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1. Morgan Anderson
Major: Biology
Graduation: Spring 2024
Mentor: Dr. Maurine Neiman (Biology)

Genome size in triploid snail

To begin comparing  the effect of phosphorus limitation in varying genome sizes of triploid snails (Potamopyrgus antipodarum), I preformed multiple rounds of flow cytomety to determine genome size. Later this data will be used to set up a dietary phosphorus experiment.

 

3. Jessica Andrew-Udoh 
Major: Biochemistry
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Dr. Kristina Thiel (OB/GYN)

Gynecologic Tumor Organoid Models for Therapeutic Efficacy

BACKGROUND: Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy. Ovarian cancer, otherwise known as ‘the silent killer’, is most deadly gynecologic cancer type. There is a lack of preclinical models that replicate human condition compared to other cancer types. Such tools are necessary in order to highlight the efficacy of therapeutic methods

OBJECTIVES: To develop new models of gynecologic cancers using patients’ tumors to test therapeutic efficacy.

METHODS: First, we processed tumor tissue into organoid models. Next, we performed drug testing in which organoids where exposed to different chemotherapy drugs at different doses. Finally, we assessed how the organoid models responded using cell viability assays.

RESULTS: Since June 2022, we successfully generated 11 organoid models: 4 endometrial (endometrioid, serous, and carcinosarcoma), 5 ovarian (low and high grade serous, endometrioid, clear cell, and borderline) and 2 benign. Only 1 model did not successfully grow ex vivo. Two of the ovarian tumors were from recurrent disease. Drug sensitivity studies using standard therapy (carboplatin + paclitaxel) revealed differential responses.

CONCLUSIONS: Organoid models can be created with a high success rate using patient tumors. The differential responses among organoids reflect patient heterogeneity. Future studies will correlate response to therapeutic methods ex vivo vs clinically.

5. Ahmed Baig
Major: Neuroscience
Graduation: Spring 2025;
Mentor: Dr. Hanna Stevens (Psychiatry)

Examination of Dorsal Striatal Cell Density After Prenatal Stress & IL-6 Exposure

Some people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) display brain volumetric changes, specifically in the dorsal striatum (DS). DS abnormalities are hypothesized to contribute to restrictive, repetitive behaviors seen in ASD, and similar behavioral deficits occur with exposure to PS (prenatal stress, an ASD risk factor) in mice. Our lab has also found increased DS size and MSN (medium spiny neuron) cell density after PS exposure in adult and juvenile male mice, and we are now extending this investigation to newborn (postnatal day 0, P0) mice. Moreover, we are interested in the role of maternal interleukin 6 (IL-6) as a mechanism for these PS-induced changes. These factors were assessed using four groups: Non-stressed (NS)/Saline (Sal), NS/IL-6, PS/Sal, and Naïve. Stereological analysis of these sectioned new-born brain tissue was performed by mounting tissue in DAPI. Average cell densities were 0.00129 cells/μm3 (Naïve), 0.00139 cells/μm3 (NS Sal), 0.00136 cells/μm3 (PS Sal), 0.00123 cells/μm3 (NS IL-6). These results imply a lack of significant differences in DS cell density at birth which may signify that observed increases in DS occur through postnatal developmental processes. This warrants further study into the effects of PS on offspring early postnatal development to better understand its mechanism.

7. Kelsey Baller
Major: Post-Bacc Researcher
Graduation: Fall 2020
Mentor: Dr. Michelle Voss (Psychological and Brain Sciences)

Do White Matter Lesions Affect the Relationship Between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Processing Speed in Aging?

 

Lower cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and higher white matter lesion (WML) burden have each been related to poorer cognitive performance in older adults.  Although higher CRF provides a protective effect on cognitive aging, the combined effects of CRF and WML on processing speed specifically, have yet to be determined. In this study we tested whether CRF and WML independently affect processing speed or if WML moderates the effect of CRF on processing speed. CRF was quantified using relative VO2 max scores, whereas Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) scores were used to quantify processing speed. Cognitively normal older adults (n=91) aged 55-80 years were included in this analysis.  A linear regression model was run which included the number of accurately completed items on the DSST as the dependent variable and age, sex, relative VO2 max, WML volumes and the interaction between relative VO2 max and WML volume as the predictor variables. Greater age, higher WML volume, and lower relative VO2 max were each associated with poorer performance on the DSST. However, VO2 max and WML volume did not interact to predict DSST scores. Our results show that WML and relative VO2 max independently contribute to processing speed performance in older adults.

 

9. Elsy Barahona
Major: Public Health, Pre-medicine
Graduation: Fall 2025
Mentor: Dr. Martha Carvour (Internal Medicine)

A Roadmap to Health Equity

Improving access to healthcare is important to achieve health equity. Regrettably, social and vulnerable populations continue to face inequities in healthcare access, resulting in wider disparities of health outcomes. Our project represents the initial phase of identifying and reducing the barriers related to healthcare access. To better understand the barriers, we developed a health equity roadmap for healthcare access guided by Penchasky and Thomas’ Five A’s of Access theory. Our roadmap presents an ideal pathway to healthcare, while also depicting the roadblocks (barriers) that may impede access. The roadblocks highlight the fundamental causes of social and health inequity that affect access to healthcare. Identifying these barriers is a critical first step in understanding inequities in healthcare access and can guide further qualitative community-engaged research.

 

11. Liz Barroso
Major: Biochemistry
Graduation: Spring 2025
Mentor: Dr. Ling Yang (Anatomy & Cell Biology)

The Role of Hepatic IRE1 in Protecting the Host During Sepsis

The liver maintains systemic homeostasis through immuno-metabolic responses for surviving sepsis, a frequent cause of intensive care mortality. Prior knowledge that anti-inflammatory therapies lack to improve survivability in patients urges the need for sepsis understanding through metabolic adaptations. The liver plays a central role in providing lipids as energy substrates to support heart function during sepsis. Inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1) is a protein which regulates liver lipid metabolism and is necessary for liver lipid secretion. However, the extent of IRE1-dependent crosstalk between the liver and the heart is unknown during sepsis. Therefore, we hypothesize that hepatic IRE1 is crucial for liver-mediated lipid secretion, which supports septic heart function. We measured the IRE1 level in the liver and found that sepsis decreased its expression. Its deletion sensitized mice to sepsis-associated heart dysfunction, and their mitochondrial respiration was reduced along with increased immune cell infiltration in the heart. In addition, we found that IRE1 regulates secretion of liver lipids in response to sepsis, and its deletion greatly altered the circulatory lipid profile. Finally, we demonstrated that these lipids protect cardiomyocytes against sepsis-associated mitochondrial and calcium dysfunctions. Overall, our study provides an insight that disruptions of hepatic IRE1-mediated lipid regulation impair sepsis-associated cardiac adaptation.

 

13. Ferris Bissen; Lizzie Van Es
Majors: Chemistry; Pharmacy Interest
Graduation: 2024; 2027
Mentor: Scott Shaw (Chemistry)

Microbial Growth on Disposable Masks: How Gross are They?

With the prevalence of the COVID-19 virus during the 2021-22 school year, the University of Iowa provided free disposable masks in all academic buildings and dorms. The widespread use of these masks by university students and faculty, combined with significant handling and storage variations, led to questions about mask cleanliness. We investigated the cleanliness of these masks by testing for bacterial growth on their surfaces. Over the course of a month, we collected weekly mask samples from five locations on campus which were strategically selected to include both high- and low- foot-traffic areas as well as indoor and outdoor locations. Each mask was swabbed onto nutrient agar plates and the bacterial growth was examined after a week of incubation. The bacteria grew in distinct, single colonies, and our results are quantified via the number of growths on each dish. The data showed a significant difference in the number of growths between locations. Our results indicate that foot-traffic plays a leading role in determining the number of bacterial growths on masks. We also theorize that exposure to the elements and air quality play a role in the number and type of bacteria present on masks.

 

15. Ethan Bley
Major: Environmental Science and Geoscience
Graduation: Spring 2024
Mentor: Dr. Jonathan Adrian (Earth and Environmental Sciences)

Encrinuridae Trilobites from the Late Ordovician Maquoketa Formation of Northeast Iowa.

