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Biomechanical Trade-Offs Between Root Tensile Strength And Porosity In Coastal Marshes, M. O. Hassan, N. H. Jafari, A. S. Rovai, R. R. Twilley Feb 2026

Biomechanical Trade-Offs Between Root Tensile Strength And Porosity In Coastal Marshes, M. O. Hassan, N. H. Jafari, A. S. Rovai, R. R. Twilley

Faculty Publications

Root biomechanics play a fundamental role in stabilizing wetland soils and sustaining coastal ecosystems under increasing environmental stress. This study investigates the tensile strength (TS) and internal porosity (n) of roots from two dominant marsh grasses, Spartina alterniflora and Spartina patens, across four sites in the Mississippi River Delta Plain (MRDP), spanning active (Atchafalaya) and inactive (Terrebonne) basins. Through approximately 300 tensile strength tests conducted on live roots across diameter classes and depths, we observed a consistent decline in strength with increasing root diameter and depth. Fine roots (< 2 mm), particularly those in the upper 15 cm, showed the highest tensile resistance, reinforcing their critical role in erosion control. To assess morphological drivers, we employed high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with a machine learning (ML) segmentation pipeline to quantify porosity and visualize aerenchyma. Coarse roots exhibited significantly higher porosity due to large central lumens and expanded aerenchyma, while fine roots maintained denser tissue structures. An exponential decay relationship emerged between porosity and tensile strength, indicating a trade-off: increased void space enhances oxygen diffusion in waterlogged soils but compromises mechanical integrity. This inverse relationship was most pronounced in saline environments, suggesting that stress amplifies structural compromises in root traits. This integrative approach, combining precision mechanical testing, advanced imaging, and ML-based analysis, provides a scalable and reproducible framework for characterizing root biomechanics. Findings advance understanding of plant contributions to belowground stability in coastal wetlands and offer practical insights for restoration strategies to enhance shoreline resilience.

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Improving Stem Assessments: Strategies For Increasing The Accessibility And Adoption Of Two-Stage Exams, Kristina Callaghan Jan 2026

Improving Stem Assessments: Strategies For Increasing The Accessibility And Adoption Of Two-Stage Exams, Kristina Callaghan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Over three decades of research have shown that students taught using active learning strategies achieve better learning outcomes compared to those taught using traditional methods. Two-stage exams, which pair a traditional exam with a group component, are an increasingly popular method for incorporating active learning within the assessment component of a course. Previous studies have shown this assessment strategy provides a variety of benefits for students, including increased engagement and collaboration, immediate feedback, and potentially increased content retention. However, the unique circumstances of each instructor can pose a non-trivial barrier to the implementation of two-stage exams. In this thesis, we …

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Decoupling Of Reproduction And Lifespan Trade-Off In Caenorhabditis Elegans Through Microbial Programming, Nora M. Villafuerte Jan 2026

Decoupling Of Reproduction And Lifespan Trade-Off In Caenorhabditis Elegans Through Microbial Programming, Nora M. Villafuerte

LSU Master's Theses

The microbiome is increasingly recognized as a major regulator of host physiology. Using the Caenorhabditis elegans model, we investigated how natural commensal bacteria modulate host reproduction and lifespan through internal egg hatching, a phenotype in which retained embryos hatch within the maternal body. Screening strains from the CeMbio collection identified four focal strains Ochrobactrum BH3, Lelliottia JUb66, Pantoea BIGb0393, and Enterobacter CEent1 that significantly increased internal egg hatching during the late reproductive period. This contrasts with pathogenic bacteria, which induce early-onset internal egg hatching. Across the focal strains, worms exhibited reduced total brood size but an expanded reproductive window relative …

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Metacommunity Coupled Epidemiological And Biophysical Modeling Of An Emergent Coral Disease, Benjamin Holmes Farmer Jan 2026

Metacommunity Coupled Epidemiological And Biophysical Modeling Of An Emergent Coral Disease, Benjamin Holmes Farmer

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Emerging infectious diseases pose imminent risk to the marine realm and coral reefs in particular. Since its emergence in 2014, stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) has dramatically reduced living coral cover in Florida and charted a similar course in the Caribbean. SCTLD is by far the most severe coral disease in history and has driven highly susceptible species to local extinction, yet the mechanisms driving the regional epizootic are not well understood. Here, we developed reef-scale parameterizations of disease spread using model sites in the lower Florida Keys, developed extensive metacommunity habitat maps for the US Caribbean, and then …

