My general research area is evolutionary biology and bioinformatics. My project is working with the North American wood frog (Rana sylvatica) to study stability and adaptability in lens crystallin proteins. Instability and aggregation of lens crystallins can cause cataracts, which are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. The wood frog is a cold-adapted vertebrate that […]
C02: Investigating the Temporal Role of Retinoic Acid Signaling in Cardiac Outflow Tract Development in Zebrafish
The heart is the first organ to form and function during embryonic development. Improper heart growth can lead to congenital heart defects which are the most common type of developmental defects in humans. The two-chambered heart in a zebrafish embryo can be used to easily observe impacted heart formation. During the development of the embryo, […]
C01: Molecular analysis of pendulum mutants presenting with defects in heart valve and outflow tract development
Unidirectional blood flow, controlled by valves within the heart, is an essential component for proper and efficient heart function. 30% of patients exhibiting a congenital heart defect present with defects in these valves resulting in decreased heart function. In zebrafish, valve formation occurs at the atrioventricular canal (AVC) and outflow tract (OFT). The signaling pathways […]
C10: Age-Related Differences in Rat Behavioral Responses to Psilocybin
The prevalence of adolescent depression is at an all-time high. Pharmacological treatments are similar to adults but elicit different—and oftentimes adverse—consequences in adolescents, including anxiety and suicidal ideations. Thus, significant demand exists for improved therapeutic interventions for this age group. Psilocybin, a serotonergic agonist, has demonstrated potential for therapeutic efficacy in adulthood; however, its effects […]
C09: The Effects of Psilocybin on Maternal Behavior
Certain psychiatric medications, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), can be harmful during pregnancy and the postnatal period, having been shown to lead to birth defects and reduce helpful maternal behaviors. These factors may require birthing parents to temporarily stop taking such medications, but ceasing them may pose a risk to the parent. This presents […]
C08: Literature Review of Interprofessional Education in Psychology
Interprofessional Education, IPE, is a method of improving the way that healthcare professionals can offer treatment to their patients by teaching them how to work together in a more collaborative and effective way. Specifically, this review is looking at interprofessional education that includes psychology professionals working with other fields of healthcare. This project consists of […]
C07: Inject Money into Harm Reduction: The Life and Cost Saving Powers of Syringe Services Programs (SSPs)
For this research project, I interned at Syringe Services Programs (SSPs) throughout Butler County in collaboration with the Butler County General Health District. SSPs help provide people in need with sterile syringes, injection equipment, naloxone, and fentanyl test strips. They also help link people in need to rehabilitation facilities and reduce the spread of infectious […]
C06: Bridging The Gap: The Importance of Innovation Specific and General Capacities in After-School Programming
This project is a result of my global health immersion experience that I completed in the after-school program at the Oyler School in Cincinnati. After School programs are developed in the early 1900s as a result of social concerns for the safety and care of children living in unsafe neighborhoods, and as a result of […]
C04: Retinoic Acid Signaling Promotes Ventral Aorta Development in Zebrafish
Developmental birth defects emerge due to abnormalities in the formation and growth of embryonic tissues. Congenital heart defects are the most common developmental defect in humans. This condition can affect the tissue within the heart and the surrounding greater vessels. Zebrafish are used to study these defects because their anatomy provides a similar and simpler […]
C03: Investigating the Role of Retinoic Acid Signaling on Establishing Heart Size in Zebrafish
Congenital heart defects are often accompanied by improper blood flow throughout the heart, leading to greater complications in patients born with such defects and often resulting in higher mortality rates. Given the severity of these conditions, it is important to understand more about the development of heart defects and how they specifically impact the cardiovascular […]