Ennis was given

Hampikian's name by Anna Gillis at the American Society for Microbiology,

as a "leading scientist in the field." The radio feature was

a fascinating account on the subject of cinnamon and garlic and their

lethal effect on infectious bacteria.

Hampikian and

his students have been testing the effects of various spices on bacteria

and found that aerosols made from the se spices can be used to preserve

some foods. They also found that no bacteria subjected to cinnamon survived

and that red hot chili peppers (while potent in other ways) had no lethal

effects on any bacteria tested.

Hampikian also recently presented lectures about "Using

forensic science to teach molecular biology" at the 4 2nd

American Society of Cell Biology in San Francisco, and "DNA: the

ultimate memory material" to the Graduate Student Chapter of the

American Society of Microbiology at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

In April of

this year, he was twice featured as speaker for Georgia State University

seminars; the first to the Robinson College of Business' Legal Studies

program and again, as part of their biology department's seminar series.

Hampikian has

gained national attention for his work in the field of Forensic DNA, and

this fall UGA Press will publish his book "Escape to Freedom,"

a collaborative effort with ex-inmate Calvin C. Johnson, Jr., who was

exoneration by DNA testing after serving 16 years in prison on a false

rape conviction.