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Supplemental Bibliographic Details. From 2001 Mars Odyssey To Earth’S Climate Crisis: Integrating Gamma Spectroscopy, Martian Soil Simulants, And Plant Genomes For Agroecology, Anchored In Sri Lanka’S Mars-Context Serpentinites, Suniti Karunatillake, Maheshi Dassanayake, Carlos Gary Bicas Jan 2026

Supplemental Bibliographic Details. From 2001 Mars Odyssey To Earth’S Climate Crisis: Integrating Gamma Spectroscopy, Martian Soil Simulants, And Plant Genomes For Agroecology, Anchored In Sri Lanka’S Mars-Context Serpentinites, Suniti Karunatillake, Maheshi Dassanayake, Carlos Gary Bicas

Planetary Science Lab

Bibliographic details follow to supplement hyperlinked citations in the multinational GANGOTRI-supporting project conceived by Karunatillake, Dassanayake, and Gary-Bicas

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Optimization Of Fucoxanthinol Production Using Michaelis-Menten Kinetics, Jennifer Cagnolatti, Naohiro Kato Jan 2026

Optimization Of Fucoxanthinol Production Using Michaelis-Menten Kinetics, Jennifer Cagnolatti, Naohiro Kato

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Fucoxanthin, a carotenoid pigment found in algae, is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Its active form, fucoxanthinol, has shown promise as a potential medicine for asthma. This study aims to optimize the enzymatic conversion of fucoxanthin to fucoxanthinol to enhance its bioavailability as a therapeutic compound, through modeling and validating of Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters. The kinetic parameters include the forward and reverse rate constants (kf, kr), the catalytic rate constant (kcat), and the Michaelis constant (KM). To determine kinetic parameters, pure fucoxanthin was extracted from dried algae using solid-phase extraction. The enzymatic reaction was conducted using lipase and …

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Will It Tear? Creating A Collegiate Athlete Cutting Mechanics Grading Process, Abigail Savoy, Matthew Morgan, Nicholas Totaro Jan 2026

Will It Tear? Creating A Collegiate Athlete Cutting Mechanics Grading Process, Abigail Savoy, Matthew Morgan, Nicholas Totaro

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Collegiate athletes push their bodies to compete at the top level of their sport. Through 5 years, collegiate athletes had 729 ACL tears. To aid in training and the reduction of injury risk, there are several procedures for grading the ability of an athlete to make a cut or change-of direction motion. Through this research project, we defined a procedure for analyzing motion capture video and data of the cutting mechanics of collegiate athletes. This was done to identify which athletes have a higher or lower risk of an ACL injury by comparing knee valgus and other biomechanical indicators on …

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Characterizing The Role Off The Sp1/Klf Transcription Factor Huckebein In The Drosophila Melanogaster Ventral Nerve Cord, Benjamin Almond Jan 2026

Characterizing The Role Off The Sp1/Klf Transcription Factor Huckebein In The Drosophila Melanogaster Ventral Nerve Cord, Benjamin Almond

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Over the course of embryonic development, the ectodermal cell layer gives rise to a vast array of neurons and glia patterned across the central nervous system (CNS). Neurulation and specification is achieved in the ectoderm through temporospatial patterns of transcription factor (TF) expression, many of which are conserved across evolutionary history. These conserved regulatory motifs allow the use of Drosophila melanogaster to study the mechanisms of neurodevelopment across the animal kingdom. The huckebein (hkb) gene encodes a conserved SP1/KLF TF known to play important roles in cell cycle regulation, tissue morphogenesis during tubular organ development, and gut specification in Drosophila. …

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Examining The Pre-Columbian Use Of Psychotropic Plants In The South American Andes: Tobacco, Coca, And Ayahuasca, Jalayne Allison Jan 2026

Examining The Pre-Columbian Use Of Psychotropic Plants In The South American Andes: Tobacco, Coca, And Ayahuasca, Jalayne Allison

