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Eric Feldman, a junior majoring in philosophy at Hamilton College, has committed 10 weeks of his summer vacation to the Hamilton summer science research program.  Feldman is working with Assistant Professor of Biology Herman Lehman on a project involving octopamine, an insect neurotransmitter that is related to the human transmitter dopamine.  Octopamine plays an important developmental role in insects, and the addition of nitric oxide augments its effects throughout the growth and development of these organisms.  In the human nervous system, nitric oxide inhibits the activity of neurotransmitters, and so its contrary effects on octopamine may prove important to our understanding of human neurobiology.  Feldman is attempting to characterize the chemical composition of octopamine using many of Hamilton's new pieces of laboratory equipment in order to provide criteria for later identification and classification of octopamine derivatives.

"Students like Eric are precisely the reason for Hamilton's summer research program.  Eric's naturally inquisitive nature and curiosity make him an ideal candidate for the program by motivating him to get out of the classroom and into a research lab in order to see how science is actually conducted," Lehman replied when asked about Feldman's participation in the summer science program.

Feldman's participation in the research program is evidence of his continuing interest in molecular chemistry.  "Conducting summer research and working closely with a Hamilton professor is providing a wonderful opportunity for me to stay in touch with my interest in the sciences despite a concentration on philosophy," Feldman said.  He is spending the coming fall semester in England studying philosophy, but plans to focus on adding a chemistry concentration to his liberal arts curriculum upon his return. 

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