DNA at DuPont

Senior Sarah Tursi performs her summer research in the Dupont lab in Wilmington, Delaware.
By Aubrey Hastings
Student Life Editor

Senior Sarah Tursi is another WC science student who forfeited the beach for the love of research this summer. Tursi served as a research intern at the DuPont Experimental Station located in Wilmington, DE.

Agricultural biotechnology and crop genetics was Tursi’s designated area of research. She focused on the output traits of soybeans specifically, putting to use all she has learned thus far in environmental studies courses at WC.

Tursi had the privilege and honor to work alongside researchers who have made numerous contributions to the scientific community. The team director, Knut Meyer, who holds a doctorate degree in the sciences, has published many scientific articles, including ‘Conjugated fatty acids accumulate to high level in phospholipids of metabolically engineered soybean and Arabidopsis seeds.’ Howard Damude, who also holds a degree in the science field, and Kevin Stecca who currently hold over five scientific patents for genetic engineered constucts were also among those Tursi worked alongside.

“I had the opportunity to work many projects that involved procedures such as E.coli Mediated Cloning, Genomic DNA Extraction of Soybean Leaves for Molecular Analysis, and RNA Extraction and Formaldehyde Agarose Gel Electrophoresis,” said Tursi.

Tursi even pursued her own independent project titled ‘Diglyceride Acyltransferase II (DGAT II) Bioassay of Soybean Somatic Embryos using 14C Radioisotope Labeling.’ She even took the project a step further and professionally presented the research at a summer conference to other DuPont researchers.

“I had an amazing summer experience. It has further increased my interest in the field of scientific research, while realizing the miracles of science. I must thank Dr. Rosemary Ford, Associate Professor of Biology, for her encouragement for pursuing this internship,” said Tursi.

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