Nicholas Scullin Participates in Summer Research at Lebanon Valley College

2017 Jul 17

Nicholas Scullin of Winfield, Pa., is one of nearly 50 science students participating in summer research projects with faculty at Lebanon Valley College. Scullin, a graduate of Lewisburg Area High School, is pursuing a bachelor of science in biology.

Nick Scullin is studying iron deficiency, a nutritional deficit which affects 3-4 billion people worldwide, and its impact on brain function. The scientific literature indicates that iron deficiency anemia during early development causes poorer developmental and behavioral outcomes, effects that may be irreversible. Nick is exploring the biological cause behind these behavioral outcomes in rodent models by quantifying dopamine and adenosine receptor levels in the brain. This work seeks to potentially link the behavior associated with early life iron deficiency to altered protein levels. Future studies carried out by Nick will examine how dietary intervention and drug treatment could potentially alleviate abnormal behavioral outcomes associated with iron deficiency.

A hallmark of the College's science programs, students pursue their research interests under the guidance of faculty mentors. Student and faculty research projects are typically presented at scientific conferences and often lead to publications in peer-reviewed journals.

The Valley continues to be recognized as a national leader in undergraduate science education. This esteemed reputation has led to the College receiving numerous federal and corporate grants to expand student-faculty research and enable LVC to provide students with state-of-the-art scientific equipment.

Learn more about our programs at www.lvc.edu.