Biology Commons^™

Genetic Population Dynamics Of The Critically Endangered Scalloped Hammerhead Shark (Sphyrna Lewini) In The Eastern Tropical Pacific, Sydney P. Harned, Andrea Bernard, Pelayo Salinas-De-Leon, Marissa Mehlrose, Jenifer Suarez, Yolani Robles, Sandra Bessudo Lion, Felipe Ladino, Andrés López Garo, Ilena Zanella, Kevin A. Feldheim, Mahmood Shivji

Biology Faculty Articles

The scalloped hammerhead shark, Sphyrna lewini, is a Critically Endangered, migratory species known for its tendency to form iconic and visually spectacular large aggregations. Herein, we investigated the population genetic dynamics of the scalloped hammerhead across much of its distribution in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP), ranging from Costa Rica to Ecuador, focusing on young-of-year animals from putative coastal nursery areas and adult females from seasonal aggregations that form in the northern Galápagos Islands. Nuclear microsatellites and partial mitochondrial control region sequences showed little evidence of population structure suggesting that scalloped hammerheads in this ETP region comprise a single …

Growth Productivity As A Determinant Of The Inoculum Effect For Bactericidal Antibiotics, Gabriela Diaz-Tang, Estefania Marin Meneses, Kavish Patel, Sophia Mirkin, Laura Garcia-Dieguez, Camryn Pajon, Ivana Barraza, Vijay Patel, Helana Ghali, Angelica P. Tracey, Christopher Blanar, Allison J. Lopatkin, Robert P. Smith

Biology Faculty Articles

Understanding the mechanisms by which populations of bacteria resist antibiotics has implications in evolution, microbial ecology, and public health. The inoculum effect (IE), where antibiotic efficacy declines as the density of a bacterial population increases, has been observed for multiple bacterial species and antibiotics. Several mechanisms to account for IE have been proposed, but most lack experimental evidence or cannot explain IE for multiple antibiotics. We show that growth productivity, the combined effect of growth and metabolism, can account for IE for multiple bactericidal antibiotics and bacterial species. Guided by flux balance analysis and whole-genome modeling, we show that the …

Common Snook, Centropomus Undecimalis Neurocranium, Olivia Cantalupo, Madelyn Vieth, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from Common Snook, Centropomus undecimalis.

Caribbean Reef-Building Coral-Symbiodiniaceae Network: Identifying Symbioses Critical For System Stability In A Changing Climate, Shaman Patel

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Increasing global ocean temperatures and frequency of marine heatwaves pose dire consequences for coral reefs. High temperatures often lead to disruptions in coral symbiosis resulting in coral bleaching, increasing the mortality of corals. However, corals can potentially avoid bleaching peril by associating with thermally tolerant symbionts. Here we provide a tool for understanding symbiosis network stability of Caribbean reef-building corals. We created a network of Caribbean hermatypic corals and their associated Symbiodiniaceae phylotypes. A bleaching model was applied to this network to test for resilience and robustness (R50) to thermal stress. It was also layered with trait data for coral …

Scamp Grouper, (Mycteroperca Phenax) Neurocranium, Liam L. Wilcox, David William Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from 5.40 cm; total length unknown. Scamp Grouper, (Mycteroperca phenax)

Specimen received from Kerstetter's lab

Toro (Priacanthus Arenatus) Neurocranium, Nicole Mozer, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from 7.8 cm

Toro - Priacanthus arenatus

Collected from Kerstetter Fisheries & Avian Ecology Lab on 9/21/2022 by Nicole Mozer & David Kerstetter

Mahi Mahi (Coryphaena Hippurus) Neurocranium, Logan Exton, David William Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from 13.335 cm total length (TL) Mahi Mahi (Coryphaena hippurus), collected from Fort Lauderdale on 04/11/2022 by Logan Exton

Channel Catfish - Ictalurus Punctatus, Jason E. Rosales, David William Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium total length is 110.81 mm, [CHANNEL CATFISH , Ictalurus punctatus} collected from Canal in Davie on November 18th, 2022 by Zachary

Taxonomic Species Recognition Should Be Consistent, Stephen James O'Brien, Shu-Jin Luo

Biology Faculty Articles

No abstract provided.