The Maquoketa Formation, found in outcrop in Eastern Iowa, contains several species of trilobite belonging to the Family Encrinuridae. The trilobites of this family, like most trilobites, were likely motile and benthic detritivores, living in carbonate shallow marine environments. The family consists of four sub-families, the two most prominent of which are Cybelinae and Encrinurinae. Two species of importance, Cybeloides iowensis (Slocom 1913) and Encrinuroides pernodosus (Slocom 1913), belonging to the subfamilies Cybelinae and Encrinuridnae respectively, were both discovered in the Maquoketa Formation. Neither species has been photographed using modern means and both have been significantly understudied. Encrinuroides pernodosus lacks any meaningful treatment beyond Slocom’s initial description and photography, and the quality of the photography is far below modern standards. Cybeloides iowensis has received more discussion in the modern literature due to its status as the type species of the Cybeloides genus yet remains poorly known. This project aims to obtain new data through the photography and morphological analysis of the new collections made by vocational paleontologists Calvin Leverson and Arthur Gerk that were recently donated to the University of Iowa’s Paleontology Repository. These new data will be used to revise and reillustrate the species, reconstruct their evolutionary relationships using quantitative analyses, and adjust the taxonomy of the family.

 

17. Solange Bolger
Major: Psychology
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Dr. Teresa Treat (Psychological and Brain Sciences)

College-Aged Men’s Beliefs about Sexual Consent: Links to Sexual Aggression

Male-initiated sexual aggression towards female acquaintances is a widespread phenomenon on college campuses. This study investigated college men’s sexual-consent beliefs and the accuracy of their perceptions of their peers’ consent-related beliefs (CRB).  We also examined the association between CRB and various risk factors for sexual aggression (i.e., a self-reported history of aggressive behavior or endorsement of rape-supportive attitudes). A large sample of college men at three universities (n=1281) reported their level of agreement with three CRB about the importance of sexual consent (e.g., “I believe that sexual consent is important”).  They then indicated how they thought the “typical college male” would respond to the three questions.  Finally, they completed measures of rape-supportive attitudes and past sexual aggression. On average, college men endorsed highly favorable beliefs about the importance of sexual consent, and they moderately underestimated their male peers' endorsement of CRB. Men at greater risk of sexual aggression showed less favorable endorsement of CRB and greater under-perception of peers’ CRB. The current findings are broadly consistent with existing literature. Future research should examine the effectiveness of providing corrective feedback to college men on their peers’ consent-related beliefs, given the importance of perceived peer attitudes and behavior to college men’s sexual behavior.

 

19. Delaney Catania
Major: Biochemistry
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentors: Nicholas Hammons and Dr. Ernesto J Fuentes (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)

Structure Determination of the Staphylococcal aureus SrrB Histidine Kinase Cache Domain

Two-component regulatory systems (TCS) are mediators of signal transduction, and are responsible for detecting the extracellular environment which allows a bacteria to elicit an adaptive response. TCSs are composed of a transmembrane sensor histidine kinase (SHK) to sense the extracellular environment, and a response regulator (RR) that functions as a phosphorylation-activated switch that mediates an output in bacterial response. In the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, the SrrAB two-component system is responsible for regulation of virulence factors, and survival of the pathogen under varying conditions of oxygen availability. However it remains unknown what signals the SHK (extracellular) Cache domain recognizes and responds to. Herein, I will be investigating the signals the extracellular sensing domain (Cache) of SrrB histidine kinase binds to on a structural basis. Via crystallography, the final product is expected to be a crystal structure that enables visualization of the ligand binding pocket of SrrB Cache. Future directions include experimentation with small molecular weight ligands, in order to observe the relationship between potential ligand binding and SrrAB activation or inhibition.

 

21. Kiley Christopher
Majors: Biochemistry, Neuroscience
Graduation: Spring 2025
Mentor: Dr. Yuriy Usachev (Neuroscience and Pharmacology)

The Role of C5a and C5aR1 in Pain Sensitization

Chronic pain affects approximately 100 million Americans and only a minority of patients experience satisfactory relief of their pain with currently available pharmaceutics. One type of chronic pain is caused by direct injury to the nerve called neuropathic pain, and it affects ~10% of the overall population. Despite the prevalence, the underlying mechanisms of neuropathic pain are not well-defined, and better understanding of the mechanisms that promote central sensitization after injury could lead to better treatment of this condition. Notably, a recent meta-analysis of microarray studies of pain-related genes demonstrated a remarkable enrichment of genes related to the complement system activation. Among the complement products, C5a seems to be especially important in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain. C5a and the receptor for C5a, C5aR1, are upregulated in the spinal cord after peripheral nerve injury, and selective C5aR1 antagonists (PMX205, JPE1375) produce analgesia in a mouse model of neuropathic pain. When C5a is generated, C5aR1 is activated on glia, this in turn activates phagocytosis and releases inflammatory factors. Previous literature suggests that C5a levels increase in the tissue, spinal cord, and plasma following injury.  A model of neuropathic pain, spared nerve injury (SNI), was used to induce hyperalgesia in C57BL6 mice. A mechanical stimulus, the Von Frey method, was used to test reaction to an innocuous stimulus both before and after surgery.

 

23. Phoebe Dillard
Majors: History, English and Creative Writing
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentors: Drs. Alyssa Park and R. Tyler Priest Department of History (History)

Wavering Divisions: The Fluctuation of Gender Divides in British Civil Defense During World War II

This thesis examines the militarization of the domestic sphere through the avid recruitment of female volunteers for civil defense organizations in Great Britain during World War II. It demonstrates the tensions between the exigencies of war and the desire to uphold traditional gender norms on the home front, and how this affected women’s participation in civil defense over the course of the war. The passing of the Air Raid Precautions Act in 1937 incited the recruitment of women in response to the mounting threats brought to the home front by modern aerial warfare. Women were actively recruited for participation in civil defense initiatives and broke gender divisions in the workplace, taking on traditionally masculine roles and even leadership positions. Yet, women’s advancement in civil defense was restrained to preserve the masculine nature of defense organizations and not alienate male volunteers, of which there was a chronic shortage; conventional gender boundaries had to be continually reinforced to “masculinize” civil defense organizations. This thesis makes use of civil defense recruitment posters, women’s letters, newspaper articles, Home Office records, and parliamentary proceedings to track this militarization of the domestic sphere in Britain during World War II and the effects it had on women’s participation in civil defense initiatives.

 

25. Allison Eagen
Major: Biomedical Science
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Dr. Hildegard Janouschek (Psychiatry)

CNTNAP2 deficiency leads to reduced parvalbumin reactivity in the basolateral amygdala of adult mice.

Comorbid fear and anxiety-disorders cause serious impairment in many individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which cannot be treated to a satisfactory degree. Better understanding of ASD-specific pathophysiology of fear-processing is essential to develop better therapies. Preliminary data on the CNTNAP2 mouse model, relevant to ASD, showed age-specific alterations in fear-related behaviors in adult mice. Parvalbumin positive (PV+) interneurons in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) are important for fear learning and fear memory retrieval. Additionally, PV+ interneurons are thought to play an important role in ASD pathophysiology. Therefore, we hypothesized to find decreased parvalbumin reactivity in the BLA of adult CNTNAP2-/- mice. We performed immunohistochemistry and stereology to determine parvalbumin reactivity in the BLA of CNTNAP2-/- mice and wild type controls. In line with our hypothesis our preliminary data showed a reduction of parvalbumin reactivity in CNTNAP2-/- mice. Interestingly, this was not due to a reduction in total neuron number or BLA size. Given that parvalbumin expression in PV+ interneurons is essential for their normal function, the impaired parvalbumin reactivity might cause the fear conditioning deficits we observed in our behavioral studies.

 

27. Melanie Flores
Major: Speech and Hearing Science
Graduation: Spring 2025
Mentor: Dr. Kristi Hendrickson (Communication Sciences and Disorders)

Lexical access in school-age bilingual: a study of bilingual vocabulary development

There is a well-documented relation between speed of word processing and vocabulary development, such that children who know more words are faster at processing words. However, far less is known about this relation in bilingual children, especially regarding written word recognition. The present study examines the relation between speed of word processing and vocabulary knowledge within and across languages in school-age bilinguals. We tested 16 11-13-year-old English-Spanish speaking children who were enrolled in a dual language immersion program. Participants’ receptive vocabulary was measured using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (5th addition) and speed of word processing was measured using the Visual World Paradigm. For this paradigm, participants heard or read a word in English or Spanish and were instructed to click the image of the word they heard out of an array of four images. We measured reaction time from the presentation of the word to their click response.  Consistent with work on spoken word recognition in bilingual toddlers, cross-language associations in school-language bilinguals suggests that the vocabulary in the dominant language supports processing in the nondominant language. This is in line with the common underlying proficiency model which suggests that the two languages of bilingual speakers interact.

