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Parasitic Effects Of Amoebidium Appalachense On Daphnia Magna Heart Rate, Hopping Frequency, And Metabolic Rate, Vanessa Wise May 2025

Parasitic Effects Of Amoebidium Appalachense On Daphnia Magna Heart Rate, Hopping Frequency, And Metabolic Rate, Vanessa Wise

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Daphnia magna are a crustacean that inhabits multiple different types of freshwater ecosystems and thus is plays a part in many different types of interspecies interactions, one of which is parasitism. Amoebidium appalachense is a Mesomycetozoean parasite of aquatic arthropods that colonizes the antenna of D. magna. Previous research has shown that A. appalachense infection will reduce the fecundity and increase mortality rate of D. magna but how it causes these effects is unknown. To determine if A. appalachense causes these effects on D. magna by either stealing nutrients inside the D. magna like a tick or by compromising …


Gene Promoters Are Genomically Encoded To Facilitate Histone Exchange/Incorporation, Blaine Bartholomew May 2025

Gene Promoters Are Genomically Encoded To Facilitate Histone Exchange/Incorporation, Blaine Bartholomew

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Gene promoters are intrinsically hardwired not only to facilitate transcription preinitiation complex formation but also the release of paused RNA polymerase by H2A.Z. A new PLOS Biology study reveals poly (dA) tracts at promoters positively stimulate H2A.Z incorporation by the SWR complex in yeast.


Passive Dna Transfer To Fidget Blasters Stored In Cars, Rachel Chan May 2025

Passive Dna Transfer To Fidget Blasters Stored In Cars, Rachel Chan

Student Theses

This study evaluated the amount of detectable DNA accumulated on clean plastic fidget blasters, used to simulate firearms, over a seven-day storage period inside a vehicle. Twelve volunteers were asked to place one fidget blaster each in the glove box and underneath the driver’s seat from behind. After the seven-day period, the volunteers returned the fidget blasters, donated a reference sample, and filled out a questionnaire. The grip, slide, and trigger were swabbed for DNA and extracted. The extracts were quantified to determine the concentration of human DNA, and if the samples met the PCR threshold to be genotyped. The …


Melanaphis Sacchari/Sorghi Complex: Current Status, Challenges And Integrated Strategies For Managing The Invasive Sap-Feeding Insect Pest Of Sorghum, Alejandro Vasquez, Joseph Belsky, Neetu Khanal, Heena Puri, Devi Balakrishnan, Neelendra K. Joshi, Joe Louis, Glenn Studebaker, Rupesh Kariyat May 2025

Melanaphis Sacchari/Sorghi Complex: Current Status, Challenges And Integrated Strategies For Managing The Invasive Sap-Feeding Insect Pest Of Sorghum, Alejandro Vasquez, Joseph Belsky, Neetu Khanal, Heena Puri, Devi Balakrishnan, Neelendra K. Joshi, Joe Louis, Glenn Studebaker, Rupesh Kariyat

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner;Hemiptera: Aphididae), sugarcane aphid (SCA), is an invasive phloem-feeder found worldwide with a wide host range of economically important plants including sorghum and sugarcane. Given its high reproductive capacity and ability to rapidly spread over long distances, SCA presents challenges for effective control, leading to substantial economic losses. Recent studies have identified two multiloci SCA genotypes specialized in feeding on sugarcane (MLL-D) and sorghum (MLL-F) in the USA, which raises concerns as the USA is the second largest sorghum-producing country. This has encouraged research towards identifying these two biotypes where some research has stated them as two species; …


Interferon Regulatory Factor 3 In Interferon Gamma Receptor Signaling And Cancer Immunology, Zachary P. Guinn May 2025

Interferon Regulatory Factor 3 In Interferon Gamma Receptor Signaling And Cancer Immunology, Zachary P. Guinn

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Every year millions of people die from cancer throughout the world, and tens of millions of people are diagnosed with cancer worldwide. When surgery is not an option, treatment options commonly rely on the host immune system for optimal treatment efficacy. The expression of Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) by host immune cells is often associated with favorable antitumor immune responses. How IFN-γ is optimally induced in immune cells, and how IFN-γ promotes the transcription of genes downstream of the Interferon gamma receptor (IFNGR) is incompletely understood. Understanding how to induce immune cells to express optimal IFN-γ …


