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Printer-Friendly ModeFreshman gets funds to study chemical threats
February 8, 2010 —
While most students wait for college to start a research project, biochemistry freshman Tyler Beyett began his when he was a junior in high school.
To help finish it, Beyett was recently awarded $10,000 from SVSU’s Student Research and Creativity Institute. The SCRI awards up to $50,000 a school year to students whose work is considered outstanding and could benefit the community.
Beyett was one of five students this year to receive SRCI support. Professor Gary Lange, his sponsor during the application process, has been helping Beyett since he began the project three years ago.
Their work focuses on chemicals commonly found in plastic water bottles and the effects they may have on mammals’ reproduction.
According to the freshman, this study is unique. “No one else has done a study this size,” he said, “so we hope that we’re paving the way for future research.”
The majority of previous research has dealt with dioxins in the Tittabawassee River. Beyett believes that these dioxins can offer answers for problems reported with plastic water bottles.
The project uses rats as test subjects. The animals are exposed to varied dioxin levels that are environmentally relevant to the area. After the exposed rats mate, genetic and behavioral tests are done on the offspring to determine if there were any negative effects from exposure.
The SRCI funding will go toward any chemicals and consumables needed to complete the research.
“The bulk of it, somewhere between $5,000 and $6,000, will be going toward genetic work,” he said. “The chemicals that we need for the project are expensive, so the money will be very helpful.”
The rest of the money, he added, will buy genetically engineered rats, whose behavior Beyett believes will be easier to observe than that of ordinary specimens.
As for the results of the project, Beyett hopes the tests will show the chemicals are benign.
But “if the chemicals do turn out to be harmful,” he said, “this research could pave the way for even more research.”
In addition, Beyett believes that the results could lead to regulations on the types of chemicals used in plastic bottles, especially those designed for babies.
Beyett plans to finish the project by the winter 2011 semester’s end. Following its completion, he plans to publish his findings during the summer.
He calls his plans “ambitious,” noting that the study could easily continue for years.
He is considering the possibility of continuing the study for his honors thesis. If he chooses not to pursue it, he hopes the project will go on in the hands of other students.
“My hope is that this project will give opportunities to other students to help out with the research,” he said.