Biology Commons^™

The Effect Of Bisphenol C On Dania Rerio Immune Development, Asia Eskaros, David Kicinski, Daniel Leionard, Anna Osborn, Hannah Thomas

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Basic

Characterization Of A Sas3 Homolog In The Human Pathogenic Yeast Cryptococcus Neoformans, Lillianne Bartone

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Basic

Cafestol And Quinic Acid As Novel Agents For The Attenuation Of Type-2 Diabetes, Sierra Hall, Alexis Ramerth

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Basic

Examination Of Putative Histone Acetyltransferases In Cryptococcus Neoformans, Felice Kho, Phoebe Bridy, Yuqi Wang

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Basic

Cort Level Comparisons Between Allopatric And Sympatric Habitats In Plethodon Hubrichti, Cheyenne Brooks

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Basic

Examining Whether And How Instructional Coordination Occurs Within Introductory Undergraduate Stem Courses, Brian A. Couch, Luanna B. Prevost, Marilyne Stains, Blake Whitt, Ariel E. Marcy, Naneh Apkarian, Melissa H. Dancy, Charles Henderson, Estrella Johnson, Jeffrey R. Raker, Brandon J. Yik, Brittnee Earl, Susan E. Shadle, John Skvoretz, John P. Ziker

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Instructors’ interactions can foster knowledge sharing around teaching and the use of research-based instructional strategies (RBIS). Coordinated teaching presents an impetus for instructors’ interactions and creates opportunities for instructional improvement but also potentially limits an instructor’s autonomy. In this study, we sought to characterize the extent of coordination present in introductory undergraduate courses and to understand how departments and instructors implement and experience course coordination. We examined survey data from 3,641 chemistry, mathematics, and physics instructors at three institution types and conducted follow-up interviews with a subset of 24 survey respondents to determine what types of coordination existed, what factors …

Lesson Plans In Astronomy, Ecology And Biology, Admin Stem For Success

STEM for Success Showcase

This document contains various lesson plan ideas for concepts within the fields of biology, ecology, astronomy, and geology.

Plant Maze, Admin Stem For Success

STEM for Success Showcase

Students plant bean sprouts to observe their growth.

Tomatosphere, Admin Stem For Success

STEM for Success Showcase

Students learn about plant growth and the scientific process

Biomechanics Locomotion And Predation Escape In Cricket Species, Kira M. Edens

Longwood Senior Thesis Proposal

No abstract provided.

Transcriptional Silencing Of Cdk18 And Its Role In Lung Carcinogenesis Of Brg1-Mutant Lung Cancers, Loryn M. Phillips

Biology ETDs

BRG1 is mutated in 10% of lung cancers, making this mutation clinically relevant. The downstream effects of BRG1 included significantly affecting the cell cycle control and chromosomal replication pathway. CDK18, a cyclin-dependent kinase, was determined to be the gene with significantly decreased expression (p < 0.0001) in the cell cycle control and chromosomal replication pathway. CDK18 is active during the S-phase of the cell cycle and required for genomic stability. Studies were conducted to determine the epigenetic mechanisms that contributed to the repression of CDK18. Histone methylation contributes to the repression of CDK18, and histone deacetylation globally regulates expression of CDK18, while cytosine methylation was found to not contribute to CDK18 expression. Studies were performed to elucidate CDK18 functional role lung carcinogenesis and the genome-wide impact of CDK18 repression. Repression of CDK18 affects cell migration, proliferation, cell-cell signaling, and anchorage-independent growth that contribute to cancer initiation and progression.

Development Of A Novel Method For Identifying Antibiotic Producing Microbes From The Soil, Sean Slayton

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

Multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria are strains of bacteria that are resistant to multiple types of antibiotics and pose a serious public health threat. Our research group has developed a novel way to rapidly screen soil bacteria isolates for antimicrobial chemical production in a clear and reproducible manner. We examined the effects of certain variables on our method including: 1) agar type on antimicrobial diffusion, 2) agar depth on antimicrobial diffusion, 3) age of the soil isolate on the amount of antimicrobial produced, and 4) soil isolate placement on the inhibition of bacterial growth. Our combined results led to the creation …

Modeling Olfactory Dysfunction In Parkinson’S Disease In Zebrafish, Nathaniel Vorhees, Samantha Groenwold

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

Parkinson's Disease (PD), a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by dopaminergic neuronal loss and motor impairment, affects roughly 1 in 500 people. Interestingly, olfaction loss is prevalent in over 95% of those with PD. However, the underlying mechanisms of PD and olfactory dysfunction are not well understood. Zebrafish provide an ideal model to study neurodegenerative diseases and regenerative processes as they present neurogenic capability (i.e., generation of new neurons) and a high degree of neuroplasticity. We developed a model to study the association between dopaminergic loss and olfactory dysfunction in zebrafish. To do this, we used adult zebrafish of both sexes and …

Degeneration And Neurogenesis Following An Excitotoxic Focal Lesion To The Olfactory Bulb Of Zebrafish, Solange Fingleton, Alina Ciesielski

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

Neurogenesis is the process of new neuron generation in the brain. Zebrafish have 16 different neurogenic sites, which allows for effective damage and lesion repair because of the ability to constitutively regenerate neurons. In zebrafish, the olfactory bulbs — part of the olfactory system – are highly regenerative and neurogenic. Our lab established a model of excitotoxic lesion (that targets glutamatergic neurons), and determined that the olfactory bulbs are structurally and functionally recovered. However, the processes of neurogenesis in the olfactory bulb following direct injury has not been studied. In this work, we use the same neurodegenerative model using an …

The Science Of Baking Bread, Admin Stem For Success

STEM for Success Showcase

Activity plan to teach biology and chemistry using a lesson on the baking of bread.

