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Metabolic Modeling Of Cystic Fibrosis Airway Microbiota From Patient Samples, Arsh Vyas
Metabolic Modeling Of Cystic Fibrosis Airway Microbiota From Patient Samples, Arsh Vyas
Masters Theses
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder, found with higher prevalence in the Caucasian population, affecting > 30,000 individuals in the United States and > 70,000 worldwide. Due to the astoundingly high rate of mortality among CF patients being attributed to respiratory failure brought on by chronic bacterial infections and subsequent airway inflammation, there has been a lot of focus on systematically analyzing CF lung airway communities. While it is observed traditionally that Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most threatening and persistent CF colonizer due to high antibiotic resistance, recent studies have elicited the roles of other pathogens and it has been widely …
Functional Morphology, Biomechanics, And Evolution Of Ruminant Mammals, Abby Vander Linden
Functional Morphology, Biomechanics, And Evolution Of Ruminant Mammals, Abby Vander Linden
Doctoral Dissertations
Ruminant mammals, including the families Bovidae, Cervidae, Tragulidae, Moschidae, Antilocapridae, and Giraffidae, display incredible past and present diversity in morphology, ecology, and behavior. They inhabit an impressive range of environments across North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, and compel the fascination of naturalists and researchers alike with their charismatic social behavior and conspicuous cranial appendages. I explore the drivers and consequences of this spectacular diversity through a comparative morphological framework, biomechanical modeling approaches, and semi-parametric and likelihood-based methods for estimating state-dependent diversification rates across the ruminant phylogeny. Together, these investigations provide evidence for adaptation via correlated evolution of …
The Effect Of Disturbance And Invasion On Fungal And Plant Communities Over An Elevational Gradient, Adam N. Trautwig
The Effect Of Disturbance And Invasion On Fungal And Plant Communities Over An Elevational Gradient, Adam N. Trautwig
Doctoral Dissertations
High-elevation ecosystems are at risk of disruption from the future effects of climate change. Sub-alpine meadows are a source of unique plant populations, intraspecific variation of elevationally extreme populations, and vital sources of fresh water resources. We evaluated the whole fungal communities, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) communities, plant communities, and edaphic variables of sub-alpine meadows in undisturbed, disturbed, and disturbed with a non-native member of the Brassicaceae (Thlaspi arvense) plots. In conjunction with measuring the effects of disturbance on native communities we conducted potting experiments on a dominant grass of sub-alpine meadows (Festuca thurberi). We also …
Understanding How Camkii Holoenzyme Dynamics Facilities Activation-Triggered Subunit Exchange, Ana P. Torres-Ocampo
Understanding How Camkii Holoenzyme Dynamics Facilities Activation-Triggered Subunit Exchange, Ana P. Torres-Ocampo
Doctoral Dissertations
Long-term memory and learning are still poorly understood from a molecular and cellular standpoint. Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is an oligomeric kinase that is involved in this remarkable process. However, the molecular details of its specific roles in these processes remains elusive. CaMKII activation-triggered subunit exchange presents a novel possible mechanism involved in long-term memory and learning by exchanging active subunits with other CaMKIIs. CaMKII subunit exchange also shows that exchanged CaMKIIs spread their phosphorylation state to newly synthesized CaMKIIs. This provides a long-lasting signal that might possibly be involved in long-term memory by escaping a cell’s …
Mechanistic Insights Into Diverse Protease Adaptor Functions, Nathan J. Kuhlmann
Mechanistic Insights Into Diverse Protease Adaptor Functions, Nathan J. Kuhlmann
Doctoral Dissertations
Protein degradation is an essential cellular process that helps maintain proper homeostasis. The ClpXP protease broadly regulates bacterial development and quality control during the cell cycle. The range and order of substrates that ClpXP degrades during the cell cycle is dictated by 3 accessory proteins, which are known as adaptors. This thesis will elaborate on how dimerization tightly regulates the stability and activity of the adaptor protein at the center of this hierarchy, RcdA, and show how this affects normal cellular processes in Caulobacter crescentus. I will discuss the mechanism by which dimerization limits RcdA activity and how the dimerization …