 

29. Daniel Fu
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Rory Fisher (Neuroscience and Pharmacology)

 A splice acceptor variant in RGS6 associated with intellectual disability, microcephaly, and cataracts disproportionately promotes the expression of a subset of RGS6 isoforms

Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) have an increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders. Of interest is regulator of G protein signaling 6 (RGS6), which is associated with numerous psychiatric disorders. RGS6 is a highly conserved gene that undergoes complex alternative mRNA splicing, that has been studied with a global approach in functional studies. Recently, we addressed this deficiency through a comprehensive analysis of RGS6 isoform expression. Using novel antibodies, we demonstrated that RGS6 is most highly expressed in the CNS and that RGS6L(+GGL) isoforms predominate. A recently identified genetic variant in intron 17 of RGS6 (c. 1369-1G>C) is associated with ID, offering insight to isoform functionality. This variant is predicted to alter a highly conserved canonical 3’ acceptor site creating an alternative branch point within exon 18 (including in a subset of RGS6L(+GGL) transcripts) and a frameshift mutation forming an early stop codon. Here, we show that the c. 1369-1G>C variant disrupts the canonical, preferred (>90%) intron 17 splice site and leads to the exclusive use of the alternative exon 18 splice site, inducing disproportionate expression of a subset of isoforms, particularly RGS6Lζ. ID caused by the c. 1369-1G>C variant likely results from altered RGS6 isoform expression, rather than RGS6 isoform loss.

 

31. Jason Gao
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Graduation: May 2023
Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Streeter (Internal Medicine)

The Role of ATF4 in the Favorable Metabolic Phenotype of OPA1 Skeletal Muscle KO Mice

Optic Atrophy 1 (OPA1) is an inner mitochondrial membrane protein that serves a critical role in regulating whole-body metabolism. Prior studies have shown that knockout of muscle-specific  OPA1 (mOPA1 KO) in mice models manifests as protection from diet-induced obesity as well as insulin resistance. Importantly, these mice models also demonstrate elevated endoplasmic reticulum stress, leading to increased expression of Activating Transcription Factor 4 (ATF4) and increased secretion of muscle-derived fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), both of which play a role in the unfolded protein response. It has already been demonstrated that knocking out FGF21 with OPA1 eliminates the favorable metabolic phenotype of mOPA1 KO mice, suggesting that FGF21 plays a critical role in manifesting protection from diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance. Interestingly, ATF4 is known to regulate FGF21 levels in other models. As such, this study aims to explore the degree to which ATF4 regulates FGF21 in skeletal muscle to see if its presence is necessary for the favorable metabolic phenotype of mOPA1 KO mice.

 

33. Nathaniel Gehrke
Majors: Chemistry, Mathematics
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Dr. David Wiemer (Chemistry)

Conjugate Reduction of Vinyl Bisphosphonates

Geminal bisphosphonates are a class of molecules known to combat the loss of bone density, allowing them to be explored as treatments for conditions such as osteoporosis, Paget’s disease, and multiple myeloma. A typical method of synthesizing bisphosphonates first involves the preparation of the analogous vinyl bisphosphonate via a Knoevenagel condensation of a tetraalkyl methylenediphosphonate and a carbonyl compound. To convert to the bisphosphonate the olefin must be reduced, which is typically done using common methods such as catalytic hydrogenation. However, these methods are not selective in their reduction of olefins and thus also would reduce other olefins that are present in the molecule. This is problematic for bisphosphonates developed for the potential treatment of multiple myeloma, for example, as these molecules often include the olefin-containing geranyl or neryl groups. To selectively reduce vinyl bisphosphonates, a novel conjugate reduction method has been developed and demonstrated by applying the reduction conditions to bisphosphonates with various substrates.

 

35. Noah Gilkes
Majors: Neuroscience, Philosophy
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Newell (Pediatrics)

Type I interferon receptor knockout combats neuroimmune activation and rescues behavioral outcomes after traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with survivors often experiencing a myriad of neurological deficits that can persist throughout life. The underlying neuropathological mechanisms contributing to these deficits remain understudied and result in a lack of neuroprotective therapies available. The type I interferon pathway signals through the type I interferon receptor (IFNAR) and contributes to neuroinflammation after injury and is one possible explanation for the consequences of a TBI. In our study, adult male C57BL/6J (wild-type) mice underwent either fluid percussion or sham injury. We used IFNAR-deficient mice in comparison to wild-type mice to isolate the contribution of the IFNAR pathway to neuropathology and neurologic dysfunction after TBI. We evaluated the neuroimmune response and behavioral outcomes after injury using multiple gene expression analyses and behavioral testing. We found that IFNAR deficiency rescued behavioral deficits after TBI. We also demonstrated a robust neuroinflammatory response in subjects after TBI which was mitigated in in the absence of the IFNAR receptor. Our current studies are further investigating the cell-specific mechanisms of neuroprotection the IFNAR deficient pathway may confer to after TBI and its viability as a potential therapeutic approach for TBI victims.

 

37. Walter Golay
Majors: Astronony, Physics
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Dr. Robert Mutel (Physics and Astronomy)

Beam me up, SCOTTY! New algorithms for characterizing the beams of next-generation CMB experiments

The latest cosmologies predict inflation in the early universe imprinted a signature polarization pattern in the cosmic microwave background (CMB). The BICEP/Keck collaboration aims to detect this unique pattern to constrain inflation models. However, precision CMB measurements such as those carried out by BICEP/Keck telescopes rely on a thorough understanding of instrumental systematics. For example, determining the differential beam between pairs of orthogonal detectors is essential to mitigating the effects of temperature-to-polarization leakage, a significant source of systematic error. The first step in characterizing the beams is the demodulation of a signal generated by observing a ground-based chopped source. Here we present a summary of previously implemented demodulation techniques and evaluate a new approach called SCOTTY (Systematic Cleaning of TimesTreams Yielding beams). We demonstrate that the existing time-domain kernel algorithm called square_demod has systematic, patterned errors intrinsic to the algorithm. SCOTTY circumvents this problem by employing the convolution theorem to perform the demodulation in Fourier space. This approach has the unique benefit of separating the down-sampling of the signal from the demodulation and is not limited to a specific de-convolutional algorithm. We predict that future developments of advanced adaptive kernel weighting schemes and de-convolutional algorithms will improve the benchmarks of each algorithm, respectively.

 

39. Lauren Groenenboom
Majors: Human Physiology, Enterprise Leadership
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Dr. Nicole Becker (Chemistry)

A qualitative analysis of undergraduate students’ modes of reasoning for organic chemistry reactions

Organic chemistry is a difficult course required for many pre-health students. Organic chemistry students can be better supported by conducting research regarding their thought processes about organic chemistry mechanisms. My research project focuses on the different modes of reasoning students use to support their claims about organic chemistry reactions. All organic chemistry students can be impacted by the results of the research project, including students at Iowa. By analyzing the modes or reasoning students use to solve organic chemistry reaction problems, classroom changes can be made to further support students.  

 

41. Lydia Guo
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Graduation: Fall 2022
Mentors: Drs. John Engelhardt and Idil Apak Evans (Anatomy and Cell Biology)

CFTR-F508del Ferret Model Responds to CFTR Modulator Therapy and Exhibits Mucus Phenotype

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene with F508del as the most prevalent mutation. This gene encodes the CFTR protein, a crucial ATP-binding cassette transporter and anion channel involved in the movement of chloride and bicarbonate across epithelial surfaces. Common symptoms found in CF patients include the accumulation of viscous, sticky mucus in passageways and ducts due to the inability to properly regulate ion flow. We developed a F508del ferret model to study how CFTR modulators rescue CFTR function and observe the expression of mucus phenotypes. CFTR correctors, such as lumacaftor, encourage proper CFTR protein folding and trafficking to the cell surface. Using primary airway epithelia and Western blotting techniques, we demonstrate how treatment with lumacaftor can improve ferret CFTR-F508del processing and function. Immunofluorescence staining for MUC5B and MUC5AC mucin protein subtypes was employed to investigate mucin protein expression in lung tissue sections. Quantitative mass spectroscopy methods were used to determine mucin protein levels in ferret bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. These findings suggest that the CFTR-F508del ferret model may be useful for testing therapies, thus allowing us to take steps towards improving medicine for individuals with CF.

 

43. Claire Haas; Isaiah Pielak
Majors: Electrical Engineering; Political Science, Psychology, Ethics and Public Policy
Graduation: Fall 2025; Spring 2026

Banzhaf Index and the Electoral College: An Analysis of 2020 Census Data

This paper analyzes the extent to which the electoral college system in United States presidential elections disenfranchises and diminishes the voting power of particular geographic populations. In the study, eligible voting bodies are measured by their ability to impact the outcome of the election. We used Monte Carlo simulations, which generate randomly simulated elections where each state has an equal chance of voting for or against the winning president. We then calculated which states were able to “swing” the outcome of the vote from winning to losing to find Banzhaf’s power index. To provide a more comprehensive understanding of individuals’ power, the same calculations were performed on various populations. The study found significant disparities in voting power between different states, and between their respective residents. With consideration to the recent electoral inversions, we hope to add to the conversation surrounding the electoral college using new data and analysis.