Influence Of Metabolic Interventions On Animal Aging And Lifespan, Bhaswati Ghosh

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Aging is associated with metabolic rewiring. Most lifespan-extending longevity interventions target metabolic pathways. Genetic or pharmacological metabolic approaches that mediate longer lifespan and healthspan, are often linked to detrimental effects on human health. Here, I show that supplementation of botanical extracts from Artemisia scoparia (SCO), dramatically increases animal lifespan. Mechanistically, this lifespan extension is dependent on AMPK-DAF-16 signaling via inhibition of the insulin pathway. In SCO-fed worms, longer lifespan was accompanied by higher fat storage and improved resiliency to age-related physiological stress. Notably, DAF-16, the master regulator of longevity, activated the fatty acid desaturation processes, which promoted the accumulation of …

The Human Superiority Complex, Peyton Kinavey

Undergraduate Research Competition

For decades humans have possessed a superiority complex regarding nonhuman beings, but this has not always been the case. Through analyzing prehistoric art, such as therianthropic figurines and nonhuman animal motifs in cave paintings, it appears that prehistoric humans practiced respect for fellow animals and even viewed them as equals. These results are comparable with ethnographic data from contemporary hunter-gatherer and small-scale agricultural societies all over the world. Thus, it is suggested that the rise of industrial agriculture and the meat and dairy industries, alongside the philosophical justifications for their continuance, may have contributed to the widespread idea of human …

Ontogeny Of Sleeping Behaviour In Four Solitary Species Of Anolis Lizards, Joseph C. Barnett, Steven Poe

Biology ETDs

Despite the nearly ubiquitous nature of sleep in the animal kingdom, behavioural research on sleep has focused on a few model organisms and widespread behaviours studied in artificial laboratory settings. In this study, we examine the ontogeny of sleeping perch selection in four closely related species of arboreal lizard in situ. The study species each occupy similar habitats and share "solitary" ecology wherein potential lizard competitors are absent, thus providing four partially independent replicates with which to test hypotheses. We find that structural niche, analysed as perch height, varies by age and sex. Males sleep higher than females and adults …

Decontamination And Annotation Of The Draft Genome Sequence Of The Oomycete Lagenidium Giganteum Arsef 373, William R. Morgan, Aurelien Tartar

Biology Faculty Articles

Scaffolds of a previously published Lagenidium giganteum ARSEF 373 genome assembly found at GenBank were filtered to remove contaminating sequences. Genome annotation of the 437 scaffolds (total length, 56.2 MB; GC content, 58.8%) with confirmed L. giganteum sequences identified 13,069 potential protein-coding genes, encoding at least 737 predicted secreted proteins and .100 putative translocated effectors

Inhibiting Effects Of Methyllycaconitine (Mla) On Pnu-282987 Induced Neurogenesis In Blast-Exposed Mouse Retinas, Nastia Zhiyew Chan

Honors Theses

Irreversible vision loss can be caused by retinal damage, disease, or aging. In recent years, the prevalence of ocular damage due to blast trauma has been increasing due to the modernization of warfare. Adult mammalian retinal neurons were previously thought to lack the capacity for regeneration to reverse vision loss, which deemed the effects of many ocular damages permanent. However, recent studies from this lab have shown that PNU-282987, an agonist to the alpha 7 subtype of neural nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, will result in neural regeneration in adult mammalian cells. For this research project, I will be using Methyllycaconitine (MLA), …

The Importance Of Processing And Understanding Bacteriophages, Alexandra Greco, Emily Bishop, Emma Hofseth, Kelsi Phelps

Undergraduate Research Competition

There are many bacteria that are increasingly becoming antibiotic resistant resulting in a new prevalent medical issue. Bacteriophages are evolutionary virus weapons that infect and fight against these infectious bacteria that give rise to Bacteriophages the most abundant biological entity found in nature, outnumbering all life combined, with a total estimated population of 1031. As part of BIOL 302L - Phage Discovery, we focused on identifying phages from individually collected soil samples found regionally in South Carolina. Through a series of experiments, we were able to identify and amplify two newly discovered phages that infect Mycobacterium Smegmatis following the protocols …

Utilizing 3d Printing As A Method Of Engaging Students And Assisting In The Learning Of Spatially Challenging Concepts, Gregory Thompson

