Although, I received my Ph.D from MIT in 2004 for studying
protein folding and aggregation, my true passion has always
been in biology teaching and education. I was an education
research post doc for two years in the HHMI Education Group
at MIT and focused primarily on biological education research
and the importance of concept-based teaching and learning
in biology.
I have recently recognized the need for better biological
preparation at the high school level and am actively involved
in several secondary education efforts. I am currently a
faculty advisor to the United States Biology Olympiad Team
involved in exam preparation, student advising and instruction,
and program redesign. I am also involved in counseling area
high school biology teachers in methods to incorporate college
level molecular biology labs into their classrooms.
In light of my interest in protein structure, I am studying
the importance of learning and manipulation of biological
macromolecules in 3-dimensions. I am currently part of a
collaboration with the Biology, Physics, and Academic Computing
Departments at MIT to create a free, scalable 3D visualization
software engine that may easily be manipulated by students,
but has the flexibility and functionality to be used by
advance protein biochemists. I am hoping to incorporate
this program into the Brandeis curriculum.
Here at Brandeis, I am teaching the introductory biology
lab course and a graduate level molecular biology course.
I hope to incorporate elements of protein folding and aggregation
studies into the introductory biology laboratory and to
mentor undergraduate and graduate students biology students
interested in pursuing teaching careers.
Publications:
Flaugh, S.L., Kosinski-Collins, M.S., & King, J.A. 2005.
“The role of the hydrophilic interface residues in folding
and aggregation of human gammaD crystallin.” Protein
Sci. 14: 2030-2043.
Flaugh, S.L., Kosinski-Collins, M.S., & King, J.A. 2005.
“The role of the hydrophobic interface residues in folding
and stability of human gammaD crystallin.” Protein Sci.
14: 569-581.
Kosinski-Collins M.S., Flaugh S.L., King J. (2004) "Probing
folding and fluorescence quenching in human gammaD crystallin
Greek key domains using triple tryptophan mutant proteins."
Protein Science. 13: 2223-35. [abstract]
Kosinski-Collins, M.S. & King, J.A. 2003. “In vitro unfolding,
refolding, and polymerization of human gammaD crystallin,
a protein involved in cataract formation.” Protein Sci.
12: 480-90. [abstract]
Last review: March 30, 2007. E-mail comments
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