 

45. Aden Hageman
Major: Physics
Graduation: Spring 2024
Mentor: Dr. Ravitej Uppu (Physics and Astronomy)

Telecom-band single-photon sources

Semiconductor quantum dots are efficient sources of single-photons that could be employed in practical quantum communication. However, conventional quantum dots sources emit in the near-infrared (~950 nm) where the fiber-optic transmission of light is very lossy due to optical absorption. Here, we demonstrate novel quantum dots in gallium antimonide that emit (~1430 nm) near the optimal telecom band, which could therefore enable long distance quantum communication. Through detailed spectroscopy and photon state characterize, we quantify the quality and intrinsic efficiency of these single-photon sources. Moving forward, we will embed the quantum dots in nanophotonic structures to boost the collection efficiency of photons into an optical fiber.

 

49. Grace Heft
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Graduation: Spring 2024
Mentor: Dr. Fang Lin (Anatomy & Cell Biology)

Role of Vangl2 in regulating gut-endoderm morphogenesis

The posterior endoderm contributes to the development of the gut and its associated organs. During segmentation, the endodermal sheet gradually narrows to form the gut tube by a process called convergence and extension (C&E), which requires the non-canonical Wnt/Planar Cell Polarity (Wnt/PCP) signaling pathway, a pathway that is also critical for mesoderm C&E. Our recently published work showed that during C&E, endodermal cells exhibit planar polarity that requires Glypican 4 (Gpc4), a heparan sulfate proteoglycan, which modulates Wnt/PCP signaling. The project I participated in over the summer sought to investigate the role of Van Gogh-like 2 (Vangl2, a core Wnt/PCP protein) in regulating endoderm C&E. We found that in vangl2-deficient embryos, the planar polarity of endodermal cells is lost, and endoderm C&E are impaired. Transgenic expression of GFP-Vangl2 in the endoderm does not affect mesoderm C&E. However, its expression at a low level partially rescues endodermal C&E in vangl2 mutants and its expression at a high level disrupts normal endodermal C&E. These data suggest that Vangl2 acts cell autonomously in regulating endoderm C&E. Thus, Vangl2 functions in the endoderm to regulate its morphogenesis. We are working on understanding the molecular mechanisms by which Vangl2 regulates endoderm development.

 

51. Felipe Herrmann
Major: Psychology
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Dr. Emily Thomas (Psychological and Brain Sciences) 

Educating during the COVID-19 pandemic: The effects of psychological flexibility on depression and anxiety

There have been numerous negative consequences because of the COVID-19 pandemic, both mental and physical. Research focusing on the effects of the pandemic on educators has been limited. Research indicates that educators are at risk for anxiety and depression, so it is important to investigate both the effects of the pandemic on the mental health of educators, as well as potential mitigating processes. Psychological flexibility is one such process that is modifiable and has been associated with lower stress, depression, and anxiety. The current study investigated the role of psychological flexibility as related to depressive and anxiety symptoms among educators during November and December of 2020. We hypothesized that greater psychological flexibility would contribute to lower depression and anxiety during COVID-19. Our results indicate that increased psychological flexibility is associated with depression and social anxiety. Given that psychological flexibility is therapeutically modifiable, future research should investigate interventions focused on psychological flexibility with educators during the pandemic or amidst other stressful events.

 

53. Jason Homann; Will Meiners
Majors: Physics, Astronomy; Physics, Astronomy
Graduation: Spring 2025; Spring 2025
Mentor: Dr. David Miles (Physics and Astronomy)

Sensing Oxygen and Nitrogen Composition (SONiC)

Accurate measurements of local atmospheric content enable the study of a number of geophysically important topics, including climate change, heat transfer, and water cycling, which affect the long term viability for life on earth. In an effort to address this need for geographically relevant information regarding Iowa's atmospheric profile, accurate measurements of the relative abundances of diatomic nitrogen (N2) and oxygen (O2) gas are required. We propose a mission to fabricate an experimental payload instrument capable of measuring the relative abundances of these gases within Iowa's atmosphere. This mission seeks to compare the global estimations for N2 and O2 abundances to that locally of Iowa. This will be achieved by measuring how changes in N2 and O2 abundances affect the speed of sound as a function of altitude above Iowa. Additionally, we seek to model how the abundance of water vapor, an atmospheric trace element, affects the presence of N2 and O2. The instrument will be delivered on a high-altitude meteorological balloon to be launched from central Iowa, and will monitor sound propagation, altitude, pressure, temperature, and humidity in order to meet these science goals. We intend to complete an analysis that relates these observable parameters to the abundances of N2 and O2, as well as compare these abundances to those reported globally.

 

55. Rongzhuo (Selina) Hua
Majors: Biomedical Sciences, Art
Graduation: Spring 2024
Mentor: Dr. Marlan Hansen (Otolaryngology)

Characterization of the newly discovered lymphatic vascular system of inner ear

Hearing loss is the most common sensory abnormality affecting nearly 40 million Americans. Loss of auditory receptor cells, hair cells, is the most common form of sensorineural hearing impairment. Moreover, damage to and loss of the inner ear synapses between the hair cells and auditory neurons (spiral ganglion neurons/SGNs) has been linked to hearing loss. Such damage to the hair cells and/or the inner ear synapses is associated with activation of the adaptive immune system, characterized by antigen presentation by antigen presenting cells (APCs) potentially contributing to the pathogenic process of hearing loss. Presence of lymphatic vessels is necessary to facilitate APC antigen presentation and trafficking of APCs to the lymph node. In Hansen lab, we have recently discovered a previously unknown, rich cochlear lymphatic network. During this summer, I will utilize immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence microscopy on ‘cochlear whole mounts’ (a technique where the whole cochlea is mounted onto a slide) and sections of cochlea to investigate the spatial organization of lymphatic network within the cochlea. This seminal study will form the basis of lymphatic system biology in inner ear, will potentially lead to therapeutic interventions augmenting hearing preservation, and provide me with training on cutting-edge research on neuroimmune interactions.

 

57. Madeleine Humpal-Pash
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Graduation: Fall 2022
Mentor: Dr. James Ankrum (Biomedical Engineering)

MSCs: The Future of Drug Delivery?

Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) research is continuing to grow. One of the questions which needs to be answered before these cells can be used in a therapeutic and clinical setting is how their interactions with immune cells affect their inflammatory profile. After co-culturing MSCs and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), a t-cell proliferation assay was done to measure the inflammatory profile of MSCs phagocytosed by monocytes. Next steps for this research will be to use PLGA nanoparticles in conjunction with MSCs as a drug delivery method.

 

59. Mara Jendro
Major: Neurobiology
Graduation: Fall 2022
Mentor: Dr. Queena Lin (Iowa Neurobank Core)

Selective Vulnerability in Von Economo Neurons in Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration

I'm looking at the CIRBP gene expression in Von Economo Neurons in human tissue. I use an RNAscope experiment to quantify gene expression in these neurons and surrounding neuronal types in FTLD - affected brain tissues and control brain tissues. I hope to find asymmetric expression that could be implicated in selective vulnerability of VENs in this disease, so it can be explored as means of biomarkers, treatment, or prevention.

 

61. Preston Johnson
Major: Neuroscience
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Dr. Amanda McCleery (Psychological and Brain Sciences)

Optimal cut scores for the SPQ-BRU to identify psychosis risk in a non-help seeking undergraduate sample: A Multi-site Study

Schizotypy refers to personality characteristics that are associated with a vulnerability for schizophrenia. While many individuals with elevated schizotypy experience subthreshold psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) such as unusual thought content and perceptual aberrations, PLEs are not always associated with distress or impairment. Notably, distressing PLEs are associated with increased risk for a host of negative outcomes, including later development of psychotic illness. However, the relationship between schizotypy and clinically meaningful PLEs is not well understood. The aim of this project was to test associations between measures of schizotypy  and PLEs and associated distress. In addition, we aimed to identify cut scores on the schizotypy measure to maximize sensitivity and specificity for identification of individuals with elevated schizotypy and distressing PLEs.

Undergraduate students (n = 1644) from three different institutions (University of Iowa, Michigan State University, and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis) completed the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Brief Revised Updated (SPQ-BRU), a measure of schizotypy, and the Prodromal Questionnaire-Brief (PQ-B), a measure of PLEs and associated distress. A negative binomial regression model tested whether SPQ-BRU scores predicted PQ-B total distress scores. Additionally, a receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to determine optimal SPQ-BRU cut scores to classify individuals.

