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Investigating Pituitary Specific Transcription Factor-1 (Pit-1) In Neuronal Development In The Sea Anemone Cnidarian Nematostella Vectensis, Emily Ye

2026 Research Poster Competition

In bilaterians — animals with bilateral symmetry, like vertebrates and insects — the pituitary specific transcription factor-1 (pit-1) is essential for regulating growth hormone and prolactin expression in the pituitary gland. However, in non-bilaterians, the ancestral function of pit-1 remains unknown. Cnidarians, such as the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, form a sister group to bilaterians and lack a pituitary gland, making them a powerful model for investigating the early evolutionary role of conserved developmental genes, like pit-1.Using CRISPR-mediated gene editing, pit-1 knockout mutants — anemones without the pit-1 gene — were generated, and their transcriptomic, cellular, and behavioral phenotypes were …

Investigating Changes In White Blood Cell Composition In Wild Hosts In Response To Viral Infection, Anna Bolding

2026 Research Poster Competition

Reservoir hosts play a critical role in the persistence and spillover of zoonotic pathogens. Upon infection, reservoir hosts can shed viral loads sufficient for transmission and spillover often without displaying apparent pathogenic effects. Investigating how their immune systems control infection can provide insights into the factors that facilitate spillover events. Understanding the mechanisms that enable these infection characteristics is crucial for informing public health and conservation strategies. Though reservoir hosts’ immune responses are well-documented in controlled laboratory settings, these studies are not representative of natural populations. The bank vole - Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) system is well suited for investigating such …

Soil Moisture Regime Effects On Near-Surface Soil Chemical Properties In Alfisols Under Native Tallgrass Prairie In Arkansas, Sydney Talley

2026 Research Poster Competition

Tallgrass prairie ecosystems provide many crucial ecosystem services, including nutrient cycling and storage, organism habitat, and soil and water conservation. However, tallgrass prairies are considered endangered ecosystems, particularly in the Ozark Highlands and Grand Prairie regions of Arkansas, where less than 0.05% of the state's original prairie land area remains. Understanding soil nutrient supplies over time in native tallgrass prairie ecosystems is critical for quantifying the success of restoration and rehabilitation activities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of soil moisture regime (SMR) (i.e., aquic and udic), region (i.e., Ozark Highlands and Grand Prairie), and their …

Effect Of Organic Vs Inorganic Zinc Sources In Beef Cattle Diets During Gestation On Calf Immune Function And Colostrum Quality, Naija Sharpley

2026 Research Poster Competition

The objective of this study is to determine the effect of zinc supplementation in cattle feed on beef cattle during gestation and the influences of the trace mineral zinc on colostrum and calf immunocompetence measuring immunoglobulin concentrations and body weight. Cow-calf systems rely on the effectiveness and consistency of their nutritional intake. Beef cattle are fed forages and grain alongside specific minerals and supplements to meet nutritional requirements. The effectiveness of these trace minerals added to the diet helps to ensure that the animal gets the most out of its feed and the producer gets the most out of the …

Investigating The Potential Role Of Horse Flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) In The Mechanical Transmission Of Anaplasma Marginale And Theileria Orientalis To Cattle In Northwest Arkansas, Catherine Harrison

2026 Research Poster Competition

The cattle industry in Arkansas plays a significant role in the state’s agricultural economy; however, two emerging infectious diseases pose a threat to cattle health, producer livelihood, and animal welfare. The two diseases, anaplasmosis and theileriosis, are caused by organisms that enter the host’s bloodstream and infect red blood cells, leading to destruction of said cells. The shared symptoms of both diseases are fever, weakness, anemia (low red blood cell count), reduced productivity, weight loss, and possibly death. An important difference between symptoms is that, unlike anaplasmosis, theileriosis can cause abortion in cattle. Both diseases are known to spread through …

Differences In Cytokine Mrna Expression At The Site Of Primary And Secondary Vaccinations With Herpesvirus Of Turkeys (Hvt) In Egg-Type Chickens., Allie Bowerman

2026 Research Poster Competition

Marek’s disease, a lymphoma causing virus, remains a major concern in poultry production systems. Although vaccination with live herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT) is crucial for controlling this disease, information on how the vaccine drives local/tissue immune responses that lead to protective immunity is limited. Using the growing feather (GF) in vivo bioassay, we assessed local cytokine mRNA expression following primary and booster intradermal (i.d.) HVT vaccinations in egg-type chickens. For this, six 9-week-old and six 19-week-old Light-brown Leghorn (LBL) pullets were i.d. injected into the pulp of growing feathers (GF; 10 µL/GF; 16 GFs/bird) with a primary (V1) or secondary …

