Life Sciences Commons^™

Silver Nanoparticles And Vanillin Can Inhibit Collagenase Activities Of Serratia Marcescens, Elaine Vanterpool

Student Posters

Serratia marcescens is a gram-negative, disease-causing agent that belongs to the Enterobacteriaceae family. This rod-shaped microbe causes many infectious diseases such as urinary and respiratory infections, wound infections, and peritonitis, which can result in fatal bacteremia. Protease is a virulence factor of S. marcescens that enhances its pathogenicity by breaking down proteins via cleavage of peptide bonds. The purpose of this research is to identify testing agents that reduce the protease mediated pathogenicity of S. marcescens

An Analysis Of Diabetes Associated With Appl1 Variants D94n And R46w, Elaine Vanterpool, Gaielle Price

Student Posters

Diabetes is a long-term metabolic illness with high blood glucose (blood sugar) levels. Over time, this condition can cause major harm to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Around 830 million people in the world with diabetes reside in low- and middle-income environments (World Health Organization). This study aims to identify and assess the pathogenicity of APPL1 variants associated with diabetes.

Implications Of Pik3ca On Breast And Ovarian Cancer, Elaine Vanterpool, Kaylani Krigger

Student Posters

Breast and ovarian cancer are two of the most prevalent diseases affecting women. Ovarian cancer is a disease defined by the presence of tumors in the ovaries. Breast cancer is the uncontrollable cell growth of breast tissue leading to tumor formation. BRCA 1/2, PALB2, TP53, and PTEN are common gene mutations found present in breast and ovarian cancer. The PIK3CA gene mutation is less frequent, however, its mutations are almost exclusively tied to breast and ovarian cancer. Forty percent (40%) of breast cancers and thirty percent (30%) of ovarian cancers have a mutation in the PIK3CA/AKT signaling pathway (Chen et …

Improving Biocompatibility And Structural Integrity Of Decellularized Biomaterials, Elaine Vanterpool

Student Posters

Tissue engineering is a revolutionary approach to regenerative medicine. Within the field of tissue engineering, biomaterials such as the great saphenous vein or synthetic materials such as PET, are used in tissue generation for grafts and wound healing in many other uses. This is promising and has the potential to save many lives, but many glaring issues prevent the use of these scaffolds in a clinical setting. Some of these include body rejection, lack of hemocompatibility, and weak structural integrity.

The Role Of Nkx2-5 Variants Associated With Congenital Heart Disease, Elaine Vanterpool, Jayda Russell

Student Posters

About 1% of live births worldwide are affected by congenital heart disease (CHD), a group of structural heart defects that exist from birth. Finding and evaluating the effects of NKX2-5 variations linked to CHD is the goal of this study. From basic heart defects like atrial septal defects (ASD) to more intricate malformations, congenital heart disease (CHD) encompasses a variety of structural heart abnormalities. Its development is influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. NKX2-5 is a protein coding gene that encodes a home box- containing a transcription factor. This gene plays a role in the early development of the …

The Analysis Of Variants Of The Atm Gene In Breast Cancer, Elaine Vanterpool, Kyah Miller

Student Posters

Breast Cancer is defined as abnormal cell growth within the breast tissue, resulting in a tumor. Those affected by this disease often experience lumping in the breasts, changes in breast size and shape, nipple retraction, skin dimpling, and redness and irritation of the breast. This disease most commonly affects women, but men can be affected as well. Although subject to variation due to race and ethnicity, approximately 13% of women will be diagnosed with breast cancer throughout their lifetime. With further study and new treatment methods, the mortality rate is steadily decreasing. The purpose of this research is to analyze …

Analysis Of Wwox Gene Associated With Cancer, Elaine Vanterpool, Jovaughn Redley

Student Posters

Cancer is a disease caused by abnormal cell growth and uncontrollable spread throughout one’s body. According to the World Health Organization, about 1 in 5 people develop cancer: 1 in 9 in males and 1 in 12 in females (WHO). WWOX was the gene studied, and it has been reported to be involved in cancer progression. Specifically with Gastric cancer, an increase in invasion and migration of Gastric Cancer cells was caused by the WWOX gene. Simple ClinVar was used to identify WWOX as a gene and the three missense variants associated with the WWOX gene; Pro47Thr, Asp58Asn, and His46Tyr. …

An Analysis Of Pdgfra Variants Associated With Fibroids, Elaine Vanterpool, Nadja Hunt

