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| Mark Batzer talks to some of the students working in his Laboratory for Comparative Genomics at LSU. |
In Longfellow’s famous poem Evangeline, the heroine of the title and her betrothed, Gabriel, are torn apart when the British forcibly remove the Acadian people from Nova Scotia, scattering them across the East Coast and into the swamps of South Louisiana.
Though the story is based on actual events, Evangeline, Gabriel and their family and friends are fictional. However, had they once been living, breathing humans – with flesh, blood and genes – LSU scientist Mark Batzer could discover more about them than Longfellow could have ever imagined.
Indeed, Batzer might even be able to locate their living descendants and determine what traits they inherited from their French forebears.
Batzer, the George C. Kent Professor of Life Sciences at LSU, has been working for more than a decade with researchers from the LSU Health Sciences Center and the Tulane Health Sciences Center in New Orleans to trace, analyze and better understand the genetics of the Acadian people in Louisiana.
The project is a massive one, with a variety of offshoots, or sub-projects, funded by millions of dollars from a variety of sources, including the National Institutes of Health and the Louisiana Board of Regents Health Excellence Fund. Batzer has been primarily involved in two key areas of investigation: a population genetics study – the study of the genetic structure or architecture of the Acadian population as a whole – and a study of the genetic underpinnings of certain disorders found in or at higher rates in the Acadian population.
The history of the Acadian people, known as “Cajuns” in Louisiana, makes them a particularly good focus group for genetic study.
In the 18th century, Acadians were French-descended residents of Nova Scotia. They were expelled from Canada by the British in 1755 and began drifting into Louisiana around 1763, settling along the Mississippi River and Bayous Lafourche, Teche and Vermilion in South Louisiana. There, they have remained, a geographically isolated population marrying and raising families for more than 200 years. Indeed, it is estimated that there are close to half a million Louisiana residents with Acadian blood.
Much of the work on the Acadian genetics project began decades ago with researchers from the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. A key player in the research was Bronya Keats, who is now chair of the Department of Genetics and director of the Center for Molecular and Human Genetics at the Health Sciences Center. Contained within the Center for Molecular and Human Genetics is a program called the Center for Acadiana Genetics and Hereditary Health Care.
Keats began her research in the 1980s, looking into a genetic disorder called Friedreich’s Ataxia, or FA, which is found in about one out of every 20,000 members of the Acadian population. About one in 70 members of the Acadian population is a carrier.
“With this disease, children begin to lose coordination of their limbs at about the age of 10 years, and by the time they are in their mid-20s, they are in a wheelchair,” Keats explained.
Several years after beginning her study of FA in Acadian families, Keats began collaborating on another project that had been initiated by one her colleagues, Dr. Mary Kay Pelias. This research project focused on a disorder called Usher Syndrome, which can cause hearing and vision impairment.
Usher Syndrome, like FA, has a frequency of about one in 20,000 in the Acadian population. Eager to find out more about these inherited disorders, other scientists began joining the Acadian research effort.
“We were trying to identify the gene for Usher Syndrome,” said Batzer, who began working on the project around 15 years ago. “There are a lot of different variants of that syndrome, but one is essentially unique to Acadians.”
Batzer said that research into the genetic history of the Acadians has been aided by excellent historical record keeping by families and churches. In addition, he said, the people themselves are friendly, eager to learn more about their history, and, most important, eager to help out.
“This is more than just scientific research,” he said. “This involves digging through records and going door-to-door for additional information.”
Indeed, he added, this old-fashioned genealogical detective work is being carried out by scientists who typically conduct their research in sterile lab environments, looking through microscopes. It is, Batzer explained, a necessary part of genetic research.
“The first step in trying to actually identify a disease gene is to identify families with these particular disorders and their relatives,” he said.
So far, the combination of legwork and lab work has paid off. The researchers have identified the precise mutant gene that gives rise to Usher Syndrome. In fact, Batzer said, thanks to the good family and historical record keeping within the Acadian population, they were able to determine when the new mutation occurred.
Since this discovery, Batzer said, the researchers have been able to develop a test for the mutation that causes the Acadian form of Usher Syndrome, which, in turn, allows them to offer counseling to those who carry it.
Ultimately, he said, the hope is to develop an effective method of early intervention or treatment that corrects the abnormalities caused by the mutation.
In addition to his work on Usher Syndrome, Batzer and others in his Laboratory for Comparative Genomics at LSU are working to map the genetic “trail” of the Acadian population from Louisiana, back to Canada and Europe.
“We want to know where these people come from ancestrally,” he said. “We know about their French-Canadian roots, but we’re still trying to sort it all out. It’s not as easy as you might think.”
Batzer explained that the research becomes difficult because the genetic differences among Europeans are slight. Therefore, pinpointing exactly what part of Europe a particular family or group came from can take a great deal of painstaking research.
