Life Sciences Commons^™

Enhancing Metabolic Fitness Of Car T-Cells By Removing Cd6, Nate Neyman, Alka Guar, Annie Joy-Larson, Collin Mickelson, Scott Weber

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Honorable Mention - Poster Design

CAR T-cell therapy is a highly effective cancer treatment involving engineering the patient’s T-cells to recognize and kill cancerous cells. This therapy has shown great success for blood cancers but has faced many challenges against solid tumors.

Surrounding tumor cells there is a lack of essential nutrients (oxygen, glucose) for T-cells to metabolize efficiency. Additionally, there is a buildup of excess waste products that directly impair T-cell function (1). To overcome these obstacles, scientists are working on developing longer lasting T-cells with improved metabolism to improve efficacy against cancer cells.

The Story Behind The Waves: Effects Of Urbanization And Female Presence On Waving Behavior In Fiddler Crabs, Katelyn Hansen, Blaine Griffen

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Animal communication plays a central role in survival and reproduction, allowing individuals to convey information about their quality, territory, and reproductive statuses. Because signaling behaviors are often energetically costly and are dependent on both social contexts and habitat, they are sensitive to environmental conditions. Previous research has shown that male sand fiddler crabs (Leptuca pugilator) produce two distinct wave types: D-waves (typically directed towards other males) and up-and-down waves (typically directed toward females), and that they also reduce their waving behavior under urban stress. Urbanization introduces stressors such as habitat alteration and increased disturbances that can change the frequency and …

Discovery Of Short Antimicrobial Peptides In A Periplasmic Expression System, Joel Griffitts, Adam Dunn, Caleb Parker, Matthew Steed

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Short Antimicrobial peptides (sAMPs) have the potential to make a significant impact in the ongoing battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In this project, we aim to discover new sAMPs using a novel peptide expression system in E. coli. Using this system, we have successfully identified various sAMPs by testing both rationally designed peptides and randomized peptide libraries.

Diaphragm Function Does Not Decline With Age In A Healthy, Normally Active Population, Elizabeth Martin, Ulrike Mitchell

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

3rd Place - Poster Design

• The diaphragm is an essential muscle in respiration. It contracts during inhalation and relaxes during exhalation.
• The effects of age on the diaphragm still require further research.
• Sarcopenia is the age-related decline in muscle mass, strength, and function.1,2
• To evaluate potential diaphragm sarcopenia, we measured diaphragm thickness and respiratory volume in a population of healthy older adults using ultrasonography and spirometry.

Development Of Seed Coating Technologies & Seeding Techniques To Improve Wildlife Habitat In The Sagebrush Steppe, Sage Johansen, Curtis Garlick, Corban Gibson, John Stromberg, Ryan Glover, Melissa Burrell, April Hulet, Brad Geary, Matt Madsen

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Honorable Mention - Poster Design

• The sagebrush steppe biome is disappearing at a rate exceeding 500,000 hectares per year. Restoring these degraded areas through the reseeding of native vegetation is essential for preserving wildlife habitat and maintaining critical ecosystem services. However, seeding efforts often end in failure, especially in hotter and drier parts of the sagebrush steppe.
• Rangeland seeds typically are sown near the soil surface, where the seed and unemerged seedlings experience high mortality due to factors such as seed predation, drought, freeze-thaw cycles, and pathogens. Seedlings also struggle to emerge from the soil due to soil crusting.
• However, …

Describing Soil Water Dynamics In A Kenyan Essential Oil Tree Orchard: Analyzing A Year Of Data To Diagnose Water Management Difficulties, Sarah C. Campbell, Katherine A. Anselmi, Bryan G. Hopkins, Jacob Katuva, Neil C. Hansen

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

In recent years, the demand for essential oils has increased as many people have begun to prefer more natural and organic remedies. Essential oil production provides unique potential income opportunities for small-holder farmers in the developing world. One type of oil is a tree crop called Ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata) where oil is extracted from flowers harvested from trees daily. A Ylang-ylang orchard in Kenya has been experiencing water management challenges during both rainy and dry seasons.

