By Discipline: Biology (2020)

• Aggregation of Gamma Crystallin Proteins via Chemical Modifiers

  
  Oral Presentation
  
  (Biology, Chemistry)
  Addison M. Leabo
  Dr. Cassidy Dobson, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Analysis of Tick DNA for the Presence of Disease-Causing Bacterial DNA

  
  Poster
  
  (Biology)
  Dravid R. Paiva*, Mason Dickhut, Saron F. Habtemichael, Mangsi H. Limbu, Usna A. Khan, Dhara R. Patel, Sneha F. Ravikumar, and Kaveri Sharma
  Dr. Carolina Sempertegui, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Aromatase Inhibition as a Treatment for Endometriosis and Breast Cancer

  
  Poster
  
  (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology)
  Alyssa Tipler
  Dr. Cassidy Dobson, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Changes of Neural Connectivity and Insulin Receptors in an Alzheimer’s-Induced Rat Model

  
  Oral Presentation
  
  (Biology)
  Mason J. Wilcox
  Dr. Daniela Ostrowski, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Check Your Self: Evaluating Lockean and Humean Concepts of Personal Identity

   

  
  Oral Presentation
  
  (Philosophy & Religion, Psychology, Biology)
  Kimberly R. Ramos
  Dr. Chad Mohler, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Comparative Bioinformatic Analysis of the Presence of Intrinsically Disordered Regions in RNA Polymerase II 

  
  Poster
  
  (Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
  Brooke L. Diehl* and Chanz S. Silkey
  Dr. Brent Buckner, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Computational Detection of Synthetic Lethality for Cancer Treatment

  
  Poster
  
  (Computer Science, Biology, Statistics)
  Shreeya Rupakheti* and Deepson Shrestha
  Dr. Jon Beck, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Computational Drug Analysis of APOBEC3B Enzyme: A Promising Cancer Drug Target

  
  Oral Presentation
  
  (Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology)
  Zachary D. Smith
  Dr. Bill R. Miller, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Computational Drug Design for Novel Inhibitors of the Zika NS2B-NS3 Protease

  
  Oral Presentation
  
  (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Biology)
  Robert D. Campbell
  Dr. Bill R. Miller, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Computational Drug Discovery of APOBEC3B Inhibitors as a Treatment for Epithelial Cancers

  
  Oral Presentation
  
  (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Biology)
  Molly M. Huebner
  Dr. Bill R. Miller, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Computational Investigation into the Inhibition of Fatal Familial Insomnia

  
  Oral Presentation
  
  (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology, Chemistry)
  Jacob R. Higginson
  Dr. Bill R. Miller, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Computational Investigation of Stilbenoids as Aggregation Inhibitors of Amyloid Beta in Alzheimer's Disease

  
  Oral Presentation
  
  (Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology)
  Clara E. Wolf*, Alex P. Platt, Daniel J. Dyroff, Conaire C. Bradfield, and Rachel Stanfield
  Dr. Bill R. Miller, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Determining the Causes of the tbcd-1(RNAi) Phenotype in Caenorhabditis elegans Embryos

  
  Oral Presentation
  
  (Biology)
  Maggie J. White
  Dr. Stephanie Maiden, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Developing a Fluorescence Assay for Monitoring Amyloid-β Aggregation

  
  Oral Presentation
  
  (Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology)
  Mahan J. Hadjian* and Valerie S. Winkler
  Dr. Brittany Hagenhoff , Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Drosohila Cyclophilin 1, a Mitochondrial Protein, Regulates Larval Locomotion

  
  Oral Presentation
  
  (Biology)
  David O'Leary*, Dasia Caraballo, Mario Fong, Chang Li, and Karissa Hill
  Dr. Brett A. Berke, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Effect of Streptozotocin (STZ) Concentration on Chemoreflex Function and Morphology of the Nucleus Tractus Solitarii in STZ-Induced Alzheimer’s Disease 

  
  Poster
  
  (Biology)
  Chuma M. Humphrey*, Jack W. Hooker, Mahima Thapa, Mason J. Wilcox, Daniela Ostrowski, and Tim D. Ostrowski
  Dr. Timothy D. Walston, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Effects of Anthropogenic Noise on Exploratory Behavior in Crickets

  
  Oral Presentation
  
  (Biology)
  Kelly McKay
  Dr. Daniela Ostrowski and Dr. Michael Kuczynski, Faculty Mentors
  
  
  

• Effects of Temperature Variation on the Growth, Phenotype, and Survival of Nestling Barn Swallows, Hirundo rustica.

