CUSE Spotlights
GVSU Students present at Venom Week 2022 in Arizona
Elizabeth Kennard ('23) and Dannah Janke ('22) (Biochemistry majors), and Allison Soffa ('22) (BMS and Art double major, did not attend) presented their poster entitled: DESIGN OF NEW EXPRESSION VECTORS TO PRODUCE PLA2 AND SVMP INHIBITORS FROM THE NORTH AMERICAN OPOSSUM IN BACTERIA at Venom Week 2022 in Arizona.
The poster was well attended, and they got to interact with numerous global experts in the Toxinology field who grilled them with detailed questions about their work. Both Elizabeth and Dannah represented the Chemistry Department and GVSU very well. Their poster acknowledged the OURS office, the Chemistry Department, and GVSU for research and travel support.
This photo shows Dannah holding an Arizona bark scorpion. Under a black light, this type of scorpion lights up like a Christmas tree and this is the method used to find them in the wild at night. The sting of this species is painful but is not fatal and it is quite docile as long as you don't step on them or approach them aggressively from the front. The heat from human skin contact appears to calm them as well. Note that Dannah was brave enough to hold the scorpion under the supervision of Cale Morris (Venom Manager, Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary) and she was thankfully not stung.
Interest Area(s)
Biochemistry, Chemistry
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