 

63. Jamie Jones
Major: BA Environmental Science
Graduation: Spring 2024
Mentor: Dr. Kate Tierney (Earth and Environmental Sciences)

Plant Distribution at Ashton Prairie Living Laboratory

My research consisted of plotting GPS points along transect lines across the entirety of  a 7 acre prairie. With the help of my mentor, I was able to create 10 by 10 meter quadrats. Within those quadrats, I used a 100 by 100 inch pvc pipe rectangle to be able to identify what plants were where in accordance with transect lines. I was then able to determine and compare the plants I found that sprouted from late spring to late summer to the plants that were originally supposed to be planted in the prairie. We will use this information for future years in order to see what kind of conditions certain kinds of plants grow in and what we need to do in order to grow a successful, standard prairie

 

65. Emily Kalmanek
Major: Human Physiology
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Dr. Erin Talbert (Health and Human Physiology)

Role of obesity in cancer cachexia

Cancer cachexia is a multifactorial syndrome that includes unintentional weight loss due to the depletion of skeletal and adipose tissue mass. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients are of particular interest due to their high incidence and severity of cachexia, which has been associated with lower quality of life, poorer surgical outcomes, and reduced tolerance to radiation and chemotherapy treatments. While obesity is known to be a contributing factor to the development of PDAC, very little is known about the relationship between obesity and cachexia. Body composition of PDAC patients was assessed from serial CT scans taken during routine cancer care. Scan slices were analyzed at the third lumbar vertebra with Tomovision’s sliceOmatic software and Automated Body Composition Analyzer using Computed Tomography Image Segmentation (ABACS). Total cross-sectional area and density of skeletal muscle, subcutaneous adipose tissue, and visceral adipose tissue normalized to height were analyzed. Medical record data and CT scans were collected from 204 PDAC patients. 54% were obese (Body Mass Index, BMI >30). The mean pre-illness BMI of obese patients was 36.0 kg/m2, with non-obese patients 25.9 kg/m2. The mean weight loss was higher in obese compared to non-obese patients (11.7% and 8.4%, respectively, p=.005). Next, we will model the rates of change in skeletal muscle wasting and compare between the obese and non-obese groups.

 

67. Miles Kramer
Major: History
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentors: Drs. Alyssa Park and Nick Yablon (History)

Forever Conquered: The Changing Significance of Vikings in Modern and Contemporary Anglo-American Culture

This project examines how and why depictions of Vikings in Anglo-American popular culture have shifted between the Victorian era and the present, beginning with their reputation as objects of Britain’s evolving racial and cultural identity and ending with their position as subjects of less controversial contemporary entertainment. This transformation reflects the changing social and cultural values of the twentieth century, especially regarding the importance of race and racial exclusion to the protraction of the white regime, and the portrayal of the Vikings throughout this time frame shows how a symbol can be abused or rehabilitated to match the shifting needs of an era. By analyzing works such as Sir Walter Scott’s The Pirate, Richard Fleischer’s formative The Vikings, or John McTiernan’s turn-of-the-century The 13th Warrior, this project will describe the different forms that Viking media has taken across the last two hundred years. Additionally, by linking them to major social, political, or cultural movements throughout this time frame, such as the Victorian ‘Old Northernist’ movement or the pagan revival of the late twentieth century, it will show how these popular depictions have both influenced and been influenced by the culture that created them, especially during major periods of transition.

69. Ryan Langstraat
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Dr. Suresh Raghavan (Biomedical Engineering)

Development Of An Automated Geometric Lung Meshing Tool

Identifying various aspects of the mechanics of lung motion can help clinicians better understand, diagnose, and treat lung disease. An aspect of lung mechanics is sliding between the different lobes of the lungs. Our understanding of the role played by lobar sliding on lung function is poor. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a computational tool that allows us to study the effects of lobar sliding by comparing two simulations: one that allows lobar sliding and one that does not. FEA requires a geometric representation of the lungs, called a mesh, to be created from a clinical CT image of the lungs. Meshing is a time consuming and challenging process which takes efforts away from the analysis and limits the number of available subjects. Therefore, the goal of this project is to develop an automated mesh pipeline that will take a clinical CT image input and output a high quality, tetrahedral mesh of the segmented left and right lungs. Furthermore, the mesh pipeline should be optimized to run quickly without impinging on the quality of the mesh or the accuracy of the geometric representation.

71. Dana Lapinski
Major: Neuroscience
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Dr. Gordon Buchanan (Neuroscience)

Effect of sleep state and time of day on breathing following seizures in amygdala kindled serotonergic deficient mice

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is the leading cause of death in patients with refractory epilepsy. While the exact cause of SUDEP is unknown, abnormalities in breathing or heart rhythms may be involved. Most cases occur during sleep or at night. Serotonin (5-HT) modulates breathing and oscillates across sleep states and times of day, with levels being high in daytime and wakefulness and lowest at night and during sleep. Lmx1b conditional knockout (CKO) mice have 99% of serotonin neurons genetically deleted. We hypothesized Lmx1b CKO mice would have lower postictal ventilation than wildtype mice and that breathing would not change with variations in time of day or sleep state. Wildtype mice would experience worsening of breathing based on time of day or sleep state. To examine the role of serotonin on postictal breathing across different sleep states and times of day, CKO and wildtype mice underwent amygdala-kindling and seizures were induced in either wake, NREM, and REM during the light phase or dark phase. We analyzed breathing data from these trials and looked at differences in the sleep state, the time of day, and genotype. Future studies will examine EKG data from these animals to look at heart parameters

 

73. Trevor Larkin
Major: Chemistry
Graduation: Fall 2023
Mentor: Josh Coduto and Kasun Dadallegei (Chemistry)

Preparation and Evaluation of Lanthanide Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction

Catalysts play an important role in chemical reactions, such as speeding up a chemical reaction, or lowering the temperature or pressure needed to start one, without itself being consumed during the reaction.  Many lanthanides have catalytic properties, and taking advantage of those properties to perform reduction reactions may play an important role in both the lab setting, as well as industry.  The research being conducted investigates the catalytic properties of lanthanum and Ytterbium, in an oxygen reduction reaction.  When oxygen is reduced an electron is added to the oxygen atom, and this process is observed by using a technique called cyclic voltammetry.  The catalytic ability of a lanthanide is then determined based the onset potential and peak current that is observed in the cyclic voltammogram.

 

75. Ondrea Li
Majors: International Relations, Journalism
Graduation: Spring 2025
Mentor: Dr. Elise Pizzi (Political Science)

Disaster, Migration and Violence in Thailand

The project explores how climate shocks influence internal and external security threats that create or exacerbate conflict in different countries from 1990 to 2010. This research analyzes the type of policies a government pursues following a natural disaster and the likelihood of conflict by investigating government response to natural disasters that have occurred in Thailand from 1900 to 2010. To investigate it, I have reviewed existing literature connecting environmental shocks and conflict by gathering news reports and publications from international organizations.

 

77. Carson Lovig
Majors: Neuroscience, Biochemistry
Graduation: Spring 2025
Mentor: Nicole States and Dr. Renee Cole (Chemistry)

Analyzing STEM instructor classroom facilitation

The use of active learning methods, such as POGIL and Peer Learning, in STEM courses have been shown to promote student learning. However, not all active learning is equivalent, and instructor facilitation is one source of this variation. An analysis of instructor facilitation can elucidate what interactions promote student engagement and positive learning outcomes. Current coding schemes regarding instructor facilitation do not emphasize the nuances of instructor speech, yet these nuances are of great importance to gaining a deep understanding of how instructor facilitation affects student learning. Using an open coding method, a framework for observing classroom instruction (FOCI) was developed to characterize instructor utterances across both lecture and discussion periods. Additionally, this framework uses a visualization of instructor speech codes that more easily allows for comparison of facilitation across class periods and instructors. A variety of utterance types can be seen in any given question period using FOCI. Furthermore, FOCI can be used in future classroom studies to enhance specificity and offer a new method by which instructor speech can be analyzed.

81. Megan McGovern
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Graduation: Spring 2024
Mentors: Drs. James Byrne and Jianling Bi (Radiation Oncology, Biomedical Engineering)

Extremophile mRNA Delivery for Radioprotection

Cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy may experience severe debilitating short- and long-term toxicities resulting in reduced quality of life and regret of their treatment decisions. These toxicities are bystander effects based on proximity of normal organs to the treatment target and may manifest as gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, such as oral mucositis, enteritis, colitis and proctitis.

