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Science student makes case for supporting undergraduate research at VA State Capitol

Liberty University junior Stefany Orellana is part of a team researching essential oils.

Last week, Liberty University junior Stefany Orellana stood in front of the Virginia House of Delegates’ Science and Technology Committee to talk about the importance of undergraduate research. As one of only three students invited to speak to the committee during the second annual Virginia Academy of Science (VAS) Research Showcase, she became an advocate not just for her school, but for undergraduate science students everywhere.

“Sometimes undergraduate research is overlooked,” the cell and molecular biology major said after returning from the State Capitol in Richmond. “Sometimes it is not taken seriously, how much students can learn from having their own hands-on experience.”

At Liberty, Orellana has been working with a research team that is analyzing essential oils in order to find their active compounds for fighting bacteria, as well as chemically modifying them to enhance their bacteria-fighting effects. Through the project, she has narrowed her career focus from generally wanting to be a doctor to wanting to be a doctor who also conducts medical research. She is interested in applying for a Ph.D./M.D. program and possibly teaching medical students while researching in the future.

Orellana spoke to the Virginia House of Delegates’ Science and Technology Committee on Jan. 23 about how research has impacted her life.

“I wanted the committee to know how research has impacted my life,” Orellana said. “It was a huge blessing to show that Liberty is on this front line, taking research seriously and giving undergraduates the opportunity to be involved. We are training the next generation of scientists and doctors, and we should train them to love the art of science and the investigation that science brings.”

In her presentation, she said research “opened the door” for her to see how to practically apply what she was learning and exposed her to “interests I never thought I had before.”

“In a lab (class), sometimes you are doing things on a list just trying to get

a result,” Orellana said. “Research (on the other hand) is finding your own way, moving forward, step-by-step. There are so many different paths you can take with it.”

Orellana and senior Katherine Phillips (left) do their research under the direction of Dr. Michael Korn.

Everything changed for Orellana when she was reading the ingredients of an essential oil product. She began to wonder why no one was trying to identify the active ingredients in the oils to enhance their effects. Getting some friends on board, she pitched her proposal during Liberty’s Research Week. Associate Chemistry Professor Dr. Michael Korn offered to serve as a faculty mentor on the project. Director of Chemistry and Associate Professor Dr. Todd Allen and Biology Professor Dr. Randy Hubbard have also shared their expertise.

“Dr. Korn manages us day-to-day and shows us how to get from point A to point B,” Orellana said. “Most importantly, he helps keep our mindset on honoring God in our research. He prays with us, shares a verse before we start and is always there to practice with us before we go to give a presentation.”

Their research could provide valuable insight as bacterial strains are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. With essential oils already being used to treat dermatological, respiratory, and gastrointestinal bacterial infections, chemical modification could increase their application.

“My hope is that this turns into something that can be taken to other countries,” Orellana said.

The idea is that people who lack access to expensive prescription medicines may be able to cultivate certain plants, extract the oil from them, and possibly modify the oil into an effective antibacterial medicine.

The project was unique in that it brought together students from different realms of science, including environmental biology and health promotion.

“Our research is interdisciplinary; it is not just one thing; it is a hybrid of three,” Orellana said. “We are applying techniques from so many different disciplines — microbiology, organic chemistry, and analytical chemistry.”

LU students (from left) Matthew Anderson, Katherine Phillips, Stefany Orellana, and Joshua Kowalczyk presented their research at the State Capitol on Jan. 23.

The project has already gained some attention in Virginia. Orellana and fellow team members Katherine Phillips (senior) and Meghan Ehko (who graduated in December) presented their work, “Microbial Effects of Chemically Modified Essential Oils,” at the VAS Fall Undergraduate Meeting in October and earned a $500 research grant (one of three awarded to Liberty). The team has also been invited to present at the VAS Annual Meeting (open to both undergraduate and graduate students) this May at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Orellana joined 20 other Virginia college students at the VAS Research Showcase last week, including three from Liberty, who also presented posters at the Capitol as part of the event. Liberty’s other representatives, who were invited based upon their research proposals, were seniors Matthew Anderson, Joshua Kowalczyk, and Phillips, Orellana’s research partner.

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