ROCKVILLE, MD – Matthew Juergens, undergraduate student at Webster University has won grant funding from the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) 2008 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program. The goal of the SURF program is to provide opportunities for students to pursue meaningful research in plant biology at their home institutions early in their college years. The program targets students who have just completed their sophomore year of their undergraduate studies. Juergens won for the project entitled Molecular Basis of Cyanide Detoxification in Plants: Structure and Mechanism of β-Cyanoalanine Synthase.

The SURF award includes $3,000 undergraduate student summer research funds, a one-year student membership to ASPB, and $500 for student travel to Plant Biology 2009 in Honolulu, HI. A $500 mentor stipend (which can include supplies from the mentor) is also awarded. All SURF mentors must be members of ASPB. Matthew will be mentored by Joseph Jez (Danforth Center) for his SURF research project.

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