Certain organisms in nature—known as tardigrades—have the ability to withstand extremely large doses of radiation as a result of a tardigrade-unique Dsup protein that prevents DNA damage. We have developed a nanoparticle platform for effective delivery of Dsup-encoding synthetic mRNA in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrate that the synthetic Dsup-mRNA can suppresses X-ray-induced DNA damage and improve radiotolerance of human oral epithelial cells. The local delivery of Dsup mRNA have the potential to reduce short- and long-term radiation toxicities by reducing DNA damage in cancer patients.

 

83. Jesse Miller
Major: Social Studies Education, History
Graduation: Spring 2024
Mentors: Drs. Alyssa Park and Nick Yablon (History)

"License to do Evil in the Name of Good": Political Radicalization and Rhetorical Adaptation During the Wilmington Coup

This paper seeks to analyze the impact of local political actors on the development of the Wilmington coup of 1898, an event that stands out in American history due to the violent overthrow of a sitting city government. The event has been studied more in recent decades by Prather, Gilmore, and the state of North Carolina, and they tend to focus on the aspects of race and gender that pervaded the buildup to the coup against a government with African-American civic participation. I build on the existing scholarship to argue that, while white supremacy and gender hierarchy in the South were important to understand in why the participants were convinced to engage in political violence more broadly, the influence that a group of dedicated conspiracists had on the events in Wilmington shows that it took the proper urging and coordination for the coup to unfold and succeed at all. Through comprehensive military planning and the nimble adaptation of rhetoric, Wilmington succeeded where other insurrections failed. I will also argue that the conditions and tactics that allowed Wilmington to succeed can be found in modern acts of political violence, such as the Capitol Insurrection.

 

85. Aracely Miron-Ocampo
Major: Microbiology, Global Health Studies Certificate
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentors: Drs. Damian Krysan and Sarah Beattie (Microbiology and Immunology)

Searching for Novel Antifungal Treatments and Regulatory Pathways via the Characterization of a Fluphenazine Derivative Against C. albicans

The Candida spp. are commensal yeast, however, under certain host conditions involving immunosuppression, Candida can cause life-threatening infections. Previously, the phenothiazine class of drugs including fluphenazine were found to have antifungal activity, however these drugs are associated with unwanted side effects. A structural analog of fluphenazine, (974), was identified as having improved antifungal activity and reduced human receptor binding affinity.

    Using drug interaction assays with wildtype C. albicans, we observed that subinhibitory concentrations of 974 reduced C. albicans susceptibility to fluconazole, an interaction described as antagonism. To understand this antagonistic interaction, we measured the gene expression of the drug efflux pump CDR1, after treating the yeast cells with fluphenazine, 974, or vehicle (DMSO). As previously described, fluphenazine induced CDR1 expression. However, we also observed that 974 induced CDR1 expression to an even greater extent than fluphenazine. To investigate the CDR1 expression we generated mutant strains using CRISPR-Cas9 of the transcription factors TAC1 and MRR2 which are known to regulate the CDR1 pump. Expression of CDR1 in these mutant strains revealed that induction of CDR1 in response to fluphenazine is regulated in part by TAC1 but not by MRR2 while induction by 974 is regulated by both TAC1 and MRR2.

 

87. Lilian Montilla
Major: Neuroscience
Graduation: Spring 2025
Mentor: Dr. Victoria Muller Ewald (Psychiatry)

Identifying cognitive abnormalities following cerebellar strokes

Although the cerebellum has mainly been implicated in motor function, recent studies suggest that it is also involved in other higher order processes including memory, timing, affect, and cognition.

The present work was conducted in order to characterize which functions are compromised as a result of cerebellar vascular injury. Seven individuals with cerebellar strokes were given a neuropsychological battery which included the following tests: Stroop color-word, trail making test, and rey auditory verbal learning test.

From all the neuropsychiatric tests assessed, significant impairments were only identified in the Stroop task, a measure of executive function.  Results suggest that performance was significantly ameliorated in the sub-section of this task which measures interference (color-word). Upon closer inspection, data suggest that this result stems from a decrease in reading ability of affected individuals. These deficits suggest cerebellar involvement in reading, which is in line with larger literature indicating cerebellar involvement in voluntary control of saccadic eye movement and cerebellar abnormalities in individuals with dyslexia.

These findings further support the theory that the cerebellum plays a significant role in modulating domains beyond the motor.  These results are important as they provide the scientific community with a better understanding of deficits linked to cerebellar damage.

 

89. Joanna Moody
Majors: Public Health, Microbiology
Graduation: Fall 2023
Mentors: Drs. Kelsey Dawes and Robert Philibert (Psychiatry)

Rapid Methylation-Sensitive Digital PCR Assessments Predict Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome

Excessive alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Of the estimated 3 million intoxicated patients admitted into an inpatient hospital setting each year, less than 8% develop signs and symptoms of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). Despite the identification of several risk factors that associate with AWS, a robust biosignature that could be used to accurately identify and triage those at the highest risk has not been developed. In prior work, we have shown that a battery of 4 methylation-sensitive digital PCR (MSdPCR) assays can sensitively detect heavy alcohol consumption in adults better than carbohydrate-deficient transferrin, with methylation reversion seen with treatment enforced abstinence. Based on the premise that long-term heavy alcohol use is the biggest risk factor for AWS, we determined whether DNA methylation at these four loci predicts the likelihood of AWS better than a commonly used clinical metric, Prediction of Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (PAWSS), in 60 patients admitted to UIHC for alcohol intoxication and placed on alcohol withdrawal protocols. Using a linear regression approach, we found that MSdPCR values, but not PAWSS scores, were significantly associated with total benzodiazepine dosage (p < 0.001), a pharmacological treatment for AWS. We conclude that an MSdPCR screening approach could inform clinical decision making for more effective AWS risk assessments. Future studies further refining the prediction parameters are needed to assess the feasibility for translation and clinical utility.

 

91. Claire Murphy
Major: Microbiology
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Dr. Craig Ellermeier (Microbiology and Immunology)

Using Antibiotic Sensitivity to Understand Membrane Biogenesis in Clostridioides difficile

Clostridioides difficile is an opportunistic pathogen that causes intestinal inflammation and diarrhea usually after antibiotic treatment. C. difficile is a growing concern due to its increasing antibiotic resistance. One potential treatment is surotamycin, an analog of daptomycin. Daptomycin is a cyclic lipopeptide antibiotic that inhibits peptidoglycan synthesis by binding to peptidoglycan precursors lipid-II and undecaprenyl phosphate in the presence of phosphatidylglycerol, a major component of the cellular membrane. It was found that daptomycin complexes with lipid-II and undecaprenyl only in the presence of phosphatidylglycerol. Our previous work on phosphatidylglycerol and the essential gene cdsA shows that a partial loss of function mutation in cdsA leads to increased daptomycin resistance. We proposed that this is the effect of decreased phosphatidylglycerol synthesis. Using a lipidomic analysis, we concluded that cdsA mutants have decreased phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin synthesis. Based on this data, we hypothesize that increased phosphatidylglycerol would lead to increased daptomycin sensitivity. We will use CRISPR to delete the gene required for cardiolipin synthesis, cls, which we predict will not only reduce cardiolipin synthesis, but increase phosphatidylglycerol synthesis. We plan to gain a better understanding of C. difficile antibiotic resistance through analyzing the effects of membrane phospholipid biogenesis on daptomycin resistance.

 

93. Ana Novella Maciel; Benjamin Kreitlow
Major: Neuroscience; MSTP
Graduation: Visiting Scholar; Fall 2024
Mentor: Dr. Gordon Buchanan (Neurology)

Circadian modulation of seizure-associated death in the Scn1aR1407X/+ mouse model of Dravet Syndrome

Epilepsy is a common neurological disease characterized by spontaneous seizures. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is the leading cause of death in patients with medically refractory epilepsy. This is especially true in Dravet Syndrome (DS), a genetic type of epilepsy caused by a mutation in the Scn1a gene, which encodes the voltage gated sodium channel NaV1.1. Seizure-associated death is influenced by the time of day, with death occurring mostly during the night in both patients with epilepsy and in multiple mouse models. One of these models, the Scn1aR1407X/+ mouse model of DS, is susceptible to heat-induced seizures and experiences spontaneous seizures that are sometimes fatal. Spontaneous seizure-associated death has been shown to occur more likely during the night in this model, suggesting a circadian influence. In mammals, the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)regulates the endogenous circadian rhythm. In this project, we will lesion the SCN to eliminate the circadian rhythm and then induce seizures at different times of the day. Our hypothesis is that elimination of the circadian rhythm through SCN lesion will eliminate the nighttime prevalence of seizure-associated death. This work is on-going and will help us better understand how time of day influences the timing of SUDEP.

