Digital Commons Network^™

Study Of The Assembly Trigger For Spider Silk Proteins, Katina Zhu, Amanda Lee, Megan Lau, Sungkyung Lee, Kaden Chen, Katherine Yoo, David Eum, Daniel Eum, Austin Cho, Jiho Choi

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

Eardrum Tuning Of The Túngara Frog, Robert A. Wong, Mary Paduano, Justine Tang, Betty Lee, Trisha Vo, Mark Morozumi, Marcos Gridi-Papp

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

Variability Of Color Patterns In The Ventral Skin Of The Túngara Frog, Emily Yuxin Sun

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

The Vocal Response Of The Male Túngara Frog As A Function Of Stimulus Intensity, Kristine Sheu, Marcos Gridi-Papp

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Age And Size On The Mating Call Of Male Túngara Frogs, Sonia Mathur, Dr. Marcos Gridi-Papp

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

Changes In Call Rate In Response To Competition In Male Túngara Frogs, Alison S. Kim, Marcos Gridi-Papp

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

Gonads Without Glp-1: Silencing Glp-1 In The Male Somatic Gonad In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Matthew Titus

Undergraduate Theses

In C. elegans, the gene glp-1 encodes for a Notch receptor called GLP-1, one of two found in C. elegans’ genome. The gene has been previously implicated in the development of the hermaphroditic germline as well as playing a role in the mitosis/meiosis decision. Genetic screening has further identified it as potentially playing a role in the development of the male somatic gonad, making it an ideal candidate for a reverse genetic. We did this by silencing glp-1 and observing if any alterations to the gonad’s phenotype occur.

Normally this could be done by performing a gene knockout. …

Mechanical Properties And Morphological Alterations In Fiber-Based Scaffolds Affecting Tissue Engineering Outcomes, James Dolgin, Samerender Nagam Hanumantharao, Stephen Farias, Carl G. Simon, Smitha Rao

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Electrospinning is a versatile tool used to produce highly customizable nonwoven nanofiber mats of various fiber diameters, pore sizes, and alignment. It is possible to create electrospun mats from synthetic polymers, biobased polymers, and combinations thereof. The post-processing of the end products can occur in many ways, such as cross-linking, enzyme linking, and thermal curing, to achieve enhanced chemical and physical properties. Such multi-factor tunability is very promising in applications such as tissue engineering, 3D organs/organoids, and cell differentiation. While the established methods involve the use of soluble small molecules, growth factors, stereolithography, and micro-patterning, electrospinning involves an inexpensive, labor …

Understanding The Expression And Role Of Pros-1 In The Male Gonad Of C. Elegans, Jack Bozik

Undergraduate Theses

The gene pros-1 is a transcription factor that is highly expressed within neuronal sheath cells, glial cells, and excretory canal cells. pros-1 plays a role in cell determination of those cell types in the nematode C. elegans, which promotes organismal development. But the degree to which pros-1 presence is important is still not fully understood, because there are many genes involved in development that when mutated or damaged can result in unexpected phenotypes or even total loss of function to a certain developmental mechanism. What makes pros-1 valuable to research is that it is a functional homologue to a …

Using Crispr To Genetically Engineer Two Genes Involved In Gonadogenesis In The Model Organism C. Elegans, Peyton Young

Undergraduate Theses

C. elegans is a nematode model organism commonly used in research because of its small size and similarity to humans. Of the known protein sequences of C. elegans, 40%-80% have human homologous genes, making C. elegans an ideal organism for study of human proteins (Lai et al. 2000). Additionally, there are two sexes of C. elegans, male and hermaphrodite. Of the two sexes, this research focuses on the males, especially the development of the gonad and the genes involved in this process. Two genes were chosen for study, C10E2.6 and pig-1, based on essentiality and mRNA expression …

Physiological, Temporal, And Environmental Determinants Of Forage Fish Caloric Content In The Gulf Of Mexico, Rebecca R. Walsh

Honors Theses

Within the Gulf of Mexico, forage fish species serve as an important link between lower trophic levels and higher trophic levels, supporting economically valuable predator fish, birds, and mammals. Despite the key ecological role of forage fish, fisheries management efforts are often directed elsewhere; as a result, input data for fisheries models is unavailable for many forage fish species. To fill this knowledge gap, we sought to produce species-specific caloric content values for four forage fish species in the Gulf of Mexico: Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus), white trout (Cynoscion arenarius), bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli), …

