CSM science students publish manuscript exploring anti-cancer compounds

OMAHA, Neb. – College of Saint Mary’s science department is pleased to announce that its manuscript, entitled “Quercetin inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis of B16 melanoma cells in vitro,” has been accepted for publication.

The manuscript is now published in “ASSAY and Drug Development Technologies”, and explores the anti-cancer properties of quercetin, a naturally occurring compound found in many berries, herbs and vegetables.

Dr. Dunesh Kumari, assistant professor of chemistry at CSM and co-author of the manuscript, guided undergraduate students Farrah Soll ‘20 and Christina Ternent ‘19 on the project.

They explored the anti-cancer properties of quercetin on melanoma cells and found the drug kills these cells in vitro. The manuscript is published in collaboration with Dr. Tyler Moore, Biology faculty at Bellevue University.

“It was a pleasure seeing Farrah and Christina develop the analytical skills and critical thinking to evaluate the data, interpret it and represent it in a presentation and paper format,” says Dr. Kumari. “This publication is a great addition to their professional development.” Christina and Farrah have also presented their work at local and regional conferences.

Farrah Soll, a current physician assistant student at CSM, started working on the project as a NASA fellow in 2018-2019 and has worked diligently at the Bellevue lab on experimental design. The primary author on the paper, Soll has spent the past two years developing assays and data analysis for the project. She also received the Albert Magnus Award in 2019 for her work. 

“My experience in the lab was invaluable,” says Soll. “I was able to grow in ways I never imagined, and I feel more confident than ever to embark on my new challenge—graduate school.” She will be attending College of Saint Mary as a physician assistant student this fall and says she’s excited for her next chapter.

“At CSM, I had the opportunity to work with my professors one-on-one more often than most undergraduate students,” adds Soll. “This allowed me to shorten my learning curve in the lab and focus more on my research.”

Christina Ternent, biology major, is currently admitted to Debusk College of Medicine at Lincoln Memorial University. She started working on the project as an Institutional Development Award Program (IDeA) Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program scholar. Ternent worked on developing assays and synthesis samples for the studies. “I have learned to articulate the relevance of research to coursework and professional future,” says Ternent.

“Two years of research gave me a space to grow in initiative, persistence, and adaptability,” says Soll. “The value of undergraduate research, I found, was not just contributing to science, but also to improve my professional skills.”

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