1. Stephanie Melton |Biotechnology
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Past Work
The past work I have done in my undergraduate and graduate career is very diverse
ranging from scientific topics, such as organic chemical research, to a more clinical base like
nutritional therapy plans. As an undergraduate, I was part of the School of Honors and had to
either take honor level courses or contract with a current professor to do a research project. To
get more hands on experience with the subjects I was being taught I always opted for the
research contracts.
My research contracts included writing analyses over statistical methods and real life
modeling, developed appendixes of local plant species around Nacogdoches Texas, and I wrote
research analysis papers over student progression in organic chemical lab techniques
developing lidocaine. I have experience observing biological ultrastructure using both the
transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope. I used the scanning
electron microscope to observe E. coli exposed to different solutions (isopropanol, glucose, and
butanol) during growth.
On the more medical side, I developed a dietary meal plan for adults with
phenylketonuria (PKU). Treatment for PKU is geared towards children and not adults because
their brain development is compromised. Recent studies showed that lifetime treatment is
more beneficial for PKU patients to keep their mental health sharp and from deteriorating at a
faster rate. The meal plan I developed included the calculated daily nutritional needs for an
average adult women.
On top of the honor’s contacts I made in my undergrad, I also paired with an organic
chemist, Dr. Jeffery Arlen in the Department of Chemistry at SFA, to develop a high yield,
nontoxic method to synthesize -chloro-2,6-dimethylacetanilide. Traditional methods include
reflux in toluene for 90 minutes and results on average only 50% yield. We increased the yields
to 95-99%, using acetanilide and diethylamine, and heating the reaction with a microwave at
68°C for 30 minutes.
In a field research class with ecologist Dr. Donald Burt, microbiologist Dr. Jason Fritzler,
and herpetologist Dr. Matthew Kwiatkowski, I was part of team of students that mapped the
territories of male painted buntings at the Alazan Bayou Wildlife Management Area in
Nacogdoches Texas. To verify the territories we drew samples of the male bunting and
fledglings then compared SNP markers to check for paternal relationship. The techniques that
were used were some of my first experiences in physical research and biotechnology
applications.
My final year of undergrad, I evaluated the methods and results of the thesis
Determination of the threatened Hibiscus dasycalyx as Species or Hybrid of Hibiscus laevis
and/or Hibiscus moscheutos completed by a previous biotechnology graduate student. With
this thesis I researched the methods of Next Generation Sequencing and practiced grant writing
for NSF. I gained great insight into sequencing methods, NCBI databases, and the style of
writing that grant committees look for in proposals.
Upon my entrance into the biotechnology program at Stephen F. Austin State
University, I have gained experience with different types of PCR, vector transformation, primer

2. Stephanie Melton |Biotechnology
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designing, microarrays, protein kinetics, and bioinformatics. I have worked on RNA extraction
and purification, western blots, and antibody labeling. Helped transfer Dr. Beatrice Clack’s
patented biotin gene into a new vector with chaperones. In addition to the biotechnology
classes I have also taken biostatistics where I have gained experience in SAS and JMP software.
My current thesis, Identification of the Recognition Sequence in Gluten by the Prolyl
Endoprotease of Eurygaster integriceps, has enabled me to gain experience in 2D
electrophoresis, protein purification, sequencing databases, and operating a MALDI-TOF Mass
Spectrometer. The overall objective in my research is to advance knowledge and
understanding of the recognition sequences of the Sunn pest prolyl endoprotease (spPEP)
within its natural substrate, gluten, as well as provide information towards the development of
peptide inhibitors. If funds will allow me, in the summer of 2016, I will travel to Morocco to
meet with Dr. Mustapha El-Bouhassini, my collaborator who is the senior entomologist at the
International Center for Agriculture in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), , to test the inhibitors in the
research field.
Outside of classwork, I have a strong background of student engagement and student
academic success. I worked in residence life for 4 years as a residence assistant proposing and
developing monthly educational engaging programs for students to combat low retention rates.
I developed strong communication skills, emergency preparedness, and encouraged a lot of the
students to work in our research labs.
In the teaching aspect of my career, I was a certified genetic tutor at the Academic
Assistance and Resource Center (AARC) for two years, and taught human biology and zoology
labs in the Biology Department at SFASU. The genetics course that I tutored was an advanced
class that every biology, pre-professional, and nutrition student had to take to advance in their
degree program. I gained a lot of teaching skills by tutoring a wide range of students from the
Agricultural Department to Biochemistry majors. Also, AARC had the option, which I took, to
get certified by attending teaching seminars and workshops.
Currently with my research, I have an undergraduate student under my supervision to
aid me in my work. I put this upon myself to teach them to think independently, gain
confidence with lab techniques and preparing solutions, and attend all the seminars in the
department and surrounding areas. Undergraduate research is essential for a student to be
successful in finding a career path and to gain experience for employers.
Overall, my research experience is very broad because I want to be exposed to every field and
relate them to each other. There is always a central relationship that can be studied and
combined to find answers to the overall question.