Investigating Evolution Through The Lens Of Ai-Driven Protein Exploration And Phylogenetic Modeling, Mataya Duncan May 2025

Investigating Evolution Through The Lens Of Ai-Driven Protein Exploration And Phylogenetic Modeling, Mataya Duncan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent advances in computational biology, artificial intelligence, and sequencing technologies have enabled new perspectives for addressing longstanding questions in evolutionary biology. Increased computational power has made large-scale simulations feasible for investigating diverse aspects of evolutionary and phylogenetic modeling. Similarly, deep learning algorithms now allow for the prediction of reasonably accurate tertiary protein structures, unlocking the potential for investigating diversity and evolution of protein structure across a broad range of organisms. This thesis presents two studies that target different aspects of evolutionary inference from unique perspectives. Yet, the share an overarching goal of presenting new perspectives on the evolutionary basis of …


Engineering An In Vitro Hipsc-Derived Cardiac Tissue Construct For Regenerative Medicine Applications, Larry Mendoza May 2025

Engineering An In Vitro Hipsc-Derived Cardiac Tissue Construct For Regenerative Medicine Applications, Larry Mendoza

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality across the world with invasive surgeries and pharmaceutical intervention commonly associated with urgent care. Moreover, congenital, progressive, and hereditary heart diseases rely on many forms of medical prevention and intervention (pharmaceuticals, x-rays, bloodwork, etc.). Developing a three-dimensional (3D) cardiac tissue engineered in vitro model to study human cardiac physiology can revolutionize biomedical research. The purpose of this research is to optimize natural & synthetic biomaterials to fuse cardiac stem cells and synthesize a 3D-printed in vitro model for disease modeling, drug delivery, and regenerative medicine. Natural biopolymers needed for such innovations are …


Passive Electronic Cigarette Exposure Initiates Squamous Metaplasia In A Developing 3d Human Tracheobronchial Epithelial Tissue In-Vitro Model, Edgar Rolon May 2025

Passive Electronic Cigarette Exposure Initiates Squamous Metaplasia In A Developing 3d Human Tracheobronchial Epithelial Tissue In-Vitro Model, Edgar Rolon

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The prevalence of vaping has rapidly increased. ECs are often perceived as less harmful than tobacco cigarettes. A recent meta-analysis showed electronic cigarette (EC) aerosols adversely affected the respiratory system, similar to cigarette smoke, with some effects specific to EC use. Failure to prevent these alterations could lead to life-long comorbidities, and predisposition to respiratory diseases, including COPD and squamous cell carcinoma. While these effects are the result of active vaping, EC aerosols can also settle on indoor surfaces, be absorbed passively through the skin or orally, enter the blood stream, and subsequently expose internal organs, including the airway basal …


Strategies For Increasing Methane Removal In Methanotroph Bench-Scale Systems For The Production Of Ectoine, Jaden Storrer May 2025

Strategies For Increasing Methane Removal In Methanotroph Bench-Scale Systems For The Production Of Ectoine, Jaden Storrer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Anthropogenic methane emissions contribute to the greenhouse gas profile which is the chief cause of climate change. One significant source of methane emissions is biogas produced from bacteria in wastewater facilities and landfills. Methane rich biogas has the potential to be valorized into high value bioproducts by using methanotrophs (microbes that use methane as their primary carbon source). Methylotuvimicrobium alcaliphilum 20Z was selected for this study as it can generate ectoine when grown in highly saline environments. Ectoine has been proven to have many benefits such as it prevents protein denaturation, it has hydration properties, and is a UV protectant. …


Analyzing Microalgae-Bacteria Population Changes In Response To Environmental Parameters For Improved Wastewater Treatment, Amanda M. Moravek May 2025

Analyzing Microalgae-Bacteria Population Changes In Response To Environmental Parameters For Improved Wastewater Treatment, Amanda M. Moravek

