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Lori Banks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nTitle<\/strong>: Assistant Professor of Biology<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoined Bates<\/strong>: 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\nDate Photographed<\/strong>: Nov. 30 and Dec. 3<\/p>\n\n\n\nShe says<\/strong>: \u201cWhen you put the right opportunity in front of a student, you see their personality change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nAssistant Professor of Biology Lori Banks teaches in a Bonney Science Center classroom and conducts research in a Bonney lab. But the science she pursues is everywhere, \u201cwhether it\u2019s mathematical modeling or physics in a pressure cooker in somebody\u2019s kitchen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In her lab, Lori Banks and her student researchers explore preclinical drug development, \u201cmostly in the area of antimicrobials for both bacteria and viruses,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019m sort of a hybrid microbiologist \/ biochemist.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2022\/05\/211203_Bonney_Lori_Banks_Thesis_Students_0054_3000.webp\")
In the Banks lab in Bonney Science Center on Dec. 3, 2021, student researchers Clara Porter \u201922 (left) of Portland, Ore., and Maddie Feldmeier \u201922 (center) of Palo Alto, Calf., join Assistant Professor of Biology Lori Banks to look at how mutations affect the function of important viral proteins. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nAmong her current projects is one looking at the workings of a specific non-structural protein in rotavirus. (Viruses use non-structural protein to replicate themselves, among other purposes.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the classroom, Banks teaches courses that explore the cellular basis of life as well as cellular biochemistry and microbiology. Next fall, she\u2019ll teach one of the department’s new CURE courses, delivering a Course-Based Research Experience, looking at microbes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a teacher, Banks says she \u201cdefinitely draws a lot from Ms. Frizzle,\u201d referencing the fictional elementary school teacher of The Magic School Bus<\/em> edutainment fame. (Fun fact: The theme song for the TV series was sung by Little Richard.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cShe’s just sort of this free spirit science teacher whose magic bus can take her class out to space or shrink them and let them watch molecules interact inside of a baking cake.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Silly stuff, but serious intent. \u201cTo encourage people to do stuff, get your hands in it. Let them get messy. That’s how you’re really going to learn things and retain the information.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To that end, Banks\u2019 cellular biochemistry last fall had a heaping helping of community engagement, as the students helped a Lewiston Middle School class learn about the value of a healthy, vitamin-rich diet. The course culminated in a recipe contest, the youngsters choosing an omelet dish<\/a> as their favorite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2022\/05\/211130_Bonney_Lori_Banks_Classroom_0073_3000.webp\")
On Nov. 30, 2021, Banks goes over logistics for a Lewiston Middle School recipe contest that her cellular biochemistry students helped support. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nBanks also works with the STEM Scholars program, which helps students from underrepresented groups who are interested in pursuing science or math begin to think like, and believe in themselves as young scientists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The best part about teaching, Banks says, is providing what she calls a \u201clanding pad, a safe environment for them to screw up some stuff and figure it out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Banks landing pad means that a student, after failing, can back up and try again or try something new. \u201cYou see a student trudge through a few things for a couple of weeks, and they\u2019ll say, \u2018That’s really not my jam. I don’t ever want to do this again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Banks will talk with the discouraged student, giving them a chance to reflect on what happened. From that, Banks might suggest a different area of science. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd when you put the right opportunity in front of them, you just see their whole personality change. They’re like, \u2018I didn’t know they made this part of science before, but I’m glad they did. I want to go play!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nAndrew Kennedy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nTitle<\/strong>: Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoined Bates<\/strong>: 2016<\/p>\n\n\n\nDate Photographed<\/strong>: Nov. 17, 2021<\/p>\n\n\n\nHe says<\/strong>: \u201cBates students can walk right over to their own high-field NMR instrument and analyze their own data.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe newspaper story was incredulous: \u201cPut one drop of blood in a barrel of water and toxicologist, Joseph B. Swim, San Francisco toxicologist, can detect it. He uses 3- aminophthalhydrazide. He can even pronounce it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That was in 1937, when crime investigators first began using the chemical compound, commonly known as luminol (not to be confused with the barbiturate Luminal) to detect blood at crime scenes. Luminol is chemiluminescent, meaning it glows when it chemically reacts to something, in this case the iron in hemoglobin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the 1937 story noted, and Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Andrew Kennedy confirms today, \u201ceven small amounts of iron will emit light, making the presence of blood easy to detect.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2022\/05\/211117_Bonney_Andrew_Kennedy_Lab_0069_3000.webp\")
Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Andrew Kennedy works with Oli Seline \u201924 of Delaware, Ohio, during an organic lab session on Nov. 17, 2021. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nOn a Wednesday afternoon last November, Kennedy was teaching his organic chemistry students how to synthesize their own batches of luminol, a multistep process involving a few chemicals plus heat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As he moved about the lab, he stopped to guide Oli Seline \u201924 of Delaware, Ohio, with her experimental setup, specifically how to correctly position her reaction tube, like a test tube, over a Bunsen burner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Later, in a darkened area just off the first-floor teaching laboratory of the Bonney Science Center, Jake Johnson \u201924 of Lake Forest Park, Wash., tested whether the luminol he had synthesized in the teaching lab would successfully detect iron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/files\/2022\/05\/211117_Bonney_Andrew_Kennedy_Lab_0616A_3000.webp\")