Antibiotic Sensitivity Testing Of Foodborne Bacteria Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy, Joshua Gukowsky
Antibiotic Sensitivity Testing Of Foodborne Bacteria Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy, Joshua Gukowsky
Doctoral Dissertations
The spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria around the world has become a major public health issue, and it is essential that effective detection methods exist for identifying these organisms and preventing them from spreading throughout our food systems and into the environment. The goal of this research is to develop a novel analytical procedure that is capable of easily identifying antibiotic resistance in bacterial samples, and also provides more information about the biochemical characteristics of the bacteria and their responses to antibiotic exposure. Surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS), an analytical technique that uses light scattering to produce a spectrum based on …
Attitudes And Interactions Of Indigenous And Non-Indigenous People With Wildlife In The Northern Talamanca Mountains Of Costa Rica, Carolina Saenz-Bolaños
Attitudes And Interactions Of Indigenous And Non-Indigenous People With Wildlife In The Northern Talamanca Mountains Of Costa Rica, Carolina Saenz-Bolaños
Doctoral Dissertations
In this study I investigated wildlife and human use of landscapes in the northern Talamanca Mountains of Costa Rica (Pacuare-Barbilla sector), including three contiguous protected areas (a national park, a forest reserve, and an indigenous territory), as well as surrounding unprotected areas. I describe and compare perceptions of wildlife by different social actors in the Pacuare-Barbilla sector, collecting information with a questionnaire as an instrument. I also inventoried and monitored the abundance and distribution of a variety of wildlife species occurring throughout the area using camera traps. The species with greater abundance or only occurrence in the national park were …
Hydrologic Controls On Phosphorus Speciation And Mobilization In A Subalpine Watershed (East River, Colorado), Lucia Isobel Arthen-Long
Hydrologic Controls On Phosphorus Speciation And Mobilization In A Subalpine Watershed (East River, Colorado), Lucia Isobel Arthen-Long
Masters Theses
The cycling of phosphorus (P) through floodplain environments is critical to ecosystem productivity and has significant implications on both water quality and soil fertility. P export from soils in response to saturation has been well documented, but the relative vulnerability of specific P pools to mobilization remains poorly constrained, as do the mechanisms mediating its release. The prediction of P availability in and export from mountainous floodplain soils is of great importance as global climate change is projected to significantly alter precipitation regimes in alpine systems. This study combined a thorough characterization of P distribution across a hillslope to floodplain …
Statistical Improvements For Ecological Learning About Spatial Processes, Gaetan L. Dupont
Statistical Improvements For Ecological Learning About Spatial Processes, Gaetan L. Dupont
Masters Theses
Ecological inquiry is rooted fundamentally in understanding population abundance, both to develop theory and improve conservation outcomes. Despite this importance, estimating abundance is difficult due to the imperfect detection of individuals in a sample population. Further, accounting for space can provide more biologically realistic inference, shifting the focus from abundance to density and encouraging the exploration of spatial processes. To address these challenges, Spatial Capture-Recapture (“SCR”) has emerged as the most prominent method for estimating density reliably. The SCR model is conceptually straightforward: it combines a spatial model of detection with a point process model of the spatial distribution of …
The Time Course And Neuroanatomy Of Rhinophore Regeneration In The Nudibranch Berghia Stephanieae, Ani Maroyan
The Time Course And Neuroanatomy Of Rhinophore Regeneration In The Nudibranch Berghia Stephanieae, Ani Maroyan
Masters Theses
Within five weeks, the nudibranch, Berghia stephanieae (Gastropoda, Mollusca) can regenerate a severed rhinophore, the main olfactory appendage, such that it is indistinguishable from a non-lesioned rhinophore. The rhinophore is a 2 mm long stalk with lateral sides covered in ridges and the distal third covered in fluorescent pigmentation. Its internal morphology is dominated by longitudinal musculature, overlaid by a complex neuronal plexus, which contains neurons that express various neuroactive substances including serotonin and small cardioactive peptide (SCP). Two large nerves originate in the rhinophore ganglion at the base of the rhinophore and run the length of the rhinophore. To …
