Life Sciences Commons^™

Near-Space Conditions And Their Effects On Physiology, Jennifer Jo Burden, Sarah E. Bell

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Abstract 1:

Jennifer Jo Burden

UVA and UVB

The NASA Balloon Satellite, which is a balloon that is sent 100,000 feet into the upper atmosphere to collect data, and stream that data live to NASA webpage, will carry experiments that are part of a payload. My experiment will be a Neulog Sensor Logger that will collect data on the UVA and UVB exposure rate of light from the upper stratosphere and on the ground. Data measuring the exposure rate of the light will also be collected from robot welding cells or sections in which one robot will be measured in …

Design Of Novel Ion Channel Modulators, Vladimir Yarov-Yarovoy

Science Seminar Series

Function and modulation of neuronal sodium channels are critical for the neuromodulation of electrical excitability and synaptic transmission in neurons - the basis for many aspects of signal transduction, learning, memory and physiological regulation. Mutations in neuronal voltage-gated sodium channel genes are responsible for various human neurological disorders. Furthermore, human neuronal voltage-gated sodium channels are primary targets of therapeutic drugs used as local anesthetics and for treatment of neurological and cardiac disorders. Yarov-Yarovoy's lab is working on rational design of novel therapeutically useful blockers of voltage-gated sodium channels for treatment of pain and epilepsy. Serious, chronic pain affects at least …

Territorial Movement Game, Jan Rychtar

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Quantifying Life: A Computational Approach To Teaching Mathematics To Biology Students, Dmitry Kondrashov

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Designing And Mentoring In A Research Experience For Undergraduates, Alex Capaldi

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Experimenting With Mathematical Biology, Becky Sanft

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Zombies, Predatory Wasps And Consciousness, James K. Peterson

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

A Numerical Investigation Of A Simplified Human Birth Model, Roseanna Gossmann, Alexa Baumer, Lisa Fauci, Megan C. Leftwich

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Dynamics Of A Two Vector, Two Pathogen, Single Host Model, Caleb L. Adams

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Mathematical Modeling Of Vaccine Noncompliance, Jordan A. Bauer

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Understanding Adipocyte Dynamics Through Mathematical Modeling, Katrina Johnson, Fred Adler

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Osteocyte Estrogen Receptor Beta (Erβ) In Regulating The Skeletal Response To Mechanical Loading, Julia P. Townsend, Russell P. Main

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Estrogen’s biological functions are mediated by estrogen binding to estrogen receptors (ER). Understanding what role both ERα and ERβ have in bone maintenance and formation can contribute to possible treatment of osteoporosis. This study examined osteocyte specific deletion of ERβ in mice. The cross of ERβ-floxed mice with DMP1-8kb-Cre mice provided both experimental knockout mice as well as littermate control mice. At 24 weeks of age the left tibiae of all mice were mechanically loaded five days per week for two weeks to induce bone formation. Analysis of cortical bone was conducted using microcomputed tomography (microCT) to measure load-induced changes …

Mapping Morels: Predicting The Locations Of Morchella Species Through Environmental Factors Using The Gis System, Emily M. Stanevicius

Celebration of Learning

Morel mushrooms, Morechella esculenta and M. deliciosa, are known delicacies across the globe, ranging from exquisite dishes in French cuisine to Eastern palates such as Japanese Matsutake. According to literature, true morels diverged as their own genus about 129 million years, again which has led to the development of more than 177 species and have been part of the human diet since their beginning. However, the elusiveness of morels has contributed to the mushrooms infamy for rarity, and has even been known to sell for more than $40 per pound. This project seeks to aid in the search for morels …

Semaphorin3a Increases Focal Adhesion Formation To Shift The Relationship Between Cell Migration And Substratum Concentration Through A Rock-Dependent Mechanism, Frances V. Compere, Scott Gehler

