Current Academic Year Grant Recipients

Undergraduate Research Grants in 2023 – 2024    

“Rosselia and Depositional Processes in the Juniata Formation”
     Student: Bilel Abderrahim
     Mentor: Dr. Andrew Hawkins (Physics, Astronomy & Geosciences)

“Tunable Dye Laser for Optical Scattering Spectroscopies”
     Student: Foysal Ahmed
     Mentor: Dr. Jeffrey Simpson (Physics, Astronomy & Geosciences)

“Utilizing Planaria as a Model Organism to Investigate the Bacterial Virulence Factor TCPC”
     Student: Victoria Akingbehin
     Mentor: Dr. Michelle Snyder (Biological Sciences)

“Behavioral Effects of Natural Compounds Using an Insect Model”
     Student: Rasha Alzyoud
     Mentor: Dr. Vonnie Shields (Biological Sciences)

“Identifying the Role of Apoptosis in Sea Anemone Fission”
     Student: Sydney Bayne
     Student: Trinity Mays
     Mentor: Dr. Wilbur Ryan (Biological Sciences)

“Uncovering the Hidden Heroes of Dung Beetle Dynasty: A Metagenomic Study of Rood Ball Microbiomes”
     Student: Preeti Biraji
     Mentor: Dr. Anne Estes (Biological Sciences)

“Population Genetics of Northern Map Turtles”
     Student: Aislinn Bloom
     Mentor: Dr. Steve Kimble (Biological Sciences)

“Does a Potential Termite Recognition Molecule Vary in Fungal Pathogens?”
     Student: Makaelan Bond
     Mentor: Dr. Mark Bulmer (Biological Sciences)

“Skewing of UV-induced Cell Death Pathways Using TLR4 Ligands”
     Student: Sumra Chaudhry
     Mentor: Dr. Erin Harberts (Biological Sciences)

“Fluorescence Imaging of Single-particle Dynamics at Oil-watered Lateral Infection”
     Student: Mac Crimmins
     Student: Mary McDonald
     Mentor: Dr. Khanh-Hoa Tran-Ba (Chemistry)

“Identifying Counterfeit Semaglutide”
     Student: Amina Daniels
     Mentor: Dr. Kelly Elkins (Chemistry)

“Analyzing the Impact of HLA-C on the KSHV Viral Lifecycle”
     Student: Miriam Diallo
     Mentor: Dr. Elana Ehrlich (Biological Sciences)

“Water Soluble Magic Numbered Gold Nanoclusters for Cancer Therapy”
     Student: Zara Freeland
     Mentor: Dr. Mary Sajini Devadas (Chemistry)

“Identification of Bacteriophage Alexphander's Immunity Repressor”
     Student: Margaret Galo
     Mentor: Dr. Stephen Hancock (Chemistry)

“Non-Destructive DNA Quantification on Au25 and Plasmonic Gold Nanoclusters”
     Student: Steven Gerguis
     Mentor: Dr. Mary Sajini Devadas (Chemistry)

“Developing a Bispecifc T-cell Engager to Eliminate Anti-FVIII B-cells”
     Student: Eber Guzman-Cruz
     Mentor: Dr. John Weldon (Biological Sciences)

“The Search for Metal-insulator Transition in Fe-B Compounds”
     Student: Lukas Hamann
     Mentor: Dr. Vera Smolyaninova (Physics, Astronomy & Geosciences)

“Investigating Nonspectral Color Discrimination in Sugar Gliders”
     Student: Morgan Hawkins
     Mentor: Dr. Harald Beck (Biological Sciences)

“qPCR Assay Exploring Planarian Ability to Clear Escherichia Coli in the Presence of Protein TcpC 
     Student: Lenora Ingram
     Mentor: Dr. Michelle Snyder (Biological Sciences)

“Investigating Small Proteins in a ΔlonclpP Mutant in E.coli”
     Student: Nicole Kahler
     Mentor: Dr. Matthew Hemm (Biological Sciences)

“The Investigation of Fga during the Course of Murine Endotoxemia.”
     Student: Annie Keele
     Student: Rachel Kramer
     Student: John Scoffone
     Mentor: Dr. Erin Harberts (Biological Sciences)

“Analyzing the Gut Microbiome of Captive Polar Bears”
     Student: Dajaha Kenney
     Mentor: Dr. Peko Tsuji (Biological Sciences)