Microplastics’ Effects On Painted Lady Butterfly Survivorship, Migratory Behavior, And Fecundity, Kaelin Ferland

Biology Student Scholarship

Kaelin Ferland ’23
Major: Environmental Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rachael Bonoan, Biology

Human activity is affecting our planet at a microscopic level. In 2021, scientists first discovered microplastics in honeybees. Subsequent research has found that honeybee gut bacteria concentrations decrease because of microplastic ingestion, decreasing honeybee survivorship. The same might be true for other insect pollinators including butterflies. When butterflies visit flowers to feed, they simultaneously collect pollen on their wings. Due to the similar particulate structure of pollen and microplastics, it’s possible that butterflies collect microplastics in addition to food. We used painted lady butterflies to investigate if microplastics …

The Predation Resistance Of Squashed E. Coli, Kathryn Mulvey, Caroline Zielinski

Biology Student Scholarship

Kathryn Mulvey ’23, Major: Biology

Caroline Zielinski ’23, Major: Biology

Faculty Mentor, Dr. Laura Williams, Biology

Predatory bacteria hunt and kill other bacteria, including pathogens that cause disease in humans, which makes them a promising alternative for treating antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Currently, it is unknown whether and how pathogens evolve resistance to predation. To investigate this, we are studying interactions between E. coli, which is a model organism for pathogenic bacteria, and predatory Bdellovibrio. When we co-cultured E. coli with a particular strain of predatory Bdellovibrio, we observed the emergence of predation-resistant E. coli that had reduced susceptibility to killing …

See You Later Alligator: Forelimb And Wrist Of Alligators Walking The Treadmill, Erin Trammell, Inthavha Singharaj, Sasha Rudich

Biology Student Scholarship

Erin Trammell ’23, Major: Biology

Inthavha Singharaj ’23, Major: Biology

Sasha Rudich ’23, Major: Biology, Minors: Women and Gender Studies

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Daivd Baier, Biology

We used XROMM, which combines biplanar X-ray video and digital bone models, to measure how the alligator skeleton moves during high walks on a treadmill. The crocodilian high walk and wrist structure are unique compared to other reptiles who walk with a sprawled limb posture. Here, we describe how bones of the forearm, wrist, and hand coordinate during alligator strides. We find that elbow is more than just a simple hinge, the forearm bones …

The Evolution Of Pollution Resistance In The Atlantic Killifish, Matthew Rock

Biology Student Scholarship

Matthew Rock ’23
Major: Environmental Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jeffrey Markert, Biology

We examined genetic variation in Atlantic Killifish populations to better understand their ability to persist in Superfund sites like New Bedford Harbor, which is polluted with a mix of organic toxicants and heavy metals. As predicted, loci associated with the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AHR) Detoxification Pathway show large differences in allele frequencies between polluted and non-polluted sites.

Genetic Disruption Of Metabolic Balance In Mouse Cerebellar Neurons Causes Deficits In The Postnatal Development Of Their Dendritic Tree And Mouse Motor Skills, Hayden Lens, Mary Boghos

Biology Student Scholarship

Hayden Lens ’23, Major: Biology

Mary Boghos ’23, Major: Biology

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ileana Soto Reyes, Biology

The Npc1nmf164 mutant mouse is an animal model for the human disease Niemann-Pick type C (NPC). NPC is a lysosomal storage disease that is acquired by autosomal recessive inheritance. It is mostly caused by mutations in NPC1, a protein that transports cholesterol out of the lysosomes, therefore abnormal accumulation of cholesterol in lysosomes is a hallmark of NPC. Cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) are severely affected by NPC, in fact, PCs degenerate first and to a larger extent at childhood stages. Therefore, we have …

Circadian Rhythm Effects Of Social Jetlag And Exercise On Stress Levels And Weight Change Of Fischer Rats, Brian Schwalm

Biology Student Scholarship

Brian Schwalm ’23
Major: Biology
Minor: Economics
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Pamela Snodgrass, Biology

Analysis Of Wild Rodent Gut Microbiota As A Function Of Exposure To Ticks And Tick-Borne Pathogens, Joshua Pandian