Development Of A New Behavioral Assay For Juvenile Berghia Stephanieae, Kelly E. Fischer
Development Of A New Behavioral Assay For Juvenile Berghia Stephanieae, Kelly E. Fischer
Masters Theses
Developing robust behavioral assays to study olfactory-driven behaviors allows for greater insight into the neural mechanisms behind them. Oftentimes, olfactory behavioral assays require a two-choice design, consistent variables, and controlled stimulus application. This can be challenging when working with marine dwelling organisms such as nudibranchs. Extensive work shows the importance of olfaction in both pre-metamorphic larval development and adult stage nudibranchs (Gastropoda, Mollusca). However, there is little research investigating how olfaction plays a role in rapidly developing, post-metamorphic juvenile nudibranchs such as Berghia stephanieae. To study olfactory-associated behaviors in juvenile Berghia, a novel behavioral microfluidic chip was designed which …
The Role Of Low-Molecular Weight Fungal Metabolites In Eutypa Dieback Grapevine Trunk Disease, Dana Sebestyen
The Role Of Low-Molecular Weight Fungal Metabolites In Eutypa Dieback Grapevine Trunk Disease, Dana Sebestyen
Masters Theses
Eutypa dieback, one of several grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs), is of serious concern to the grape industry globally. This disease is caused by the fungus Eutypa lata but it is often seen in consortia growth with Phaeoacremonium minimum and Phaeomoniella chlamydospora. It is vital to understand the mechanisms for how this disease functions to develop control measures to combat it. Brown rot fungi are able to use a complex of low molecular weight (LMW) metabolites to induce a Fenton reaction to deconstruct woody tissue. These metabolites are part of a chelator mediated Fenton (CMF) chemistry that produces reactive oxygen …
Structure-Function Studies Of The Trypanosome Mitochondrial Replication Protein Polib, Raveen Armstrong
Structure-Function Studies Of The Trypanosome Mitochondrial Replication Protein Polib, Raveen Armstrong
Masters Theses
Trypanosoma brucei and related protists are distinguished from all other eukaryotes by an unusual mitochondrial genome known as kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) that is a catenated network composed of minicircles and maxicircles. Replication of this single nucleoid involves a release, replicate, and reattach mechanism for the thousands of catenated minicircles and requires at least three DNA polymerase (POLIB, POLIC and POLID) with similarity to E. coli DNA polymerase I. Like other proofreading replicative DNA polymerases, POLIB has both an annotated polymerase domain and an exonuclease domain. Predictive modelling of POLIB indicates that it has the canonical right hand …
Utilizing Fluorescence Microscopy To Characterize The Subcellular Distribution Of The Novel Protein Acheron, Varun Sheel
Utilizing Fluorescence Microscopy To Characterize The Subcellular Distribution Of The Novel Protein Acheron, Varun Sheel
Masters Theses
All cells carry the genetic machinery required to commit cell suicide; a process known as programmed cell death (PCD). While the ability to initiate PCD serves a number of useful purposes during development and homeostasis, misregulation of PCD is the underlying basis of most human diseases, including cancer, autoimmunity disorders and neurodegeneration. Using the tobacco hawkmoth Manduca sexta as a model organism, the Schwartz lab at UMass has demonstrated that PCD requires de novo gene expression and has cloned many death-associated genes. One of these genes encodes a novel protein that was named Acheron after one of the rivers of …
Activation Of Nrf2 At Critical Windows Of Development Alters Protein S-Glutathionylation In The Zebrafish Embryo (Danio Rerio), Emily G. Severance
Activation Of Nrf2 At Critical Windows Of Development Alters Protein S-Glutathionylation In The Zebrafish Embryo (Danio Rerio), Emily G. Severance
Masters Theses
Perturbation of cellular redox homeostasis to a more oxidized state has been linked to adverse human health effects such as diabetes and cancer. However, the impact of altering the regulation of redox homeostasis during development is not fully understood. Specifically, this project investigates the role of the Nrf2 antioxidant response pathway and its effect on glutathione (GSH; cellular redox buffer) at critical windows of development. To explore this, we used zebrafish embryos (Danio rerio) as a model due to the function of GSH and the Nrf2 being conserved among vertebrates. We exposed zebrafish embryos to three Nrf2 activators: two antioxidant …
Hsp70 Phosphorylation: A Case Study Of Serine Residues 385 And 400, Sashrika Saini
