Deep River resident Janna Moen, receives grant for biology research at Saint Anselm College

MANCHESTER, NH (12/20/2013)(readMedia)-- Saint Anselm senior Janna Moen of Deep River, Conn., has received a research grant to continue her work of identifying potential target proteins in oncogenic, or cancerous cells. Through the New Hampshire Idea Networking of Biomedical Research Excellence (NH-INBRE) grant, the biology major uses a lab at Saint Anselm College to study nine different strains of yeast with abnormal amounts of genetic material.

"This extra genetic material is typically fatal, and we want to find out if these strains express different proteins in different levels," Moen says.

In her research Moen compares cancerous strains of yeast to their wild-type counterparts. So far she has found several different proteins of interest. The next step is to purify and definitively identify these proteins.

She explains that the proteins, once identified, could serve as targets of medications and treatments. "Cancer cells in all organisms are generally characterized by excess genetic material, and we hope that our work may someday be applicable to cancer treatment."

Last summer she interned in another biochemistry lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and this semester at Saint Anselm College, she has worked closely with biology professors Dr. Stephen Tobin and Dr. Robert Vallari, whose research focuses on alterations of cellular signaling cascades and how they contribute to the development of human breast and ovarian cancer.

"I want a career in biochemical research and Dr. Tobin and Vallari have provided me with an incredible amount of support and guidance. They challenge me to learn new skills and apply them in the lab, and they are more than willing to assist me when I need help."

Moen will spend the rest of her senior year conducting research with Drs. Tobin and Vallari and applying to graduate school for a Ph.D. in an area of biomedical science.

"I love knowing that I'm currently investigating something that nobody else has before. It helps me feel as if I can make a positive contribution to the real world and change people's lives for the better."

The INBRE grant is intended to strengthen biomedical research experiences for students at undergraduate colleges by partnering them with faculty who specialize in the field of the student's interest. Moen was one of 11 Saint Anselm students to receive the grant.

Saint Anselm College is a Catholic, Benedictine liberal arts college located in Manchester, N.H.