Evan Burchfiel '23Hey! My name is Evan Burchfiel, and I’m a junior from Houston, Texas. I’m pursuing a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in Spanish and Hispanic Studies. I joined Dr. Jeffries’s lab in the summer of 2021 where I have since been working on a project centered on validating a screening assay that looks to assess the estrogenic activity of certain chemicals prevalent in the aquatic environment. At TCU, I am a member of Sigma Chi, a tour guide, a tutor for the Chemistry Department, and part of the Alpha Phi Omega service group. When I’m not working in the lab, I like to run marathons, ski, DJ, travel, and play chess. In the future, I hope to attend medical school where I can use the knowledge gained in Dr. Jeffries’s lab to apply to other biological systems.
Kyle Horton '22Hello. My name is Kyle, and I am a senior Biology major from Camarillo, CA. I began research in the fall of 2020 and am working with Kahler and Dr. J on advancing the fathead minnow as an immunotoxicology model. Specifically, we are working on identifying a species of bacteria that we can pair with fathead minnows so that we can evaluate their immune responses. Research wise, I really enjoy the microbiology aspect of our project and working with the bacteria. I also enjoy taking breaks between research activities for "peanut butter banana time" because I like to eat – a lot. On campus, I am part of United Against Inequities in Disease and a Biology Department tutor. I am currently applying to medical schools and hope to attend the UC San Diego School of Medicine. In my free time, I like to surf and play sports such as beach volleyball and basketball.
|
Kahler Doyle '22Hey! My name is Kahler Doyle, and I am a Senior from Ann Arbor, Michigan. I am a Biology and Economics major and a Chemistry minor. I started working in the Jeffries lab during the Fall 2020 semester. In the lab, I am currently working on an Honors project with Kyle, another undergraduate student in the lab, and Dr. Jeffries. The aim of our project is to develop a new host-pathogen system for fathead minnows by growing and testing a series of bacterial strains and observing the response in the fish, with the hope that the new model can be used in future immunotoxicity testing. Outside of lab, I am involved in the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity, volunteer when I can, play basketball and run, and enjoy time with friends and family. After graduation, I plan to take a gap year and then go to medical school.
Colton Slabe '24Hi! My name is Colton Slabe, I am a current Senior from Cleveland, Ohio. I am a Biology major with minors in both Chemistry and Cultural Awareness in Healthcare. I am relatively new to the team but look forward to the wealth of opportunities and exciting projects that are in store for both the remainder of my last year at TCU and for at least one more year following graduation. At TCU I am a member of Delta Tau Delta, a teacher’s assistant for both general chemistry courses as well as biochemistry, the coordinator for the TCU Pre-Health Ambassadors, a peer guide for the Introduction to University Life course, as well as a Pre-Health Peer Mentor. During my free time I enjoy any outdoor activity I can think of and have especially grown to love pickleball and spike ball over the past year. After graduation I plan of taking a gap year where I can further my research interests as I apply to medical school.
|
Michaela Kelly '22My name is Michaela Kelly, and I’m a senior from Plymouth, Massachusetts. I am a Biology major and English minor. I joined the Jeffries’ lab in January 2021 to assist with a project that focuses on adapting more ethical alternatives for marine toxicity testing. The hope is that these alternatives can be applied in the oil industry while testing the toxicity of oil effluents. I’m working with another undergraduate student, Maddie, to test two of the most prevalent heavy metals in oil effluents: vanadium and nickel. Outside of lab, I’m a tutor in TCU’s Biology department, I’m an ambassador for the Honors College, and I’m a lifeguard at TCU’s Campus Recreation Center. I’m also a certified Emergency Medical Technician. I love sailing, especially racing, and learning how to make new foods. After graduation, I plan to stay in Fort Worth to take a gap year and apply to medical school.
Maddie Wiencek '22My name is Maddie Wiencek, and I am a senior undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Biology with Mathematics and Chemistry minors from Lee’s Summit, MO. Starting January 2021, I have been working in Dr. Jeffries’ lab on the Alternative Methods in Toxicity Testing project and I hope to learn more about developing alternative tests to our current standards, while focusing on the toxicity of nickel, which involves conducting 7-day tests on fish embryos and comparing the data to that obtained using standard testing procedures. On campus, I am involved in my sorority, Sigma Kappa, and I work as an intern at the Harris Emergency Room. I love to work out and spend time with my friends and family in my free time. In the future, I plan on attending medical school and moving permanently to Texas!
|