A group of LSU researchers, led by biological sciences Professor Mark Batzer, have unraveled the details of a 25-million-year-old evolutionary process in the human genome. Their study focused on the origin and spread of transposable elements in the genome, many of which are known to be related to certain genetic disorders, such as hemophilia.
“Effectively, we’ve devised a theory that allows us to explain the origin of about half of all of the human genome,” said Batzer.
Batzer was the principal investigator on the study, while LSU biological sciences graduate students Kyudong Han and Jinchuan Xing were the co-authors of the Genome Research paper on the discoveries. Other contributors to the research included graduate students Hui Wang and Dale Hedges, along with postdoctoral fellows Randall Garber and Richard Cordaux. Their findings were recently published in the journal Genome Research.
Batzer, the George C. Kent Professor of Life Sciences in the Department of Biological Sciences at LSU, and his group found that specific DNA sequences that appear to be in an inactive state for long periods of time may not be simply lying dormant after all. Instead, Batzer and his team have discovered that these elements played a crucial role in human evolution by secretly spawning hyperactive copies, giving rise to the most abundant family of transposable elements in the human genome, known as Alu elements. The study provides the first strong evidence for the evolution of Alu elements to date.
Alu elements are short DNA sequences capable of copying themselves, mobilizing through an RNA intermediate and inserting into another location in the genome. Over evolutionary time, this activity, known as “retrotransposition,” has led to the generation of more than one million copies of Alu elements in the human genome, making them the most abundant type of sequence present. Because Alu elements are so abundant, comprising approximately 10 percent of the total human genome, they have been thoroughly examined and characterized in terms of their origin and sequence composition. What has remained elusive to scientists, however, is how these elements persist and propagate over time and influence human evolution. In an attempt to understand this process, Batzer and his colleagues examined a sub-family of Alu elements in the human genome known as the AluYb lineage, and compared these elements to those in the genomes of other primate species, including chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, orangutans, gibbons and siamangs. The AluYb sub-family accounts for approximately 40 percent of all human-specific Alu elements and is currently one of the most active Alu lineages in the human genome. Some AluYb elements are still actively mobilizing in the human genome, causing insertion mutations that have led to the development of a number of inherited diseases.
“These elements have contributed quite a bit to the diversity of human and non-human primate genomes, so it is very important to understand their origin and spread,” said Batzer. “They cause about half a percent of all human genetic disorders.”
According to Batzer, some of the genetic disorders related to these elements include hemophilia and some cancers. These disorders are caused by insertional mutation or by recombination between these elements, which is when elements that are near each other undergo a “recombination” and part of the genome is deleted in the process.
Batzer’s team demonstrated that the AluYb linage dates back approximately 18-25 million years. Their results also indicated that the AluYb sub-family underwent a major species-specific expansion in the human genome during the past 3-4 million years. This apparent 20-million-year stretch of general inactivity, followed by a sudden outburst of human-specific retrotransposition activity in the past few million years, led Batzer and colleagues to formulate a new theory for the evolution of Alu elements, termed the “stealth driver” model. In the “stealth driver” model, low-activity Alu elements are maintained in low-copy number for long periods of time and occasionally produce short-lived hyperactive progeny that contribute to the formation and expansion of Alu elements in the human genome.
Batzer explained that the exact purpose or function of these elements is still debated, but understanding their basic behavior and history could be crucial to finding answers in the future.
“Mobile elements make up a huge proportion of the human genome and understanding how these elements spread through the genome and how they contribute to genetic diversity is critical,” said Batzer. “This research provides a fundamental insight into their spread and it has changed our opinion about what it takes to successfully spread through the genome.”
The LSU Honors College is pleased to announce the selection of Ronald G. Garay, associate dean at the Manship School of Mass Communication, as the 2005-06 Erich and Lea Sternberg Honors Professor. The Sternberg Professorship is the largest faculty award granted at LSU and was created by the late Lea Sternberg to honor the memory of her husband, Erich Sternberg.
The Sternbergs fled Nazi Germany to come to the United States in the 1930s and successfully built the Maison Blanche chain of department stores. Mrs. Sternberg credited the family’s belief in the importance of respect and compassion for others and a dedication to work as the keys to their success. She designated the LSU Honors College for her philanthropy out of the deep respect she held for the mission of excellence embodied in the Honors College.
Garay has served with distinction at LSU for 33 years and as associate dean at the Manship School of Mass Communication for more than 10 years. He has published three books and some two dozen articles and papers on the history of television and radio broadcasting in the United States. Professor Garay has served on the Honors College Advisory Board for more than 10 years and was responsible for developing several honors courses in the Manship School of Mass Communication.
“ If I had to single out one faculty member who exemplifies the most noble aspects of academic life, it would be Professor Garay,” said Manship School Dean John M. Hamilton, when nominating Professor Garay for this award.
Garay will hold the Sternberg Professorship during academic year 2005-2006, while teaching a course and developing a new speaker’s series in the Honors College.
