Kathleen Mandell

Department of Chemistry
Beloit College
Beloit, WI 53511 USA

  (608) 363-2474
FAX: (608) 363-2052
EMAIL: mandellk@beloit.edu

Research Interests

Physical chemistry of nucleic acids, structure and thermodynamics of linear, dumbbell and hairpin DNA, drug-DNA interactions, biochemical applications of spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry and differential scanning calorimetry.

Academic Appointments

  • Beloit College, Beloit, WI
    Assistant Professor of Chemistry, 2003– present
  • Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL
    Summer Faculty Research Program Participant (2003)
    Photosynthesis Group, Chemistry Division (2003 to 2004)
  • University of Illinois – Chicago
    Teaching and Research Assistant in Chemistry (1998 to 2001)
    UIC Graduate Fellow in GK-12 Education Program with NSF (2001 to 2003)
    NSF Teaching Assistant Training (October 2000)

    • Industrial Experience

  • 2003 to Present
    Ensign, United States Naval Reserve, Office of Naval Research – Science and Technology – 109. Forest Park, IL
    Chemical Team Leader for Chemical, Biological, Radiation, and Nuclear Engineering Detection Technologies Team.
    Scientific support for Biosensor Assays and Technologies for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Research Laboratory.
    Chemical Specialist for Chemical, Biological and Radiation Detection
    Scientific support for DNA concentration methods and Armed Forces Institute of Pathology at Walter Reed Armed Forces Medical Center
  • 1996 to 1999
    Senior Research & Development Assistant
    Chemdal Corporation, Palatine, IL
  • 1994 to 1996
    Associate Chemist
    United Laboratories, St. Charles, IL
  • 1993 to 1994
    Akzo Chemical, Inc., Chicago, IL
    Regulatory Affairs Consultant
  • 1992 to 1993
    Rycoline, Inc., Chicago, IL.
    Lab, Regulatory & Environmental Affairs Coordinator
  • 1991 to 1992
    Lab Technician
    Henkel Corporation, LaGrange, IL

    • Publications

  • Hall, T.S., Riccelli, P.V., Pancoska, P., Mandell, K.M. and Benight, A.S. (2001) Sequence Context and Thermodynamic Stability of a Single Base Pair Mismatch in Short Deoxyoligonucleotide Duplexes. Journal of American Chemical Society, 123, 11811-11812.
  • Riccelli, P.V., Mandell, K.M. and Benight, A.S. (2002) Melting Studies of Dangling-Ended DNA Hairpins: Effects of End Length, Loop Sequence and Biotinylation of Loop Bases. Nucleic Acids Research, 30, 4088-4093.
  • Pancoska, P., Riccelli, P.V., Hall, T.S., Mandell, K.M. and Benight, A.S. (2003) Toward an Understanding of Multiplex Hybridization Reactions: Melting Studies of Heteromorphic Duplex DNA Complexes. Journal of American Chemical Society, 125, 141-150.

    • Patents

  • “Super Absorbent Polymer Containing Odor Controlling Compounds”
    Patent #: WO0066187/ US 6,229,026; November 9, 2000
    Inventors: Kathleen Mandell, Jerald W. Darlington, Jr., Anthony S. Tomlin

    • Presentations

  • Development of a Novel DNA Dumbbell as a Molecular Wire. Drennan, A.C. and Mandell, K.M. Joint Meeting of the 14th Annual Argonne Symposium for Undergraduates in Science, Engineering and Mathematics & the Central States Universities, Inc. October 24-25, 2003.
  • Influence of Co-Solutes on the Melting and Spectroscopic Properties of DNA Dumbbells with Dinucleotide Repeat Stems. Mandell, K.M. Sigma Xi Graduate Student Research Forum. Chicago, IL. April 7, 2003.
  • Evidence for Long-Range Sequence Dependent Interactions in Short Duplex DNA. Mandell, K.M. Sigma Xi Graduate Student Research Forum. Chicago, IL. April 2, 2002.

    • Posters

  • Development of DNA Dumbbell as a Molecular Wire. Drennan, A.C., Rajh, T., Tiede, D.M., Mandell, K.E. 48th Annual Biophysical Society. Baltimore, MD. February 14 – 18, 2004.
  • Development of a Novel DNA Dumbbell as a Molecular Wire. Drennan, A.C. and Mandell, K.E. 2003 Sigma Xi Student Research Conference. Los Angeles, CA. November 14 – 15, 2003.
  • Influence Of Co-Solutes on the Melting and Spectroscopic Properties of DNA Dumbbells with Dinucleotide Repeat Stems. Mandell, K.E., Pancoska, P. and Benight, A.S. 47th Annual Meeting of Biophysical Society. San Antonio, TX. March 1 – 5, 2003.
  • CD Spectra of DNA Dumbbells with Dinucleotide Repeat Stems Provide Evidence for Long Rnage Sequence Dependent Interactions in Short Duplex DNA. Mandell, K.E., Pancoska, P. and Benight, A.S. 46th Annual Meeting of Biophysical Society. San Francisco, CA. February 23 – 27, 2002.
  • Toward an Understanding of Multiplex Hybridization Reactions: Melting Studies of Heteromorphic Duplex DNA Complexes. Hall, T.S., Riccelli, P.V., Pancoska, P., Mandell, K.E. and Benight, A.S. 46th Annual Meeting of Biophysical Society. San Francisco, CA. February 23 – 27, 2002.

    • Funding

  • Ultra-High-Sensitive Miniature Calorimeter for Studies of Confinement Effects of Bio-Organic Structures, Collaboration with A. Rydh, U. Welp, W.K. Kwok at Argonne National Laboratory, Material Science Division. Funding amount: $450,000 from 2004 to 2006.
  • Acquisition of Instrumentation for Biophysical Studies: Differential Scanning Calorimeter and Isothermal Titration Calorimeter. NSF Major Research Instrumentation Program, Award number: DBI-0421139. Funding Amount: $147,657.00 from 2004 to 2007.

    • Volunteer Activities

  • Women in Science Program with Women in Science and Technology at Argonne National Laboratory. Program goal is to attract students, particularly girls and minorities, to the sciences. (2001-present)
  • Women and Girls in Science Program at Beloit College. (2004)
  • Science Fair Judge for Junior High and High Schools at the local, regional, state and international level. (1988 to present)
  • Science Fair development and support for elementary, junior high and high school teachers and class rooms. (1988 to present)
  • Kids in Science for Local Elementary and Junior High Schools (1997 to 1999)
  • DuPage County Humane Society (2002-2003)