Hsp70 Phosphorylation: A Case Study Of Serine Residues 385 And 400, Sashrika Saini
Masters Theses
Molecular chaperones play a key role in maintaining a healthy cellular proteome by performing protein quality control. Heat shock protein 70s (Hsp70s) are a diverse class of evolutionarily conserved chaperones that interact with short hydrophobic sequences presented in unfolded proteins, promoting productive folding, and preventing proteins from aggregation. Most of the extensive research on chaperone examines mechanism, substrate promiscuity, and engagement with many co-chaperones. Only recently were chaperones recognized to be frequent targets of post-translational modifications (PTMs). Despite the recent rise in PTMs identified, the impact of these modifications on chaperone function, whether singular or in concert with other modifications, …
Exploring Knockdown Phenotypes And Interactions Between Atad3 Proteins In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Eli S. Gordon
Exploring Knockdown Phenotypes And Interactions Between Atad3 Proteins In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Eli S. Gordon
Masters Theses
Mitochondria are required for a diverse array of cellular functions and processes. ATAD3 (ATPase family AAA domain containing protein 3) proteins are newly discovered mitochondrial membrane proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana. Homologous to ATAD3A in metazoans, Co-Immunoprecipitation/Mass spectrometry and genomic analysis identified a four ATAD3A homologues in A. thaliana. The four A. thaliana proteins are referred to as ATAD3A1 (At3g03060), ATAD3A2 (At5g16930), ATAD3B1 (At2g18330), and ATAD3B2 (At4g36580). Studies in metazoans indicate that ATAD3A localizes to Mitochondria-ER contact sites and is involved in a variety of processes required for proper mitochondrial function, but ATAD3A proteins are poorly defined in plants. …
Reproducibility Of Alkaline Inorganic Phosphate Quantification Using 31p-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy At 3t, Alexs A. Matias
Reproducibility Of Alkaline Inorganic Phosphate Quantification Using 31p-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy At 3t, Alexs A. Matias
Masters Theses
INTRODUCTION: The detection of a second inorganic phosphate (Pi) resonance, a possible marker of mitochondrial content in vivo, using phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P- MRS) at 3T is technically challenging, which may prevent its reproducible quantification. PURPOSE: To determine the reproducibility of resting alkaline inorganic phosphate (Pialk) measurement using 31P-MRS in human skeletal muscle at 3 tesla (T). METHODS: Resting 31P- MRS of the quadriceps muscles was acquired on two separate visits, within seven days, in 13 healthy, sedentary to moderately active young adults using a whole-body 3T MR system. Measurement variability related to coil position, shimming procedure, and spectral …
Accelerometer-Determined Physical Behavior Metrics And Their Associations With Sarcopenia Among Oldest-Old Adults, Eric M. Eberl
Accelerometer-Determined Physical Behavior Metrics And Their Associations With Sarcopenia Among Oldest-Old Adults, Eric M. Eberl
Masters Theses
INTRODUCTION: Sarcopenia is a loss of muscle function and muscle mass which frequently occurs among the oldest-old adult population (aged 85+ years). The analysis of accelerometer-determined physical behavior volumes and patterns of oldest-old adults might provide novel insights into the associations with sarcopenia and its components. METHODS: A total of 145 participants in the primary sample and 87 participants in the subsample with a mean age of 88.2 (2.5) years from the Health, Aging, and Body Composition study cohort provided cross-sectional data of handgrip strength, appendicular lean mass, gait speed, and accelerometry. Probable, confirmed, and severe sarcopenia were assessed based …
Factors Affecting Sensory Acceptance Of Thickened Liquids Used In Dysphagia Management, Allison N. Cox
Factors Affecting Sensory Acceptance Of Thickened Liquids Used In Dysphagia Management, Allison N. Cox
Masters Theses
Between 4-16% of adults in the United States have experienced difficulty swallowing at some point during their lives. Difficulty swallowing, or clinically referred to as dysphagia, poses increased concern when drinking beverages. While no treatment is currently available, it is often recommended that liquids be thickened to improve the safety of swallowing and prevent liquids from being aspirated in the lungs. However, thickened liquids are poorly accepted by individuals with dysphagia. Taste and flavor suppression has been shown in various thickened liquid matrices, but the mechanisms for understanding these changes in perception are quite complex. Additionally, literature focused on dysphagic …
