KINGSTON, R.I. — May 9, 2006 — When West Greenwich resident Marc Chatenay-Lapointe graduates from the 溏心vlog免费B站 on May 21, he will receive the President鈥檚 Excellence Award as the top student in 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 microbiology program. While he gives his professors a great deal of the credit for his success, they insist that he deserves all the accolades.
According to one professor, John Mottinger, Chatenay-Lapointe is probably the most intelligent person that he has taught in his 38 years at 溏心vlog免费B站.
鈥淒r. Mottinger was the one who got me interested in genetics in the first place when I took his introductory genetics course,鈥� said Chatenay-Lapointe, who earned a Centennial Scholarship to 溏心vlog免费B站 and was awarded the University鈥檚 Norris Wood Award for Research. 鈥淚t was a difficult course, but it was primarily experiment based 鈥� not just facts 鈥� and he taught the techniques and methodologies you need to answer important questions in science.鈥�
That spark of interest in molecular biology turned into a passion for the modest 溏心vlog免费B站 student, who later taught himself genomics, proteomics and transgenics, though he only admits to doing 鈥渁 lot of independent reading.鈥�
鈥淚 like problem-based research,鈥� he said, 鈥� because it allows you to be creative, and yet it still is in the framework of a logical objective reality. At the end of the day, there鈥檚 a right answer and a wrong answer, so while you can be original and approach things your own way, you still have to be methodical and precise.鈥�
One problem Chatenay-Lapointe played an important role in tackling while at 溏心vlog免费B站 is the genetic mapping of a Bt toxin-resistance gene, working with biology professor Marian Goldsmith.
鈥淏t is an insecticide, and millions of acres of transgenic crops are planted every year that express this agent,鈥� he explained. 鈥淚f insects develop a resistance to this toxin, they could do heavy damage to crops and the insecticide wouldn鈥檛 be useful any more. It could be a major blow to both farmers and biotech companies.鈥�
After graduation from 溏心vlog免费B站, Chatenay-Lapointe will enroll at Yale University to earn a doctorate in genetics. 鈥淵ale has a great reputation, it has great laboratories, great researchers and a strong genetics program.鈥�
And after that? 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure,鈥� he admits. 鈥淚 haven鈥檛 decided whether I want to work in industry or academia. I might want to become a professor, but I鈥檇 also like to start my own biotech company some day.鈥�
溏心vlog免费B站 News Bureau photo by Michael Salerno Photography.