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Canisius in the News

Katie Costanzo, PhD, assistant professor of biology, was quoted in more than 10 national and international media outlets about the traits that impact mosquitoes’ ability to transmit the Zika virus including infectioncontroltoday.com.

Click here to read more.

Submitted by: Public Relations

Spotlight on Service

S-Rural-and-Migrant-MinistriesDuring the first week of January, Canisius students had the opportunity to participate in Campus Ministry’s Winter Service Week. Participants committed to a preparation process S-Rural and Migrant Workers IMG_1607to engage in the four cornerstones of solidarity, simplicity, social justice and spirituality during their experience.

This year, eight Canisius College students and campus minister Sarah Signorino ’04, ’08, ’12 participated in an immersion experience with Rural and Migrant Ministries. The mission of Rural and Migrant Ministries is to provide accompaniment, youth empowerment and education to people who are disenfranchised, especially rural and farm workers.

S-Rural and Migrant Workers IMG_1619While immersion experiences are often associated with communities in other areas of the United States or abroad, this experience was much closer to home. The group journeyed to Wayne County, NY, to learn about the realities of farmworkers. They celebrated Tres Reyes (a three Kings celebration on the Epiphany), visited an apple packaging plant, saw two locally filmed documentaries about migrant workers and spoke with farmworkers, the Wayne County sheriff and attorneys from Rochester Legal Aid.

If you would like additional information about Winter Service Week or other service opportunities throughout the year, please contact Campus Ministry at Ext. 2420.

Submitted by: Sara Morris, associate vice president, academic affairs

Women’s Basketball Returns Home

Porter_MAACs_C563-132Your Golden Griffin women’s basketball team hosts a rare Monday night game this coming week as the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference’s first place quintet, Iona College, visits the Koessler Center. The Griffs and Gaels will tip it off at 7:00 p.m. on February 1.

For additional information, please visit www.GoGriffs.com.

Submitted by: John Maddock, associate athletic director, external affairs

Informally-Formal Chamber Recital

The next Informally-Formal Chamber Recital is this Tuesday, February 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Montante Cultural Center. This recital features the string quintet, which consists of a string quartet plus a double bass with Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) musicians Edmond Gnekow, double bass; Andrea Cone and Loren Silvertrust, violins; Janz Castelo, viola; and Eva Herer, cello. They will perform works by Onslow, Bottesini, Suk, and Milhaud.

The Informally-Formal Chamber Recital series provides an intimate setting where BPO musicians share their favorite chamber works through stories, art and music. A selection of coffee, tea and pastries is also available for audience members to enjoy during the performance.  Tickets are $15 general admission and $7 for students. They can be purchased online at canisius.edu/artscanisius-tickets or at the door. For more information, contact the Fine Arts/Music office at Ext. 2536.

Submitted by: Ellen Barnum, director, fine arts

Spotlight on Student-Faculty Collaboration

RESV

Elizabeth Hogan, PhD, associate professor of biology, is a developmental neurobiologist who combines her love of research with her love of teaching. She works closely with undergraduate students to learn more about nerve cell growth. During development and repair of the nervous system, nerve cells must grow a cellular process, called an axon, to reach and communicate with a specific target cell.

Dr. Hogan and Thomas (T.J.) Krzystek ’15 investigated whether a compound found in red wine, resveratrol, can affect nerve cell growth. Their research, which was presented by T.J. at the 2015 American Society for Cell Biology, showed that resveratrol enhanced nerve cell growth by targeting a structure within a part of the nerve called the growth cone, found at the tip of the growing nerve.

Future research in Dr. Hogan’s lab aims to evaluate whether resveratrol can be used to protect nerve cells from neurotoxins produced during Alzheimer’s disease. Inspired by his research project, T.J. will be attending a graduate PhD program beginning fall 2016 to pursue his passion for neuroscience research.  

Pictured above: A microscopic image of a growth cone, found at the end of a growing nerve cell (Red = F-actin, Green = microtubules).

Submitted by: Sara Morris, associate vice president, academic affairs