 

95. Dean Omar
Major: Human Physiology
Graduation: Spring 2025
Mentor: Dr. Dao-Fu Dai (Pathalogy)

Renal Dysfunction Caused by Multiple Myeloma in Mouse Model

Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a disease in which plasma cells in the bone marrow become cancerous and multiply. One of the notable effects of MM is renal impairment. Some drugs used to treat MM cause further renal dysfunction. Our hypothesis is that since ER (Endoplasmic Reticulum) stress is a good indicator for renal impairment, then using drugs to treat the MM that also decrease ER stress should limit renal impairment. To prove this, we used Interleukin-6 (IL6)/cMYC (TV2) transgenic mice to create a model for MM. Mice were then divided into different treatment groups; A) Cyclophosphamide + TUDCA. B) TUDCA. C) Cyclophosphamide. D) Cyclophosphamide + Bortezomib. E) ATF4 shRNA Lentivirus. The results from PAS staining have shown that Bortezomib showed increased renal dysfunction, while the Cyclophosphamide + Tudca group showed no notable regression, indicating that the treatment did not have the same negative effect on the kidneys that the Bortezomib had. Moving forward we would also like to add an ATF4 shRNA Lentivirus + Cyclophosphamide group and identify the group that best treats the MM while limiting renal damage. Another goal would be to identify the pathway that allows Bortezomib to have such a negative effect on renal dysfunction.

 

97. Precious Pate
Major: Public Health, Pre-Medicine
Graduation: Spring 2024
Mentor: Dr. Maurine Neiman (Biology)

Apple Snails as Model for Gene Modification

I was tasked with maintaining Ampullarriidae (apple snails), an invasive species. Apple snails are native to southeast Asia and have been known to disrupt rice fields with their ability to carry parasites. The apple snails were introduced to the lab for their oviparous nature (the ability to lay eggs that hatch externally); this was in contrast to the nature of the ovoviviparous Potamopyrgus antipodarum  (potamos), (the ability to produce eggs that hatch internally). I’ve been focused on enhancing the reproductive conditions of the apple snails. Once eggs are hatched, I’ll be able to extract their DNA and begin the process of gene editing. The apple snails would serve as a reliable model of mollusks with my transferable methods. Our lab goal is to use these genes to examine questions regarding evolution and complex traits, for the ability to manipulate the genes of the apple snails, can answer foundational questions regarding the topic of complex traits.

 

99. Mackenzie Pattridge
Major: Public Health, Pre-PA
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Dr.  Hans-Joachim Lehmler (Occupational and Environmental Health)

Establishment of pure primary rat astrocyte cultures to study the metabolism and toxicity of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

Inhalation of indoor air, specifically school air, contaminated with airborne polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) represents a major public health concern. PCBs are environmentally relevant developmental neurotoxicants. Many xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes are expressed in the brain, including astrocytes. Metabolism of PCBs can generate products that are also toxic. However, PCB metabolism and toxicity have not been investigated using pure astrocyte cultures. To test the hypothesis that astrocytes metabolize PCBs to create neurotoxic metabolites, a purified culture of primary astrocytes was developed and confirmed through flow cytometry. Primary glial cells were isolated separately from postnatal day 2 rat pups to isolate developing astrocytes. When flasks reached confluency, cells were passaged and reseeded with 2x105 cells per flask. Once the cells reached passage 3, flow cytometry was performed utilizing Anti-Iba1 and GFAP primary antibodies. Astrocyte cultures grew at the same rate and became confluent at the same time. Flow cytometry showed that these methods eliminated microglia from the primary cultures. By passage 3, the primary glial cultures became 100% astrocytes. The modified isolation protocol yielded highly pure primary astrocyte cultures from rats. These cultures will be used in future studies to determine how astrocytes metabolize PCBs and contribute to the developmental neurotoxicity of PCBs.

 

101. Melissa Peters
Majors: Physics, Math
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Dr. Jasper Halekas (Physics and Astronomy)

Examining Electrostatic Waves at Harmonics of the Electron Cyclotron Frequency at the Moon

The two THEMIS-ARTEMIS probes have provided a wealth of data on the plasma environment of the Moon, with temporal coverage extending from 2011 to the present. The Moon interacts with plasma in the solar wind and terrestrial magnetosphere, acting as a sink for ambient plasma, as well as a source of charged particles through processes such as photoemission and secondary emission. These interactions simulate a wide variety of plasma instabilities around the Moon, which result in electromagnetic and electrostatic signatures across a broad range of frequencies. One commonly observed signature consists of electrostatic waves with emission at harmonics of the electron cyclotron frequency. These waves are observed most frequently in the terrestrial magnetotail lobes and in the shadow of the Moon but can also occur in other locations. We survey ARTEMIS data from the entire mission to determine when and where these waves occur. We analyze the locations of the probes with respect to the Moon and the Earth when they detect these waves, as well as the local plasma properties, in order to search for correlations that would provide possible explanations for the causes of these phenomena.

 

103. John Piaszynski
Majors: Statistics, Computer Science
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Dr. Kanchna Ramchandran (Internal Medicine)

Lesion Network Mapping: A Novel Approach to Brain Lesion Research

This study incorporates an emerging method of lesion analysis known as “lesion network mapping” (LNM) to explore functional neurological networks that are potentially implicated in temporal and probability discounting. Lesion network mapping combines both anatomical lesion maps and functional connectivity data. Rather than performing analysis at the level of individual lesions as existing methods do, LNM considers each lesion as part of a network, which becomes the new unit of analysis. First, binary lesion masks are used as seed regions in a normative connectome to produce correlations between the average BOLD signal in the affected area with each voxel in the functional scan. This is repeated for every image in the connectome, with the results being combined to produce a lesion network for each subject in the lesion dataset. This data becomes the input to voxel-wise general linear models with discounting score as the response variable, with permutation testing used to determine significance of results. This approach overcomes some of the limitations of lesion-based research: it allows information to be obtained for areas in which there is no lesion overlap in the dataset, and conclusions can be more readily drawn about networks rather than individual regions. As part of an ongoing study, our lab is using LNM to explore the relationship between extreme discounting scores and anatomical networks in the brain.

 

105. Joseph Schopen
Majors: Physics, Astronomy
Graduation: Spring 2024
Mentor: Dr. Ravitej Uppu (Physics)

Entangled Photon Sources in the Infrared

Spontaneous Parametric Down Conversion (SPDC) is a nonlinear optical process that enables the generation of entangled photon pairs. I built a versatile photon source that can be operated to either generate two telecom band photons for implementing quantum communication or can generate frequency-entangled photons in the mid-infrared (2200 nm - 3500 nm) for applications in quantum-enhanced spectroscopy. Here, I report the spectral measurements of the emitted photons as well as the second-order correlation measurements that quantifies the pair generation efficiency. We demonstrate generation of &gt;3 million pairs/sec (~1 pW) highlighting the brightness of our source. The immediate application of the source is towards demonstration high-rate quantum communication over multimode fibers.

 

107. Darrell Smith
Majors: Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Dr. Joe Gomes (Chemical and Biochemical Engineering)

Prediction of the HOMO-LUMO gap of organic molecules with graph neural networks

Density functional theory (DFT) is a popular tool for the first-principles study of molecules and materials and the prediction of properties that arise from molecule electronic structure. However, DFT is computationally expensive, and property predictions can take several hours for a modest-sized molecule. Machine learning (ML) poses an attractive alternative which can yield property predictions with high accuracy in a fraction of the time (&lt;1 ms). The high computational efficiency of ML potentially allows for high-throughput development of new catalysts, organic photovoltaic devices, and novel therapeutics.