Examining Life Course Trends In Dental Tissues Measurements In Members Of The Cayo Santiago Macaque Colony, Tyler Moore

2026 Research Poster Competition

Dental tissue dynamics in primates are largely understood: as enamel wears with tooth use, tertiary dentin is laid down in response to cumulative (micro)traumas, compressing the internal pulp chamber and root canals. However, our knowledge of the rate and pattern of change in tissue quantities across the life course of primates remains incomplete, particularly in well-documented free-ranging populations. This study examined age- and sex-related variation in dental tissue surface area (SA) and volume (V) in a skeletal sample of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) from the Cayo Santiago colony (Puerto Rico), a population with known life history data. Forty-six individuals were …

Predictors Of Stigma And Their Relation To Mental Health Help-Seeking Attitude In College Students, Esiquil Lara

2026 Research Poster Competition

Stigma remains a significant barrier for college students seeking mental health services, yet its predictors and impact are still not fully understood. Mental health problems are a large issue in public health, specifically college age adults are one of the most likely groups to develop such issues. This study examines key factors contributing to stigma and its relationship with help-seeking attitudes among undergraduate college students. We hypothesize that students who identify with minority ethnic groups, identify as male, and who are not seeking a career in mental health services will have higher rates of stigma and therefore be less likely …

Functional Characterization Of The Reniform Nematode Effector Protein Rr6640 In Soybean Parasitism, Noah Solomon

2026 Research Poster Competition

Reniform nematode (Rotylenchulus reniformis, RN) is a major plant-pest affecting key crops in Arkansas such as cotton and soybean, causing economic losses exceeding $757 million in the U.S. over the past decade. While some genetic resistance exists in cotton, soybean remains highly susceptible, exacerbating RN populations in crop rotations. To address this gap, this research investigates the mechanisms of nematode infection focusing on effectors, the specialized proteins secreted by the parasite to manipulate host cell biology and suppress plant immunity. This study characterizes Rr6640, a putative effector gene identified as an ortholog to a virulence factor in the Beet Cyst …

Effectiveness Of Occupational Recommendations In Maintaining Cognitive Function Under Hot-Dry And Warm-Humid Conditions, Zane Garner

2026 Research Poster Competition

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommendations dictate heat safety practices in occupations throughout the United States. Currently, the effectiveness of these recommendations is unknown. Likewise, there is a lack of consensus regarding the effect of combined heat and exercise stress on cognitive function. PURPOSE: To examine the effectiveness of NIOSH heat safety recommendations in maintaining cognitive function after moderate work in the heat, alongside whether the type of heat has any effect. METHODS: A counter balanced, repeated measures, randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate differences in cognitive function in two distinct environments. Participants completed two experimental …

Blood Flow Regulates Metabolism In Hematopoietic Development, Pamela L Wenzel

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Blood flow modifies oxygen availability and biomechanical forces within the vasculature of the embryo as the hematopoietic system develops. The aorta-gonad-mesonephros (AGM) envelops the largest artery in the body and is a critical site for the emergence of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Herein, I discuss the role of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) and force as determinants of metabolism and fate determination. To address the effects of blood flow on hematopoietic development, I employ mouse embryo models and biomimetic culture. Real-time cell metabolic analyses show that oxygen consumption rates (OCR) and extracellular acidification rates (ECAR) are altered by flow in cultures of …

Updates To Version 1.0 Of The Four‐Dimensional Ecology Education Framework Create Version 1.1., Christopher W. Beck, Loren B. Byrne, Jennifer Doherty, Amanda E. Sorensen, Et Al.

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Since its introduction in 2018, the Four-Dimensional Ecology Education (4DEE) Framework has advanced ecology education. Yet, ecology educators have had different understandings of aspects of the Framework. Here, we describe the updates to the original Framework that aim to provide more clarity. Specifically, we describe higher-level changes in how the Framework is presented on the 4DEE website, changes to some of the elements within the dimensions, mostly in the Human–Environment Interactions dimension, and perhaps most substantively, replacing the lists of subelements with more descriptive paragraphs that explain the intent of the elements. We hope that these updates will promote the …

Differentiation Of Cell Populations In Saliva-Skin Mixtures Using Autofluorescence Profiling, Kara Fairfax

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

While DNA profiling of sexual assault evidence can identify biological contributors, determining the tissue source of recovered profiles remains a significant challenge, particularly in cases of suspected oral assault involving mixtures of epithelial cells. The initial goal of this study was to identify non-genetic signatures for differentiating two types of epithelial cells relevant to oral assaults, saliva epithelial cells and epidermal skin cells. To develop tissue-specific signatures, reference cell populations from saliva and epidermal skin surfaces were collected from 20 donors and analyzed using full spectrum flow cytometry.

