Dysfunction of the Fragile X mental retardation (FMR1) gene results in the genetic disorder Fragile X syndrome (FXS), a primary cause of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). FXS patients exhibit developmental delays and learning disabilities. Although researchers have also reported immune dysregulation in FXS patients, and the fruit fly Drosophila, the role FMR1 plays in immune […]
C76: Population Analysis of Petitioned Hymenocallis Henryae
Hymenocallis henryae is a perennial flowering plant species found only in a few counties on the Florida panhandle. It lives on the edges of wetlands in these areas. The species has been formally petitioned to be protected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act. Counts of this species have been […]
C58-P: COVID-19 as a Public Health Crisis: Explaining Herd Immunity, Vaccine Development, and Public Relations
The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2–more commonly known as COVID-19-is a viral pathogen first introduced to the United States in 2020. COVID-19 is a highly infectious disease that attacks the respiratory system along with other organ systems. Due to the high mortality and morbidity rates associated with the virus, understanding and discovering a successful vaccine, and attention to […]
C42-P: Transcriptomic Analysis for the Whole Lens of PTEN Knockout Mice
Phosphatase and tensin homolog (Pten) is a tumor suppressor gene that is knocked out or mutated in many cancers. Additionally, knocking out this gene in mice causes cataracts and other developmental issues with the lens. This project involves analyzing differential gene expression in the form of RNAseq data encompassing the entire transcriptome of the lens […]
C07-T: Effective Communicative Styles when Presenting Research to a Specific Audience
Students in a First Year Research Experience [FYRE] class, conducted group projects focussed on “Communicating Research to public audiences”. Specifically, the projects examine how research opportunities have been impacted by the pandemic, and how to best leverage the currently predominant online instructional environment. Our group examined the communicative interactions between disciplinary groups throughout the Miami […]
B52-P: Minds Made Up: The Intersectionality Between Medical Decision Making and COVID-19
Contact Tracing explores the public health response to COVID-19 and the psychology of the medical decisions that are made as they pertain to communicating with and abiding by contact tracing efforts. This is accomplished through an anthropological approach to critically examine the implications of contact tracing, taking into account several nuances that encompass the spread […]
B38-P: Engaging Students in Undergraduate Research During the Pandemic
This qualitative study examines how the COVID 19 pandemic impacted undergraduate research at Miami University. For our study, groups of student researchers in a First Year Research Experience [FYRE] class interviewed students at Miami University who participated in undergraduate research during the pandemic. We asked them to discuss their recent research experiences, the methods that […]
B06-T: Macrophages Are Required For Newt Lens Regeneration
Fibrosis and regeneration are two very distinct responses to injury across a variety of species. For example, most human tissues develop a fibrotic scar when damaged. On the other hand, organisms like the newt are capable of regenerating a plethora of organs such as their limbs, heart, and parts of the eye including the retina […]
A52-P: Intro to Neuroscience: Exploring Dr. Quinn’s Lab
We are students engaging in an exploration of current research at Miami as part of the curriculum of BIO/PSY 159 with Dr. Joyce Fernandes. We were tasked with learning about Dr. Quinn’s research lab in the Psychology Department and communicating the findings to a wider audience. The general research area for Quinn lab’s latest publication […]
C16-T: Disciplinary Perspectives from Faculty and Graduate Students on Research in a Virtual Environment
Students in a First Year Research Experience (FYRE) class conducted group projects focused on communicating research to public audiences. The main focus of our study was to examine how research findings can be communicated within virtual environments, such as the one that has been imposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. These are the […]