Student Posters

Originally research was to be conducted on the effects of gene mutations associated with endometriosis, but there was not a substantial amount of information in the database for an adequate study. Instead, research was done on the genes associated with Fibroids. Fibroids are commonly characterized as benign tumors that typically form in the wall of the uterus. Fibroid symptoms usually include heavy menstrual bleeding, prolonged periods, and pelvic pain. In some cases, there are no symptoms. Statistically, fibroids affect 20–30% of women ages 30–50. This study’s purpose is to identify and analyze the pathogenicity of PDGFRA (platelet-derived growth factor receptor …

The Work Of Cross Dating: A Look Into The Dendrochronology Of Great Basin Bristlecone Pine At The Carpenter Canyon Middle Site, Zeb Mendenhall, Otto De Groff, Steven L. Petersen

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

Great Basin bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva, hereafter bristlecone) is the longest living organisms on earth. Their annual growth rings are vital resources for understanding climate change¹ (Fig. 1)

Like all trees, bristlecone develops a “ring” every year during the growing season. Because of their exceptional longevity, this makes them an ideal “archive” of past climate conditions²

While climate is a variable affecting bristlecone growth, little research has been conducted that identifies factors the influence bristlecone growth, in particular elevation.

This study investigates these factors to better understand bristlecone’s response environmental variability at specific elevations.

For Dust Thou Art, And Unto Dust Shalt Thou Return — Testing Soil-Derived Plant-Beneficial Bacteria For Potential As Biofertilizers, Johnathon Brim, Blake Oler, Jacob Hardy, Joseph Richardson, Ryan Bjazevich, Kate Whalen, Emmelia Wevers, Foxx Naylor, Ethan Shreeve, Alex Cherry, Ethan Cherry, Tanner Gunnell, Jayden Longhurst, Andrew Burrows, Mailon Odell, Jacob Sy, Jeffrey Schacterle

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

• The results of plant testing have shown that bacteria treated seeds outperform the control seeds on a consistent basis
• We will continue to receive more data from out own experiments as well as crowdsourcing methods.
• Our next step is to begin comparing results of our soil/seed treatment against commercially available fertilizers that use beneficial bacteria.

Pedestrian Safety South Of Brigham Young University Campus, Emma Mayo, Alisha H. Redelfs

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

8,500 crossings happen on 800 North every day. In Provo last year, 57 car crashes involved pedestrians. A pedestrian’s view of the road is obstructed by cars parked on the right hand side of the road causing them to walk in the crosswalk to see if there is a car coming. Sidewalks on connecting streets are uneven and cracked. Multiple blocks on 800 North without a stop sign to slow drivers down. Currently no posted speed limit signs on 800 North. Drivers can’t see pedestrians crossing on 200, 300, 400, or 500 East because of inadequate lighting. Cars obstruct areas …

Examining Purkinje Cell Modulation Of The Vor: An Optogenetic Study, Ben Davis, D Garcia, B Haack, J Lewis, J Jackson, C Worthington, Trace Stay

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) is coordinated eye movement to maintain a stable gaze during head rotation. This reflex can be adapted in behavioral training by using repeated head movements and shifting visual stimuli.

Previous research (Kimpo et al., 2014) implicates cerebellar output as critical to VOR adaptation, but it is unclear whether Purkinje cell (PC) output paired with a vestibular or visual stimulus is sufficient for driving reflex adaptation.

We hypothesize that PC output is sufficient for driving gain up behavioral VOR adaptation when paired with peak ipsiversive head movement in mice. Stimuli include a rotating vestibular environment or visual …

How Microbiota Affect The Drosophila Melanogaster Life History Approach, Ricardo Romo, John M. Chaston

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

• The microbiota of Drosophila melanogaster plays a significant role in its life history strategy and local adaptation [1]. This study examines how variations in microbiota composition influence the trade-offs between reproduction and somatic maintenance.
• Previous research has shown that LAB and AAB bacteria affect Drosophila Melanogaster life history strategies and this research explores the effects of LAB and AAB bacterial strains on flies raised under controlled conditions.
• This study contributes to the growing evidence that microbiota is an essential factor in understanding local adaptation and evolutionary biology and how certain bacterial strains affect an organism’s reproductive strategy.

Population Monitoring Of Packera Castoreus, Autumn Gudmundsen, Madison Huie, Steve Flinders, Loreen Allphin

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

Packera castoreus is a rare flowering plant, endemic to high elevations in the Belknap volcanic substrates of the Tushar Mountains of Utah (fig.1 & 2).