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Microalgae are incredible organisms that have a variety of uses such as wastewater treatment, fertilizer, livestock feed, and bio-compound production. Microalgae require a light source and minimal nutrients space to proliferate, making them an environmentally friendly and sustainable option for such processes. The Sustainable Wastes-to-Bioproducts Engineering Center at Utah State University is developing and implementing a Rotating Algae Biofilm Reactor (RABR) to remove total nitrogen and phosphorous from the Central Valley Wastewater Reclamation Facility wastewater effluent. Harmful compounds such as nitrates and phosphates are metabolized by the microalgae and converted into useful bioproducts, resulting in a circular economy. These RABRs …


Uv-A Light And Heat-Activated Antimicrobial And Biodegradable Materials For Food Packaging And Preservation, Michael J. Bodily May 2025

Uv-A Light And Heat-Activated Antimicrobial And Biodegradable Materials For Food Packaging And Preservation, Michael J. Bodily

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Current food packaging materials are often non-biodegradable and harmful for ingestion, which poses a threat to the environment and public health. Thus far, the dangers of microbial contamination of food on human health have outweighed the risks associated with using these conventional packaging plastics. A possible solution to these issues is to use a combination of innovative materials and microbial inactivation methods that can potentially both reduce plastic waste and combat harmful microorganisms. In this study, two antimicrobial, biodegradable composites were developed and tested for their ability to inactivate two types of bacterium, Escherichia coli K12 and Listeria innocua, …


The Role Of Cis-Acting Super-Enhancer Long Noncoding Rnas In Triple Negative Breast Cancer Progression, Sakthi Muthukrishnan May 2025

The Role Of Cis-Acting Super-Enhancer Long Noncoding Rnas In Triple Negative Breast Cancer Progression, Sakthi Muthukrishnan

Biological Sciences

Breast cancer encompasses a diverse range of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of cells within the mammary gland. This condition results in an accumulation of a large number of genetic mutations within an individual, altering the complex internal signaling system of a cell. Millions of women are affected by breast cancer, which remains a significant threat despite medical advancements. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) acts as a precursor to invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), however, not all cases progress to invasive cancer. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is identified to be one aggressive subtype of IDC, where the cells lack sufficient …


Non-Invasive Focused Ultrasound To Reduce Gut Inflammation In Parkinson’S Disease, Amal F. Siddiqui May 2025

Non-Invasive Focused Ultrasound To Reduce Gut Inflammation In Parkinson’S Disease, Amal F. Siddiqui

Biological Sciences

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative motor disorder that affects millions of people worldwide, with projections suggesting the number of diagnosed cases could reach 15 million by 2040 (Dorsey et al., 2018). While PD is primarily recognized for its impact on movement, it also frequently causes non-motor symptoms, including gastrointestinal (GI) issues such as constipation, which affects 60-80% of patients. Chronic gut inflammation has been proposed as a key factor exacerbating these symptoms. Despite the prevalence of GI complications in PD, they are often overlooked, and existing treatments for constipation are limited in both efficacy and scope. Vagus Nerve Stimulation …


Coaggregation With Actinomyces Naeslundii Reduces Corynebacterium Matruchotii Cell Division Rate And Increases In Cell Length, Sarah M. Kenny May 2025

Coaggregation With Actinomyces Naeslundii Reduces Corynebacterium Matruchotii Cell Division Rate And Increases In Cell Length, Sarah M. Kenny

Biological Sciences

Corynebacterium matruchotii is believed to form a scaffold-like structure within the human oral cavity so that other species of bacteria have a place to bind. Many types of bacteria may be found within oral biofilms, commonly referred to as dental plaque. Actinomyces naeslundii are associated with dental caries and they are frequently found in dental plaques. Previous studies in our lab have demonstrated that A. naeslundii has a greater coaggregation rate with C. matruchotii than other Actinomyces species. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of coaggregation with A. naeslundii on C. matruchotii growth kinetics. In this …


Screening Modified Polycyclic Compounds In Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 Cell Lines, Maria Villacreses Valarezo May 2025

Screening Modified Polycyclic Compounds In Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 Cell Lines, Maria Villacreses Valarezo