Results from single-source reference samples showed that saliva-derived particle populations exhibited higher …

Environmental Monitoring In Shallow Lakes: Public Health Threats In Urban Waters, Kyleigh E. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Lakes are an integral part of urban and suburban communities, providing ecological, recreational, and public health benefits. Many of these lakes are located in densely populated areas and are subject to urban influences on water quality. Algal toxins and Escherichia coli are two common recreational concerns. Algal toxins come from harmful algal blooms that are influenced by nutrient availability and temperature, while bacteria are often introduced through run-off and animal waste. Sampling every 3-4 weeks from May-October 2025 allowed for the assessment of seasonal patterns and site-specific differences across nine lakes in the Richmond area. The highest bacterial concentrations appeared …

Absolute Quantification And Identification Of Rna From Rna-Lipid Nanoparticles Using High Resolution Mass Spectrometry, Jason C. Funderburk

Theses and Dissertations

RNA therapeutics are a rising drug category with potential use for a range of conditions encompassing infectious diseases to therapies for cancer, diseases, and genetic disorders. RNA-lipid nanoparticles (RNA-LNPs) are the prominent delivery method for these therapeutics approved products include mRNA vaccines and polyneuropathy treatments. The emergency use authorizations and orphan drug status of current RNA-LNP drugs has allowed approval without finalization of the regulatory analytical procedures for quality monitoring. The objective of the study was to develop an LC-MS assay to simultaneously measure identity and concentration of two therapeutically relevant intact RNA constructs extracted from RNA-LNPs to enhance quality …

Characterization Of Microrna Expression In Neuron-Enriched Extracellular Vesicles During Early Life, Allison Molen

Theses and Dissertations

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound sacs released by cells that carry molecular cargo reflective of their cell of origin. EVs enriched using L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) as a marker of putative neuronal origin can cross the blood–brain barrier and provide a minimally invasive window into brain-related processes. Exosomal microRNA (miRNA) regulate gene expression and have been implicated in psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD). However, measuring and analyzing miRNA from L1CAM-positive EVs presents substantial analytical challenges due to low abundance and sparse detection across samples.

Plasma samples from participants recruited through the Mid-Atlantic Twin Registry (MATR) were used …

Machine Learning-Based Spatio-Temporal Modeling Of Climate Dynamics And Desertification In The Sahara–Sahel Region, Stephen M. Tivenan

Theses and Dissertations

Arid climate classifications are threshold-dependent and easily interpretable mappings that are widely used in ecological, agricultural, and climate-related studies. These classifications inform scientific understanding, support policy and land management decisions, and provide an intuitive summary of environmental conditions. Despite their usefulness, traditional arid climate classifications often fail to quantify uncertainty, incorporate spatial context, or account for complex relationships among relevant environmental variables. Existing approaches to uncertainty assessment have largely relied on comparing classifications across multiple datasets or alternative formulas, but these methods generally overlook important spatial dependence and latent structure in the data.

This dissertation develops three machine learning-based statistical …

Depemokimab: A Twice Yearly Anti-Il 5 Biologic For Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps (Crswnp) - A Narrative Review, Marn Joon Park, Joseph K. Han, Kent K. Lam

Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) Faculty Publications

Depemokimab is a monoclonal antibody that targets interleukin-5 with enhanced binding affinity and an extended terminal elimination half‑life of 6-8 weeks. The unique pharmacodynamic features of depemokimab enable sustained suppression of type 2 inflammation with twice‑yearly subcutaneous dosing. This narrative review provides details of depemokimab's molecular profile, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics and results regarding the clinical efficacy and safety of depemokimab from recently published Phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP). In 528 severe adult CRSwNP patients (ANCHOR‑1/‑2 trials), depemokimab achieved Δ total endoscopic nasal polyp score by -0.70 (p <  .001) and Δ nasal obstruction verbal response scale by -0.24 (p = .003) at week 52, compared to placebo. Twice‑yearly 100 mg depemokimab provides durable eosinophil suppression and with a safety profile comparable to placebo in Phase 3 trials for CRSwNP. Future work should refine biomarkers and assess comparative cost‑effectiveness and long‑term adherence, safety, and effectiveness.