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

This thesis offers a literature review that traces the origins and variations in the use of tobacco (Nicotiana sp.), coca (Erythroxylum coca spp.), and ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis caapi) in the Andean highlands and Amazon region along the western coast of South America. This mountainous region stretches across seven countries: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina. Diverse South American Indigenous groups and ancient civilizations, such as the Inca Empire, have inhabited this area. This review delves into key concepts of Andean cosmology, especially those related to ecology and hydrology as interpreted through Inca beliefs. These concepts are pivotal in the application …

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Novel Abietane Derivatives: Evaluation Of Therapeutic Potential Against Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Sydney Lawson, Fatima Rivas Jan 2026

Novel Abietane Derivatives: Evaluation Of Therapeutic Potential Against Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Sydney Lawson, Fatima Rivas

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Of the estimated 2.3 million women globally who will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, nearly 25% will be diagnosed with the triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtype. Because TNBC lacks specific targets present in other breast cancers, conventional selective treatments are ineffective making TNBC more difficult to treat. TNBC is the most lethal subtype of breast cancer in women and causes approximately 150,000 deaths annually, highlighting the critical need for effective therapeutics. Therefore, our aim is to identify new potential therapeutic agents for TNBC.

The abietane natural product family is a group of tricyclic diterpenoids which have been …

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Physiological Leptin Replacement Does Not Reverse Metabolic Adaptations To Starvation In Sprague Dawley Rats, Sydney Junot, Layla Deprimo, Camille Meaux, Arline Narez, David Mcdougal Jan 2026

Physiological Leptin Replacement Does Not Reverse Metabolic Adaptations To Starvation In Sprague Dawley Rats, Sydney Junot, Layla Deprimo, Camille Meaux, Arline Narez, David Mcdougal

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Historically, low insulin levels were the signaling event considered responsible for metabolic adaptations to starvation, such as increased sympathetic outflow and increased serum levels of ketones, glucagon, and free fatty acids. Leptin, a hormone produced by adipose tissue, is known to decrease in response to caloric restriction. Recent work in the field suggested that leptin infusion in the final hours of a 48-hour fast reversed all metabolic adaptations to starvation, thus raising questions about an underappreciated role of leptin in the starvation response. This study tested whether physiological leptin replacement, maintaining fed plasma leptin concentrations, during a 72-hour fast in …

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The Role Of Laminin Isoforms In Glioblastoma Migration, Aseel Ahmed, Faezeh Ghobadi, Hanna Devillier, Qi Cai Jan 2026

The Role Of Laminin Isoforms In Glioblastoma Migration, Aseel Ahmed, Faezeh Ghobadi, Hanna Devillier, Qi Cai

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Glioblastoma (GBM) remains the most prevalent and lethal invasive brain tumor, denoted by a median survival of 12-15 months despite standard procedures such as safe surgical resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. This limited effectiveness largely arises from the infiltrative nature of GBM cells, which interact with the brain’s extracellular matrix (ECM) by migrating along blood vessels and axonal pathways. The ECM contains the interstitial matrix (IM) and the
basement membrane (BM) made up of proteins and glycans which interact with the malignant cells. While research has mainly been focused on understanding how GBM cells interact with IM components, our knowledge about …

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Passing In Plain Sight: Visibility, Activism, And Identity, Rei Zimmerman Jan 2026

Passing In Plain Sight: Visibility, Activism, And Identity, Rei Zimmerman

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

The act of passing would seem to be the opposite of activism because it is an act meant to avoid detection. While the language of passing is, itself, problematic, African-descended people passing as white might be read as attempting to capitulate to a racial binary. Similarly, trans people passing as cis or cishet might be read as attempting to capitulate to the gender binary rather than challenging it. But this paper explores the potential for reading passing as a surprising act of activism that foregrounds resistance, resilience, and solidarity rather than disappearance. I focus on Leslie Feinberg’s groundbreaking trans novel …

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Synthesis Of Aza-Bodipy Fluorophores For Conjugation With Egfr- Targeting Molecules, Jada Yeboah, Mistura Olajuwon, Graca Vicente Jan 2026

Synthesis Of Aza-Bodipy Fluorophores For Conjugation With Egfr- Targeting Molecules, Jada Yeboah, Mistura Olajuwon, Graca Vicente

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Aza-BODIPY’s are a class of fluorescent dyes characterized by
a boron-difluoride core coordinated to a dipyrromethene-like
framework, where a nitrogen atom replaces the central meso-
carbon atom-referred to as the "aza" position. These dyes are
highly valued in biomedical research where there can be limitations in imaging systems, due to their photophysical properties and the ease with which their structures can be chemically modified. Its structure causes a bathochromic (red) shift in both absorption and emission, typically extending into the
near-infrared (NIR) region. Such properties make them useful
fluorescent markers for applications like tumor imaging and
targeting.

