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January 25, 2005
One of North Dakota INBRE’s objectives is to increase the number of students from primarily undergraduate institutions who pursue advanced degrees in biomedical research. Mayville State is one of four baccalaureate institutions in North Dakota participating in the INBRE program. “When I came to Mayville in 1997, essentially there was no research here,” Gonnella says. “Now we’re working on developing tools that will help the molecular biologist in monitoring the copying of DNA and probing for genetic mutations.” Pamela Balch, president of Mayville State, says “Our motto is ‘The school of personal service,’ and this research provides an excellent opportunity for students to get hands-on experience that they haven’t had access to in the past. Given the difficulty that small schools have in hiring faculty to do research, we’re absolutely thrilled with the INBRE program.”
Gillispie is an adjunct professor at NDSU and the president of Dakota Technologies, Inc. (DTI) in Fargo. Gonnella and Gillispie found that they shared common research interests when he was a chemistry graduate student at NDSU and Gillispie chaired the chemistry department there. Later, Gonnella worked for Gillispie as a summer intern at DTI, a spin-off business based on technology developed at NDSU. Gonnella’s research uses specialized lasers to develop novel fluorescence methods for biomedical applications. Fluorescence is an analytical technique that examines the light given off by a substance as it absorbs energy. It provides information used in many tests and procedures in biomedical research. “What’s unique about Tom’s and DTI’s research is that in addition to the color of light emitted, we’re also looking at when the light comes out,” Gillispie notes. “We put in very short pulses of light – less than a billionth of a second – and then look over the next 10- or 20-billionths of a second after the light goes in to see when the light comes out. “That type of measurement is of great interest,” Gillispie explains. “Until recently, it has been a very difficult measurement to obtain.” The practical value of this to the medical and biomedical research communities is the ability to collect more data in less time in a more cost-effective and user-friendly manner. Gillispie and Gonnella foresee the day when an instrument in a doctor’s office or a clinic could be used to quickly and cheaply analyze the DNA in samples of blood, saliva and urine or a cheek swab. Cancer detection and testing the effectiveness of new drugs are also possibilities, they say. “Eventually, a physician will be able to run tests in the office and make rational decisions on what drug to prescribe,” Gillispie says. “For example, if a physician has a patient showing hypertension and there’s a question about which of the many medicines designed to treat the condition would work best, he can run a test and have a very good idea about what medicine would be most effective for that patient. That’s many years off, but it will happen.” Although thousands of scientists are involved in similar research, it doesn’t mean that Gonnella and his students can’t have an impact. “Tom and crew are playing a small, but hopefully significant, part,” Gillispie says. “The solution will likely come from contributions from all levels, including graduate programs, national labs and undergraduate institutions.”
Under the NCRR’s INBRE program, Mayville State will receive $984,000 in funding over the next five years. With strong backing from the university’s administration, this has enabled Gonnella to double his lab space, buy new equipment and recruit a molecular biologist to assist him. “With BRIN, I could give senior students a touch of research on their way out the door,” Gonnella says. “Now I can get away from that and get the freshmen and sophomores involved in research. Five years gives me more time to nurture these students and look at the long term.” Gonnella also has access to researchers at NDSU, UND and in the private sector through DTI, providing his students with a wide variety of research experiences. “It adds to their background by helping them figure out what kind of career they want,” Gillispie explains. “They need to see scientists in action at the graduate level and beyond.” Gonnella agrees, and adds, “At DTI, students can see that their researchers are doing the same sort of things we are. I think it’s a valuable part of the students’ education.” “The students who fully avail themselves of the opportunity will have an incredible experience,” Gillispie observes. “To be able to interact with two research universities and small business, boy, that just doesn’t happen very often.” Contact information: Patrick Miller, public information professional, North Dakota INBRE, (701) 777-6377 or pmiller@medicine.nodak.edu Beth Swenson, public relations officer, Mayville State University, (701) 788-4750 or BETH_SWENSON@mayvillestate.edu Download high-resolution photos: |
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“They may not be on the clock, but they’re in the lab anyway,” explains Gonnella, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry and physics. “When I see students there – choosing to be in the lab because of the environment – I know that it’s a good place to have undergraduates.”
Greg Gillispie, Ph.D., Gonnella’s INBRE research mentor, says “One of the neat things for the Mayville State students is that they have access to cutting-edge technology that almost no one else has.”
Gonnella began to involve seniors in his research under the North Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (BRIN), funded by the NIH National Center for Research Resources (NCRR). BRIN began late in 2001 and ended in July 2004. 