Celebration of Learning

Cell migration is essential for many life processes, including wound healing, embryonic development and cancer metastasis. Cells move across a surface by interacting and forming adhesions with the molecules in their environment, specifically the extracellular matrix. Past studies have shown that there is an optimal level of cell-substratum adhesive strength that allows for the most cell migration and spreading (DiMilla et al., 1993; Gaudet et al., 2003). The mechanism by which this works is not well understood, however. Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) has been shown to increase the expression of integrin receptors, which help mediate the formation of the adhesions between …

Effect Of Different Miracle-Gro Concentrations On The Growth Of Wisconsin Fast Plants, Eric D. Shershen, Nicholas M. Orslini, David Channon, Marvin Agyeben

Celebration of Learning

The Wisconsin Fast Plant, Brassica rapa (Brassicaceae) seeds were planted in three, six-celled containers and were filled with standard potting soil under continuous grow-lux lighting. After the first week of plant growth, E1and E2 were placed in a separate trays and given 1.0 and 1.5x the recommended amount of Miracle-Gro formula, respectively. The control was left in tap water and all were kept in 1 cm of solution. Every seven days the plants’ heights were recorded, and the total number of flowers were counted. By the fourth week, the average height of the control plants was 105.7 mm, of the …

Effects Of Mutating The Mrub_1345 Gene Found In Meiothermus Ruber, Brandon M. Wills, Lori R. Scott

Celebration of Learning

Meiothermus ruber is a unique, red-pigmented, thermophilic bacterium that preferentially grows in high-temperature environments ranging from 35-70°C. Due to the lack of studies performed on this organism, there is quite a bit of information missing in regard to the genes found within this organism’s genome and their function. This study focuses in on the Mrub_1345 gene in M. ruber, which has been suggested to be orthologous to the proC gene found of E. coli proline biosynthesis pathway. To test if these genes are orthologs, we performed the complementation assay on wild-type proC. Next, we performed site-directed mutagenesis on amino acids …

Purification, Optimization, And Growth Of New Delhi Metallo-Β-Lactamase-1 Protein Crystals Mixed With Nz218 Inhibitor, Brandon M. Wills

Celebration of Learning

New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 is a problematic gene found in certain strains of bacteria that cause them to become antibiotic resistant to nearly all known antibiotics. While some antibiotics are available to treat patients with a bacterial infection, most are toxic or do not have 100% success rates. With that being said, it is imperative that we search for a molecule that is successfully able to inhibit the effects of this gene every time. Such a discovery would help tremendously with new antibiotic drug development and also prevent further damage by these dangerous bacteria. In this presentation, I will describe the …

The Effects Of Urbanization On Leaf Breakdown Rates In A Rock Island Watershed, Jillian M. Jespersen, Laura Becker, Kortney Hix, C. Kevin Geedey

Celebration of Learning

The ability of streams to break down leaves is widely used as an indicator of stream health. In this study, a series of six streams within the Rock Island, Ill., watershed, which were similar in discharge, order, temperature and pH, were categorized as healthy or unhealthy based on chloride levels. This study was part of a broader study of the Rock Island watershed by Augustana. Maple leaves were collected shortly after abscission, weighed, packaged in mesh bags (approximately 5g per bag) and deployed in the streams for two- and four-week periods. After each time period, the leaves were removed, dried …

Variation In Desiccation Resistance Between Different Rhagoletis Zephyria Populations Spanning The Cascade Mountains, Keely Hausken, Neal Shaffer, Jennifer Hill

Scholars Week

Local adaptation to environmental gradients can be an important source of variation that allows populations to evolve in response to environmental challenges. The snowberry maggot fly (Rhagoletis zephyria) is found throughout the different climate regions of Washington state. However, populations vary in their resistance to desiccation as an early pupa. We found that in low humidity treatments, desiccation resistance is predicted by annual precipitation and elevation and is tightly correlated with fly emergence the following season. Our results suggest that the variation in desiccation resistance in of R. zephyria is adaptive. Rhagoletis zephyria hybridizes with the agriculturally important invasive apple …