As Kennedy looks on, Jake Johnson \u201924 of Lake Forest Park, Wash., tests if the luminol he had synthesized in the organic chemistry teaching lab would successfully detect iron. The glow indicates that it does. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nAnd it did. As he poured mixtures from two beakers, one containing luminol and the other an iron complex, into a funnel, the mixture began glowing as it flowed into a larger beaker. Seeing was believing for Johson. \u201cIt was fascinating to see an actual reaction,\u201d said Johnson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Title<\/strong>: Assistant Professor of Biology<\/p>\n\n\n\n Joined Bates<\/strong>: 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n Date Photographed<\/strong>: Nov. 30 and Dec. 3<\/p>\n\n\n\n She says<\/strong>: \u201cWhen you put the right opportunity in front of a student, you see their personality change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Assistant Professor of Biology Lori Banks teaches in a Bonney Science Center classroom and conducts research in a Bonney lab. But the science she pursues is everywhere, \u201cwhether it\u2019s mathematical modeling or physics in a pressure cooker in somebody\u2019s kitchen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In her lab, Lori Banks and her student researchers explore preclinical drug development, \u201cmostly in the area of antimicrobials for both bacteria and viruses,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019m sort of a hybrid microbiologist \/ biochemist.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Among her current projects is one looking at the workings of a specific non-structural protein in rotavirus. (Viruses use non-structural protein to replicate themselves, among other purposes.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the classroom, Banks teaches courses that explore the cellular basis of life as well as cellular biochemistry and microbiology. Next fall, she\u2019ll teach one of the department’s new CURE courses, delivering a Course-Based Research Experience, looking at microbes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As a teacher, Banks says she \u201cdefinitely draws a lot from Ms. Frizzle,\u201d referencing the fictional elementary school teacher of The Magic School Bus<\/em> edutainment fame. (Fun fact: The theme song for the TV series was sung by Little Richard.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShe’s just sort of this free spirit science teacher whose magic bus can take her class out to space or shrink them and let them watch molecules interact inside of a baking cake.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Silly stuff, but serious intent. \u201cTo encourage people to do stuff, get your hands in it. Let them get messy. That’s how you’re really going to learn things and retain the information.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n To that end, Banks\u2019 cellular biochemistry last fall had a heaping helping of community engagement, as the students helped a Lewiston Middle School class learn about the value of a healthy, vitamin-rich diet. The course culminated in a recipe contest, the youngsters choosing an omelet dish<\/a> as their favorite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Banks also works with the STEM Scholars program, which helps students from underrepresented groups who are interested in pursuing science or math begin to think like, and believe in themselves as young scientists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The best part about teaching, Banks says, is providing what she calls a \u201clanding pad, a safe environment for them to screw up some stuff and figure it out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Banks landing pad means that a student, after failing, can back up and try again or try something new. \u201cYou see a student trudge through a few things for a couple of weeks, and they\u2019ll say, \u2018That’s really not my jam. I don’t ever want to do this again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Banks will talk with the discouraged student, giving them a chance to reflect on what happened. From that, Banks might suggest a different area of science. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd when you put the right opportunity in front of them, you just see their whole personality change. They’re like, \u2018I didn’t know they made this part of science before, but I’m glad they did. I want to go play!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Title<\/strong>: Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry<\/p>\n\n\n\n Joined Bates<\/strong>: 2016<\/p>\n\n\n\n Date Photographed<\/strong>: Nov. 17, 2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n He says<\/strong>: \u201cBates students can walk right over to their own high-field NMR instrument and analyze their own data.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The newspaper story was incredulous: \u201cPut one drop of blood in a barrel of water and toxicologist, Joseph B. Swim, San Francisco toxicologist, can detect it. He uses 3- aminophthalhydrazide. He can even pronounce it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That was in 1937, when crime investigators first began using the chemical compound, commonly known as luminol (not to be confused with the barbiturate Luminal) to detect blood at crime scenes. Luminol is chemiluminescent, meaning it glows when it chemically reacts to something, in this case the iron in hemoglobin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As the 1937 story noted, and Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Andrew Kennedy confirms today, \u201ceven small amounts of iron will emit light, making the presence of blood easy to detect.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n On a Wednesday afternoon last November, Kennedy was teaching his organic chemistry students how to synthesize their own batches of luminol, a multistep process involving a few chemicals plus heat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As he moved about the lab, he stopped to guide Oli Seline \u201924 of Delaware, Ohio, with her experimental setup, specifically how to correctly position her reaction tube, like a test tube, over a Bunsen burner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Later, in a darkened area just off the first-floor teaching laboratory of the Bonney Science Center, Jake Johnson \u201924 of Lake Forest Park, Wash., tested whether the luminol he had synthesized in the teaching lab would successfully detect iron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And it did. As he poured mixtures from two beakers, one containing luminol and the other an iron complex, into a funnel, the mixture began glowing as it flowed into a larger beaker. Seeing was believing for Johson. \u201cIt was fascinating to see an actual reaction,\u201d said Johnson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nAndrew Kennedy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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