LATROBE, PA – A pair of Saint Vincent College students majoring in biology presented part of their capstone projects late last year at the annual Allegheny Branch of the American Society of Microbiology (ABASM) conference hosted at Pennsylvania Western University’s campus in the borough of California.
Seniors Malley Kotula of Washington and Jakob Krumenaker of Lowber, both specializing in cellular and molecular biology, presented during the two-day event Nov. 7-8, 2025. Kotula presented “B Vitamins and Their Effects on Lactobacillus Rhamnosus,” while Krumenaker’s work was titled “Exploration of the Gut Microbiome of Leafcutter Bees.”
Dr. Jennifer Koehl, Biological Sciences chair and professor in SVC’s Herbert W. Boyer School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computing, identified the capstone project as being the pinnacle of the College’s biology major. Students spend three semesters on a project while under the mentorship of a faculty member.
“They choose their own projects on a topic in biology that interests them,” Koehl said. “As the owner of the project, students do a proposal, do the wet research and then present the research in written thesis and presentation form.
“The research capstone is required of all biology majors and really allows our students to stand out in interviews, jobs and professional settings,” Koehl added. In addition to most students presenting at the annual Saint Vincent College Academic Conference held in the spring, they are encouraged to present at regional conferences including the ABASM event and the Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Biology Research Symposium.
External conferences allow students to present in a professional setting, interact with other students and make networking connections. Krumenaker was able to establish a connection with a faculty member who graduated from a graduate program he is pursuing and received valuable feedback from fellow researchers.
“I chose my topic because I have always been interested in entomology, and specifically bees,” Krumenaker said. He hopes to pursue a doctorate in the study of microbiology, so gut microbiome research in leafcutter bees was the perfect intersection of the two interests. “I am very grateful to Dr. Koehl for asking Malley and I to present at the conference as I was able to both hear about a lot of really interesting research and meet people in my future field.”
Kotula chose to study Lactobacillus rhamnosus because these bacteria are a crucial part of the human gut microbiome.
“Probiotics and vitamins are of increasing popularity in today's times,” she said, “and I wanted to study the efficiency of these supplements and the medical implications of vitamins in a simulated human gut microbiome. This project was a great way for me to research an interesting medical topic while learning the fundamentals of how to conduct a research project.”
In presenting at the ABASM conference, Kotula said she gained more confidence in answering questions about her research. She credited her research advisor, Dr. Michelle Duennes, an associate professor in the Biological Sciences Department in the Boyer School, and Koehl for the opportunity to conduct a research project and present at the ABASM conference. Kotula added that she’s looking forward to presenting her finalized research at the upcoming Saint Vincent College Academic Conference.
After Saint Vincent College, Kotula will be attending medical school at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine at Seton Hill University in Greensburg.
The projects are supported by the Biological Sciences Department, the A.J. Palumbo Student Research Endowment and the Elizabeth and Tom Andreoli Traveling Scholar Endowment.