A Chromosome-Level Assembly And Functional Genomic Resources For The Model Annelid Capitella Teleta, Billie E. Davies, Paul Gonzalez, Abhinav Sur, Jingcheng Wei, Tom Frankish, Jimena Montagne, Allan M. Carrillo-Baltodano, Kero Guynes, Yan Liang, Rory D. Donnellan, Travis Moreland R., Sumeeta Singh, Suiyuan Zhang, Reynold Yu, Tyra G. Wolfsberg, Néva Meyer, Elaine C. Seaver, Andreas D. Baxevanis, José M. Martín-Durán

Biology

The polychaete Capitella teleta is a primary model for evolutionary developmental biology, comparative genomics, conservation, and ecotoxicology. Although it was the first polychaete genome sequenced, the original assembly is outdated by modern standards. Here, we combine long-read and short-read sequencing with Hi-C chromatin conformation capture to assemble chromosome-level nuclear and mitochondrial genomes of the laboratory strain of C. teleta. This reference assembly accurately reflects the expected genome size (∼243.6 Mb) and contains a highly complete, evolutionarily conserved gene repertoire. Notably, the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes are heavily rearranged, indicating a decoupling between gene family repertoire and chromosomal evolution. The analyses …

Evaluating Willow Establishment With Biochar For Remediation Of Mine Waste Soils: Amendment Ph Determines Plant Biomass And Metal Mobility, Madeline R. Webb

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Heavy metal contaminated mine tailings (“stamp sands”) from historic copper mining inhibit plant establishment and contribute to ongoing metal contamination. Biochar amendments may enhance plant growth and reduce metal mobility in highly permeable mine waste soils, but the efficacies of different application methods or biochar sources and composition are uncertain. We evaluated different biochar sources (neutral or alkaline pH) and application methods (either mixed or layered) for planted willow growth, moisture retention, and metal mobility. A 10-week growth chamber experiment assessed plant performance, heavy metal content and heavy metal mobility in soil leachates and plant tissues. Biochar pH was the …

Impact Of Prostate Cancer Tumor Microenvironment On Alternative Splicing Landscapes In Nk Cells: An Lncap-Based In Vitro Model, Pratham N. Modi

Honors Undergraduate Theses

NK cells play a significant role in anti-tumor activity, yet the transcriptomic mechanisms underlying NK cell dysfunction in the prostate cancer tumor microenvironment remain generally poorly characterized. While most transcriptomic studies focus on gene-level expression, alternative splicing and isoform-level analysis may reveal additional levels of regulation not identified in traditional analysis. The overall goal of this study was to characterize gene and isoform-level changes in NK cells exposed to in vitro prostate cancer conditions and to evaluate whether isoform-level analysis could provide additional depth and insights beyond gene-level analyses. NK92-MI cells were co-cultured with LNCaP prostate cancer cells using direct-contact …

Comparative Spatial Biology: A Cross-Species Analysis Of Canine Oral Cancers As Models For Human Disease, Ram Pradhyumnan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), one of the most common malignancies of the oral cavity, remains a clinically challenging disease due to its aggressive behavior, late-stage diagnosis, and limited improvements in therapeutic outcomes over recent decades. A significant barrier to progress in OSCC research and treatment is the lack of suitable preclinical models that recapitulate the complexity and natural progression of the disease. Most current models—including cell lines, xenografts, and genetically engineered mice—fail to capture key features such as the spatial organization of tumor epithelium, interactions with an intact immune system, and the stepwise evolution from normal mucosa to invasive …

Invasion Of Microplastics Into The Reproductive Tissues Of Feral And Domestic Felines, Emma K. Quade

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Although plastics have many useful properties in modern society, once these materials are introduced into the environment, they can cause extensive damage. Following degradation into microplastics (MP), plastic particles less than 5 mm in size, these contaminants can make their way into a variety of different environments and organisms. There are many studies that have investigated the prevalence of MP in marine environments, but fewer studies have looked into terrestrial systems, and even less that have focused on contamination in companion animals. This study sought to investigate the invasion of MP into the reproductive tissues of felines, Felis catus, …

Interaction Of The Dap-10 Fluorescent Light-Up Aptamer With An Environment-Sensitive Dye, Crystal Violet, Marina Tsukanova

