Messmer Preparing Future Scientists

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Messmer Preparing Future Scientists

Posted 08/25/2009 06:57AM

Messmer High School is training future scientists through an extra-curricular program, Students' Modeling A Research Topic or the SMART program, run by MSOE's Center for BioMolecular Modeling. This year, Messmer's SMART three-person female team will be represented by two Hispanic students who will be presenting their research findings at the American Society of Biochemists and Molecular Biologists conferenece in New Orleans on April 17, 2009.

In the SMART Team program, students design and build a model of the protein using Rapid Prototyping technology, create an oral presentation explaining their work to a lay audience and develop a poster which is presented to a scientific audience.

This year's SMART team consists of Carolina Herrera, Lilian Rios and Edna Blackman and is coached by science teacher Carol Johnson. The team worked closely with Dr. Bonnie Dittel and Dr. Ashley Conrad of the Blood Research Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin to design a model of the B7-2 protein. This molecule is important in regulating the body's immune response to foreign substances and plays a critical role in autoimmune reactions such as Multiple Sclerosis.

1926 - Archbishop Messmer establishes Diocesan High School (now Messmer High School) with 166 students.

1928 - Diocesan High School renamed Messmer High School after Archbishop Sebastian Gebhard Messmer.

1940 - Enrollment reaches all-time high with two shifts of classes to accommodate more than 1,400 students and no freshman classes.

1980 - Messmer begins to see a steady decline in student enrollment.

1984 - Archdiocese of Milwaukee announces the closure of Messmer High School and Save Messmer Committee is formed.

1984 - With support from the DeRance Foundation, the Messmer school building is purchased from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

1985 - Messmer High School reopens with 115 students and 16 faculty members and becomes the first independent Catholic school in Milwaukee.

1995 - Messmer High School becomes the first religious school accepted into School Choice program.

1998 - Archbishop officially recognizes Messmer as an independent Catholic school.

1999 - Messmer Catholic Schools is established to oversee Messmer High School and the new Messmer Preparatory Catholic School (formerly St. Mary Czestochowa).

2007 - Messmer Catholic Schools assumes management of St. Rose and St. Leo schools at the request of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.