  
  Oral Presentation
  
  (Biology)
  Elsa D. Schenk
  Dr. Joanna Hubbard, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Enhancing Educational Resources and Improving Community Awareness of Trees on Truman’s Campus: Pursuing Sustainability

  
  Oral Presentation
  
  (Biology)
  Melina Matheney
  Dr. Elisabeth A. Hooper, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Enhancing Genome Editing in Eukaryotes

  
  Poster
  
  (Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
  Allison A. Houghton
  Dr. William Alexander, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Examination of Cellulase Gene Expression in Various Fungal Species for the Improvement of Biofuel Production

  
  Poster
  
  (Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
  Allison Y. Kufta* and Katherine Andrews
  Mr. Clayton Dillavou and Dr. Carolina Sempertegui, Faculty Mentors
  
  
  

• Examining the Effects of Settlement and Habitat Preferences on Eastern Bluebirds Breeding Biology

   

  
  Oral Presentation
  
  (Biology)
  Melissa Bailey
  Dr. Joanna Hubbard, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Exploring Fungal Diversity of Northeast Missouri

  
  Poster
  
  (Biology)
  Emily J. Ubbelohde
  Dr. William Alexander, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Expression and Purification of Disulfide Bond Forming Enzyme

  
  Oral Presentation
  
  (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Biology)
  Mary C. Butler
  Dr. Cassidy Dobson, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Habitat Use, Home Range, and Movement Rates in Two Sympatric Crotaline Snakes in Far West Texas

  
  Poster
  
  (Biology)
  Calvin H. Schaefer
  Dr. Chad Montgomery, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Impacts of Anthropogenic Noise on Cricket Development and Survivorship

   

  
  Poster
  
  (Biology)
  Alyssa R. Cluck*, Kelly McKay, and Sydney A. Gwaltney
  Dr. Michael Kuczynski and Dr. Daniela Ostrowski, Faculty Mentors
  
  
  

• The Influence of Climate Nest Temperature on Nestling Survival and Growth in Barn Swallows: Implications of Climate Change

  
  Oral Presentation
  
  (Biology, Environmental Studies)
  Kaitlyn M. Baker
  Dr. Joanna Hubbard, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Interactions between neuronal activity and ALS mutations in the fruit fly,  Drosophila melanogaster

   

  
  Poster
  
  (Biology)
  Grace E. McGennis*, Alyssa R. Soles, Sydney E. Morin, and Morgan D. Payne
  Dr. Brett A. Berke, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Intra-population variation in defensive iridoid glycoside production by Plantago lanceolata

  
  Poster
  
  (Biology, Chemistry)
  Madison R. Williard*, Zac Dwyer, and Chris Roberts
  Dr. Robert D. Sieg, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Investigation Into Potential Inhibitors For Alpha Synuclein
   

  
  Oral Presentation
  
  (Chemistry, Biology)
  Avery T. Evans
  Dr. Bill R. Miller, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Optimizing an Immunohistochemical Protocol for the Analysis of Streptozotocin Effects on Insulin Signaling in Rat Brains

  
  Poster
  
  (Biology)
  Avery M. Schroeder
  Dr. Daniela Ostrowski, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Outdoor tourism and recreation: a detriment to conservation efforts?

  
  Oral Presentation
  
  (Biology, Environmental Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies)
  Kyle A. Weber
  Dr. Chad Montgomery and Dr. Bridget Thomas, Faculty Mentors
  
  
  

• Phytoene Synthase (PSY) Paralog Expression in Salt-Stressed Primary Roots of Zea mays Seedlings

  
  Poster
  
  (Biology)
  Kay S. McNeary
  Dr. Diane Janick-Buckner, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• Progression of Chemoreflex (Dys-)function in the Streptozotocin-Induced Rat Model for Alzheimer’s Disease

  
  Poster
  
  (Biology)
  Mahima Thapa* and Mansi Trivedi
  Dr. Daniela Ostrowski, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• A ROLE FOR THE NUMB PROTEIN IN DROSOPHILA LOCOMOTION

   

  
  Oral Presentation
  
  (Biology)
  Nick M. Pritchett *, Mary K. Renkemeyer , and Andrew F. Galbraith
  Dr. Brett A. Berke, Faculty Mentor
  
  
  

• What is the Value of a Research Mammal Collection in a Liberal Arts and Science Undergraduate University?

   

  
  Poster
  
  (Biology)
  Riley E. Schmidt* and Machaela C. Ford
  Dr. Stephanie Fore, Faculty Mentor