Senior Independent Study Theses from 2019
Influence of Altered Ribonucleotide Reductase Inhibitor Degradation on Genomic Instability in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Anna L. Gibbs
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Characterization of Fatty Acid Desaturase and Elongase Expression in Meleagris gallopavo using RT-qPCR Analysis, Andrew Irving Gold
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
A Boolean Model of Contact Inhibition of Proliferation, Eric C. Guberman
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
The Role of Arginine Kinase in the Cilia of Paramecium, Jasmine Herd
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Characterization of Metallothionein-2 (mt2) and Rad51 (rad51) as Potential Biomarkers for Cadmium Toxicity in Betta splendens, Kenneth A. Kalikasingh
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
To Be or Not To Be: An Investigation into the Pseudomonas protegens strain 12H11 VgrG2b Protein, Carolyn Lee
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Identifying Gene Targets of Phytophthora sojae Effector Protein PsAvh 172 by Synthetic Lethal Analysis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Colleen O'Sullivan
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Protein Immobilization and Enzymatic Activity in Swellable Organically Modified Silica, Sarah Pitell
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Analyzing the Effect of Nab2 Overexpression on Pathological Phenotypes in a Transgenic Fly Model of Tauopathy, Adam C. Richert
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Biology; Neuroscience
Facilitating Studies of Peptidoglycan Synthesis: Optimizing NagZ Production to Enable Access to Lipid I, Noelle Sadallah
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Analyzing the effects of PsAvh110 on transcription factor PHO4 under low phosphate conditions, Jennifer Sanchez
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Defying the System: A Boolean Model of Neuronal Fate Decision and Aberrant Cell Cycle Re-entry in Alzheimer’s Disease, Carolina N. Shams
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Neuroscience
Identifying Mutations Acquired by Porcine Delta Coronavirus (PDCoV) For Infection of Chicken and Human Cells, Aditi Vijeth Sringeri
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Whose Got the Moves?: Building the Tools to Determine the Physiological Role of Arginine Kinase Genes in Caenorhabditis elegans At Lowered Gene Expression Levels, Madigan McKenna Strange
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Characterization of Synergistic Toxicity in a Fungicide-Insecticide Combination in Honey Bees, Emily K. Walker
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Investigation of the Development and Behavior of Heterogeneous Tumors, Afton H. Widdershins
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Mathematics
Progress Towards Understanding Nicotinic Acid Degradation and the nic Operon in B. niacini Using Differential Gene Expression Analysis, Kaeli Zoretich
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Senior Independent Study Theses from 2018
Assessing the Subcellular Localization of Phytophthora sojae plant pathogen RXLR Effectors in Saccharomyces cerevisiae., Titas K. Bera
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Attempt at Expression of a Functional Recombinant Nicotinate Dehydrogenase from Bacillus niacini, Nathan M. Brownstein
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Everyday Acts of Amish Resistance: Contextualizing Patterns of Antimicrobial Susceptibility in a Small-Scale Agricultural Setting, Geoffrey Carney-Knisely
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Sociology and Anthropology
Using A Boolean Model to Identify Requirements for Successful Yamanaka Reprogramming, Campbell Elliott
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Elucidating the Physiological Role of a Putative Arginine Kinase in Myxococcus xanthus Utilizing Homologous Recombinants, Zachary J. Engfer
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
An Evolutionary Myx-up: Characterization of Bacterial Arginine Kinases in Species from the Order Myxococcales, Lindsay J. Fannin
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Niacini, Now You Don’t: The Catabolism of Nicotinic Acid and Nicotine and the Role of a Putative Monooxygenase Enzyme in Bacillus niacini, Sydney R. Fine
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Adsorption of Biomolecules by Porous Organosilica, Amy L. Graham
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Understanding Gene Expression Alterations Following Sleep Deprivation, Ksenia J. Klue
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
It's Ground Breaking: Development of Soil Insertion Passive Sampler for Chemically Informed Crop Management, Katherine J. Longo
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Investigating the Role of Phytophthora sojae Effector Protein PsAvr3c in the Endoplasmic Reticulum UPR Defense Pathway, Katherine Lyden
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Betta Understanding: Characterization and Sequencing of Genes Putatively Responsible for Red Phenotypic Variation in Betta splendens, Maria Mullin
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Characterization of a Putative TplE Protein in Pseudomonas chlororaphis 14B11, Ankitha Nanjaraj
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Modeling the Effects of P14 and P53 on Common Oncogenic Pathways, Elizabeth Obi
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Impact of Altered Redox Homeostasis and Ribonucleotide Reductase Activity on Mutation Rates in S. cerevisiae, Matthew Pleshinger
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
An Attempt to Sequence Genes Tyrp1a and Mc1r in Black and Red Phenotype Betta splendens, Bryan Robb
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Help! Help! I am Being Repressed! : An In-Depth Analysis of the IclR and its In-Vitro Oligimerization, Derek B. Schwarz