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Developing A Comparative Framework For Organic Matter Loss Using Standardized Soils To Mimic Urbanized Areas, Madison Woodson, Michael (M.P.) Hayes Jan 2026

Developing A Comparative Framework For Organic Matter Loss Using Standardized Soils To Mimic Urbanized Areas, Madison Woodson, Michael (M.P.) Hayes

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Rapid urbanization is an ongoing challenge to the natural ecosystem across Louisiana as the state invests in development to accommodate the challenges of flooding in nearby towns and cities. Across Louisiana waterways, flooding from urban developments along with coastal subsidence and relative sea level rise increase the transport of complex organic matter into local water channels. These events lead to higher concentrations of nutrients, specifically bioavailable carbon which can be lost from breakdown of soil organic matter in water. To better understand and predict organic matter transportation due to flooding events caused by urbanization, we studied the availability of organic …

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Impacts Of Real Microplastic Leachates On The Development And Behavior Of Developing Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Emma Tsai, Melanie Wilson, Mohamed Ateia, Ahmed Abdelmoneim Jan 2026

Impacts Of Real Microplastic Leachates On The Development And Behavior Of Developing Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Emma Tsai, Melanie Wilson, Mohamed Ateia, Ahmed Abdelmoneim

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Plastic pollution in aquatic environments has increased, raising concerns about the toxicity of microplastics (MPs) and their additives to developing organisms. Additives from the MPs can desorb into the surrounding environment, generating leachates that may impact early development. This study evaluated the effects of early developmental exposure to MP leachates on early developing zebrafish (Danio rerio), quantifying effects on larval survival, development, activity, and behavioral responses to acute stressors. MPs—acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide 66 (PA66), and reinforced glass fiber (MIX)—were processed into particles (< 500 µm) and incubated in embryo media for 24 hours under UV-C, 35 °C, and agitation to generate leachates. Zebrafish embryos were exposed from 6 to 120 hours post-fertilization (hpf) to varying leachate dilutions (corresponding to 0.063 to 10,000 mg MPs/L). At 120 hpf, larvae were assessed for survival, prevalence of morphological defects, overall growth, baseline activity, and behavioral responses to acoustic, visual, and peripheral irritant stressors. MIX leachate significantly increased mortality, while PET leachate exposure reduced growth. No significant morphological defects were observed across treatments. ABS, PA66, and PET leachates altered larval activity and behavioral stress responses. These preliminary findings suggest that MP leachates pose varying developmental and behavioral risks to developing organisms at critical exposure concentrations. Understanding these risks is crucial for assessing the environmental impact of MPs pollution and informing regulatory policies.

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Semantic Control In The Prefrontal Cortex: An Ale Meta-Analysis, Francesca Thomassee, Christopher Cox Jan 2026

Semantic Control In The Prefrontal Cortex: An Ale Meta-Analysis, Francesca Thomassee, Christopher Cox

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Semantic control is the ability to manage our knowledge about the world to ensure that the information produced is appropriate to a given context (Lamdon Ralph et al., 2017). While the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG) has been found to be significantly involved in semantic control (Jackson, 2021), it remains unclear if there is a region of the LIFG that is specific to semantic control and is not involved in any other executive tasks. To investigate this, we employed an activation likelihood estimate (ALE) meta-analysis of prior PET and fMRI research including strong-weak association and feature selection tasks. Based on …

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Bird Diy: Building An Rfid System To Study Behavior In Free-Living Starlings, Raedan Stephens, Keegan Stansberry, Christine Lattin Jan 2026

Bird Diy: Building An Rfid System To Study Behavior In Free-Living Starlings, Raedan Stephens, Keegan Stansberry, Christine Lattin