Derivation And Validation Of Age-Associated Prognostic Gene Signatures Across Breast Cancer Subtypes, John Speers, Adrienne Parsons, Elizabeth Feliciano, Sandra Mcallister, Lindsey Hale

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Relatively little research has been done investigating the effects of linear age on breast-cancer specific mortality . The development of age-associated gene signatures may reveal interesting gene-set patterns with therapeautic potential. We hypothesize that the separation of patients into age categories will yield more predictive gene-signatures than an age-agnostic approach.

Colorful Proteins: Engineering A Palette Of Novel Chromoprotein Variants, Blake Olson, Anna Bowman, Kyler Fullmer, Joel Griffitts

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

2nd Place - Poster Design

• Chromoproteins (CP) are naturally occurring proteins originating from corals or other marine invertebrates that exhibit colors determined by their chromophore region.1
• CPs have applications as biosensors, teaching tools, and agar art; therefore, there is a need for a wide variety of CPs.2
• Hypothesis: Editing amino acid residues around the chromophore will change the chromophore’s conformation, leading to a change in color.

Collegiate Basketball Athletes' Achilles Tendon Echogenicity Decreases Over A Season With No Difference In Size, Colton Glissmeyer, Malorie Wilwand, Camille Nguyen, Michael Davie, A. Wayne Johnson

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

3rd Place - Open House Presentation

• The Achilles tendon (AT) enables movements essential to athletes.
• Early AT injury indicators include increased cross-sectional area (CSA), thickening, and decreased echogenicity.
• This study investigated the change in AT CSA, thickness, and echogenicity in collegiate basketball athletes across one season.

Cholesterol‑Containing Membranes Decrease The Helicity Of The Snare Protein Snap‑25, Christopher E. Hunt Jr., Jason T. Carlson, Michael B. Connell, Fatima D. Dagohoy, Mike Sumison, Jonathan Madsen, Chase M. Tingen, Azer E. White, Tanner M. Blocker, Dixon J. Woodbury

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Neurotransmitter release in neurons requires membrane fusion between synaptic vesicles and the presynaptic membrane. Lipids in both membranes merge through the action of SNARE proteins including SNAP-25. Changes in SNAP-25 structure or lipid composition likely modify this process. SNAP-25 has two isoforms, SNAP-25A (25A) and SNAP-25B (25B), the expression patterns of these isoforms vary throughout different brain regions and neuronal developmental stages. In vivo SNAP-25 anchors to the presynaptic membrane via attachment of palmitic acid to at least one of the four cysteines. Here we show mixing SNAP-25 (not palmitoylated) with liposomes alters both protein structure and lipid properties. Using …

C-Fms Expresses In Early Progenitor Cells & Myeloid-Lineage Leukocytes Based On Analyzing Lineage Markers And Mapping On Ly6c X Cd31 Plots In Bone Marrow, Jane Lundgren, Kelly Amsden, Evan Boesl, Victoria Hall, Emily Shakespear, Pam Van Ry, Sandra Hope

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

The Mafia mouse model expresses the green fluorescent protein (GFP) in cells that utilize the macrophage-specific c-fms promoter. The c-fms promoter controls expression of receptor for Colony Stimulating Factor 1. We hypothesize that this promotor may be utilized in bone marrow progenitor cells in addition to the mature cell expression already known in macrophage lineage cells. For this study, bone marrow cells were analyzed by flow cytometry for the expression of c-fms, early progenitor markers, and lineage-specific markers. Expression was also mapped on a Ly6CxCD31 plot, which has been used to distinguish cells based on developmental stage and lineage. This …

Cd6-Knockout Car-T Cells Display Enhanced Cytotoxicity Against Lymphoma Cell Line, Annie Larson, Alka Gaur, Nate Neyman, Collin Mickelson, K. Scott Weber

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells are genetically engineered T cells that target surface antigens on cancer cells, showing remarkable effectiveness in treating blood cancers [1]. However, CAR-T cells are currently not effective in treating solid tumors, as the tumor microenvironment poses physical and metabolic barriers to effective CAR-T cell function. A notable strategy for increasing CAR-T cell cytotoxicity in a tumor microenvironment is knocking out or overexpressing some genes of the T cell.