Biological Sciences

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is an autosomal dominant neuromuscular disease with no treatment options and causes progressive muscular atrophy and weakness. DM1 occurs when the DMPK gene contains an abnormal CTG repeat expansion in the 3’ untranslated region. Transcription of the expansion leads to sequestration of RNA binding proteins and downstream splicing dysregulation. This dysregulation ultimately affects many systems in the body leading to the DM1 phenotype. This project consists of two parts, with one of our goals being to test experimental small molecule (MPC-04) in an immortalized patient-derived DM1 cell model. Using RNA sequencing data from patient-derived DM1 …


Stimulus Dependence Of Visually Guided Behavior In Drosophila Melanogaster, Jessica Osarenoma Airhienbuwa May 2025

Stimulus Dependence Of Visually Guided Behavior In Drosophila Melanogaster, Jessica Osarenoma Airhienbuwa

Biological Sciences

Vision is very important for navigating the world around us. The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is a great model for studying how the brain controls visually guided behavior. This is because they have a small nervous system, good genetic tools, and a complete map of their brain connections. In fruit flies, visual projection neurons (VPNs) send information from the eyes to the central brain, which affects what they see and how they act. This research looks at how certain groups of nerve cells influence fruit flies' behavior based on what visual stimuli. To study the brain circuits behind these behaviors, …


Regulation Of The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Through Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Receptor 2 Activation And Androgens Acting On Androgen Receptors In Mice Exposed To Repeat Stress Conditions, David Reilly May 2025

Regulation Of The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Through Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Receptor 2 Activation And Androgens Acting On Androgen Receptors In Mice Exposed To Repeat Stress Conditions, David Reilly

Biological Sciences

The hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA)-axis is the body’s main neuroendocrine mechanism for regulating stress. It has been shown in both animal and human models that anxiety and depression like behavior is more prevalent in females compared to males. Studies have shown evidence that suggests there are sex differences in the HPA-axis that likely contribute to the observed sex difference. It has been shown that anxiety related behavior and HPA-axis responsiveness is correlated with androgens acting on androgen receptors (AR). The role of androgens acting on AR has a more unclear role in stress behavior and HPA-axis regulation when subjected to chronic …


Genomic Diversity Of Salmonella Enterica Serotype Braenderup In New York State, Nicole Zac Soligno May 2025

Genomic Diversity Of Salmonella Enterica Serotype Braenderup In New York State, Nicole Zac Soligno

Biological Sciences

The Gram-negative Salmonella enterica (family Enterobacteriaceae) is a common foodborne pathogen mainly isolated from foods of animal origin. Salmonella can be transmitted to humans, causing diverse symptoms, from self-limiting gastrointestinal diseases to more fatal typhoid fever. The young, elderly, and Individuals with weakened immune systems are especially at risk from salmonellosis. Salmonella is a concern to public health and the food industry throughout the world, and its severity depends largely on its serotype, a classification based on the unique combination of surface antigens. In this study, I aimed to elucidate the population structure and antimicrobial resistance determinants of S. enterica …


Agrichemical Surfactant And Pathogen Impacts On The Blue Orchard Bee (Osmia Lignaria Say, Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), Mary-Kate F. Williams May 2025

Agrichemical Surfactant And Pathogen Impacts On The Blue Orchard Bee (Osmia Lignaria Say, Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), Mary-Kate F. Williams

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Pathogens that infect commercially reared bee species, such as honey bees and bumble bees, have been extensively studied within the last several years, and studies that explore pathogen impacts on solitary bee health are significantly fewer. Consistent pesticide exposure methods are limited to honey bees and do not outline exposure routes to solitary bees, including how to test chemical impacts on immature stages. My research investigated blue orchard bee survival, development, and immune response following pathogen exposure while simultaneously studying organosilicone surfactant (OSS) exposure and possible synergisms between these two stressors. In my first research chapter (Chapter 2), I define …


Assessing The Osmoregulatory Capabilities Of American Alligator Lingual Glands, Benjamin Angalet, Nicholas S. Green Apr 2025

Assessing The Osmoregulatory Capabilities Of American Alligator Lingual Glands, Benjamin Angalet, Nicholas S. Green