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology can be effectively utilized to gain insights into animal behavior, such as avian responses to environmental change. In our established field system of free-living European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), we sought to implement a new system of RFID readers with antennas encircling the entrances of bird boxes and RFID leg bands with unique identifiers that record when birds pass through the antennas. To limit costs, we used Arduino RFID readers built by Eli Bridge and Jay Wilhelm and constructed the rest of the system components ourselves. We designed and 3D printed a new device to efficiently …

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Mtor Signaling And Macrophage Recruitment In Polypterus Senegalus, Icyss Sargeant Jan 2026

Mtor Signaling And Macrophage Recruitment In Polypterus Senegalus, Icyss Sargeant

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Tissue regeneration is marked by significant macrophage activity. Macrophages aid in signaling pathways for tissue growth and differentiation. Salamanders are the only limbed vertebrates capable of complete limb regeneration. However, Polypterus senegalus can fully regenerate its fins after injury. It has been determined that mTOR signaling by macrophages is active in early regeneration. In this project, we will test whether mTOR signaling is necessary for the recruitment of macrophages to regenerate fins in Polypterus senegalus. We began with immunofluorescence of liposomes in tissue sections to quantify macrophages recruited by mTOR signaling in fish treated with DMSO and RAPA. RAPA has …

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Imposter Syndrome And Coping-Motivated Cannabis Use: The Impact Of Race, Lan Qiu, Katharine Thomas, Julia Buckner Jan 2026

Imposter Syndrome And Coping-Motivated Cannabis Use: The Impact Of Race, Lan Qiu, Katharine Thomas, Julia Buckner

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Cannabis use among college students has become increasingly prevalent, with coping being
one of the primary motives for use. Imposter syndrome, characterized by persistent self-doubt
and fear of being exposed as a fraud despite evidence of competence, is particularly common
among students. Given its association to social anxiety and social anxiety’s relation to coping
motives and cannabis-related problems, imposter syndrome may contribute to coping-motivated
cannabis use and related problems. Yet, no known research has examined the impact of race
on the relation of imposter syndrome and cannabis use behaviors among Black and non-
Hispanic/Latine White students. The current sample included …

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Deriving Mercury Exposure Risk From The Feeding Ecology Of Coastal Sharks In Coastal Louisiana, Mallory Miller, Jeffrey Plumlee, Owen Henderson, Sydney Moyo, Michael Hayes Jan 2026

Deriving Mercury Exposure Risk From The Feeding Ecology Of Coastal Sharks In Coastal Louisiana, Mallory Miller, Jeffrey Plumlee, Owen Henderson, Sydney Moyo, Michael Hayes

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Coastal sharks have high concentrations of mercury (Hg) in tissues, but what increases mercury exposure is unclear. Blacktip (Carcharhinus limbatus) and bull (Carcharhinus leucas) sharks are commonly harvested in Louisiana’s commercial shark fishery. Because of health risk from mercury consumption, we ask: Are there food web characteristics that increase exposure of sharks to mercury? Biomarkers, such as stable isotopes sulfur (δ³⁴S) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) indicate feeding habits linked to prey trophic level and prey use of freshwater which influences total mercury (THg) concentrations. We hypothesize increasing trophic level (higher δ¹⁵N) and increasing reliance on freshwater prey (higher δ³⁴S) will increase …

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Memory For Everyday Chores In Younger And Older Adults, Cameron Mccleary, Katie Cherry Jan 2026

Memory For Everyday Chores In Younger And Older Adults, Cameron Mccleary, Katie Cherry

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

This study examined episodic memory performance for everyday household chores in younger (18-32 years) and older adults (65-79 years). With the increasing older adult population in the United States, understanding age-related memory differences and identifying strategies to enhance memory performance in later life is needed. Building on previous research demonstrating the pictorial superiority effect and benefits of semantic encoding across the adult lifespan, this study utilized a 2 × 2 × 2 between-groups factorial design to investigate the effects of age group (younger, older), encoding task (standard intentional learning, semantic elaboration), and stimulus format (text only, text with pictorial illustrations) …

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The Healing Power Of Nanoparticles: Bioengineering Gelatin Films With Lignin-Graft-Plga Nanoparticles For Enhanced Tissue Repair, Marie Howe, Cristina Sabliov, Thanida Chuacharoen, Willyam Nikiema Jan 2026

The Healing Power Of Nanoparticles: Bioengineering Gelatin Films With Lignin-Graft-Plga Nanoparticles For Enhanced Tissue Repair, Marie Howe, Cristina Sabliov, Thanida Chuacharoen, Willyam Nikiema

