Life Sciences Commons^™

Mmappr2: An Improved Bioinformatics Approach To Find Novel Genes, Aiden Cardall, Jonathon T. Hill, Kyle Johnsen, Connor Ward, Maliha Tasnim, Jared Taylor

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2024

Introduction

• New genes are commonly found by randomly inducing mutations in model organisms.

• Mapping the mutations to the genome to find novel genes is difficult, time-consuming, and expensive.

• We created a bioinformatics program, MMAPPR, to automate this process.

• Here, we introduce a new algorithm, MMAPPR2, which requires little to no bioinformatics knowledge to use.

• MMAPPR2 makes several improvements that allow it to identify genes more rapidly and precisely.

• MMAPPR2 will aid the rapid identification of genes in a wide range of species and developmental systems.

Detecting Multiple Paternity In Mule Deer: Variations Among Populations And The Ecological Significance, Madeline K. Martin, Sydney Lamb, Anna K. Monson, Paul B. Frandsen, Brock R. Mcmillan

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

We are interested in detecting the absence or rate of multiple paternity within mule deer populations (Odocoileus hemionus) due to 1) their unique breeding system where males mate-guard females from other males[2], and 2) the highly skewed male-biased sex ratios in populations as a result of harvest management. Comparing the rate of multiple paternity to sex ratio will suggest if harvest management is influencing long-term population genetics.

A Transcriptomic Analysis Of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Revealing Alternative Drug Therapeutics, Mauri Dobbs Spendlove, Jenna Birchall Poulsen, Naomi Rapier-Sharman, Brett Pickett

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

Breast cancer is the most common tumor type in men and women combined this year the National Cancer Institute estimates there will be 290 560 new cases in the United States and 43 780 deaths 1 Triple Negative Breast Cancer ( lacks three typical surface markers of breast cancer estrogen receptor ( progesterone receptor ( and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER 2 which are common targets for endocrine or drug therapy, severely limiting TNBC treatment options 40 of TNBC patients will die within five years of diagnosis 2 Additionally, it has heightened risk for metastasis after neoadjuvant chemotherapy …

Identifying Deep Brain Photoreceptors In The Larval Zebrafish Optic Tectum, Emalie A. Christensen, Allison G. Pickens, Sarah Y. Jarrett, Maurice Hunt, Arminda Suli

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

Deep brain photoreceptors (DBPs) are light sensing neurons present in mammals and non-mammalian vertebrates. In non-mammalian vertebrates, studies have shown DBP involvement in various time and light dependent behaviors including circadian rhythm, phototaxis, and seasonal reproduction. In adult teleosts, DBPs are present throughout the brain, including the optic tectum (OT). While their approximate location in teleosts is known, DBP’s function is relatively unknown. In this study, we focused on DBPs present in the larval zebrafish OT, a multilaminated midbrain structure responsible for multisensory integration. Single-cell RNA sequencing of the larval zebrafish OT showed the presence of several opsins. We focused …

Effects Of Post-Translational Histone Modifications On Transcription Rate, Aaron Bohn, Sarah Hodson, Sarah Ricks, David Bates Ph.D, Steven M. Johnson Ph.D

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

The structural organization of DNA in eukaryotic cells is greatly implicated in the regulation of gene expression and thus cellular properties and behavior. At the most fundamental unit of this organization, ~147 bp of DNA wraps 1.7 times around a histone octamer core, forming a collective unit called the nucleosome. The positioning and occupancy of these nucleosomes around the promoter elements of genes is known to be a strong regulator of transcription in eukaryotic nuclei, and post-translational modifications (PTM’s) to the protruding N-terminal tails of histone proteins are known to influence chromatin structure and thus gene expression; however, relatively little …

Introduction And Evaluation Of 10 Hybrid Quinoa X Pitseed Goosefoot Lines In Central Malawi, Carter D. Allred, Mike Banda, Eric Jellen, Moses F.A. Maliro

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2020

Protein deficiency is common amongst subsistence farmers in much of the developing world. It has been estimated, for example, that over one third of residents of rural Malawi are protein deficient. Adding to this problem in Malawi is the fact that there is only one brief rainy season, during which all crops are grown. Other countries with as dry a climate in the region have low population density, which allows them to reap more from their annual maize harvest. Meanwhile, countries in the region with similarly high population density as Malawi are able to grow higher value crops because of …

Floral Traits Underlying Evolution In Gilia Yorkii, Joseph Detemple, Veronica Mosquera, Clinton Whipple

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2020

Gilia yorkii and Gilia capitata are two closely related species that have remarkably different inflorescence and floral structures. In this project we are seeking to find specific floral traits that differentiate the different species. These two species are ideal for this study because they produce a fertile hybrid in which elements of the two different phenotypes can be observed.