• The species has been classified as high priority for monitoring and conservation by the Utah Native Plant Society.1

There have been conservation concerns for rare alpine species recently due to increased threats, primarily:

• Grazing from large ungulates (mountain goats, deer, & elk)2
• Human impacts (especially hiking)1
• Climate change1

To better understand the impacts of these various threats on P. castoreus, we monitored populations from 2018-2022 and assessed plant morphology, community composition, and population …

Mitigating Herbivory Impacts On Aspen Forest Regeneration Through Fire And Mechanical Thinning In High-Grazing Landscapes, Chloe Denham, Sam St. Clair

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

• Monroe Mountain in Fishlake National Forest has experienced rising herbivory pressure from elk, deer, and cattle in its stable aspen forest.
• Stable aspen stands have minimal conifers, low stand turnover, and rare disturbances.
• We looked at how herbivory patterns change over time under different treatments on Monroe Mountain.

Investigating The Role Of The Liver-Brain Axis In Addiction, Camryn Holt, Isabella Roque, Shimran Sharma, Chris Galbraith, Jordan T. Yorgason

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

Ethanol (EtOH) increases dopamine (DA) release, leading to addictive behaviors.

Ex vivo, EtOH only alters DA release at supraphysiological levels.

The liver metabolizes EtOH, and metabolites can escape into systemic circulation and cross the blood-brain barrier.

We hypothesize that these metabolites may induce changes in the mesolimbic circuitry and thus contribute to the reinforcing effects of EtOH.

We examined the effects of bile acids (BAs) and other EtOH metabolites on accumbal DA release and CIN firing.

We also investigated downstream effects of EtOH metabolism, such as macrophage migration and TGR5-mediated release of glucagon- like peptide-1 (GLP-1).

Socioeconomic Advantage Effects On Family Health Across Three Generations, Brooklyn Richins, Gladys Lopez Mph, Kato Haupeakui Mph, Ali Crandall Ph.D.

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

Family health is a resource at the level of the family unit that influences each family member’s health (Weiss-Laxer et al., 2020).

Socioeconomic status (SES) is measured by education, employment, and income; prior research suggests that SES influences quality of life (Baker, 2014).

We examined how parent and grandparent SES affects young adult report of family health.

Using Secreted Biomarkers In The Development Of The Detection Of Advanced Cancer Screening System, Elaine Vanterpool

Student Posters

An estimated 20 million people globally develop cancer every year. Furthermore, over 9.7 million people die from cancer. The best prognosis of cancer occurs when detected early. Cancer, in its early stages, usually does not display clinical symptoms and is usually not detectable by symptoms and is diagnosed later. The goal of the D.A.C.S. is to provide a screen that can detect cancer. It is hypothesized that developing a cancer detection system/technology, named D.A.C.S. (Detection of Advanced Cancer Screening) system, can help with early cancer detection, while still being affordable for the general public.

Mutation In Rpl10 Disrupts Ribosomal Function And Contributes To Autism Spectrum Disorder, Elaine Vanterpool, Paula Ramirez-Mejia

Student Posters

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors, interests, or activities. A study in 2020 estimated that ASD affects 2.8% of children in the United States (NIMH). The RPL10 gene, encodes the Ribosomal protein L10, has been implicated in ASD and plays a crucial role in protein synthesis and neuronal development, contributing to a protein essential for assembling the large ribosomal subunit. This study investigates how variations in PRL10 (Ribosomal Protein L10) can contribute to ASD.

Eed Gene Variants And Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Genetic Approach To Understanding Ibs, Elaine Vanterpool, Ted Howard

Student Posters

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a disease linked with the gastrointestinal system and seen to cause bloating, abdominal pain, and harmful alterations in the digestive system. Its cause is complex and is known to have both environmental and genetic factors. Recent studies have shown that IBS occurs due to genetic variations, which leads to the pathogenesis of IBS. One gene, the EED (Embryonic Ectoderm Development) gene has been involved in various biological processes, particularly gastrointestinal functions. The purpose of this study is to explore the potential relationship between the EED gene and IBS.

Analyzing The Inhibition Of Chemical Compounds On Collagenase In P. Aeruginosa, Elaine Vanterpool, Marielle Cooper, Kiara Cameron

Student Posters

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that poses significant challenges in clinical treatment due to its production of collagenase. This bacterium can cause several infections including pneumonia, meningitis, septicemia, and a host of other diseases. Collagenase acts as a key virulence factor by breaking down collagen in the host’s extracellular matrix, allowing bacteria to invade tissues. This study hypothesized that the effects of cell secreted collagenase would be inhibited by metronidazole, vanillin, and silver nanoparticles to reduce the pathogenicity of Ps. aeruginosa related infections.