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Fish gelatin, a biocompatible material, can be methacrylated to enable its photo-crosslinking and formation of hydrogels for tissue-repair applications (1). This study investigated the incorporation of lignin-grafted PLGA nanoparticles (LNPs) into 3D-printed fGelMA hydrogels as controlled drug delivery systems. Lignin has UV absorbing properties, which could potentially interfere with photocrosslinking of fGelMA (2). These LNPs possess hydrophobic PLGA core and hydrophilic lignin forming the shell providing ample opportunities for delivery of drugs of different chemistries (3). Fluorescent LNPs (FLNPs) were engineered by covalently bonding a fluorophore to the shell prior to nanoparticle synthesis to allow for fluorophore tracking. The understanding …

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Motor Planning And Execution During Feeding In Autistic Children, Iresa Lincoln Jan 2026

Motor Planning And Execution During Feeding In Autistic Children, Iresa Lincoln

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Autism is one of the most common pediatric developmental disability diagnoses, diagnosed in approximately 1 in 31 children in the U.S. and 1 in 100 children globally. Autism is often characterized by differences in social communication and repetitive patterns of behavior, activities,
or interests; however, prevalence of clinically significant motor differences in autistic individuals is between 50-95%. These motor differences often interfere with activities of daily living and community participation. Research assessing motor control in autism has yielded mixed findings as to whether the motor differences observed in autistic individuals are associated with differences in motor planning or motor execution. …

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Evaluation Of Liberty® Herbicide For Zygosity Verification In Transgenic Maize (Zea Mays) Expressing The Bar Gene From Streptomyces Hygroscopicus, Isabel Hau Jan 2026

Evaluation Of Liberty® Herbicide For Zygosity Verification In Transgenic Maize (Zea Mays) Expressing The Bar Gene From Streptomyces Hygroscopicus, Isabel Hau

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Maize (Zea mays) is a major global crop cultivated for food and feed. Most commercial varieties grown in the United States contain herbicide-resistant traits to facilitate weed management. One such herbicide trait is Liberty-Link, which contains the bialaphos resistance (bar) gene from Streptomyces hygroscopicus that confers resistance to glufosinate-ammonium, the active
ingredient in Liberty herbicide. This bar gene is also widely used as a selectable marker in plant transformation. In non-transgenic plants, glufosinate-ammonium inhibits plant glutamine synthetase by acting as a glutamate analog, thereby disrupting amino acid biosynthesis and leading
to plant death. In contrast, transgenic plants expressing the bar …

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Measuring The Rise And Fall Of Plasma 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations In Blue-Tongued Skinks (Tiliqua Scincoides) Following Ultraviolet B Exposure And Withdrawal, Ashleigh Godke, Haerin Rhim, M. Graciela Aguilar, Keishla Marrero-Acosta, Mark Mitchell Jan 2026

Measuring The Rise And Fall Of Plasma 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations In Blue-Tongued Skinks (Tiliqua Scincoides) Following Ultraviolet B Exposure And Withdrawal, Ashleigh Godke, Haerin Rhim, M. Graciela Aguilar, Keishla Marrero-Acosta, Mark Mitchell

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Species-specific husbandry guidelines remain limited for blue-tongued skinks (Tiliqua scincoides), especially in relation to ultraviolet B (UVB) lighting and vitamin D requirements. This study aimed to determine whether UVB exposure is necessary for these skinks and how long 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) concentrations persist after UVB withdrawal. Eleven adult skinks who had been fed with wet cat food were exposed to 12 or 2 h of UVB per day for four weeks. Plasma 25-OHD concentrations were very low at the baseline, and significantly increased post-UVB in both groups (p < 0.01), with the 12-hour group increasing from baseline concentrations of 18.5 [12.8–20.5] nmol/L to 820 [730–1251.3] nmol/L and the 2-hour group increasing from baseline concentrations of 22 [15.5–22] nmol/L to 635 [401–892.5] nmol/L. Following the discontinuation of UVB exposure, 25-OHD gradually declined and was not significantly different from baseline concentrations at 7 and 4 months for the 12-hour and 2-hour groups, respectively. Dietary vitamin D3 (2.5 IU/g as dry matter basis), provided through wet cat food alone, appeared insufficient to support sustained plasma 25-OHD concentrations. These findings strongly suggest that blue-tongued skinks rely on UVB exposure to increase their 25-OHD concentrations. Moreover, the shorter 2-hour exposure provided a significant rise in 25-OHD concentrations and remained above baseline for 4 months, suggesting the shorter exposure can benefit these animals, while potentially reducing secondary risks associated with UVB exposure.