Antioxidant Synergism Between Α-Tocopherol And A High Phosphatidylserine Modified Lecithin, Harshika Arora
Antioxidant Synergism Between Α-Tocopherol And A High Phosphatidylserine Modified Lecithin, Harshika Arora
Masters Theses
Phospholipids, such as phosphatidylserine (PS) have been shown to work synergistically with tocopherols to extend the shelf life of oil-in-water emulsions. However, the high cost of PS prevents it from being used as a food additive. This work investigated the potential use of a high PS enzyme-modified lecithin to be used along with α-tocopherol to extend the lag phase of oil-in-water emulsions stabilized using Tween 20. Phospholipase D from Streptomyces sp. and L-serine were used to modify lecithin to increase PS concentration. Enzyme activity was optimized as a function of pH and temperature using a high PC soybean lecithin. The …
Antioxidant Combination Of High Phosphatidylserine (Ps) Lecithin With Mixed Tocopherol In Soybean Oil-In-Water Emulsion: Effect Of Ph And Salt, Princy Agnihotri
Antioxidant Combination Of High Phosphatidylserine (Ps) Lecithin With Mixed Tocopherol In Soybean Oil-In-Water Emulsion: Effect Of Ph And Salt, Princy Agnihotri
Masters Theses
Lipid oxidation is one of the major challenges faced by the food industry as it contributes to the loss of nutritional quality and loss of flavor in food products. Studies have shown that naturally occurring phospholipids like phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) can regenerate oxidized tocopherols and help delay the lipid oxidation in bulk oils and oil-in-water emulsions. Since consumers desire simpler and cleaner labels, without chemically synthesized antioxidants, this research is of great interest. The combination of PS and PE with tocopherols has already been studied. However, PS was a better antioxidant in combination with tocopherols in the oil-in-water …
Assessing The Structure And Function Of Utility Forests In Massachusetts, Ryan Suttle
Assessing The Structure And Function Of Utility Forests In Massachusetts, Ryan Suttle
Masters Theses
Trees in a community provide numerous benefits, including reducing ambient temperature, removing gaseous and particulate pollutants from the air, sequestering atmospheric carbon, and improving stormwater retention and filtration. However, trees also pose risks, especially in proximity to overhead utility lines. Trees near utility lines cause a large proportion of electrical power outages. As such, trees must be frequently and often severely pruned away from lines to minimize this risk. Presumably, community trees not growing near overhead utility lines are not pruned as frequently or severely. The objectives of this study are to (i) assess factors related to both individual trees …
The Efficacy Of Habitat Conservation Assistance Programs For Family Forest Owners In Vermont, Margaret E. Harrington
The Efficacy Of Habitat Conservation Assistance Programs For Family Forest Owners In Vermont, Margaret E. Harrington
Masters Theses
The future of Vermont’s 1.8 million hectares (4.5 million acres) of forest habitat will be largely determined by the decisions of family forest owners, who collectively own 60% of the state’s forested land. To promote management for wildlife habitat, government agencies and non-governmental partnerships provide technical and financial support to family forest owners in the form of conservation assistance programs. In Chapter 1, I qualitatively compared the efficacy of two types of conservation assistance programs available in Vermont: traditional programs offered through the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and a simplified, accelerated program offered through a non-governmental partnership called Woods, Wildlife, …
Can Volunteers Learn To Prune Trees?, Ryan W. Fawcett
Can Volunteers Learn To Prune Trees?, Ryan W. Fawcett
Masters Theses
Volunteer pruning programs are becoming an important tool in helping municipal arborists manage the urban forest. To find if volunteers can learn to prune trees well, the ability of volunteers to prune small trees after receiving training was assessed in three different ways, a written exam, a pruning prescription assessment, and a pruning cut assessment. Volunteers were assigned to either an indoor, lecture-based training or an outdoor, hands-on training session. After the training volunteers were asked to complete a written exam to gauge their understanding of the curriculum. Volunteers were then asked to perform a pruning prescription on small street …
Investigating The Developmental Impacts Of 3,3’-Dichlorobiphenyl (Pcb-11) In Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Monika A. Roy
