Wade Powell joined the Kenyon faculty in 2000 following a postdoctoral appointment at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. His teaching responsibilities include molecular biology, environmental toxicology, gene manipulation lab and introductory biology courses.
A molecular biologist and environmental toxicologist, Powell directs an NIH-funded research program investigating the effects of dioxin-like pollutants on the gene expression, physiology and development of frogs and other amphibians.
Areas of Expertise
Molecular biology, environmental toxicology.
Education
1997 — Doctor of Philosophy from Emory University
1991 — Master of Science from East Tennessee State Univ
1987 — Bachelor of Science from Davidson College
Courses Recently Taught
BIOL 110Y
Introduction to Experimental Biology
BIOL 110Y
This is the first laboratory course a student takes and is a prerequisite for all upper-division laboratory courses. Students are introduced to the processes of investigative biology and scientific writing. It is not designed to accompany any particular core lecture course. Laboratories cover topics presented in the core lecture courses, BIOL 115 and 116, and introduce a variety of techniques and topics, including field sampling, microscopy, PCR, gel electrophoresis, enzyme biochemistry, physiology, evolution and population biology. The course emphasizes the development of inquiry skills through active involvement in experimental design, data collection, statistical analysis, integration of results with information reported in the literature and writing in a format appropriate for publication. The year culminates in six-week student-designed investigations that reinforce the research skills developed during the year. Evaluation is based on short reports, quizzes, lab performance and scientific papers, as well as oral and written presentations based on the independent project. Enrollment is limited to 16 students in each section. Prerequisite: completion or concurrent enrollment in BIOL 115 or equivalent. Required for the major.
BIOL 116
Information in Living Systems
BIOL 116
How is information generated, transmitted, stored and maintained in biological systems? The endeavor to understand the flow of biological information represents a fundamental undertaking of the life sciences. This course examines the mechanisms of heredity, the replication and expression of genetic information and the function of genes in the process of evolution, with an emphasis on the tools of genetics and molecular biology to address research questions in these areas. This course is required for the major and as such, Biology majors should take this class prior to the junior year. Prerequisite: BIOL 115, permission of instructor, or equivalent. Offered every year. Required for the major.
BIOL 211
Health Service and Biomedical Analysis
BIOL 211
Students volunteer weekly at Knox Community Hospital, College Township Fire Department, or another designated health provider. We study health research topics including articles from biomedical journals. The academic portion of the class will meet as a three-hour seminar. Students read and critique articles on topics such as: diabetes in the community; pain-killers and drug addiction; AIDS and STIs; influenza transmission; and socioeconomic status and health disparities. Outside of class, students will have four hours/week reading, and a minimum of four hours/week service. Student assignments will include keeping a journal on their service and class presentations related to the reading and their service. This counts toward the upper-level organismal biology/physiology requirement for the major. Prerequisite: one year of biology or chemistry and permission of instructor.
BIOL 263
Molecular Biology
BIOL 263
The molecular and genomic basis of life is at the heart of modern biology. In this course, we will learn techniques and explore research questions at the forefront of molecular research, focusing on the mechanisms by which the information of the genome is expressed to form the functional molecules of living cells and organisms. The processes of DNA replication, recombination and repair, transcription, and translation are discussed in the context of current research, frequently using primary literature. The function of genes and the regulation and measurement of gene expression are treated in depth. Students analyze and publish interactive tutorials on the structure and function of macromolecules. This course presumes a strong background in the basics of protein structure/function, central dogma processes, fundamental molecular techniques for manipulating nucleic acids and proteins and general chemistry. Note: For further study of the function of proteins, membranes and cellular processes, the complementary course BIOL 266 "Cell Biology" is recommended. This counts toward the upper-level cellular/molecular biology requirement for the major. Prerequisite: BIOL 116 and CHEM 122 and 123 or CHEM 124 and 126.
BIOL 264
Gene Manipulation
BIOL 264
This skills lab course teaches fundamental methods of gene isolation, manipulation and characterization. An assortment of the following techniques will be covered: the isolation of DNA and RNA from tissues and cells; recombinant DNA technique; expression of genes in heterologous systems; the polymerase chain reaction (PCR); measurement of gene expression, and bioinformatics and sequence analysis. Prerequisite: BIOL 109Y-110Y and either CHEM 122 and 123 or CHEM 124 and 126. Prerequisite or corequisite: BIOL 263 or permission of instructor. This counts toward the upper-level laboratory requirement.
BIOL 385
Research in Biology
BIOL 385
This combined discussion and laboratory course aims to develop abilities for asking sound research questions, designing reasonable scientific approaches to answer such questions, and performing experiments to test both the design and the question. We consider how to assess difficulties and limitations in experimental strategies due to design, equipment, organism selected and so on. The course provides a detailed understanding of selected modern research equipment. Students select their own research problems in consultation with one or more biology faculty members. This course is designed both for those who plan to undertake honors research in their senior year and for those who are not doing honors but want practical research experience. A student can begin the course in either semester. If a year of credit is earned, it may be applied toward one laboratory requirement for the major in biology. This course is repeatable for credit. Prerequisite: BIOL 109Y–110Y and 116 and permission of instructor.
BIOL 497
Senior Honors
BIOL 497
This course offers an in-depth research experience. Prior to enrollment in this course, students are expected to complete at least one semester of BIOL 385 and participate in the Summer Science Scholars program. Two semesters of BIOL 385 are recommended. Emphasis is on completion of the research project. Students also are instructed in poster production and produce one or more posters of their honors work for presentation at Kenyon and possibly at outside meetings. There will be oral progress reports, and students draft the Introduction and Methods section of the honors thesis. The letter grade is determined by the instructor and project advisor in consultation with the department. Students must have an overall GPA of at least 3.33 and a GPA of 3.33 in biology. Permission of instructor and department chair required. Prerequisite: BIOL 385 and permission of project advisor and department chair.
Academic & Scholarly Achievements
2018
*Taft JD, *Colonnetta MM, *Schafer RE, *Plick N, Powell WH. (2018) Dioxin Exposure Alters Molecular and Morphological Responses to Thyroid Hormone in Xenopus laevis Cultured Cells and Prometamorphic Tadpoles. Toxicol. Sci. 161(1):196-206.
2017
*Freeburg SH, *Engelbrecht E, Powell WH. (2017) Subfunctionalization of Paralogous Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptors from the Frog Xenopus laevis: Distinct Target Genes and Differential Responses to Specific Agonists in a Single Cell Type. Toxicol. Sci. 155(2):337-347.
2015
*Shoots, J, D Fraccalvieri, DG Franks, MS Denison, ME Hahn, L Bonati, WH Powell (2015) An Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor from the Salamander Ambystoma mexicanum Exhibits Low Sensitivity to 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. Env. Sci. Technol. 49(11):6993-7001.
2013
*Odio, C, *SA Holzman, MS Denison, D Fraccalvieri, L Bonati, DG Franks, ME Hahn, and WH Powell (2013). Specific Ligand Binding Domain Residues Confer Low Dioxin Responsiveness to AHR1β of Xenopus laevis. Biochemistry 52(10):1746-1754.
(*Kenyon student co-authors)