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From Millionaires To Marsh Island: Origin And Development Of Wetland Conservation Efforts In Louisiana, Roan Guidry Jan 2026

From Millionaires To Marsh Island: Origin And Development Of Wetland Conservation Efforts In Louisiana, Roan Guidry

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Wetlands are protected, managed, and restored worldwide to provide a range of ecosystem services, including (i) habitat for plants and animals, (ii) carbon storage, (iii) improving downstream water quality, and (iv) reducing flooding by river and coastal waters. When did such conservation begin, and how do early conservation efforts shape recent public policy? This thesis identifies some of the earliest recorded examples of private efforts in Louisiana and analyzes how these early efforts shaped State and Federal Government action in the realm of conservation. The earliest wetland protection efforts in Louisiana began in the 1910s to sustain continental populations of …

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Gullah Geechee, Progenitors For African North American Maternal Lineage, Jennifer Caldwell, Imani Sykes, Robbie Beyl, Tomilowo Abijo, Kiara Charles, Fatimah Jackson Jan 2026

Gullah Geechee, Progenitors For African North American Maternal Lineage, Jennifer Caldwell, Imani Sykes, Robbie Beyl, Tomilowo Abijo, Kiara Charles, Fatimah Jackson

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

African American ancestral lineages are marked by resilience, shaped by centuries of forced migrations, the Transatlantic and domestic slave trades, and subsequent movements within the United States. These historical events have influenced both the cultural and genetic diversity of Legacy African Americans. This study examined mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroups among 189 participants—79 Gullah Geechee and 110 African Americans—to explore the Gullah Geechee as potential progenitors of other Legacy African North American lineages. Haplogroup analysis revealed L2 and L3 as the most frequent among both groups, comprising 34.6% and 38.8% in African Americans and 28.0% and 54.7% in Gullah Geechee, respectively. …

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Droplet Microfluidics Integrated With Machine Learning Reveals How Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Modulate Endocrine Response And Tumor Heterogeneity In Er+ Breast Cancer, Calley Chauvin, Braulio Andres Ortega Quesada, Elizabeth Martin, Adam Melvin Jan 2026

Droplet Microfluidics Integrated With Machine Learning Reveals How Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Modulate Endocrine Response And Tumor Heterogeneity In Er+ Breast Cancer, Calley Chauvin, Braulio Andres Ortega Quesada, Elizabeth Martin, Adam Melvin

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Approximately 70% of breast cancer (BC) diagnoses are estrogen receptor positive (ER+) with ∼40% of ER+ BC patients presenting de novo resistance to endocrine therapy (ET). Recent studies identify the tumor microenvironment (TME) as having a key role in endocrine resistance in which adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) play an essential role in cancer progression. Prior studies have indicated that ASC characteristics such as age and BMI may play a role in cancer progression. Unfortunately, most studies on ASC-BC cross talk have relied on established two-dimensional (2D) culture systems or the use of conditioned media that cannot replicate the complexity of …

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Design Of Novel Small Molecule Modulators Of Cd36 For Metabolic And Oncological Applications, Arys Morman, Benedict Barras, Fatima Rivas Jan 2026

Design Of Novel Small Molecule Modulators Of Cd36 For Metabolic And Oncological Applications, Arys Morman, Benedict Barras, Fatima Rivas

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Program

Metastasis accounts for over 90% of cancer related deaths and current studies link CD36 to the development of metastasis in several cancer models. CD36 is a scavenger receptor that is involved in fatty acid uptake and oxidized lipoprotein recognition. In both metabolic disorders and cancer, CD36 activity has been associated with lipid accumulation, insulin resistance, and tumor metastasis, making it a promising yet underexplored therapeutic target. Our current aim is to develop a library of small molecules that can be used to inhibit CD36 thereby decreasing production of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL).
Triple-negative breast cancer is one of the most …

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