Bienkiewicz Lab

Ewa (Ava) A Bienkiewicz Ph.D.

Biomedical Sciences Department
College of Medicine
Florida State University
1115 West Call Street
Tallahassee, FL 32306-4300
Office: MSR 2350-H
Lab: MSR 2360
Phone: (850) 645-7326
Email: ewa.bienkiewicz@med.fsu.edu

Dr. Bienkiewicz's Faculty Profile

Research Interests

The Bienkiewicz Laboratory research interest is in the area of protein structure, stability, and biomolecular interactions in the context of human pathology and therapeutic interventions. Molecular mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and function of the non-pathological form of the prion protein are being investigated. The focus is on intrinsically disordered proteins and misfolding in neuronal degeneration/survival and vascular injury events. 

Experimental Approaches Used:

• Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy
• Surface plasmon resonance (SPR)
• Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC)
• Fluorescence
• UV/Vis spectroscopy
• Gel electrophoresis
• Protein cloning, expression, and purification
• Neuronal cell culture
• Animal model of stroke

Bienkiewicz Lab Members 

   Stephen Beesley, Ph.D.    Post-doctoral Researcher

    Boris Faynberg
     Medical Student

Nina Hayes
Undergraduate DIS studentMajor: Biological Science

Efrosini Artikis
Directed Independent Study (DIS) undergraduate student
Major: Biochemistry

Michelle Jones
Directed Independent Study (DIS) undergraduate student
Major: Biological Sciences

Mark Kastner
Laboratory Assistant
Major: Sports Science

Bryan Thiel
Directed Independent Study (DIS) undergraduate student
Major: Biological Sciences

Julia Bourg
Undergraduate Womein in Math, Science and Engineering (WIMSE) student
Lab Research Assistant
Major: Biophysics

Omar Cadenas
Undergraduate Research Opportunity (UROP) studentMajor: Biological Sciences

Chad Hall
Undergraduate student
Lab Research Assistant
Major: Biomedical Engineering

William Johnson
Research Assistant

Mayuri Joshi
Directed Independent Study (DIS) undergraduate student
Major: Biochemistry

Serina Lees
Directed Independent Study (DIS) student

Shawn StottUndergraduate Directed Independent Study (DIS) student

Patrice Williams, MPH
Undergraduate Honors Program student
Lab Research Assistant
Double Major: Biomathematics and Music

Dr. Bradley Groveman
Graduate student (Ph.D.)
Department of Biomedical Sciences (CoM)
Advisor: Dr. Xian-Min Yu
Co-advisor: Dr. Ewa (Ava) Bienkiewicz

Some of the Bienkiewicz Lab students' research accomplishments:

Efrosini Artikis (2011-2013)

• Mentored Research and Creative Endeavors Award, Undergraduate Office of Research, FSU, 2012
• Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Award, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, FSU (conducting research in collaboration with Dr. Anant Paravastu), 2013
• Travel award (oral presentation), Rice Regional Undergraduate Symposium, 2013
• Outstanding Biophysics and Structural Biology Presentation Award, Rice Regional Undergraduate Symposium, 2013
• Travel award (poster presentation), Protein Society Symposium, Boston, 2013
• Best Undergraduate Poster Award, Protein Society Symposium, Boston, 2013

Julia Bourg (2009-2011)

• 1st Place, The Joseph E. Lannutti Undergraduate Research Award, at the FSU Physics Department's Annual Research Symposium Poster Session, 2010
• Poster award, Women in Science, Math and Engineering Program, 2010
• 1st Place, The Joseph E. Lannutti Undergraduate Research Award, at the FSU Physics Department's Annual Research Symposium Poster Session, 2011
• Recognition for Extended Involvement in Research, Women in Math, Science, and Engineering (WIMSE) Society, 2011

Patrice Williams (2008-2010)

• NIH Minority Health International Research Training Program Award (Kumasi, Ghana), 2009
• Bess Ward Honors Thesis Award, 2009
• 2nd Place in Tri-beta Biological Honor Society’s: 4th Annual Undergraduate Research Poster Competition, FSU, 2009
• “Meeting of the Minds” Atlantic Coast Conference Travel Award, 2009
• Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students Travel Award, 2009
• Featured Student Star on Florida State University Blackboard, 2010
• Recommended by the National Screening Committee of the Institute of International Education (IIE) for a grant under the Fulbright U.S. Student Program for the academic year 2010-11 to Ghana/GH/AF, 2010
• Graduated with Honors (Thesis title: “Protective role of vitamin B12 in Alzheimer’s disease”), 2010