In this work, we examined the effectiveness of ML for predicting the HOMO-LUMO band gap energy, a task which has previously been identified as being of particular importance due to its relevance in properties including reactivity, photoexcitation, and charge transport. We studied two methodologies for molecule representation as inputs to our learning model. In the first, molecules are represented as two-dimensional graphs where atoms are graph nodes and bonds are graph edges. In the second, we generate a representative 3-dimensional conformation of the molecule and augment the graph with atom positions and relative distances. We trained and tested both models using the PCQM4Mv2 dataset, a collection of data for over 3.7 million compounds published as part of the Open Graph Benchmark (OGB) Large Scale Challenge (LSC), an open competition for the fair benchmarking of grap

 

109. Deven Strief 
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Graduation: Fall 2025
Mentor: Dr. Michael Dailey (Biology)

Optimizing Immunofluorescence Staining of Microglia in Thick Human Brain Tissues

Staining of brain tissues with fluorescently tagged antibodies provides a powerful approach to examine the cellular and molecular organization of brain tissue structure. We are particularly interested in assessing the structure and functional roles of microglia, the primary immune effector cell of the brain, under pathological states including neurodegenerative diseases. Imaging in thick tissue sections allows for 3D analysis of the cellular structure and cell-cell interactions. However, in human brain tissues, background autofluorescence can present problems with detecting weak signals, creating false positives, and hindering image analysis. Sources of autofluorescence include chemical fixatives, endogenous blood components, and lysosome-associated lipofuscin that accumulates in aging neurons. Various methods to reduce background autofluorescence such as quenching are unfeasible in thick tissue sections. We found that photobleaching tissue sections using an inexpensive, commercially available light-emitting diode (LED) panel prior to immunostaining significantly reduced background autofluorescence for both confocal and multiphoton fluorescence imaging without sacrificing the integrity of the immunostaining. Incorporating twenty-four hours of photobleaching before immunostaining significantly decreased the mean autofluorescence intensity of the tissue sections and increased the signal-to-background ratio, making image analysis possible in thick human tissues.

 

111. Zach Vig
Majors: Physics, Geology
Graduation: Fall 2022
Mentor: Dr. Emily Finzel (Earth and Environmental Sciences)

Quantifying geochemical provenance of the beaverhead group in southwestern montana using unsupervised machine learning on a sparse dataset

A solid understanding of both the depositional age and provenance of the Late Cretaceous-Early Cenozoic Beaverhead Group is vital in analyzing the nature and timing of flat-slab subduction during the Laramide orogeny. This study aims to use whole rock geochemical signatures to connect Paleozoic carbonate source rocks to those of the carbonate conglomerate clasts from the Beaverhead Group. By using unsupervised machine learning, we hope to develop new methods for geochemical provenance analysis on carbonates, better constrain the provenance and transport pathways for the Beaverhead Group and, finally, characterize the extensive shallow marine carbonates that exist in much of Southwestern Montana. Preliminary results have shown that source rock carbonates are able to be distinguished in a geologically meaningful way and that their connection to the provenance of the Beaverhead Group mostly supports previous geological interpretations.

113. Gracie Weeks
Major: Human Physiology
Graduation: Spring 2024
Mentors: Drs. Kelsey Dawes and Robert Philibert (Psychiatry)

Cardiometabolic Confounding on cg19693031 Methylation Limits Utility for Diabetes Medicine

Sustained hyperglycemia has been shown to have a significant dose-dependent demethylation effect on cg19693031, suggesting that methylation may be used as a biomarker for T2D. However, our prior findings suggest that the predictive value of cg19693031 is too small to justify clinical translation. Based on the premise that metabolic syndrome and T2D share an overlap in etiology, we assessed whether accounting for cardiometabolic confounding on cg19693031 methylation predicts T2D better than methylation status alone in an African American cohort (N = 460). Using stepwise regression, we show that the methylation of cg19693031 is influenced by HbA1c, systolic blood pressure, HDL and LDL (R2 = 0.205, p < 2.2e-16) and that a model which accounts for this confounding explains HbA1c variability better than methylation status alone (R2 = 0.2372, p < 2.2e-16 vs R2 = 0.1667, p < 2.2e-16) (ANOVA: p = 1.27e05). Using a repeated stratified k-fold cross-validation approach, a series of balanced random forest classifiers with random undersampling were built to determine if correcting for cardiometabolic confounding improves the predictive ability of cg19693031 models to discriminate between normoglycemic controls and T2D subjects. The adjusted model performed better than the base methylation model alone with an aggregated ROC AUC of 0.748 vs 0.683, respectively. We conclude that the methylation status of cg19693031 is influenced independently and in combination with HbA1c and cardiometabolic traits and demonstrate that the lack of specificity to T2D limits the utility of cg19693031 for diabetes medicine. Further research is needed to refine the demethylation response of cg19693031 in those with and without disease.

115. Natalia Weinzierl
Major: Human Physiology
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Dr. Erin Talbert (Health and Human Physiology)

Modeling Cancer Cachexia in KPP Mice

Cancer cachexia, a condition resulting in muscle and adipose tissue wasting, reduces the outcome of many cancer patients. Cachexia is highly prevalent in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients, but current murine models have been insufficient in determining effective treatments to treat human cancer cachexia. A recently developed mouse model, Kras(LSL-G12D) Ptf1a(Cre-ER/+) Pten(flox/flox) (KPP), has more closely resembled the development of cancer cachexia in humans. It has been demonstrated that tumors develop in KPP mice at 4 weeks of age; however, body weight discrepancies may be due to delayed growth of mice. To prevent this, pancreatic tumors were induced to develop in KPP mice between 9-10 weeks of age. We found that these KPP mice age had lower body, muscle, and adipose tissue weight compared to non-tumor mice. Body weight was 30% lower, and white and brown adipose tissue mass were 91% and 63% lower, respectively. All analyzed muscles (quadriceps, gastrocnemius, EDL, TA) except the soleus were significantly smaller in mass. Overall, the KPP mouse model can be used to model cancer cachexia in young but fully grown mice. With this data, cancer cachexia can be more effectively modeled in search of an effective treatment.

117. Kaylee Weaver
Major: Human Physiology
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Dr. Serena Banu Gumusoglu (Obstetrics and Gynecology)
Psychiatric and Obstetric Disease Share Vascular Mechanisms in the RGS2 Knockout Mouse

119. Alexander Williams
Major: Nursing
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentors: Drs. Ruth Grossmann and Clarissa Shaw (Nursing)

The Relationship Between Rejection of Care, Pain, and Delirium in Hospitalized Patients with Dementia

Dementia is a neurodegenerative disease that can impact memory, cognition, and behavior. Persons living with dementia (PLWD) often exhibit rejection of care (RoC), a behavior that complicates nursing care. The RTC-DAT assessment tool was designed to measure RoC in PLWD (Mahoney et al., 1998). Most research on RoC has taken place in the long-term care setting rather than hospital settings. However, PLWD are twice as likely to be hospitalized compared to older adults without dementia, and while hospitalized experience more complications, longer lengths of stay, and higher costs (Alzheimer’s Association, 2018; Bail et al., 2015).  As the population of PLWD continues to grow, it is important that hospital dementia care remains a research priority. This project will evaluate the relationship between RoC measured by the RTC-DAT tool and pain and delirium severity in hospitalized PLWD. The PAINAD, CAM-S, and DOSS assessment tools will be evaluated to explore these relationships.

 

121. Aasthika Das
Majors: Biology, Chemistry
Graduation: Spring 2023
Mentor: Dr. Bhagirath Chaurasia (Internal Medicine)

Inhibition of FGF13 in adipose tissue increases caveolae density

Evidence suggests that a certain lipid class called ceramides are induced in conditions of inflammation and obesity and contribute to metabolic impairments. We found that ceramides act as signals of excessive nutrients altering the metabolic activity of mature adipocytes and consequently, the whole organism. Fibroblast growth factor, Fgf13, was identified, through unbiased genomic approaches, as a ceramide effector molecule which contributes to some of the ceramide actions.

Previously, FGF13 was found to interact with cavin-1 (a caveolae associated protein 1, Gene: Ptrf) in the heart where it negatively regulates caveolae biogenesis. Caveolae are detergent-resistant membrane domains which are abundant in adipocytes, and are essential for glucose metabolism, membrane, and lipid trafficking, and protect cells from potential toxicity of fatty acids. We found that obese Fgf13dAdipo and Fgf13idAdipo had increased cavin-1 and caveolin-1 (most abundant caveolin proteins within adipose tissue) expression at the genomic and proteomic levels. Further analysis revealed a selective increase in caveolae density in the white adipose tissue of both mouse types.

Additionally, we ascertained if inhibition of Fgf13 modulates glucose metabolism in adipocytes and found that white adipose tissues from Fgf13idAdipo mice showed increases in Akt-phosphorylation. Collectively, these results suggest that Fgf13 is a negative regulator of caveolae expression.

123. Bailey Goodman
Major: Public Health, Pre-Medicine
Graduation: Spring 2025
Mentor: Dr. Martha Carvour (Internal Medicine)

Epidemiology of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

It has been demonstrated through previous research that prevalence of various diseases increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of those diseases is diabetes. Our goal was to see if this pattern extended to gestational diabetes. Through our initial literature review, it became clear that psychiatric disorders were strongly correlated with pregnancies and gestational diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic. This preliminary study showed the relationship between gestational diabetes and psychiatric disorders, which we wish to investigate further in the future.