Symposium of Student Scholars

Crocodilians inhabit a wide variety of aquatic, marine, and estuarine habitats on 4 continents. Saltwater-adapted species and populations face considerable osmoregulatory challenges in maintaining homeostasis with respect to plasma salt [NaCl] concentration. In addition to the kidneys and cloaca found in all crocodilians, crocodiles possess a salt-secreting lingual gland whose presence and function is less understood in other crocodilians. This study investigates the lingual gland anatomy, physiology, and potential function of American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) populations exposed to varying salinity levels. At each of four sites (Jekyll Island, Sapelo Island, Okefenokee NWR, and Banks Lake NWR), we will capture 12 …


Predicting Healthcare Service Quality Based On A Kalman-Optimized Bi-Lstm-Inspired Deep Learning Model, Mohammed K. Al-Khafaji, Eman S. Al-Shamery Apr 2025

Predicting Healthcare Service Quality Based On A Kalman-Optimized Bi-Lstm-Inspired Deep Learning Model, Mohammed K. Al-Khafaji, Eman S. Al-Shamery

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Health is one of the most important aspects of human well-being, and access to high-quality healthcare is essential for a good quality of life. Providing top-level health services at all times is crucial. However, the research in healthcare poses significant challenges due to the diversity and variations of medical practices across different hospitals. This paper aims to tackle the challenge of data missing and scattering during data collection. Then, the quality of services (QoS) offered by healthcare facilities will be analyzed and predicted from the patient's perspective. The model begins preprocessing data by data cleaning, handling missing values, and scattering …


Plant Diversity Dynamics Over Space And Time In A Warming Arctic, Mariana García Criado, Isla H. Myers-Smith, Anne D. Bjorkman, Sarah C. Elmendorf, Signe Normand, Peter Aastrup, Rien Aerts, Juha M. Alatalo, Lander Baeten, Robert G. Björk, Mats P. Björkman, Noémie Boulanger‐Lapointe, Ethan E. Butler, Elisabeth J. Cooper, J. Hans C. Cornelissen, Gergana N. Daskalova, Belen Fadrique, Bruce C. Forbes, Greg H. R. Henry, Robert D. Hollister, Toke Thomas Høye, Ida Bomholt Dyrholm Jacobsen, Annika K. Jägerbrand, Ingibjörg S. Jónsdóttir, Elina Kaarlejärvi, Olga Khitun, Kari Klanderud, Tiina H. M. Kolari, Simone I. Lang, Nicolas Lecomte, Jonathan Lenoir, Petr Macek, Julie Messier, Anders Michelsen, Ulf Molau, Robert Muscarella, Marie-Louise Nielsen, Matteo Petit Bon, Eric Post, Katrine Raundrup, Riikka Rinnan, Christian Rixen, Ingvild Ryde, Josep M. Serra‐Diaz, Gabriela Schaepman‐Strub, Niels M. Schmidt, Franziska Schrodt, Sofie Sjögersten, Manuel J. Steinbauer, Lærke Stewart, Beate Strandberg, Anne Tolvanen, Craig E. Tweedie, Mark Vellend Apr 2025

Plant Diversity Dynamics Over Space And Time In A Warming Arctic, Mariana García Criado, Isla H. Myers-Smith, Anne D. Bjorkman, Sarah C. Elmendorf, Signe Normand, Peter Aastrup, Rien Aerts, Juha M. Alatalo, Lander Baeten, Robert G. Björk, Mats P. Björkman, Noémie Boulanger‐Lapointe, Ethan E. Butler, Elisabeth J. Cooper, J. Hans C. Cornelissen, Gergana N. Daskalova, Belen Fadrique, Bruce C. Forbes, Greg H. R. Henry, Robert D. Hollister, Toke Thomas Høye, Ida Bomholt Dyrholm Jacobsen, Annika K. Jägerbrand, Ingibjörg S. Jónsdóttir, Elina Kaarlejärvi, Olga Khitun, Kari Klanderud, Tiina H. M. Kolari, Simone I. Lang, Nicolas Lecomte, Jonathan Lenoir, Petr Macek, Julie Messier, Anders Michelsen, Ulf Molau, Robert Muscarella, Marie-Louise Nielsen, Matteo Petit Bon, Eric Post, Katrine Raundrup, Riikka Rinnan, Christian Rixen, Ingvild Ryde, Josep M. Serra‐Diaz, Gabriela Schaepman‐Strub, Niels M. Schmidt, Franziska Schrodt, Sofie Sjögersten, Manuel J. Steinbauer, Lærke Stewart, Beate Strandberg, Anne Tolvanen, Craig E. Tweedie, Mark Vellend