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Leaf Me Alone: Investigating The Effect of Phenazines On The Systemic Resistance of Arabidopsis thaliana, Olivia A. Seale
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Investigation of dNab2 Loss in D. Melanogaster Causing Changes in Sleep/ Circadian Rhythms, Kiandra Smith
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Phenotypic Analysis of a Novel LncRNA (Na2) Expression on Arabidopsis thaliana Salinity Stress Response, Trang M. Trinh
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Monitoring Protein Interactions between Ribonucleotide Reductase and Thioredoxin in Yeast Lacking Key Peroxiredoxins, Nicole West
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Senior Independent Study Theses from 2017
Real-Time PCR Analysis of a Salt Stress Responsive LncRNA in Arabidopsis under Salt Stress Conditions, Peter J. Arts
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Characterizing Ribonucleotide Reductase's Role in Promoting Genomic Instability in tsa1Δ Mutants, Brianna L. Bauer
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Mechanistic Investigation into the Liver Kinase β-1 – AMP-Activated Protein Kinase – Phosphagen Kinase Phosphorylation Cascade, Camille K. Boufford
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Investigating Changes in Protein Markers Following Sleep Deprivation in Drosophila Melanogaster, Petra N. Boutros
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Neuroscience
A genetic approach to examine how the Thioredoxin system influences genomic stability in S. cerevisiae, John Buchan
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Determining the effects of polyadenylation on long noncoding RNA expression and stability in response to stress, Allyson Caselberry
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Evidence of Differential Expression in the Calcineurin Gene Family in Paramecium Tetraurelia And Science in Fiction is not always Science Fiction: An analysis of the German Vergangenheitsbewältigungsliteratur through a Science Fiction Lens as a means to discredit Nazi Racial Science, Alexander G. Day
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; German Studies
Exploring The Molecular Function of cAMP and Phosphodiesterase PDE1C during Axon Pathfinding in Drosophila Melanogaster, Alexandra R. Elchert
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Identification of Catalytic Residues in the 3C-like Protease of Maize chlorotic dwarf virus, Anna Emmick
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Development of a Novel Method of Unrestricted Polypeptide Synthesis Utilizing a Salicylaldehyde Based Auxiliary Molecule, Jake Eshelman
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Assessing the Effects of Recombinant AK Genes on the Growth and Development of Myxococcus xanthus, Mark A. Grady
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Novel Synthesis of Difluorene Bisintercalators via Direct Amidation Using Swellable Organically Modified Silica (SOMS) and Employment of the CAN1 Forward Mutation Assay to Assess Mutagenicity, Hannah M. Hicks
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Environmental Studies
Investigating the Potential Genetic Causes of the Marbled Phenotype in the Betta splendens, Jennifer Hurtig
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
The Drosophila melanogaster polyadenosine RNA binding protein, Nab2, is necessary for survival and neural development, in a model of intellectual disability., Michael Kahl
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Neuroscience
The Effect of a His Tag on IclR Interactions with DNA and Ligands in Escherichia coli, Mara A. Kingscott
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
The Effects of Male-Produced Adipokinetic Hormone I on the Fertility of Female Aedes aegypti, Anna L. McGlade
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Substrate Specificity of Horseradish Peroxidase for the Oxidation of Pharmaceutical Compounds, Lance Metsger
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Chemistry
Allelochemical Extraction from Soil Using Swellable Organically Modified Silica, Adrienne Reding
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Biophysical Characterization of the Cofactors in the NicAB Complex from Bacillus niacini, Laura A. Sherer
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Modeling the Commitment to Senescence Through Mitochondrial Fusion and Chromosomal Restructuring, Herbert Sizek
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Analyzing H7 as a Possible Structural Determinant of Negative Cooperativity within the Phosphagen Kinase Enzyme Family, Katie Stock
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Investigating the Relationship Between Self-Interaction and Function of the Viral Suppressor of RNAi Expressed by Maize Chlorotic Dwarf Virus, Ben R. Stromberg
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Genetic Engineering of the GFP Coding Region for Expression of Fusion Proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Jenna S. Taira
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Characterizing the genetic determinants of the nicotinic acid degradation pathway in Bacillus niacini, Tsun Ki Jerrick To
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Insecticide Fungicide Interaction and Synergistic Toxicity in Honey Bees, Andrea H. Wade
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Investigating The Genetic Basis Of Melanistic Betta splendens, Harrison P. Wooten
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Senior Independent Study Theses from 2016
Stabilizing Redox-Responsive Protein Network Interactions with a Thiol-Reactive Cross-Linker, Kristin M. Allan
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Differential Expression of a Novel lncRNA (Na2) Aids in Arabidopsis thaliana Survival Under High Salinity Stress, Michael D. Andes
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Attempting to Identify the Calcium-Dependent Sodium Channel in Paramecium Tetraurelia, Thomas J. Camp
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Neuroscience
The Partial Characterization of a Monooxygenase in Bacillus niacini, Morgan A. Dasovich
