Researcher Profiles

Profiles are written by TIES participants, and focus on a particular researcher, research team or topic. 

Profiles are for the middle school classroom and are grouped by theme; click on the link to dowload in PDF format:

Stem Cells
           
Behind the doors of the Sherman lab
Lorrie Bell takes us inside this "regular guy's" lab, where they are finding new ways to address diseases like Multiple Sclerosis.

The Role of Hyaluronan in Multiple Sclerosis
What is it that makes Multiple Sclerosis such a devastating disease, and what are researchers doing to develop treatments for it?

Dr Robert Steiner Team Profile
Tom Bright undertakes a detailed investigation into the similarities between a middle school science inquiry and the Steiner lab's research projects.

Diet and Obesity

Obesity: the silent killer. A profile of the Purnell Lab
June Poling takes us into the world of obesity research at the Center for the Study of Weight Regulation.

Fish oil: it may save your brain
Teachers Stephanie Ford and Megan Sternberg tell us about research into whether fish oil can help people with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Inside the Bionutrition Unit
Alfonso Garcia and Irene Montano take us into the world of nutrition research, where the "low carb" diet is being put through its paces.

Chewing the fat with Maria Glavas and Sarah Williams
Obesity researchers in the Grove lab are trying to understand how appetite is controlled - why do we find it so hard to resist that second helping?

Neuroscientist as a...
This profile examines the multiple roles that a "brain scientist" must play in the course of doing their research: mathematician, scientist, writer, social scientist, artist. Kristin Erhardt observed these roles while shadowing Bernadette Grayson of Dr. Kevin Grove's obesity research lab.

Clinical Researcher as a...
Teacher Amy Wood describes the different "voices" used by researchers in the Center for the Study of Weight Regulation, where she observed obesity researcher Dr. Jonathan Purnell as he carried out his body composition studies.

Learning About Life "Up on the Hill"
Kristin Lachenmeier comes to grips with the numerous roles of obesity researcher Dr. Dan Marks.

Sleep and biological rhythms

The Emens Lab: Sleep as the Key
Why is sleep so important, and why aren't we getting enough of it?  Emily Robins investigates.

A profile of Dr Jonathan Emens
Helen Peynado and Brad Agenbroad take us into the world of sleep researcher Dr Jonathan Emens, who wants to understand what it means to be a “morning person”.

A profile of Dr Henryk Urbanski
Brad Agenbroad and Helen Peynado meet a researcher  who has a passion for understanding biological rhythms….and for British motorcycles!

Reproduction and pregnancy

Knock-down Scientists
Did you know that before you were an egg, you were an oocyte?!  Stephanie Ford and Megan Sternberg share their insights into cutting-edge fertility research.

Raising Questions and Finding Answers: The Oregon National Primate Research Center
Teacher Courtney Ferrari shares her personal experience of visiting researchers in the Bethea Lab at the Primate Center.

Monkeys? In Oregon? Where?
Alisa Rawe and Jamie Murphy come face-to-face with primate research.

Traveling Abroad
Angie Yochum describes her experiences with clinical researcher Dr Cynthia McEvoy, who is trying to help babies born prematurely and to moms who smoke.

Smoking in Pregnancy: Sarah's Story
Teacher Angie Yochum wanted to help people understand what it means to enroll in a clinical trial, so she wrote this brochure for moms-to-be that continue to smoke during pregnancy.

Who would have known…? Learning about research at the Primate Center
Kent Swick takes us on his first visit to the Primate Center, and tells us about cutting-edge research that hopes to help babies born to moms who smoke.

Alison Edelman Lab Profile
Andrew Bekken and Steven Lent meet a doctor who is working to improve women's health, both locally and globally.

Improving Women's Health Through Better Contraception
Steven Lent and Andrew Bekken find about the latest strategies in contraceptive research from Dr Jeffrey Jensen.

Infection

The Invasion
Chris Rodegerdts likens tackling a viral infection to a military operation, and shows why the immune system almost always wins the battle.

Aging

The Study of an Age Old Problem
A look at the research and technology behind helping people to live independently into old age.

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