Investigating The Developmental Impacts Of 3,3’-Dichlorobiphenyl (Pcb-11) In Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Monika A. Roy
Doctoral Dissertations
The environmental pollutant 3,3’-dichlorobiphenyl (PCB-11) is a lower-chlorinated polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener present in air and water samples. Both PCB-11 and its metabolite, 4-PCB-11-Sulfate, are detected in humans, including in pregnant women. The work conducted for this dissertation takes a developmental toxicology approach and uses zebrafish (Danio rerio) to investigate PCB-11’s potential impacts to the liver and pancreas. Chapter 1 introduces PCBs and the current knowledge gaps. Chapter 2 investigates PCB-11 interactions in short-term 4-day exposures with the Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr) pathway in both 0-20 mM individual and mixture exposures with other Ahr agonists. In Chapter 3, …
Data Access, Distribution Models, And Stable Isotopes: Merging Approaches To Improve Bear Distribution Estimates And Bear Carnivory For Conservation, Nereyda Falconi
Data Access, Distribution Models, And Stable Isotopes: Merging Approaches To Improve Bear Distribution Estimates And Bear Carnivory For Conservation, Nereyda Falconi
Doctoral Dissertations
My dissertation aims to contribute to the knowledge of Andean bears in Peru. The Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus) is the sole bear species in south America. The lack of knowledge on different aspects of Andean bear ecology, biogeography, and abundance patterns hinders current conservation efforts for the species. I compiled Andean bear occurrence records in Peru with collaboration from many colleagues and created an open-access database at the GBIF data repository. Next, I modeled the distribution of Andean bear within Peru and compared estimates including and excluding unpublished records. I found that models combining published and unpublished records …
On Spatiotemporal Connectivity Dynamics: Perspectives From A Naturally Fragmented Metapopulation, Joseph Drake
On Spatiotemporal Connectivity Dynamics: Perspectives From A Naturally Fragmented Metapopulation, Joseph Drake
Doctoral Dissertations
Connectivity has quickly become a central tenet of ecological research, frequently evoked for conservation research and management activities. However, the concept of connectivity has proliferated into many forms for many different perspectives. Generally said, population distributions, demography, landscape, and dispersal all contribute to connectivity in a meaningful way. While great progress has been made in increasing realism in connectivity, one component seemed to stand out as being underappreciated: the role of population dynamics in the application of landscape connectivity. I began to acquire an appreciation for how common modeling approaches make assumptions about these core components of connectivity. In Chapter …
Monitoring Mammals At Multiple Scales: Case Studies From Carnivore Communities, Kadambari Devarajan
Monitoring Mammals At Multiple Scales: Case Studies From Carnivore Communities, Kadambari Devarajan
Doctoral Dissertations
Carnivores are distributed widely and threatened by habitat loss, poaching, climate change, and disease. They are considered integral to ecosystem function through their direct and indirect interactions with species at different trophic levels. Given the importance of carnivores, it is of high conservation priority to understand the processes driving carnivore assemblages in different systems. It is thus essential to determine the abiotic and biotic drivers of carnivore community composition at different spatial scales and address the following questions: (i) What factors influence carnivore community composition and diversity? (ii) How do the factors influencing carnivore communities vary across spatial and temporal …
Role Of The Prefrontal Cortex In Reward Seeking Behaviors, Jessica Caballero-Feliciano
Role Of The Prefrontal Cortex In Reward Seeking Behaviors, Jessica Caballero-Feliciano
Doctoral Dissertations
Disorders associated with compulsive seeking of rewards, like binge-eating, are associated with abnormalities of the prefrontal cortex in humans, which is analogous to the prelimbic (PL) and infralimbic (IL) subregions of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in rodents. Although studies have examined the role of the mPFC in drug seeking behaviors, studies examining natural reward seeking behaviors (i.e. food and sucrose) are often unclear and contradictory. This dissertation aims to characterize the role of the PL and IL mPFC in operant sucrose seeking behaviors. We used pharmacological and chemogenetic tools to selectively inactivate the PL, IL and PL-nucleus accumbens (NAc) …