Undergraduate Research Competition

Molecular structures, spatial arrangements, bond angles and stereochemistry are examples of topics that chemistry students struggle to grasp because it can be difficult to visualize how they work. 3D printing offers a way for instructors to provide students with molecular models to allow them to experience hands-on learning to better understand these concepts. The aim of this research is to design a method of remotely monitoring as well as controlling the 3D printer, and to explore what molecular editing programs could be useful in creating 3D models to print. To address the former, the software, Octoprint, will be used in …

Effect Of Lactate Dehydrogenase In Alzheimer's Disease Using Fruit Fly Model, Hannah Mccutcheon, Elizabeth Mccrea

Undergraduate Research Competition

The common fruit fly (Drosophila) was used as a model organism to investigate the function of lactate dehydrogenase gene (LDH) in Alzheimer’s disease. Human Alzheimer’s genes were implemented into fruit flies to examine the neurodegenerative properties of the disease since humans and fruit flies share a similar genetic makeup. When human Alzheimer’s gene is given to the fruit flies, they exhibit similar intellectual and physical defects as seen in humans. In previous experiments, it was found that down regulating certain genes allowed the transgenic flies to live longer and reduced their locomotor deficiencies. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is one of the …

Genome Annotation Of Phages Phayeta And Greco Etereo, Warren Earley, Nestor Llanot Arocho, Brittaney Mazen

Undergraduate Research Competition

Phages are viruses that infect specific bacterial cells in order to reproduce. Many of these phages can infect and kill medically relevant bacterial species. As part of SEA-PHAGES, Coastal students have discovered two phages, Phayeta and Greco Etereo, that infect Mycobacterium smegmatis, which is closely related to the causative agent of tuberculosis. For our purposes we are annotating the phages Phayeta and Greco Etereo and comparing them to other previously annotated phages to help determine the function of the genes they contain. By doing this comparative analysis, we are increasing the understanding of phage biology and the roles of individual …

Mapping Of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (Crf) Receptors In The Coyote Brain, Rachel Tong

Student Research Symposium

Forming strong social bonds is essential to our everyday life and is part of what makes us human. The loss of a loved one often results in grief, stress, and loneliness, and the stress response system of the body has been implicated in the physiological symptoms associated with grieving. The hormone that initiates the stress response in the body is called corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), which acts via binding to CRF receptors (CRFR). Coyotes are an appropriate animal model to study social bonds and social loss because they display monogamy and pair bonding, which is a trait seen in human …

The Water To Land Transition: Changes In Frog Skin Across Development, Kayla Hancey

Student Research Symposium

Amphibians are vulnerable to changes in the environment due to their permeable skin. As the climate changes, the resilience of different species can be illuminated by traits that vary across clades. Skin changes during metamorphosis provide details that may help us anticipate desiccation risk. It is useful to understand histological details in a relatively successful species, such as the American green tree frog (Hyla cinerea) when determining species survivorship. Documentation of skin changes including gland development in H. cinerea has never been done.

Protein Nutrition And Immunity In Male Bumblebees Of Bombus Impatiens, Carson Stoker

Student Research Symposium

Male bumblebees play a vital but undervalued role in their colonies. They are important to colony reproduction and success despite not emerging until the end of the colony's life cycle. Little research has been conducted on the biology and the role of male bumblebees. Further understanding could lead to heightened colony success in agricultural and environmental conditions. The objectives of this study are to 1) understand the effect of protein nutrition on the melanization responses of male bumblebees, 2) measure gene expression of various immune genes after an immune challenge with different diet conditions, and 3) further scientific knowledge about …

Obstacles To Usu Prehealth Students In Applying To Medical School, Cory Watts

Student Research Symposium

Every year tens of thousands of students apply to medical schools across the nation. Despite successful completion of undergraduate degrees, current matriculation rates range between 40% and 50% each year. Matriculation rates at Utah State University experience some fluctuation, but in the past 5 years matriculation rates have fluctuated around 60% to 75%. Within this larger number though, only 17% to 30% of Utah State applicants are getting accepted to MD programs. As part of a nation wide survey being conduced by Tyra-Lee from the AMSA National Board of Trustees, we sought responses from current students at USU to better …

Ethical Issues With Schizophrenia Research And Treatment, Chloé Brogdon

Student Research Symposium

Schizophrenia is a complex and debilitating mental disorder that affects millions of individuals worldwide. As researchers and practitioners seek to better understand and treat this condition, it is crucial to consider the ethical implications of research and treatment approaches. This project investigated the nature and scope of schizophrenia as an illness in order to delve into ethical issues with current research and treatment approaches. Ethical issues identified and analyzed include issues with informed consent, stigmatization, and access to treatment.

Netosis In Naked Mole-Rats: A Step Towards Cancer Resistance, Thomas Smith

Student Research Symposium

The purpose of this project is to identify and characterize neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in Naked Mole Rats (NMRs) as a step towards understanding their remarkable cancer resistance. The vision is that in doing so we can translate this understanding to human cancer research in ways that could eventually open new clinical treatment methods. Naked mole-rats are incredibly cancer resistant, and yet they possess immune cell ratios more similar to humans than to mice. Neutrophils are the most abundant immune cell in humans. They release neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), a process referred to as NETosis, as part of an immune …