Reducing The Cost Of Muscle Volume Research, Jacob Green, Josh Vandenakker, Malorie Wilwand, Micahel Davie, Steven D. Arnold, A. Wayne Johnson

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Honorable Mention - Open House Presentation

PROBLEM: Current MRI segmentation options consist of manual segmentation, requiring up to 6 hours per subject, or using segmentation companies that charge about 400$ per MRI.

Fire Scarring Does Not Significantly Impact Conifer Growth Response To Forest Fires In Utah, Connor B. Biser, Russell Torgersen, Otto Degroff, Steve Petersen

Student Works

BYU Wildfire Symposium 2026 - First Place Research Application, People's Choice Award

Wildfires are an increasingly prevalent disturbance in forests in the western United States, and play an essential role in ecosystem function. Micro-variations in fire dynamics and intensity can leave individual trees with varying levels of damage. We hypothesized that trees with fire-scars would suffer a growth depression directly following the disturbance. Core samples were taken for dendrochronological analysis from 185 conifers at 29 points, representing 11 fires from 6 years. Our findings showed a growth depression in the first year following the fire, with no significant difference between …

Spatiotemporal Patterns Of Occupancy By Pygmy Rabbits (Sylvilagus Idahoensis), Kevin A. Royal, Brock R. Mcmillan, Kimberly A. Hersey, Steven L. Petersen, Randy T. Larsen

Student Works

The pygmy rabbit (Sylvilagus idahoensis) is a species of conservation concern that has declined due to fragmentation and loss of essential habitat, primarily sagebrush-steppe. Pygmy rabbits are currently under review for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) and consequently require a clearer understanding of current distribution and patterns of occurrence in big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) habitats. From 2024 to 2025, we surveyed for pygmy rabbits using remote cameras at several historically occupied sites in Utah, USA, to understand patterns of activity and occupancy. We also compared current estimates of occupancy to historical data collected approximately 20 years ago. …

Using Machine Learning And Predictive Modeling To Understand Water Use By Pinyon Jays (Gymnorhinus Cyanocephalus) In Utah, Audrey H. Biser, Randy T. Larsen, Steven L. Petersen, Sam B. St. Clair

Student Works

Pinyon jays (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) are flocking corvids native to arid and semi-arid habitats of the western United States. Pinyon jays are declining throughout their range, leading to heightened interest in implementing conservation efforts. However, very little is known about pinyon jays in Utah, and no studies have been conducted anywhere throughout their range on their relationship to water. As drought conditions intensify due to climate change, water availability is declining; this may contribute to pinyon jays’ decline. Based on camera traps placed throughout western Utah, we used a machine learning model to identify water sources used by pinyon jays. We …

Albumin-Binding Domains In Therapeutic Protein Engineering: A Structural And Computational Perspective On Rational Design, Matthew Argyle, Dallin M. Chipman, Anna Claire Woolley, Bradley C. Bundy, Dennis Della Corte

Faculty Publications

Therapeutic proteins face a critical pharmacokinetic challenge: rapid clearance from circulation limits their clinical efficacy. Albumin-binding domains (ABDs) offer an elegant solution by enabling therapeutic proteins to “hitchhike” on serum albumin’s favorable 19-day half-life through FcRn-mediated recycling. Clinical validation through approved therapeutics like ozoralizumab demonstrates the success of this approach, with preclinical studies showing fusion to an ABD extended half-life to 18 days. This review provides an analysis of ABD-fusion protein design, integrating structural biology, computational prediction, and rational engineering principles. We catalog the major classes of albumin-binding modalities, including bacterial three-helix bundle domains, engineered peptides, antibody-derived binders, and alternative …

Monitoring Butterflies In Big Spring Hollow, Utah, Using Transect Walks: Species Richness, Indices Of Abundance, Species Diversity, And Flight Periods, Alan R. Myrup

Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist

Transect walks were used to collect data to determine species richness, indices of abundance, species diversity, and flight periods of butterfly species in Big Spring Hollow in the South Fork of Provo Canyon, Utah Co., Utah. Advantages and cautions are discussed for the use of this sampling method. A total of 26,493 butterflies were recorded from 232 transect walks during the 10 years of this study (2001–2005 and 2019–2023), with a mean annual total number of 2649.3 butterflies. A total of 86 butterfly species were identified along the Big Spring Hollow transect belonging to 5 families: 18 Hesperiidae, 19 Lycaenidae, …

