At Gilmour Academy, meaningful learning happens through collaboration, curiosity and real-world application. That commitment is on full display in newly published research by science instructor Edward Turk, Ph.D., Alex Batchik ’26 and collaborators from Cleveland State University.

Their paper, “Gibson Assembly of Highly Repetitive DNA,” is now published on the scientific journal Biochemistry website and will be published in the physical journal in 4-6 weeks.

“Our research focused on developing a reliable way to build and study very long stretches of repetitive DNA,” said Dr. Turk. “These types of sequences occur naturally in biology and are also used in engineered systems, but they are notoriously difficult to construct in the lab. We set out to create a modular DNA assembly framework that allows us to systematically build these repetitive sequences to defined lengths and then study how they behave. In simple terms, we were trying to solve a long-standing ‘construction problem’ in molecular biology; how to reliably build something that tends to fall apart during the process.”

“Repetitive DNA sequences are difficult because their repeated structure makes them prone to errors during both assembly and replication inside cells,” Dr. Turk explained. “The cell’s own machinery can ‘misread’ these repeats, leading to deletions or rearrangements. As a result, researchers often struggle to build long, stable versions of these sequences.”

“Our approach introduces a modular assembly strategy that uses the repetitive sequence itself as part of the construction mechanism,” he continued. “This allows us to iteratively build longer and longer sequences in a controlled and predictable way. The key advance is that we demonstrated it’s possible to construct and maintain extremely long repetitive DNA sequences, far beyond what is typically achievable, while preserving their intended structure.”

The implications of this work extend across synthetic biology, with potential applications in biomaterials, drug delivery and protein-based therapeutics.

Alex’s journey began in Gilmour’s Molecular Genetics Research course, where students engage in authentic, open-ended scientific research. He chose to continue the project beyond the classroom, ultimately pursuing it as an independent study. 

“I first became interested in doing laboratory research after taking Dr. Turk’s Molecular Genetics Research course in sophomore year,” Alex shared.

Alex participated in the Science & Medicine cohort of Gilmour’s VECTOR program, for which Dr. Turk serves as the faculty mentor. Through the program, Alex was able to expand that interest into a professional setting, spending part of his summer conducting research at Cleveland State University.

“Dr. Turk connected me to Dr. Nolan Holland at Cleveland State University’s Biomedical and Chemical Engineering department, where I did my research the summer following my junior year,” he said.

Throughout the process, Alex worked closely with Dr. Turk and CSU collaborators, contributing to both the experimental and analytical aspects of the research.

“He contributed to designing DNA constructs, performing assembly reactions, analyzing results and troubleshooting challenges. Importantly, he also engaged with the broader scientific reasoning behind the work, not just the technical execution.”

Beyond the technical skills, the experience reshaped Alex’s understanding of science itself.

“What I learned from this process of publishing the research conducted was that science is a much more collaborative endeavor than I had initially thought,” he said.

He also gained a deeper appreciation for the persistence required in scientific work.

“This experience impacted me by showing me what it means to be a true scientist. It showed me how to fail and fail, and fail again,” Alex reflected. “In science, you must try and try and try again until you succeed.”

For Dr. Turk, this kind of growth is exactly the goal.

“This collaboration represents what I think is the most meaningful form of science education; students contributing to work that is genuinely new,” he said. “Alex wasn’t completing a predefined lab exercise; he was helping solve a problem that the field itself is still working through.”

“What excites me most is seeing students transition from learning about science to actually doing science at a professional level,” Dr. Turk added. “That includes designing experiments, interpreting ambiguous results, and persisting through failure. Watching a student grow into that role, and ultimately contribute to a published study, is incredibly rewarding and reinforces the value of giving students access to authentic research experiences.”

This collaboration between Dr. Turk and Alex Batchik underscores what distinguishes a Gilmour education: close mentorship, authentic research and opportunities for students to contribute at a professional level.

Alex will continue his passion for science this fall as a neuroscience major at University of Notre Dame, with plans to pursue medical school in the future.