Honors Theses

Due to advances in high-throughput parallel sequencing, researchers have conducted novel studies exploring relationships between microbiome compositions and different aspects of organism health. Some of these studies have shown that the gut microbiome of rodent models has effects on organism health and behavior and that infection with pathogens and the composition of the skin microbiome are linked to changes in gut microbiome composition. While previous studies have shown how vector microbiota impact vector behavior and pathogen transmission, the effect vectors have on reservoir species microbiomes has been a less prominent focus. We were interested in the relationships between tick parasitism, …

Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus Amphibius) Aggressive Behaviors In The Retima Hippo Pool, Orangi River, Tanzania, Lydia Hoffman, Connor Veldman

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

Hippopotamuses (Hippopotamus amphibius) are known to forage on land during the night and spend the daytime in shallow pools to thermoregulate and to protect their skin from UV radiation. Daily use of pools may lead to competition for space and facilitate aggressive interactions between hippopotamuses. In this study, we looked at the difference in occurrence of aggressive behavior in the morning and evening hours between hippopotamuses (hippos). Our hypothesis was that hippos will be more aggressive at different times of the day, and we predicted that the higher aggressive activity will be in the morning hours, as hippos …

The Effect Of Light Availability On Planktonic Communities Under The Ice In Stumpf Lake, Samantha Schug

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

Ice cover is a part of the yearly cycle in bodies of water that are exposed to temperatures below the freezing point. Though the body of water is completely covered, many communities under the ice are still present and active during this time. I hypothesized that as the area cleared of snow increased, the increased light availability under the ice will cause a decrease in zooplankton abundance, as they avoid light and increase the chlorophyll concentration. Three different light availabilities were imposed on the ice by clearing three different sized areas of snow on the ice (0m, 1m and 2m). …

Mapping The Functional Interactions At The Tumor-Immune Checkpoint Interface, Behnaz Bozorgui, Elisabeth K Kong, Augustin Luna, Anil Korkut

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The interactions between tumor intrinsic processes and immune checkpoints can mediate immune evasion by cancer cells and responses to immunotherapy. It is, however, challenging to identify functional interactions due to the prohibitively complex molecular landscape of the tumor-immune interfaces. We address this challenge with a statistical analysis framework, immuno-oncology gene interaction maps (ImogiMap). ImogiMap quantifies and statistically validates tumor-immune checkpoint interactions based on their co-associations with immune-associated phenotypes. The outcome is a catalog of tumor-immune checkpoint interaction maps for diverse immune-associated phenotypes. Applications of ImogiMap recapitulate the interaction of SERPINB9 and immune checkpoints with interferon gamma (IFNγ) expression. Our analyses …

Function And Regulation Of Virulence-Associated Siderophores In Uropathogenic Enterobacterales, James Robert Heffernan

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Siderophores are small molecules created by fungi and bacterial cells to help obtain iron. This may extend to cells in iron-limiting environments within host organisms. Certain siderophores are associated with increased virulence in urinary tract infections (UTIs). Siderophore system activity is typically regulated by feedback inhibition via ferric uptake regulator (Fur) which, in the presence of cytosolic iron, binds to a ~19 base pair inverted DNA repeat (9-1-9) called a Fur box. Once bound to this motif, the iron-Fur complex suppresses siderophore expression when adequate bacterial iron status is achieved. Many organisms produce more than one siderophore, and in the …

Diversity Of Bees In Trees On Urban College Campus, Aidan Castricone, Courtney Caccamo

Biology Student Scholarship

Aidan Castricone ’24, Major: Environmental Biology

Courtney Caccamo ’23 Majors: Environmental Biology and Psychology

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rachael Bonoan, Biology

It is well known that insect pollinator populations are declining and a lack of nutrients (i.e flowering plants) may be contributing to this decline. Insect pollinators forage for pollen and nectar, which provides proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, from flowering plants. Current research on pollinator foraging behavior focuses on pollinators that forage on the ground thus overlooking those that forage in trees. Trees such as Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) and crabapple (Malus sp.) bloom in early Spring, even before …

Circadian Rhythms Effect On Brain Metabolism In Mutant Flies, Olivia Kozub

Biology Student Scholarship

Olivia Kozub ’23
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Pamela Snodgrass, Biology

