Wednesday, May 28, 2003
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Wednesday, May 28, 2003 |
CCSU biologist spices up syndicated radio programEarlier this year, Dr. Greg Hampikian, Clayton State's resident expert in DNA, forensics and now spices, was interviewed by Bridgett Ennis, executive editor of MicrobeWorld, a syndicated program that airs on 41 public radio stations nation wide. Ennis was given Hampikian's name by Anna Gillis at the American Society for Microbiology, as a "leading scientist in the field." The radio feature was a fascinating account on the subject of cinnamon and garlic and their lethal effect on infectious bacteria. Hampikian and his students have been testing the effects of various spices on bacteria and found that aerosols made from these spices can be used to preserve some foods. They also found that no bacteria subjected to cinnamon survived and that red hot chili peppers (while potent in other ways) had no lethal effects on any bacteria tested. Hampikian also recently presented lectures about "Using forensic science to teach molecular biology" at the 42nd American Society of Cell Biology in San Francisco, and "DNA: the ultimate memory material" to the Graduate Student Chapter of the American Society of Microbiology at the Georgia Institute of Technology. In April of this year, he was twice featured as speaker for Georgia State University seminars; the first to the Robinson College of Business' Legal Studies program and again, as part of their biology department's seminar series. Hampikian has gained national attention for his work in the field of Forensic DNA, and this fall UGA Press will publish his book "Escape to Freedom," a collaborative effort with ex-inmate Calvin C. Johnson, Jr., who was exoneration by DNA testing after serving 16 years in prison on a false rape conviction.
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