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

The Arctic is warming four times faster than the global average1 and plant communities are responding through shifts in species abundance, composition and distribution2,3,4. However, the direction and magnitude of local changes in plant diversity in the Arctic have not been quantified. Using a compilation of 42,234 records of 490 vascular plant species from 2,174 plots across the Arctic, here we quantified temporal changes in species richness and composition through repeat surveys between 1981 and 2022. We also identified the geographical, climatic and biotic drivers behind these changes. We found greater species richness …


Gonadal Absence Of Ceh-22: Degradation Of Ceh-22 In The Gonads Of Caenorhabditis Elegans, Andreya C. White Apr 2025

Gonadal Absence Of Ceh-22: Degradation Of Ceh-22 In The Gonads Of Caenorhabditis Elegans, Andreya C. White

Undergraduate Theses

The reproductive system of hermaphrodite Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) comprises two gonadal arms, each with a terminating distal tip cell (DTC), connected by a common uterus. The DTC has two functions: leader and niche. In C. elegans, ceh-22/nkx2,5 has been found to work together with Wnt signaling to determine the fates of the DTC (Lam et al., 2006). This is an indication that ceh-22 aids in the specification of DTCs. Our research aims to determine the specific function of ceh-22 in the gonad of both male and hermaphrodite C. elegans. This will be accomplished by observing …


Bibliometric Analysis Of Research Trends Related To Human Immunodeficiency Virus., Madyson E. Johnson, Kaitlyn R. Coffman, Valerie Rivas, Elizabeth Barrett Apr 2025

Bibliometric Analysis Of Research Trends Related To Human Immunodeficiency Virus., Madyson E. Johnson, Kaitlyn R. Coffman, Valerie Rivas, Elizabeth Barrett

ATU Scholars Symposium

Human immunodeficiency virus poses major health burden across the globe including the United States of America and has its zoonotic origin from the Simian Immunodeficiency viruses of sooty mangabey monkey and chimpanzee in Africa. Epidemiological trends indicate that even though the mortality rates for HIV are falling globally, the rates of new cases have been rising since 2010 in several countries including the USA. An estimated 0.5% of the human population is currently infected with the virus with countries like USA, India, Nigeria and South Africa carrying the highest burden of the disease. Host receptors such as CD4 and coreceptors …


Discovering And Characterizing Novel Temperate Bacteriophage Infecting Arthrobacter Globiformis B-2979, Paige M. Baldwin, Michael Bennet, Evangelia A. Buonamici, Hanan E. Isik, Niran E. Isik, Vienna Li, Mia R. Mazakas, Aaryan M. Modi, Nikita Muppoor, Kylie A. Oliver, Vidhi M. Patel, Kylie Tabak, Jamie K. Yu, Laura Weber Apr 2025

Discovering And Characterizing Novel Temperate Bacteriophage Infecting Arthrobacter Globiformis B-2979, Paige M. Baldwin, Michael Bennet, Evangelia A. Buonamici, Hanan E. Isik, Niran E. Isik, Vienna Li, Mia R. Mazakas, Aaryan M. Modi, Nikita Muppoor, Kylie A. Oliver, Vidhi M. Patel, Kylie Tabak, Jamie K. Yu, Laura Weber

STEM Student Research Symposium Posters

AmiCi24 is a novel temperate bacteriophage collected from a soil sample originating in Sewell, NJ, USA and cultivated with Arthrobacter globiformis B-2979. AmiCi24 is a Siphoviridae morphotype, belonging to the cluster AS and subcluster of AS3. The AmiCi24 genome consists of 38,466 basepairs, encoding 68 genes.