All organisms have an internal clock that drives physiological processes known as circadian rhythms. Being able to predict the environment and prepare for it, rather than simply react, is so critical to survival that this ability has been conserved from single cell organisms all the way to humans. These rhythms can be measured at the gene level, the protein level, the cellular level, the tissue level, all the way to oscillations in behavior. Measuring the metabolic activity of normal fly brains at different times of day will chart the …

Use Of Resources By Adult Karner Blue Butterflies (Lycaeides Melissa Samuelis) In Michigan: Comparisons Of Nectar Selections On Native And Non-Native Species, Afafia Herweyer

Masters Projects

Abstract

The endangered Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) is at risk due to the decline of oak barrens and dry sand prairies, the butterfly’s sole habitat. Survival depends on effective conservation of remaining habitat and creation of new viable habitats. Successful management must consider resource needs for both larval and adult stages. Information on adult nectar requirements is limited (Grundel et al. 2000, Pickens & Root 2008). Sufficient nectar increases lifespan and fecundity of butterflies (Murphy et al. 1983, Hill & Pierce 1989, Fischer & Fielder 2001), and deters emigration. Encroachment of non-native nectar species into butterfly habitat warrants …

Vibrational Communication Of Hebetica Sylviae, Jenna Howard

Honors College Theses

There are many different modalities animals use to communicate. Substrate-borne vibrational communication is one that is in the infancy of research, but widely used by many members of the animal kingdom. The systems by which one species of treehopper, Hebetica sylviae, utilizes vibrational communication has yet to be described due to the recent nature of its discovery. This study aims to answer basic, but vital, questions regarding the key vibrational signals Hebetica sylviae use for the purposes of courtship. There were several calls found to be important to the male including a long-range signal, characterized by pulse trains produced …

193 - Biological Trends In Schistosomiasis Reinfections And Co-Infections, David Marx, Tyler Dzuba, Wai Cheung Tung

GREAT Day Posters

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic infection that affected nearly 252 million people worldwide in 2021, Africa, Asia, and South America are the most affected regions. Schistosomiasis can cause many symptoms, many of which are seen through urinalysis. Due to the nature of Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium reinfection is quite common. Coinfection also between these two species occurs frequently due to the overlap in areas they affect. Both reinfection and coinfection are possible causes for differences in severity of infection. The severity of infection can be determined both in terms of the symptoms of the afflicted individual as well as looking …

242 - Validating Zebrafish Chaf1b Antibody, Brianna Donlon, Stephen Welsch, Emma Hatch

GREAT Day Posters

Zebrafish embryos that are homozygous for gef mutant alleles experience a small-eye phenotype, due to a coding change in the chaf1b gene that results in a prematurely truncated protein. It's thought that the Chaf1b protein is required for all dividing cells to survive the DNA replication phase of the cell cycle. Contradicting these findings, the proliferating cells of the gef mutant embryos do not start to prematurely die until they are two days old. One question of delayed death in zebrafish is whether the normal protein can be provided by the heterozygous mother. If so, this would account for how …

256 - Development Of Molecular Markers From The Transcriptome Of An Ant-Mimicking Spider For Population Genetic Analyses, Anna Schell

GREAT Day Posters

The ant-mimicking spider, Myrmarachne formicaria, is a species of jumping spider that is native to Eurasia but has been sighted in North America starting in 2001. This spider is distinctive because of the way it imitates ants by moving its front two legs around like an ant’s antennae. As it is not native to North America, it must have been introduced to the country, but there is not currently enough information to determine whether there was only one introduction event or several different events. We can distinguish between these scenarios and learn more about this spider's dispersal history by analyzing …

122 - Using Crispr/Cas9 Genome Editing To Knockout Mhc Class I In Xenopus Laevis, Keely Glasheen, David Marx, Jacques Robert

GREAT Day Posters

The immune system of the frog Xenopus laevis is similar to humans. MHC Class I is a vital molecule for the immune system of Xenopus laevis. It presents peptides to CD8 T-cells and the presentation of self peptide fragments is crucial for immune self recognition. When MHC Class I presents non-self peptide fragments, it triggers an immune response, causing CD8 T-cells to kill the infected cells. All cells express some level of MHC Class I because all cells can be infected. The role this molecule plays in immune function and self recognition is of particular interest in Xenopus laevis since …