Full Issue, Vol. 17

Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist

Transect walks were used to collect data to determine species richness, indices of abundance, species diversity, and flight periods of butterfly species in Big Spring Hollow in the South Fork of Provo Canyon, Utah Co., Utah. Advantages and cautions are discussed for the use of this sampling method. A total of 26,493 butterflies were recorded from 232 transect walks during the 10 years of this study (2001–2005 and 2019–2023), with a mean annual total number of 2649.3 butterflies. A total of 86 butterfly species were identified along the Big Spring Hollow transect belonging to 5 families: 18 Hesperiidae, 19 Lycaenidae, …

Everyday Practices In Seed Sovereignty, Tapiwa Singini, Wu Xu

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Seed sovereignty is increasingly recognized as central to debates around food security, biodiversity, and rural livelihoods, particularly in the Global South. In Malawi, seed is not merely an agricultural input but a carrier of memory, resilience, and political agency. This paper explores how smallholder farmers in rural Malawi engage in everyday acts of resistance to maintain seed sovereignty amidst expanding corporate influence, restrictive state policies, and climate variability. Based on 12 months of ethnographic fieldwork in Mchinji District, I employ a political ecology framework and peasant resistance theory to analyze the lived strategies of farmers. These include seed saving, informal …

Using Rhizobia Seed Coatings And Soil Amendments To Combat Herbicide Toxicity For Native Legume Establishment, Ryan Matthew Glover

Theses and Dissertations

Dryland ecosystems face widespread degradation from historical mismanagement, climate change, and invasive species proliferation. Although herbicides effectively control invasive annual weeds, they often suppress the establishment of desirable perennial species, limiting restoration success. Legumes enhanced with rhizobia inoculants offer a promising approach to overcome these challenges by facilitating nitrogen fixation, improving soil microbial communities, and potentially mitigating herbicide stress. We conducted paired greenhouse and field experiments to evaluate whether rhizobia seed coatings improve the establishment of three legume species Astragalus cicer (Cicer Milkvetch), Onobrychis viciifolia (Sainfoin), and Medicago sativa (Alfalfa), in soils treated with imazapic and glyphosate. In the greenhouse, …

Spatial Ecology And Population Dynamics Of Chukar Partridge, Jacob Taft Barnes

Theses and Dissertations

Chukar (Alectoris chukar) are a non-native bird that has naturalized in North America following its introduction over a century ago. Today, the species supports hunting opportunities in 11 U.S. states and one Canadian province. Despite its wide distribution and recreational value, key aspects of chukar ecology remain poorly understood. Limited information is available on the species' spatial ecology, including patterns of space use. Likewise, information regarding the influence of weather on population dynamics of chukar has not been formally conducted. As part of our investigation, we evaluated the space use of chukar in western Utah, USA utilizing GPS transmitters (Chapter …

Plant Preservation: The Contribution Of Bacteriophage And Transposons To Pathogenic Xanthomonas Evolution, And The Demographic And Reproductive Analysis Of Castilleja Parvula, Ciara A. Green

Theses and Dissertations

Plant preservation, whether through disease research or endemic extinction analyses, plays an important role in the relationship between humans and our surrounding environment. In these analyses, both the role of mobile elements in the evolution of pathogenic Xanthomonas sp. bacteria, and the demographic and reproductive analysis of Castilleja parvula, an imperiled alpine plant, are evaluated. Xanthomonas species are one of the top agricultural threats, and are known to evolve rapidly. Until now, the contributions of mobile elements and particularly bacteriophage have not been thoroughly evaluated. The contribution of these agricultural diseases to food insecurity and the devastation of crops that …

The Relationship Between Light Physical Activity And 10-Year Weight Change In 2,868 U.S. Adults: A National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey Investigation, Chloe Diane Cory

Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of obesity has steadily increased over the past several decades. About 13.4% of Americans aged 20-74 had obesity in 1960-1962 and the prevalence has steadily increased to 40.3% in 2021-2023--more than a 3-fold increase. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between time spent in light physical activity (LPA) and 10-year weight change in a random sample of 2868 women and men representative of the U.S. adult population. METHODS: Data were used from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from the 2003-2006 data cycles. Participants were limited to non-pregnant U.S. …