“Detection of Salmonella in Lettuce Using Mouse Toll-Like Receptor 4”
     Student: Areej Khan
     Student: Jisela Ramos
     Mentor: Dr. Erin Harberts (Biological Sciences)

“Understanding Metal Ion Influence on MeR/DinB-like DNA Binding Protein of Mycobacterium Alexphander”
     Student: Lea Kosanovic
     Mentor: Dr. Stephen Hancock (Chemistry)

“The Effects of Salt Concentration on the Expression of TcpC, a Virulence Factor Found in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli”
     Student: Tatah Lamin
     Mentor: Dr. Michelle Snyder (Biological Sciences)

“Digital Twins Research”
     Student: Samuel LaPree
     Mentor: Dr. Akshita Maradapu Vera Venkata Sai (Computer & Information Sciences)

“One Microbe's Waste is Another Microbes's Meal: How do Bacteria Interact to Degrade Cellulose in the Bull-headed Dung Beetle?”
     Student: Chloe Mateleska
     Mentor: Dr. Anne Estes (Biological Sciences)

“Investigating Protein Localization in the Liver of Endotoxemic WT and TLR4-/- Mice”
     Student: Glory Omodia
     Mentor: Dr. Erin Harberts (Biological Sciences)

“Structural Characterization of the TIR Domain of TirB, a D. discoideum TIR Domain Containing Protein”
     Student: Ayotunde Omomo
     Mentor: Dr. Michelle Snyder (Biological Sciences)

“The Quantification of Organic Smokeless Powder Analytes using Gas Chromatography with a Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer”
     Student: Mackenzie Overholser
     Mentor: Dr. Ellen Hondrogiannis (Chemistry)

“Effects of Fluorination on CMn0₃ Thin Films”
     Student: Madison Previti
     Mentor: Dr. Rajeswari Kolagani (Physics, Astronomy & Geosciences)

“Toll-Like Receptor Four and Sepsis-Induced Cardiomyopathy in Murine Endotoxemia Models”
     Student: Cristal Salgado
     Mentor: Dr. Erin Harberts (Biological Sciences)

“Total Synthesis of Acremostrictin”
     Student: Olivia Sipes
     Mentor: Dr. Keith Reber (Chemistry)

“Au25 Nanocluster Modification with Anthracene-Based Ligands”
     Student: Desmond Smith
     Mentor: Dr. Mary Sajini Devadas (Chemistry)

“Using Negative Photoresist in Fabrication of Silicon/Titanium Interface for Study of Interfacial Electromagnetic Waves”
     Student: Thomas Snarski
     Mentor: Dr. Vera Smolyaninova (Physics, Astronomy & Geosciences)

“Analysis of Variation of DNA Methylation Between Smokers, E-cigarette Users, Occasional Users and Non-users Employing PCR High Resolution Melt”
     Student: Madison Strasser
     Mentor: Dr. Kelly Elkins (Chemistry)

“Comparison of Fluorination Effects on La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ and CaMnO₃”
     Student: Luke Thress
     Mentor: Dr. Rajeswari Kolagani (Physics, Astronomy & Geosciences)

“Measuring Germinal Center Activation to Evaluate Efficacy of Allergy Immunotherapy”
     Student: Nathan Usi
     Mentor: Dr. Erin Harberts (Biological Sciences)

“Amide Semi-Reduction”
     Student: Grace Vaillancourt
     Mentor: Dr. Keith Reber (Chemistry)

“sORFs as Genes Encoding Small Proteins in Lonclp Mutants”
     Student: Samantha Walunas
     Mentor: Dr. Matthew Hemm (Biological Sciences)

“Gold Nanoclusters Synthesized with an Electroactive Ligand”
     Student: Jakob Winterle
     Mentor: Dr. Mary Sajini Devadas (Chemistry)

“Metabolic Characterization of Anaerobes in the Onthophagus taurus Microbiome”
     Student: Aron Winton
     Mentor: Dr. Anne Estes (Biological Sciences)

“Ingestion Rate Variation Among Distinct Species of Habitat Mimicking Ecomorph Praying Mantises and Relations to Nandible Morphology”
     Student: Marlena Wood
     Mentor: Dr. Chris Oufiero (Biological Sciences)