Tripletail Lobotes Surinamensis Neurocranium, Briana K. Zaffiro, Anna Johnson, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from Lobotes surinamensis

[Black Margate (Anisotremus Surinamensis)] Neurocranium, Maeve Hunt, Jenna Hill, Breanna Calle, David William Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from 9.5 cm total length (TL) [Black Margate (Anisotremus surinamensis)]

Lionfish (Pterois Volitans) Neurocranium, Vincenzo Ledonne, David William Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from 7.3025 cm total length (TL) [Lionfish (Pterois volitans)]

Differentially Expressed Genes (Degs) Identified Under High Night Temperature (Hnt) And Control Conditions In 15 Rice Qtls For Grain Quality Traits, Navdeep Gill, Andy Pereira

Biology Faculty Datasets

This dataset contains a list of 149 Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) that were identified in two rice genotypes (Cypress and LaGrue) under control and High Night Temperature (HNT) conditions. The 149 up/down regulated genes are housed in the 15 rice QTLs for grain quality traits such as grain length (GL), grain width (GW), and percent chalkiness (%chalk) under control and HNT stress conditions.

Complete Genome Sequences Of Genamy16 And Novasharks, Two Gordonia Rubripertincta Bacteriophages Isolated From Soil In Southeastern Florida, Julie Torruellas Garcia, Sarah Ballarin, Neel Balusa, Melissa Bell, Samia Caballero, Joshua Chan, Maria Farez, Ashley J. Guillen-Tapia, Kristin Parent, Nashrah Pierre-Louis, Victoria Polishuk, Bhavya Soni, Sundharraman Subramanian, Katie E. Crump

Biology Faculty Articles

We report on two actinobacteriophages, Genamy16 and NovaSharks, that were isolated from soil in Florida using Gordonia rubripertincta NRRL B-16540. The genomes of both phages are ~65,000 bp, with similar GC contents, and, based on gene content similarity to phages in the Actinobacteriophage Database, were assigned to phage cluster DV.

Trick To The Treat Of Internships And Research: Health Literacy Project: Awareness Of Autism In Black And Brown Communities, Varun Kota, Mark Jaffe

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

No abstract provided.

Global Research In Anatomy And Physiology During Covid-19: Lessons Learnt And Future Recommendations, Harsh Chheda, Jeet Patel, Santanu De

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

The ongoing Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a significant disruption in several areas of research within the fields of Anatomy and Physiology. With the whole world coming to a standstill, research of any kind was difficult to pursue, especially in these disciplines requiring kinesthetic/tactile application of concepts or testing hypotheses through hands-on engagement, as the new social guidelines and risks to certain groups of people hindered up-to-date research-data collection. However, with new technology and protocols created or adopted, there has been an effort to better help students and scientists to conduct research remotely; such alternatives cannot effectively …

Global Education In Anatomy And Physiology During Covid-19: Lessons Learnt And Future Recommendations, Sean Mahajan, Sneh Patel, Santanu De

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

The Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted several essential aspects of anatomy and physiology education worldwide. With this pandemic, dynamic instructional and technological interventions have been taking place rapidly in an effort to minimize the adverse repercussions of moving away from the traditional means of education in these critical scientific disciplines. COVID-19 has necessitated higher educational administrations, faculty, and students to pursue teaching, learning, and assessment of anatomy and physiology courses/curricula through innovative strategies without compromising on the quality or rigor of education. Our study encapsulates, for the first time, globally published reports on the key implications of …

Science Alive, Trisha Sudhakar, Rajin Persaud

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

The goal of Science Alive is to provide a “sense of wonder” not only for the grade-school children but for the college students and their faculty as well. Science Alive serves to reinforce the scientific knowledge of local grade-school students and community members, while enhancing the education and career development opportunities for college students. Our group does this by providing opportunities for youth to explore science beyond the textbooks through hands-on, interactive discovery, which stimulates interest and fosters confidence for college and grade-school students alike. Our groups lead on-campus and in-class workshops, weekend clubs, after-school programs, and other community events. …

Stem-Away: Mentor Chains Internships, Isha K. Pasumarthi

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

No abstract provided.

Sea-Phages Research Opportunity, Sarah Ballarin

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

Research opportunity targeted for freshmen and sophomores through the SEA-PHAGES program. The goal of the research is to discover new bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) to help combat antibiotic resistance. Phage therapy is a promising alternative to conventional antibiotics. Phages have also been widely used in the food industry to prevent microbial growth on certain foods and are currently being explored as a method for bioremediation of oil spills and wastewater treatment.

Last year, my research team discovered two new bacteriophages: Genamy16 and NovaSharks that were able to infect the bacteria Gordonia rubripertincta. These phages can possibly be used for …

Covid-19-Impacted Research And Education In Global Healthcare And Stem: Evaluation Of Case Studies, Yumna Indorewala, Santanu De

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

The zoonotic novel coronavirus has posed major challenges to the world’s economy, social development, and public health. Effects in the education and research in the field of healthcare and STEM are accentuated in lower-developed countries or communities where the access to technology and a reliable internet connection are luxuries making it difficult to attain education virtually. The Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has also disrupted research and training in STEM and healthcare. With significant increases in infection rates there is an urge to redirect projects towards virology research and vaccine development. This comprehensive literature review includes case studies highlighting the …

Trick To The Treat: Penn Medicine Princeton Health Hospital, Divya Papaiya

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

No abstract provided.