Roles Of Ubiquitin And Stress In Diacetyl Chemosensation Of C. Elegans, Ellen Zocher, Nelson Ruth, Marissa Hogg

Scholars Week

Ubiquitin is a small protein that can be attached to other proteins in a cell, tagging them for destruction. The process of adding ubiquitin to a protein substrate (ubiquitination), and the subsequent trafficking and degradation of this substrate, is a principle regulator of the abundance and activity of many proteins across all forms of life. We are examining the role and dynamics of this regulatory system in the olfactory neurons of the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, specifically the olfactory receptor protein ODR-10, which allows the worm to detect diacetyl, a volatile compound that is produced by the bacteria the worm …

Bivalve Comparison Study At Clayton Beach From 1912 To Recent, Stephanie Yong

Scholars Week

The purpose of the bivalve comparison study is to examine changes in the bivalve populations at Clayton Beach between 1912 and the present. Sea floor material off the coast of Clayton Beach was collected to create a railroad bed for the Bellingham and Skagit Interurban Railway in 1912 by a dredge ship. The dredged material contains well-preserved shells that represent an unbiased bulk sample of the benthic molluscan fauna in Samish Bay prior to 1912. Clayton Beach provides a unique opportunity to examine species diversity, population numbers, and size frequency of the whole bivalve fauna from a particular point in …

Calculating The Predictability Of Climate Change: The Effect Of Climate Change On Moth Species In The Pacific Northwest Varies Among Functional Groups., Julie Maurer

Scholars Week

Climate change has driven shifts in phenology and distribution for many species. These effects are often idiosyncratic and it remains unclear whether they vary consistently among functional groups, limiting our ability to draw broad conclusions about how climate change affects species. Previous studies have indicated that Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) are sensitive to climate change. We analyzed a large database of moth specimen records from the Pacific Northwest (PNW) to examine climate change responses over more than 100 years for a suite of 241 functionally diverse species, including spring and fall active species as well as dietary generalists and specialists. …

Regulation Of Ampa-Type Glutamate Receptor Homolog Glr-1 By Erad Ubiquitin Ligases In C. Elegans, Sam Witus

Scholars Week

Endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) maintains cellular health by removing misfolded proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). ERAD is ubiquitin-dependent, and ubiquitination of target proteins can be catalyzed by ER-resident E3 ubiquitin ligases. In C. elegans, genes for three putative ERAD E3 ubiquitin ligases have been identified: hrd-1, hrdl-1, and marc-6 (HRD-1, GP78/AMFR, and MARCH-6 in mammalian systems). In C. elegans, these three genes cooperate to maintain the overall health of animals during ER stress. We are testing the roles of hrd-1, hrdl-1, and marc-6 in the neurons of C. elegans. GLR-1 is a glutamate receptor that is expressed in a …

The Effect Of Antibiotics On Gastrointestinal Motility And Gut Microbiota, Catherine Chen

IMSAloquium Student Investigation Showcase

Antibiotics are widely used to treat infectious diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria in many disease states. While eliminating pathogens, antibiotics also affect gut commensal bacteria composition, leading to long-lasting gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms associated with GI motility problems. In this study, the mechanism by which the broad-spectrum antibiotic cefoperazone, gram-positive specific antibiotic vancomycin, and gram-negative specific antibiotic neomycin affect GI motility and gut microbial composition was examined. To assess alterations in the host after antibiotic treatment, whole gut transit time was measured by gavaging and tracing charcoal dye. Significantly delayed GI transit time in antibiotic-treated mice was observed, especially in the …

Factors Affecting The Transformation Of 76r Variety Rio-Grande Tomatoes To Induce Expression Of Hopz3 Effector Protein, Vadini Agrawal '17

