Biotechnology Commons^™

Study Of Protein Extraction Techniques For M. Foliorum Phages, Lola Sibaud, Anna Elgersma

Student Academic Conference

Characterizing phages is becoming increasingly important in biochemistry and biotechnology due to their potential to treat bacterial infections without need for antibiotics. Last year, students attempted to isolate proteins from Microbacterium foliorum infecting phages Babydotz and Rosadiaz. Proteins were successfully extracted; however, after further analysis it was shown that the obtained proteins belonged to the host bacteria and not the phages. The purpose of this study was to find a method to separate phage from host bacterial debris to successfully isolate phage proteins and analyze them later. Isolating phage proteins could help us characterize more phages and know more about …

Project Manager: Antibody Discovery At Distributed Bio, Pedro I. Justiniano

Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD

Antibody discovery platforms have opened a new frontier in therapeutic development. Distributed Bio has built antibody libraries that produce computationally optimized antibodies pre-engineered with therapeutically desirable traits such as humanness, high CDRH3 diversity, thermostability, and other molecular scaffolding proven to pass clinical trial requirements. One of their most popular libraries is the Super Human 2.0 library. This library analyzes billions of antibodies to find the most suited antibody to bind to a specific antigen target. / As a Project Manager intern at Distributed Bio, I have been helping to manage projects of different companies to provide them with a product …

Visual Contributions To Balance Control During Gait, Kyle Brozek

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

We propose to isolate the contributions of continuous OF to the orthogonal relationship between balance and gait control during treadmill walking using a series of conditions. Manipulating the direction of OF using a CAREN (Motek Medical, Amsterdam, Netherlands) virtual reality treadmill environment will isolate these visual contributions in human subjects as they walk. We plan to tease out the effect of OF direction on the relationship between gait and balance control by having healthy young adults perform a series of treadmill walking trials while immersed in a VR environment. This will be done by manipulating the direction of walking and …

Discovering The Secrets Of Biology As Told By A Fruit Fly, Sonia Hall

Science and Engineering Saturday Seminars

No abstract provided.

Gelatin Diffusion Experiment, Jennifer Welborn

Nanotechnology Teacher Summer Institutes

In this activity, nanotech participants will:

- See how food dyes and gelatin are used to model the delivery of nanoscale medicines to cells in the human body - Measure diffusion distances of 3 different colors of food dye by: Eye, photo image on a computer, ADI software (Analyzing Digital Images) Some useful websites:

• http://www.echalk.co.uk/Science/biologyContent.htm Life Processes and Cells
• http://workbench.concord.org/database/activities/321.html Molecular Workbench Database. Diffusion, osmosis, ...

Genetic Engineering Of Yeast-Based Bioluminescent Reporters For Testing The Effect Of Human Estrogen Receptor Alpha Mutations On Its Transcriptional Activity, Peter Bowen Hjorth

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

No abstract provided.

Genetic Modification Of Plants, Alice Cheung, Hen-Ming Wu

Science and Engineering Saturday Seminars

No abstract provided.

An Entrepreneurial Approach To Librarianship, Flora G. Shrode, Jennifer R. Duncan, Wendy Holliday

Flora Shrode

Librarians from Utah State University explain recent efforts to encourage subject librarians to take a more holistic view of their roles. We are shifting from a traditional emphasis primarily on collection development and refocusing on natural connections between collections, instruction, liaison, and reference service. The poster provides background about Utah State University’s situation and explains our approach to analyzing local needs and culture to inform development of a new organizational structure. We describe our vision of subject librarianship, the process by which we assessed librarians’ ideas and goals for performing as subject librarians, and the actions we are taking to …

An Entrepreneurial Approach To Librarianship, Flora Shrode, Jennifer Duncan, Wendy Holliday

Library Faculty & Staff Publications

Librarians from Utah State University explain recent efforts to encourage subject librarians to take a more holistic view of their roles. We are shifting from a traditional emphasis primarily on collection development and refocusing on natural connections between collections, instruction, liaison, and reference service. The poster provides background about Utah State University’s situation and explains our approach to analyzing local needs and culture to inform development of a new organizational structure. We describe our vision of subject librarianship, the process by which we assessed librarians’ ideas and goals for performing as subject librarians, and the actions we are taking to …

Characterizing Bentgrass Distribution With Spatial And Biological Data To Support Ecological Risk Assessment In Connecticut, Carol Auer, Collin Ahrens, Jinwon Chung, Thomas Meyer