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Analysis of Bioaccumulation and Sublethal Toxic Effects in Eisenia fetida, Lactuca sativa, and Arabidopsis thaliana Following Antidepressant Exposure, Rachael S. Davis
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Laying the Groundwork for Illuminating the Relationship Between Structure and Catalytic Efficiency in Phz O, a Phenazine Biosynthesis Enzyme, Leslie A. Doone
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Characterization of Long Non-Coding RNA Expression During Low Temperature Stress in Arabidopsis thaliana: Exploring the Implications of Targeting lncRNA for Improved Plant Growth, Ellyn Evans
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Preliminary investigation of Caenorhabditis elegans arginine kinase phosphorylation by AMPK, Andrew H. Greene
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
A Dynamical Systems Approach to Understanding Synergies Between Thyroid Cancer Mutations, Andrew R. Hamel
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Synthetic Progress Towards the Production of Hydroxymethyl and Mercaptomethyl Salicylaldehyde Derivatives for use in Protein Chemical Synthesis, Conner A. Hoelzel
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Investigating the Structural Features that Promote Peroxiredoxin-Sulfiredoxin Interactions in Yeast, Joseph E. Kelly
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Generation of a NicC Bordetella pertussis Mutant: Investigating the Relationship Between Nicotinic Acid Degradation and Virulence Modulation, Melia Kovach
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Attempted Identification of the Calcium-Dependent Sodium Channel Gene in Paramecium tetraurelia using RNAi, Gwendolyn Kuzmishin
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Molecular Basis for Suppression of Genomic Instability by a Conserved Peroxidase, Matthew A. Loberg
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Deciphering the Metal Dependency of Novel Nicotinic Acid Dehydrogenase from Bacillus niacini, Jessica A. Meek
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Examining Evolution of Substrate Specificity Using Taurocyamine Kinase, Huyen Thai Ngoc Nguyen
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Horseradish peroxidase entrapped in organically modified silica for the degradation of endocrine disrupting compounds in drinking water, Jonathan E. Nutt
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Horseradish Peroxidase Entrapped in Organically Modified Silica for the Degradation of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds in Drinking Water, Jonathan E. Nutt
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Identification of Genes Involved in Exoprotease Activity in Pseudomonas chlororaphis (14B11), Jennifer M. Pilat
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Exploring the Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Gene Expression in Drosophila Melanogaster, Kate M. Redding
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Neuroscience
Requirement of Nab2 RNA Binding in Drosophila melanogaster Nervous System Development, Fatima L. Rodriguez
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Neuroscience
Investigating the proposed acid-base catalyzed mechanism for 6-hydroxynicotinate 3-monooxygenase (NicC)., Alvi N. Sakib
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Investigating the Targets of Plant Pathogen RXLR Effectors Through Hypersensitivity to Stress Conditions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Colleen Elizabeth Sells
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
The Putative Regulatory Role of Hydrogen Cyanide in Ethylene Signaling and Biosynthesis in Arabidopsis seedlings and tomato fruit, Heather Skinner
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Effects of Arginine Kinase Gene Deletions on Muscle Physiology and Mitochondrial Volume in Caenorhabditis Elegans, Kathryn Timar
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Senior Independent Study Theses from 2015
Altering amino acid residues at the dimer interface of the yeast peroxiredoxin Ahp1: Effects on quaternary structure and protection against peroxides, Jonathan K. Allotey
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Investigation Into the Role of the Poly(A) Binding and Regulating Protein dNab2 in the Mushroom Bodies of Drosophila Melanogaster, Zachariah A. Brewer
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Virulence Modulation of Bordetella Pertussis via Inhibition of the Nicotinate Degradation Pathway, Lauren Buyan
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Neuroscience
Elucidating the Degradation Pathway of Venlafaxine(Effexor), Naveeshini Nair Chandran
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Cloning and Expression of the Novel Proteins in the Bacillus niacini Nicotinic Acid Degradation Pathway and an Initial Attempt to Characterize the NicAB Complex, Abigail K. Daniel
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Mechanistic Insights into the Suppression of Mutations by the Yeast Peroxiredoxin Tsa1, Joseph B. David
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Assessment and Comparison of Ornamental Plant Disease Resistance and Plant Growth as Effected by Microbial Inoculants, Tylar Fisk
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Optimization and Characterization of Swellable Organically Modified Silica Particles for the Extraction of Volatile Fatty Acids, Alyssa Gilbert
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Xerogel-Coated Sand for the Adsorption and Enzymatic Degradation of Micropollutants in Drinking Water Treatment Plants, Emily J. Gleason
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
A Molecular Analysis of Root-knot Nematode Nutrient Uptake, Allison B. Grenell
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Investigating the Impact of Monofunctional and Bifunctional Electrophiles on Cellular Proteasome Activity, Brandon L. James
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology