?

I wanted a chance to practice doing a project on my own and then to present that work. My mentor Leo encouraged me to take a project into my own hands and follow through from start to finish.

What do you like to do when you’re not studying or in the lab?

I really like to run along the lakefront—anything outdoors.

What is the focus of your summer research project?

Project title: Discovery and characterization of GABA-Glutamate antiporters in Bacillus subtilis reveal intracellular GABA cycling and homeostasis

I’m studying a particular bacteria called Bacillus subtilis which usually exists in the soil, but it can also be found in humans. Bacillus subtilis produces and interacts with a chemical called GABA, a neurotransmitter chemical found in the brain. We are trying to understand the bacteria’s role in GABA metabolism. The presence or absence of GABA-producing bacteria in certain model organisms can alter their brain activity. This research may inform future studies about the role of GABA-producing bacteria in human health.

What interested you in this line of research?

I love being in nature and thinking about the interconnectivity of everything. The idea that bacteria can exchange nutrients with each other and have this symbiotic relationship was super fascinating to me and is what drew me to the Prindle lab.

Do you know what you want to do when you graduate?

I hope to work in biosecurity and pandemic prevention. There’s a lot of really cool companies involved in vaccine development and other things that make us more resilient to disease.

Why did you apply for the CLP CAURS Program?

I applied for a couple reasons. First, the lab has given me such a valuable opportunity by taking me on and spending so much time training me. I thought it would be nice to give them a little money back.  I’m also glad for the opportunity to present my research at the conference next spring.

What do you like to do when you’re not studying or in the lab?

I play a lot of basketball and soccer. I also like reading, drawing and cooking. There’s a particular dish called Cartola from the area of Brazil that I’m from in the northeast in which you fry a banana, butter and cheese together, which throws a lot of people off, but it’s a great combination.

by Lisa La Vallee