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| Miller Hall is one of many residences to house visitors for summer camps and conferences. |
The summer season for the Department of Residential Life is not a vacation. More than 15,000 guests visit LSU’s residence halls while participating in summer camps and conferences. For the 2005 conference season, the following residence halls were used to house guests: Kirby Smith, Broussard, Jackson, Taylor, LeJeune, Miller, Herget, McVoy, Blake, Acadian, Evangeline, Annie Boyd, and Highland. The conference season runs from May 22 to Aug. 5.
The Department hosted the 54th annual session of the Graduate School of Banking this summer in the East Campus Apartments. This two-week program brought banking professionals from around the country to LSU. From professional conferences like the Bankers to youth athletic camps, the Residential Life staff strives to provide superior customer service in a spirited and comfortable environment. Other camps that are home to LSU include - Coach Pokey Basketball Camps, Tiger Football, 4-H University, Boys State & Girls State and Stripes. The newest camps include Tiger Soccer, Tiger Swim and LSU Fire and Emergency Training. Freshmen Orientation, Advising and Pre-registration Program accommodate its incoming freshmen in Herget Hall for six weeks during the summer.
In support of the university’s Flagship Agenda, Residential Life looks to entice more groups to house their summer programs on campus and enjoy the convenience and resources of LSU. Its staff is committed to making the conference housing experience a memorable success. Departments and organizations who are interested in reserving space for their upcoming conferences or camps can visit www.lsu.edu/housing and click on the Conference Housing link.
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| Isiah Warner |
LSU Boyd Professor of Chemistry and Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives Isiah Warner has received a number of honors thus far in 2005, with his most recent being an honorary doctor of science degree from Marquette University in Milwaukee.
Warner, who is also Philip W. West Professor of Analytical and Environmental Chemistry and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor, received his honorary doctorate at Marquette’s May 21 commencement ceremony. Louisiana native and well-known journalist Cokie Roberts delivered the commencement address.
Warner was one of four to receive honorary degrees at the ceremony. In 1988, he served as the Dr. Ralph H. Metcalfe senior chair at Marquette University.
Earlier in 2005, Warner was invited to speak at the 6th annual George Washington Carver Convocation at Tuskegee University in Alabama, where Tuskegee University President Benjamin F. Payton presented him with the George Washington Carver Achievement Award for his work “as an educator, administrator and humanitarian.”
During his presentation at the convocation, Warner described George Washington Carver as an inspiration to him when he was growing up. He also discussed the strides that African-Americans have made in chemistry at LSU.
“LSU was segregated until the 1960s,” he said. “The first African-American to get a Ph.D. in chemistry from there wasn’t until 1972. Now, I’m proud to say that we have 30 African-Americans in the chemistry graduate programs at LSU. I challenge you, Tuskegee, to send me your best and brightest. I will take care of them.”
Finally, in addition to the Marquette and Carver honors, Warner was selected in May to receive the 2005 Charles E. Coates Memorial Award. The Coates Award is granted “in recognition of outstanding contributions to the professions of chemistry or chemical engineering, the corresponding professional society and the community.”
The award is presented by the Baton Rouge section of the American Chemical Society and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. It is given in honor of Charles E. Coates, one of Louisiana’s most prominent figures in chemistry and chemical engineering, as well as the former head of the chemistry department at LSU.
“I always feel embarrassed to receive an award since I do not expect to receive awards for doing my job,” Warner said of receiving the Coates Award. “However, it is always a great honor to receive an award from my peers here in Baton Rouge. That alone makes this honor very special.”
Warner was born in DeQuincy, La., but was raised in Bunkie, La. He earned his bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Southern University and his doctorate in analytical chemistry from the University of Washington. He chaired LSU’s Department of Chemistry from 1994-1997 and has received numerous honors during his career, including the 1997 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring.
Please join in celebrating our 12th Fall Fest Celebration, scheduled for Friday, September 2, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Quadrangle. The celebration will welcome new and returning members of the LSU family. The success of each Fall Fest is due to the people who volunteer to work. Many volunteers will be needed to make this event a big success.
As in the past, there will be free hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, chips, soft drinks, bottled water and ice cream. Entertainment, displays and exhibits will showcase many of the things that make LSU so special. The Exxon Quad (the area between Middleton and Hill Memorial Libraries) will have Cox Communication displays and exhibits. Also, Campus Federal will have a booth set up in the main quad area. These companies are two of Fall Fest’s major sponsors.
Below is a list of activities and designated times for which volunteers are needed. Each volunteer that works at least one hour will be given a free Fall Fest t-shirt, compliments of LSU Bookstore and LSU Dining, however, volunteers are encouraged to work for more than one hour if possible. Shortly before Fall Fest each volunteer will receive confirmation of their activity and information concerning the t-shirt.
Responses are needed as soon as possible to allow final plans to be made. Please e-mail Norma Riles at nriles@lsu.edu no later than Monday, August 8. For questions call 578-3113, 578-3188 or 578-3486.