Ecological Drivers Of Habitat Selection And Maternal Survival In Female Mule Deer (Odocoileus Hemionus), Brady R. Knight

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the ecological and biological factors that influence habitat selection by mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) is crucial for effective management. Mule deer select cover, forage, and water, each critical to energy acquisition and survival of mule deer. Here, we evaluate the factors that influence habitat selection and reproductive decisions by mule deer . In chapter one we evaluate the influence of treatments to restore quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) on habitat selection by mule deer. We hypothesized that mule deer would not use habitats randomly because of variability in nutrition and perceived risk of predation. We predicted that areas with aspen …

Unveiling The Genomic Blueprint Of Two Pantoea Agglomerans Phages: Lia And Yaegar As Emerging Members Of The Chaseviridae Family, Leslie M. Ewool

Theses and Dissertations

Bacteriophages represent an essential component of microbial ecosystems and a promising resource for biocontrol. This study presents a comprehensive comparative genomic and evolutionary characterization of two novel bacteriophages that infect Pantoea agglomerans, Lia and Yaegar, belonging to the Loessnervirus genus within the Chaseviridae family. Both Lia and Yaegar possess double-stranded DNA genomes of approximately 54 kb with 44.4% GC content and 82 predicted open reading frames (ORFs). Functional annotation revealed distinct modules for replication, structural assembly, and lysis, but no genes associated with lysogeny, antibiotic resistance, or virulence. Average nucleotide identity (ANI) analysis indicated over 96% similarity between Lia, Yaegar, …

Navigating Structure, Function, And Stability: Bridging Immunotherapy And Protein Engineering In The Era Of Machine Learning, Christopher J. Haynie

Theses and Dissertations

The immune system is a remarkably adaptive network, yet it often fails to function optimally due to evasion strategies of pathogens or mutated cells. Many of these evasion strategies involve alterations in protein expression and function. Protein design is an area of computational biology with potential applications in improving protein function and therapeutic protein engineering. This thesis explores methods to enhance immune function and protein design across multiple scales, from molecular engineering of antibody fragments and chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to cellular immune responses, and computational approaches for protein structure optimization. We characterize Thymidine Kinase 1-specific single-chain antibodies, highlighting both …

Chronosort: Revealing Hidden Dynamics In Alphafold3 Structure Predictions, Matthew J. Argyle, William P. Heaps, Corbyn Kubalek, Spencer Gardiner, Bradley C. Bundy, Dennis Della Corte

Faculty Publications

Protein function emerges from dynamic conformational changes, yet structure prediction methods provide only static snapshots. While AlphaFold3 (AF3) predicts protein structures, the potential for extracting dynamic information from its ensemble predictions has remained underexplored. Here, we demonstrate that AF3 structural ensembles contain substantial dynamic information that correlates remarkably well with molecular dynamics simulations (MD). We developed ChronoSort, a novel algorithm that organizes static structure predictions into temporally coherent trajectories by minimizing structural differences between neighboring frames. Through systematic analysis of four diverse protein targets, we show that root-mean-square fluctuations derived from AF3 ensembles can correlate strongly with those from MD …

Using An Old Assay In New Ways: Differential Scanning Calorimetry Characterization, Quantification, And Interaction Analysis Of Whey Proteins, Charity Conlin Jennings

Theses and Dissertations

Whey proteins including β-Lactoglobulin, α-Lactalbumin, Immunoglobulin-G, Serum Albumin, Lactoferrin, and Lactoperoxidase each have unique biological properties spanning anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral activities as well as deliver essential nutrients to the human body. In the past decade, there has been a large focus on extracting these individual proteins for their use in foods and supplements. In order to best extract these proteins and prepare them properly in foods and supplements, an understanding of how they behave and denature in different environments is necessary. However, there is insufficient knowledge of their thermodynamic properties and potential interactions in varying conditions. Additionally, there are …

Alphasperm Data, Seth J. Parks, Timothy G. Jenkins

ScholarsArchive Data

Data from a prospective cohort study of sperm DNA methylation, semen analysis, and DNA fragmentation in fertile and infertile men before and after treatment with a male fertility antioxidant supplement.