USU Undergrad Biochemist Awarded American Heart Association Fellowship

Junior biochemistry major Owen Price chose Utah State University as his college destination because he wanted to get involved in research.

“I heard about USU’s synthetic spider silk research and other opportunities and wanted to give it a try,” says Price, who graduated from Davis High School in 2010.

The Kaysville, Utah, native says, initially, his classes seemed quite daunting.

“Like a lot of freshman, I felt like I was in over my head,” Price says.

His faculty mentor, Joanie Hevel, associate professor in USU’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, saw something else.

“I chose Owen to participate in my research out of my freshman, first semester chemistry class based on the type of questions he asked during class and his academic performance,” Hevel says. “Owen’s been working in my lab since his freshman year and, out of all the students I have trained, he is the most proactive. He takes the initiative to search the scientific literature for answers without being told.”

Price’s perseverance and academic curiosity have paid off. He received a 2014 American Health Association Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship that includes a $6,000 stipend plus $500 in project support. Price submitted a scientific report of his research to the AHA’s Western States Affiliates conference held in Salt Lake City in August and plans to share his findings during other USU undergraduate research presentation events during the coming year. He and Hevel have submitted a manuscript detailing his research to a peer-reviewed science journal.

“The work I’ve been doing confirms that research is what I really like and where I see my future,” Price says.

“Owen is investigating oxidative stress, something we all battle as we age and a condition that contributes to poor cardiovascular health,” Hevel says. “Specifically, he’s exploring how oxidative stress affects an enzyme in our blood called Protein arginine N-methyltransferase 1 or ‘PRMT1.’”

PRMT1 plays an important role in a number of biological processes, including gene transcription and DNA repair. In addition to cardiovascular disease, Price says, the enzyme’s dysfunction is implicated in a number of human diseases, including cancer, kidney disease and diabetes. The Hevel Lab’s findings could aid efforts to develop new drugs to inhibit these illnesses.

“We’ve demonstrated PRMT1 activity is reversibly hindered by mild oxidative stress in vitro,” he says. “My project was aimed at optimizing an assay that would allow us to test whether PRMT1 activity is also sensitive to oxidative stress in living cells.”

Beyond the lab, Price serves as an officer for USU’s student chapter of the American Chemical Society, known as the “USU Chem Club.” He’s helped with a number of science outreach projects, including the popular “Exploding Pumpkins” demo at the College of Science’s recent Science Unwrapped event.

“Science outreach is really important to give kids and teens an idea of what science and research are all about,” he says. “I remember seeing science demos as a kid and they really blew my mind.”

During 2014 Science Week Nov. 3-7, the Cache Valley community will have an opportunity to view the USU Chem Club’s science demo arsenal during the Nov. 6 “Battle of the Scientists: Chemists vs. Physicists.” During the event, which starts at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Eccles Science Learning Center Emert Auditorium (Room 130), guests will watch the USU Chem Club vie with USU’s Society of Physics Students chapter for the most spectacular science demonstrations. Admission is free and all ages are welcome.

“The physicists don’t stand a chance,” Price says.

USU College of Science

Contact: Joanie Hevel, 435-797-1622, joanie.hevel@usu.edu

Writer: Mary-Ann Muffoletto, 435-797-3517, maryann.muffoletto@usu.edu