In rural Regions of Appalachia many homes and towns rely on septic systems to dispose of waste. However, for homes that are unable to replace or afford septic systems, many rely instead on Straight pipes which dump raw sewage right into streams and rivers. Well water & spring water sources quickly become contaminated by Escherichia […]
A73: The Inhibition of Apoptosis by Chlamydia
The focus of the experiment that was conducted during the summer of 2021 was to determine the effects of chlamydia on human host cells, specifically in regards to apoptosis. Apoptosis, commonly referred to as “programmed cell death”, is triggered in high stress environments in order to stop pathogens from spreading without causing inflammation in the […]
A74: UV-LED Photocatalytic Device for Fuel Vapor Emission Control
A large percentage of the population in developed countries use automobiles. This directly contributes to the emission of volatile organic vapors into the atmosphere, which in turn affects both humans and the environment. With the creation of a system that is able to reduce fuel vapor emissions, a cleaner and safer environment is generated. Therefore, […]
A76: Removal of DNA Methylation Has a Larger Effect on Meiotic Recombination in Female Meiosis
Meiotic recombination is an important process that creates genetic diversity when genetic materials are exchanged between homologous chromosomes. While past studies have focused on genetic factors regulating recombination, less research has been conducted on how epigenetic factors, like DNA methylation, affect meiotic recombination, and why sexes differ in recombination. My project is part of a […]
A75: Engineering Auto-catalytic CRISPR-Cas Sensors for Ultra-sensitive Lead Detection
Lead is a useful element, particularly in industrial settings, but too much exposure can cause lead poisoning and prove to be very dangerous. Symptoms include anemia, kidney and brain damage, and even death. Especially concerning to young children are the neurological and developmental defects caused by lead exposure. The water crisis in Flint, Michigan highlighted […]
B05: Retina Regeneration in the Spanish Newt
Contrary to humans, some vertebrates have an exceptional ability to regenerate damaged tissues including the Spanish newt (Pleurodeles waltl) which can regenerate a range of complex structures. Retinal regeneration in some newt species has been reported after the removal of the whole retina. Our focus is to characterize the reprogramming of the retinal pigment epithelium […]
B11: Synthesis and Conformational Analysis of Oligo-Pyrazine Foldamers
As a part of the Hartley research lab, this organic chemistry project is focused on the synthesis and structural study of pyrazine foldamers. Foldamers, which are a class of compounds that fold into an ordered state in solution, can mimic the geometries of nucleic acids and proteins. The goal of the project was to determine […]
B12: Substituent Effects of Carbodiimide Fuel Reactivity
In biology, out-of-equilibrium, or “dissipative,” systems are crucial to functionality, using a constant supply of energy to continually function. We can mimic this behavior simply using chemical fuel reactions that result in the formation of a transient bond. Most other groups studying systems of this kind have used 1-Ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) as the fuel. Here, […]
B14: Characterizing the Role of NHE11 in Mammalian Sperm Physiology Using Crispr/Cas9 Gene Edited Mice
Sodium Hydrogen Exchangers (NHEs) are a family of proteins which are important for regulating the pH of a cell. Previous studies have found certain NHE proteins to be essential for sperm cell motility and fertility. There still remains one completely uncharacterized NHE protein: the NHE11 protein. Work in our lab has found that in mammals, […]
B15: Periodical Cicadas: The Potential Effects of Habitat Destruction on the Density of Magicicada spp. From 1987 to 2021.
Every 17 years, the Brood X periodical cicadas of the genus Magicicada (M. cassini, M. septemdecim, and M. septemdecula) emerge in Indiana and western Ohio. Like many other species, these cicadas are facing the effects of habitat destruction and climate change. Magicicada needs a specific ground temperature in order to emerge. Given that warmer temperatures […]