Cellular And Molecular Mechanism Of Heavy Metal Phytoremediation, Kaitlin A. Edwards, Kayle Dacus, Autumn Wilbanks, Tatum Simms Apr 2025

Cellular And Molecular Mechanism Of Heavy Metal Phytoremediation, Kaitlin A. Edwards, Kayle Dacus, Autumn Wilbanks, Tatum Simms

ATU Scholars Symposium

Rapid urbanization and industrial activities have contributed to heavy metal contamination of several habitats thus leading to an emerging health and environmental challenge. Some heavy metals such as zinc, iron, molybdenum, manganese, copper, cobalt and nickel are found in trace amounts in biological organisms, however, most are harmful for cellular metabolism. Certain species of plants can accumulate large amounts of heavy metals and has been utilized to sustainably clean contaminated soil and water by a process called phytoremediation. Recent lab and field studies have reported promising results that could propel commercialization of this technology. The cellular and molecular mechanism involved …


Comparing Parasitism And Resistance To Flow In Two Populations Of Elimia Virginica, Morgan G. Hicok, Abbie Tomba, Kate Green Apr 2025

Comparing Parasitism And Resistance To Flow In Two Populations Of Elimia Virginica, Morgan G. Hicok, Abbie Tomba, Kate Green

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Snails are important in freshwater ecosystems as primary consumers and are good indicators of the stability of a habitat. Trematodes are parasitic flatworms that infect freshwater snails and can cause changes in metabolic function and growth. Flow rates and water levels are now more variable due to climate change, increasing stress and dislodgment in the snail population. This study investigates how parasites, shell morphology, and native flow environment influence resistance to disturbance. Elimia populations were sampled for differences in parasitism, shell morphology, and ability to withstand high flow environments in two different rivers. Sample sites at the Potomac River were …


Factors That Contribute To An Increased Risk For Dental Caries And Prevention Methods, Allen Lee Apr 2025

Factors That Contribute To An Increased Risk For Dental Caries And Prevention Methods, Allen Lee

BIO4960: Practicum in Biology I

This health literacy project focuses on identifying effective strategies for preventing dental caries by analyzing various aspects of an individual’s daily habits. Key lifestyle factors such as sleep patterns, dietary choices, and physical activity were explored in relation to their impact on oral health. The motivation for this project arose from direct observations of the high prevalence of cavities during clinical shadowing experiences, as well as growing evidence in the literature, highlighting an increasing trend in dental caries. Dental caries represent significant public health concern, as untreated caries can lead to serious complications such as tooth abscesses and extractions. Despite …


Quantifying And Characterizing Microplastics In The Greater Philadelphia Region, Emily Lybashev Apr 2025

Quantifying And Characterizing Microplastics In The Greater Philadelphia Region, Emily Lybashev

Biology Honors Papers

Plastic is one of the world's most useful and versatile materials, so it is no wonder that 400 million tons are produced yearly. When exposed to weathering, heat, water, and organisms, plastic degrades and produces microplastics. These microplastics have managed to leach into our oceans, local waterways, bodies, and even our atmosphere. The negative implications of microplastic contamination in our environment are slowly being uncovered with concerns of toxin buildup. Additionally, the amount of microplastics we are exposed to through local waterways is rarely quantified. Though microplastic research is picking up pace, the Schuylkill River which spans the Greater Philadelphia …


The Role And Expression Of Pros-1 In The C. Elegans Gonad, Brandon W. Thomas, Mary B. Kroetz, Roberta Challener Apr 2025

The Role And Expression Of Pros-1 In The C. Elegans Gonad, Brandon W. Thomas, Mary B. Kroetz, Roberta Challener

Undergraduate Theses

The nematode, formally known as Caenorhabditis elegans, has served as an excellent model organism in understanding fundamental biological processes, including those governed by conserved genes like pros-1. pros-1 is partially responsible for the formation of tubular structures within the organism. Glial cells and excretory canals are both examples of tubular structures governed by pros-1. pros-1 orchestrates the embryonic development of these cell types by modulating cell proliferation and differentiation, thus ensuring proper morphogenesis and organogenesis. Its regulatory influence likely extends beyond embryogenesis, potentially affecting reproductive processes as well. Furthermore, the evolutionary conservation of pros-1 underscores its significance …