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Crystal violet (CV) is an environment-sensitive dye whose fluorescence is strongly influenced by microenvironment polarity and viscosity, increasing markedly when rotational and vibrational motions are restricted. While the fluorescence enhancement of CV by fluorescent light-up aptamers (FLAPs) has been noted in literature, the specific binding interactions between CV and aptamers in the DAP-10 family have remained under-investigated.  The objective of this work is to elucidate the binding site interactions between CV and the DAP-10-42 FLAP. It is hypothesized that positions 34 and 35 of the aptamer’s sequence reside in a proposed quadruplex-duplex junction that form the dye-binding pocket of DAP-10 …

Analyzing Early Medieval Perspectives Of Fetal Development, Nivedha Srinivasan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis examines early medieval perspectives of fetal development by analyzing two manuscripts: British Library, Cotton Tiberius A III and Leiden University, Vossianus lat. Q69. This study will investigate how knowledge of pregnancy was shared throughout England before the establishment of universities. Interest in medieval reproductive language has piqued in importance in recent years, especially due to modern legal debates surrounding reproductive rights. By examining descriptions of the nine months of fetal development in these two manuscripts, as well as in widely known earlier medical texts like Pliny’s Natural History and Vindicianus’ Gynaecia, this research explores how monastic writers in …

Generating Genomic Resources For The Pink Sundew And Its Specialist Herbivore Moth From A Single Gene To Entire Genomes, Kerissa F. Tarpley

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Genomic resources are critical for the conservation of threatened species, providing valuable insights into genetic diversity, population structure, and adaptive potential. This thesis focuses on two ecologically interconnected species: the carnivorous plant pink sundew (Drosera capillaris) and its specialist herbivore the sundew plume moth (Buckleria parvulus). The sundew and plume moth face an uncertain future as their vital bog habitats continue to disappear. The sundew plays a crucial role in the life cycle of the plume moth, which relies on the sundew during its larval stages for survival. To aid in species detections, I first generated …

Assessing The Impact Of Storing Water Samples At Ambient Temperature On Plankton Metabarcoding, Stephanie N. Lievano

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Increasing incidence of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) has led to fish kills, air quality hazards, and economic impacts. One economic impact is on tourism, one of the main sources of Florida’s income, where billions of dollars are lost to such events. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWC-FWRI), with the help of collaborators, collects water samples from across the state for HAB monitoring. These samples are stored at ambient temperature for up to 24 hours which could directly affect data analyses. Here, in collaboration with FWRI-FWC, I investigated whether this storage technique affects plankton …

The Role Of Resistance Training In Managing Menopause-Related Changes, Alyson K. Strauss

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Resistance training serves as a critical non-pharmacological strategy for mitigating the physiological and psychological declines associated with the menopausal transition. This natural biological phase, marked by declining estrogen levels, typically leads to accelerated bone mineral density loss, sarcopenia, metabolic regulation disturbance, and heightened mood disturbances. To evaluate the efficacy of targeted exercise interventions, a systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. From an initial pool of 60 relevant articles, 13 studies met the specific inclusion criteria, focusing on structured resistance training protocols for perimenopausal, menopausal, and postmenopausal cohorts.

The synthesis of these studies indicates that resistance training is a highly …

Analyzing The Loss Of Material From A Non-Plastic Oyster Reef Restoration Alternative, Lindsay M. Dolan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Oyster reefs are declining globally due to human impacts such as overharvesting, boat wakes, and climate change. Associated ecosystem services, including water filtration, fish and invertebrates’ habitats, and shoreline erosion protection, are lost when these reefs disappear. Traditionally, restoration efforts employed plastic mesh shell bags filled with recycled oyster shells as they provide recruitment substrate for new oyster spat and wave attenuating properties to protect shorelines. Due to rising concerns over microplastic pollution, non-plastic alternatives are being tested. Alternative restoration material must provide the same benefits to reef formation while maintaining structural integrity long enough for a healthy reef to …

Friends In Niche Places: An Examination Of Anole Abundance And Habitat Use In An Urban Environment Using Point Transect Distance Sampling, Ethan Gau

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Lizards in the genus anolis occupy a wide range of ecological niches, often sharing the same environment due to niche partitioning. In central Florida, the main species of anoles found are the native A. carolinensis and the invasive A. sagrei, two generalist anole species that partition into trunk-crown and trunk-ground niches in each other’s presences respectively. I surveyed the UCF main campus using Apollo Circle as the border for my study area, and I used point sampling to estimate the population abundance and density, while also collecting data on perch substrate, height, and canopy coverage. Population estimates for A. …