Analysis Of Cys294arg Mutation In Cs1 Associated With Periodontal Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome & Collagen Degradation, Elaine Vanterpool, Amy Aboki

Student Posters

C1s enzyme plays a crucial role in the immune system so that the body can fight infection and repair damaged tissues. However, if it is not working properly, it will do more harm than good. This is shown in the case of periodontal Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (pEDS), a rare genetic disorder whereby C1s breaks down collagen I, a protein that gives structure and strength to connective tissues. Severe gum disease, loose teeth and premature teeth is a result of this. The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the pathogenicity of C1s mutations and association in pEDS.

Introductory Biology Ii Lab Manual, Melissa A. Storm

OER Collection

Explore the diversity of life on the planet Earth with a focus on organisms found in the Southeast of the United States, examine the evolutionary relationships between organisms and the ways in which scientists are currently expanding their understanding of those relationships every day through this BIO 102 Lab Manual

How to use this book: 

Each unit of this book represents the information you will learn during a week of lab class. Within each unit you will find types of information to help you learn the content.

At the beginning of each unit, you will find lists of reinforced skills …

The Future Of Shipping At The Biodiversity-Climate Nexus : Round Table Report, Mary S. Wisz, Fabio Berzaghi, Mikaela Gomez, Maud C. Quinzin, Renis Auma Ojwala, Emily Nuckolls

Reports

This report presents the outcomes of a cross-disciplinary Round Table hosted by the World Maritime University (WMU) from May 13-15, 2024, in Malmö, Sweden. The event brought together 51 experts from academia, industry, NGOs, and international organizations, including the IMO, to explore shipping’s role at the biodiversity-climate nexus. The Round Table had a particular focus on the impacts of shipping that are currently unregulated or under-regulated, and opportunities to address biodiversity loss and pollution as the sector decarbonizes. The report highlights the need to apply comprehensive, ecosystem-based approaches to effectively manage shipping's impacts, including cumulative impacts, on the environment, people, …

Utilizing 16s Rna Sequencing To Identify Bacterial Species Colonizing Lame Birds With Bacterial Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis, Kara Hoover, Andi Asnayanti, Adnan Alrubaye

2025 Research Poster Competition

Poultry lameness has become prevalent in recent years due to high growth rates in broiler chickens. Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO), the main cause of lameness, is characterized by necrosis of the femur and tibia in afflicted birds. Heavier birds are more susceptible to bacterial stress in these regions due to increased pressure on their growth plates. BCO lameness poses both ethical and financial threats to the poultry industry, as up to 15% of flocks can become affected during outbreaks. The purpose of this experiment was to identify bacterial species present in birds with BCO lameness. 1,800 chicks were randomly …

Tallgrass Prairie Center 2024-2025 Highlights, University Of Northern Iowa. Tallgrass Prairie Center.

Annual Reports

Contents:

--- Staff
--- From our Director
--- Iowa Roadside Management: Enhancing our public roadsides
--- Research and Restoration: Native seeds and methods for prairie reconstruction
--- Plant Materials: A prairie pedigree for Iowa’s roadsides and beyond
--- Irvine Prairie: Restoring a piece of the original Iowa landscape
--- Prairie on Farms: Making prairie practical
--- Prairie Roots Project: A deeper appreciation of the prairie ecosystem
--- Green Iowa AmeriCorps: Service members expand TPC capacity
--- A Hidden Gem - UNI's Biological Preserves: A legacy of service and partnership
--- UNI Students at the TPC: Practical experience in support of …

Generative Ai (Gan & Vae) In Motion Sickness Research, Harigovind Harikumar, Tomojit Ghosh

Celebration of Undergraduate & Graduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Materials

No abstract provided.

A Systematic Study Of Freezing Behavior In Earthworms In Response To Auditory And Vibratory Stimuli, Navjot Singh, A. Burton, Dragana Ivkovich Claflin

Celebration of Undergraduate & Graduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Materials

While earthworms have largely been studied for their role in eliminating toxic metals from soil, less is known about their behavior overall. Previous work from our lab found that a predator-like auditory stimulus (grunting) reliably induced fear-related freezing behavior (Worthen et al., 2024). The present studies further explore earthworm behaviors in response to audio-vibratory stimuli. In Experiment 1, we manipulated amplitude levels and speaker location to examine the parameters needed to reliably induce a freezing fear response to the grunting sound. It was hypothesized that when the speaker was touching the apparatus and producing an added mechanical vibration, there would …

Strolling The Lingnan Garden, 2022-2024 = 涓流彩園錄, 第二卷 : 下冊, Lingnan Gardeners, Centre For Cultural Research And Development, Lingnan University

Lingnan Gardeners Publications 嶺南彩園刊物

No abstract provided.

Scientific Writing: A Guide From Data To Draft, Kristin M. Klucevsek

Open Education Materials

Textbook for ENGL302W (Scientific Writing)

CC BY-NC-SA (2025)