Category: Type: Oral Presentation

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Neural Substrates of Investigation

Neural substrates of social and food investigation in adolescent C57BL/6 mice

Navya Kalia, 2nd year
Valerie Khaykin, 4th year

Abstract

Social interaction-seeking and food-seeking behaviors are both motivated behaviors that we hypothesize are regulated by overlapping neuronal populations. To test this, we exposed male and female adolescent C57BL/6 mice to either a food stimulus (standard lab chow), a social stimulus (unfamiliar age- and sex- matched mouse), or an empty corral. Before testing, all mice were socially isolated and food-deprived to increase their motivation to investigate the stimuli.
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Septics and Microbial Communities

Identifying Signals of Septic Contamination in Groundwater Microbial Communities of the Grand Traverse Bay Watershed
Maria Berry, 3rd year

Abstract

Microbial communities in groundwater adapt to their local physical and chemical environment. When this environment contains contaminants, it may be reflected in the genetic content of resident microbial communities. This project explores the utilization of environmental DNA to record the influence of septic fields and other potential contaminants in the Grand Traverse Bay watershed by linking microbiological, geochemical, and hydrological approaches.
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GNAO1 Mutant Mice and Movement Disorders

2021 MSUFCU Honorable Mention Award for the Lyman Briggs Research Showcase
GNA01 Mutant Mice and Movement Disorders
Alex Roy, 3rd year

Abstract

Mutations in the gene GNAO1 have been associated with ultra-rare (ca. 200 patients) neurologic abnormalities including movement disorders, epilepsy, and developmental delay. Patients with these mutations often display symptoms at birth or in early childhood. GNAO1 codes for the alpha subunit (Gαo) of the G-protein Go, which is the most abundant membrane protein in the central nervous system.
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Lactation and the Gut Microbiota

2021 MSUFCU Best Biology oral presentation for the Lyman Briggs Research Showcase

Fecal Bacterial Communities Differ by Lactation Status in Post-Partum Women and Their Infants
Eliot Haddad, 3rd year

Abstract:

Breastfeeding has numerous benefits for both the mother and her infant after birth. The gut microbiota, the collection of microorganisms inhabiting the human gastrointestinal tract, has been shown to be modulated in infants by human milk exposure.
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Ventral Pallidum Role in Social Play Behavior

Role of the Ventral Pallidum in the Regulation of Social Play Behavior in Juvenile Rats
Elie Huez, 4th year

Abstract

Social play behavior is a rewarding behavior and displayed by juveniles of many mammalian species. Engagement in social play behavior is important for the development of social competence throughout life. Children diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show social play deficits, which may contribute to their life-long social deficits.
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COVID-19 Impact on Low-Income Families

The COVID-19 Pandemic Negatively Affected Low-Income Families’ Lives: A Descriptive Study

Nandini Koneru, 2nd Year and Meghana Jalagam, 2nd Year

Abstract

First documented in December 2019, the SARS-CoV-2, also known as COVID-19, has spread across the world rapidly to cause a massive global pandemic. In addition to the health crisis, families are facing challenges to their everyday life, specifically families under the poverty level. However, limited studies were conducted among low-income families with young children; thus, this study aimed to assess the effects of COVID-19 on low-income families’ lives.
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Marijuana, Cigarette Smoking, and Adenomyosis Risk

2021 MSUFCU Runner up Biology oral presentation for the Lyman Briggs Research Showcase
A Novel Case-Control Study on Marijuana and Cigarette Smoking and the Risk of Adenomyosis
Grace Joachim, 4th year

Abstract

The uterine condition adenomyosis can produce substantial symptoms, including painful menses and heavy menstrual bleeding. Although the etiology of adenomyosis remains enigmatic, estrogen plays a central role in disease development. Two common exposures that may alter estrogen concentrations and affect adenomyosis risk are marijuana and cigarette smoking.
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Bicalutamide as Treatment for Kennedy’s Disease

2021 MSUFCU Grand Prize Award for the Lyman Briggs Research Showcase
FDA Approved Drug Bicalutamide Rescues Male Mice from Kennedy’s Disease
Mackenzie Greene, 3rd year

Abstract

Kennedy’s Disease (KD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a polyglutamine expansion, or CAG repeat, in the Androgen Receptor (AR) gene. This disease affects only males, usually emerges mid-life, and is characterized by marked deficits in muscle strength and coordination. Male mice with the KD allele develop muscle weakness around puberty as testosterone levels surge, suggesting that levels of testosterone may contribute to disease development in mice with mutated AR.
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A Review of COVID-19 Vaccine Candidates

A Review of Current COVID-19 Vaccine Phase III and Emergency Use Authorization Candidates
Ashley Atkinson, 3rd year

Abstract

As the pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 continues into 2021, it is important to analyze available data for promising vaccine candidates. The purpose of this review is to summarize vaccine types and gather and evaluate public data regarding the safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of twenty different COVID-19 vaccines in phase III trials as well as those authorized for emergency use.
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A Ray of Hope

A Ray of Hope: investigating the effect of light composition on shelter cat welfare
Kathryn Hurt, 3rd year

Abstract

Cats that are adopted quickly tend to cope well in the shelter environment, showing affiliative, engaging behaviors at the front of the kennel toward potential adopters. Cats that do not cope well may hide in the back of the kennel or if provided, in a hide box, and tend to have longer stays in the shelter.
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