Pfizer Summer Growth Experience, Arman Kakkar

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

From May 9, 2022 till July 29, 2022, I served as a Research Intern at Pfizer. Specifically, I worked in the Vaccine Research and Development Sector in the High Throughput Clinical Immunoassays and Diagnostics Group (HCID). In this group, I was responsible for Phase 3 testing of clinical trial material for the Covid-19 Vaccine. Over this time, I learned a great deal about the process of vaccine production from start to finish. Additionally, I was able to make numerous connections. This is definitely an experience I would recommend to others.

Zoonosis At The Huanan Seafood Market: A Critique, Daoyu Zhang, Gilles Demaneuf, Adrian Jones, Steven Massey, Steven Quay, Yuri Deigin, Louis R. Nemzer

Chemistry and Physics Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

Since the Hunan Seafood Market (HSM) in Wuhan, China was first suggested as the source of the COVID-19 pandemic in late January 2020, debate has continued over the evidence supporting this claim. Here, we assess the evidence provided in support of zoonotic spillover at the HSM as the origin of human infection of SARS-CoV-2. We find that the datasets and analyses put forward in support of zoonosis are biased, and lack sufficient verifiable data to support this hypothesis. The earliest COVID-19 case at the HSM was not at or near a wildlife stall, the distribution of cases at the HSM …

[Tilapia (Oreochromis)] Neurocranium, Kaylee J. Czachorowski, Mackenzie S. Magyar, Haley Minne, David William Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium [Oreochromis] by Kaylee Czachorowski, Haley Minne, Mackenzie Magyar

The Pioneer Advantage: Filling The Blank Spots On The Map Of Genome Diversity In Europe, Taras K. Oleksyk, Walter Wolfsberger, Khrystyna Schubelka, Serghei Mangul, Stephen James O'Brien

Biology Faculty Articles

Documenting genome diversity is important for the local biomedical communities and instrumental in developing precision and personalized medicine. Currently, tens of thousands of whole-genome sequences from Europe are publicly available, but most of these represent populations of developed countries of Europe. The uneven distribution of the available data is further impaired by the lack of data sharing. Recent whole-genome studies in Eastern Europe, one in Ukraine and one in Russia, demonstrated that local genome diversity and population structure from Eastern Europe historically had not been fully represented. An unexpected wealth of genomic variation uncovered in these studies was not so …

Feeding Ecology Of Highly Migratory Epipelagic Offshore Predators In The Western North Atlantic Ocean, Rachel Lorraine Hildebrand

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Describing trophic ecology of top predators in marine ecosystems is key to understanding the dynamics of these environments. Feeding ecologies of large predatory fishes were assessed using a combination of stomach content and stable isotope analysis. The target species for this study inhabit the epipelagic ecosystem of the U.S. South Atlantic Bight in the western North Atlantic Ocean. The studied species included five tuna species, five billfish species, Common Dolphinfish, and Wahoo. The goal of this study was to describe and compare the trophic dynamics of each species. From these data, the trophic complex of the offshore pelagic ecosystem was …

Abundance, Site-Fidelity, And Association Patterns Of Coastal Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) Off Southeast Florida, Graysen D. Boehning

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The coastal bottlenose dolphin is well studied throughout its natural range, however, most of the study areas comprised wide, well-protected habitats such as bays and estuaries, and not narrow coastal sandbanks. This study identifies a residential group of coastal bottlenose dolphins utilizing the narrow sandbanks within the Northwestern Atlantic waters off the coast of Palm Beach County, Florida, USA. From 2014-2020, 313 boat surveys were conducted, and 585 individual dolphins were identified using photo-ID. Twenty-four animals were determined to be full-time and 66 animals were determined to be part-time residents. Full-time and part-time residents associated in three social tribes, with …

Worldwide Consequences Of Covid-19 On Research In Stem, Michelle Hoang, Santanu De

Biology Faculty Articles

A global public health emergency like the Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic requires accurate and timely data collection in the research community. High-impact research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has been prioritized in the fight against COVID-19. The present study analyzed the consequences of COVID-19 on STEM research and the collaboration between research institutions and industries worldwide. It was noted that COVID19 had caused significant delays in non-COVID-19-related research projects and the onset of several remote studies. Most importantly, researchers in the STEM fields directed their attention and expertise to help mitigate virus transmission, treat patients, and …

Scalloped Hammerhead (Sphyrna Lewini) Jaw, Daria W. Ghegan, Brittney Dreyer, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Jaw prep from Sphyrna lewini (Scalloped Hammerhead) obtained from the NSU Fisheries and Avian Ecology