IMSAloquium Student Investigation Showcase

In order to study the plant immune system for benefits in crop production, a protocol was developed to effectively transform the 76R variety Rio-Grande tomato to express the HopZ3 effector protein which is found in Pseudomonas syringae, a bacteria which is pathogenic to plants. Cotyledons from the 76R variety were infected with Agrobacteria to insert HopZ3 bacterial genes into plant cells, and these cotyledons were placed in media with a selection agent and hormones to induce callous growth, plantlet growth, shoot growth, and root growth until only transformed cells remain. In the most successful test thus far, cotyledons have …

Use Of Novel Mutant Viral Proteins To Investigate Chemokine Receptor Signaling, Joy Kim

Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD

Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a widespread pathogen that causes lifelong latent infection. HCMV rarely causes disease in healthy adults. However, immune-compromised individuals like transplant recipients and AIDS patients can suffer from life-threatening disease. HCMV encodes four G-protein coupled receptors, US27, US28, UL33, and UL78. GPCRs have seven transmembrane α-helices and play vital roles in cellular communication networks. Viral GPCRs may exploit these signaling pathways, and US27 was found to increase cellular proliferation and enhance CXCR4 signaling. Here, US27 deletion mutants are being used to define domains of the viral protein critical for impacting CXCR4 function. These results are expected to …

Development Of A Non-Invasive Liquid Biopsy For Detection Of Cmvil-10, Alexander Shin, Margarette Mariano, Juliet Spencer

Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a prevalent type of herpes virus in our population. HCMV infection has no effect on the majority of people, but in some cases HCMV is strongly correlated with various medical outcomes, such as breast cancer. We focus on the UL111A gene product of HCMV, which encodes the secreted protein cmvIL-10. CmvIL-10 is a homolog of human cytokine IL-10 (hIL-10), which has immunosuppressive effects and promotes proliferation and invasion of breast cancer cells in vitro. We are measuring cmvIL-10 in human blood and have found elevated levels of cmvIL-10 in cancer patients. Here, we are investigating the …

Investigating How Cmvil-10 Isoforms Differ In Cell Signaling And Receptor Engagement, Alec Starzinski

Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD

Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a herpesvirus that infects a majority of the world’s population. There are many viral gene products that aid in virus infection and the establishment of the lifelong latency. UL111A, is a viral gene which, through alternate intron splicing, codes for two protein products cmvIL-10 and LAcmvIL-10 that mimic the structure of human interleukin-10 (hIL-10) to varying degrees. cmvIL-10 has been shown to have a wide range of physiological effects, whereas the effects of LAcmvIL-10 appear to be much more limited in scope. This study seeks to measure the expression levels of LAcmvIL-10 during lytic infection of …

Virus-Host Co-Evolution: Determining The Origin Of Human Cytomegalovirus Us27 And Us28, Jessica A. Scarborough, Juliet Spencer, John Paul

Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) are the largest family of cell surface proteins, found in organisms from yeast to humans. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a widespread pathogen that is particularly skilled at evading immune detection and defense mechanisms, largely due to extensive co-evolution with its host’s immune system. One aspect of this co-evolution involves the acquisition of four virally encoded GPCR homologs: US27, US28, UL33 and UL78. In this research, phylogenetic analysis was used to investigate the origins of the US27 and US28 genes, which are adjacent in the viral genome. The results indicate that both US27 and US28 share the …

Optimization Of Fluorescent Phagocytic Assay Using Apoptotic Cells, Jacob L. Brown, Jason R. Leigh, Ryan Marquardt, Cambria R. Puffenberger, Daniel J. Stank, Kaleb M. Pauley

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Sjögren’s Syndrome is a systemic autoimmune disease that primarily affects the exocrine glands and is characterized by severe dry eyes and mouth. Previous studies have shown that there are elevated levels of the microRNA miR-146a in Sjögren’s patients. Mir-146a is a microRNA that has been found to be involved in down regulating inflammation. Yet, in patients with Sjögren’s Syndrome, there is a large upregulation of miR-146a that exists alongside chronic inflammation. This led us to investigate the role of miR-146a in Sjögren’s Syndrome. We found that miR-146a upregulates phagocytosis of E. coli by human macrophages. Therefore, we hypothesized that this …