By: Allisa Clemens, Production Biochemist

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My name is Allisa Clemens, and I started working at List Labs about 2 years ago as a Production Biochemist within the Purification team. Prior to working at List Labs I was a full time graduate student and Teaching Associate in the Chemistry department at San Jose State University. While working on my research for my Master’s thesis, I quickly learned how scarce funding for equipment, reagents, and supplies can slow down progress.

In 2016, I began the Marguerite E. Bourez Donations for Academic Research program here at List Labs, to celebrate and pass on the generous spirit of my Aunt Marguerite, who, when I had nothing, gave me a home and enabled me to go to college, and eventually complete my Master of Science in Chemistry. Without her generous support, my own contribution to the scientific community might not have been possible. And I am not alone; over the years she has helped many people just like me.  Being a rocket scientist herself, she knows how education can not only present more career opportunities, but also enrich your life. My hope that this program will reflect her commitment to giving and advancing education.

Donations Program Gives to Deserving Academic Research Labs

The Rascón Research Group is one of such research groups. I first met Dr. Rascón when I took his graduate enzymology course at San Jose State University. No single academic course has made more of an impact in changing the way I think as a student and as a researcher. Dr. Rascón has been very generous with me over the years in offering me his time and expertise. So naturally, when I had the opportunity to give back, he was the first person I thought of. According to Dr. Rascón, “We at SJSU strive to provide research opportunities to our undergraduate and graduate students, but sometimes reagents and columns are hard to come by. With these columns we have been able to purify a couple of our proteolytic enzymes and have been able to show students the purification process.” The Rascón Research group is working to investigate and develop serine protease inhibitors for the Aedes aegypti mosquito. This invasive species is a vector for dengue fever, chikungunya virus, zika virus, and yellow fever read. The work his research group does provides invaluable information for vector control of these potentially deadly viruses.

Another research group we are proud to support is the Miller Conrad lab, which uses organic chemistry and molecular biology techniques to understand and combat virulence in the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This opportunistic pathogen is responsible for an estimated 51,000 hospital acquired infections a year, with roughly 13% being multidrug resistant. As antibiotic resistance continues to be a global threat to health, we are eager to support this much needed humanitarian work.

Recent donations

Mills College – has a strong commitment for the advancement of women. Mills works hard to offer an affordable education to those and prides themselves on accepting those who have a desire and the qualification to attend, so over 98% of their undergraduate students received financial aid. Caroline Harmon, a Production Biochemist with List Labs, was one of these proud Alumnae. After being involved in a research project her first year, she was inspired to pursue biochemical research. The donations given to Mills College will aid the new biochemistry professor, Ana Mostafavi, to set up her lab. Professor Mostafavi is currently at the Muir Lab at Princeton and will be joining Mills in the Fall of 2019. Giving Mills equipment that they may not have been able to attain themselves, as Women’s colleges have seen a loss in financial donations. We hope that this donation will aid in training future researchers and promoting women in science, and will greatly improve these undergraduate students’ education.

To date, the Marguerite E. Bourez Donations for Academic Research program at List Labs has given over $100,000 worth of supplies, reagents, and equipment to a number of well deserving academic research labs. Included in the donations were a variety of AKTA columns and chromatography resins, various types of bacteria culture media, pipette tips, vials with stoppers, filters and gloves. If you would your academic research lab like to be considered to receive donations please contact Shawn Lyles.

List Labs Dedicated to Providing Reagents to Advance Research

List Labs’ heart is in the science and discovery of innovative research reagents, and we function to serve the global research community. List Biological Laboratories, Inc. is dedicated to providing research reagents to advance the understanding of disease and to further the development of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics. I am happy to have been able to make a small contribution on behalf of List Labs to the student and faculty research being performed by these outstanding research groups.

If you know of an academic research group that you would like to be considered for our donation program, please contact List Labs by emailing me with an explanation for the types of supplies, equipment, or reagents needed and a brief description of the research being performed. Donation of all equipment, supplies and reagents is contingent on availability.