Plant Science Presentations and Proceedings

Genetically-modified (GM) crops must be assessed before they are released into the environment. Our research examines the potential for gene flow and negative ecological impacts from the release of GM turfgrasses. Gene flow can produce hybrid offspring with transgenes and novel traits that could change the ability of the plant to survive and spread. If hybrid offspring have an advantage in the environment, they could become invasive and/or affect other components of our ecosystems. Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) is a common, non-native turfgrass that is a weed and could hybridize with other Agrostis species. At present, United States Department of …

Ecological Risk Assessment Of Switchgrass (Panicum Virgatum) In Connecticut., Carol Auer, Geoffrey Ecker

Plant Science Presentations and Proceedings

A native of North America, switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a hardy rhizomatous perennial with an expansive range. The U.S. Department of Energy has identified switchgrass as a promising biofuel crop for low-input agriculture and marginal lands (Fig. 1). This has prompted research on improvement through genetic modification (GM). Before any new GM crop can be released, regulators must evaluate not only the modified plants, but also potential negative impacts to the environment. For example, hybridization between closely-related species could result in the transfer of GM traits to relatives (gene flow) creating new weeds or invasives. The objective of this research …

Drought And Salinity Tolerance In Common Agrostis Species., Carol Auer, Collin Ahrens

Plant Science Presentations and Proceedings

Our research examines plant gene flow and the impacts from environmental release of genetically-modified plants. Plant gene flow is a natural process that occurs when pollen from one plant lands on the flower of another plant and produces a hybrid offspring. Gene flow can produce hybrid offspring with new traits that could change the ability of the plant to survive and spread. If hybrid offspring have some advantage in the environment, they could become invasive and/or affect other components of our ecosystems. In the near future, the federal government may approve the use of a genetically engineered herbicide-resistant (HR) Agrostis …

If Hybrids Go Wrong: Assessing Potential Environmental Risk From Release Of Herbicide-Resistant Creeping Bentgrass (Agrostis)., Carol Auer, Collin Ahens

Plant Science Presentations and Proceedings

Genetically-modified (GM) plants need to be assessed for their benefits and risks before they are released into the environment. At present, GM grasses are being developed to improve sports turf and biofuels crops (e.g. switchgrass). How will genetic engineering of perennial grasses alter the distribution of these grasses in natural areas and managed landscapes? Can we use research data to predict future gene flow, weediness, or invasion? These are some of the important questions in ecological risk assessment of GM perennial grasses. We have initiated five research projects to characterize gene flow and potential ecological risk from herbicide-resistant (HR) creeping …

Integration Of Gis And Bentgrass Ecology For Ecological Risk Assessment., Carol Auer, Collin Ahrens

Plant Science Presentations and Proceedings

All new technologies carry both benefits and risks. Genetically-modified plants must be assessed before they are released into the environment. Our research examines plant gene flow and the potential impacts from environmental release of genetically-modified plants. Plant gene flow is a natural process that occurs when pollen from one plant lands on the flower of another plant and produces a hybrid offspring. Gene flow can produce hybrid offspring with new traits that could change the ability of the plant to survive and spread. If hybrid offspring have some advantage in the environment, they could become invasive and/or affect other components …

When Hybrids Go Wrong. How Hybridization Can Create Invasive Species., Carol Auer, Collin Ahrens

Plant Science Presentations and Proceedings

Gene flow is the movement of genes from one plant population to another. Gene flow is a natural process and a part of plant evolution. There are two ways for gene flow to occur in plants. The first is through sexual reproduction – pollen lands on a flower and a viable seed develops. The second method is through dispersal of seeds and/or vegetative plant parts (e.g. stolons, rhizomes). Gene flow can produce hybrid offspring with an increased or decreased ability to survive in the landscape. If hybrid offspring have some advantage in the environment, they could become invasive. This poster …

Power, Privilege, And Special Interests: Rent Seeking And Subsidies In Agriculture, Matt Bogard

Agriculture Department Seminar Series

This presentation covers what Public Choice economists refer to as ‘rent seeking,’ generally seeking favor or special privilege from government through subsidies or regulatory advantages. Particularly, the biotech industry is the area of focus for this presentation. Problems with rent seeking in the biotech industry involve less innovation and industry consolidation. Policies related to biotech regulation, school lunch programs, the Clean Air Act, and ethanol subsidies are discussed. A game theoretic approach is used and it is concluded that issues related to rent seeking and special interests are not adequately addressed by recent campaign finance reform efforts. Alternatives such as …