Dr. Carol E. Hepfer

Education:

B.A., Wilson College
Ph.D., Bryn Mawr College

Courses Taught:

BIOL 100 – General Biology
BIOL 205 – Heredity and Human Affairs
BIOL 365 – Genetics
BIOL 462 – Molecular Biology
BIOL 466 – Cell and Molecular Techniques

Areas of Specialization:

Genetics, cell and molecular biology

Research Interest(s):

My research (done in collaboration with Dr. Ralph Keil, Hershey Medical Center) focuses on a gene named DEG1 that is involved in mitotic recombination in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Using molecular biology techniques, my students and I successfully cloned this gene and developed yeast strains with diverse forms of DEG1. We are evaluating strains with DEG1 deletions, point mutations, and excess amounts of the DEG1 gene product to determine how these changes impact recombination rates, resistance to elevated temperatures, levels of RNA transcripts, and pseudouridyl synthetase activity. This analysis should provide insight into the mechanisms and pathways involved in recombination, DNA repair and genome maintenance. Student participants gain valuable experience in the scientific process, in genetic analysis, and in techniques such as PCR, restriction mapping, bacterial and yeast transformation, in vitro mutagenesis, and phenotype screening.

Selected Publication(s):

1999. Effects of DEG1 mutations on HOT1-dependent genetic recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae do not result solely from changes in transcription. Molecular Biology of the Cell 10 (S) : 93a. (with H. Fogell, R. Prusty, S. DiBartolomeis, and R. Keil).

1995. DNA Fingerprinting: Laboratory Exercise, Teacher's Notes and Essay. Biotechnology Laboratory Manual, Addison-Welsey Publishers. (with J. B. Piperberg and G. M. Farganis).

1993. Recovery of heterotrophic soil bacteria guilds from transient gasoline pollution. Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Materials. 3:267-273 (with K. Baker and M. Diltz).

1993. An introduction to DNA fingerprinting. American Biology Teacher 55: 216-221. (with J. Piperberg and G. Farganis).