Spring 2020 Undergraduate Research

Preliminary results showed that Artemisia tridentata does inhibit antimicrobial activity. The protocol used called for a low concentration of plant extract, and as a result, a small to no zone of inhibition showed on the plates.

Further testing with larger sample sizes are needed to conclude that bee abundance increases as elevation and solar incidence increase. Further testing can be done to explain why bee abundance changes over the summer months.

We accomplished the construction of the expression vectors containing the CFTR cDNA under regulation of iFABP, LFABP, and Villin.

We saw no statistical difference in egg and hatchling characteristics across maternal treatment groups, apart from hatchling size differing between the LPS and NI group.

Unfortunately, despite rigorous testing, we are unable to identify the microbes we isolated by using Bergey’s Manual. This leads us to assume that either the differential tests were incorrect, or that Bergey’s Manual is no longer a viable identificati

We successfully transformed B. subtilis using the super-competent method published by Mijakovic et al. (2015) with green fluorescent protein. We saw high transformation efficiency and fast growth using traditional laboratory infrastructure.

While the Thamnophis colony did show dramatic periodic changes in feeding behavior, there is much variation between individuals at all periods. This makes it uncertain whether marked changes in feeding behavior are species wide, or a product of random ch...

From this basic analysis, we have established that there is a strong larval preference for Kentucky Bluegrass, but the degree of herbivory varies across populations. We have also recognized the limitations of ImageJ when it comes to working with small sca...

There are at least 72 species of Evagetes that have been discovered so far. There are stillcountless species of wasps that have yet to be discovered, and we believe the genus Evagetes will continue to grow.

Our initial results on testing different Bovine Serumsto identify the best serum to use have been inconclusive. Result numbers have been low and further testing has begun to try and isolate variables and give consistent outcomes with B-HV. Additional seru...

I wanted to have this internship because I am trying to become a veterinarian myself. The best way to achieve this goal is to seek the guidance of people who have already achieved this in life.

Once a boundary can be drawn between the pars compact and the pars reticulata, further analysis will take place using a digital densitometry system.

AVPR1a receptors are spread in various regions of the coyote brain, which is a similar pattern to other monogamous species.

Mapping a Novel G-protein Coupled Receptor to Understand its Role in Morphine Reward. A research study by Nick Beus, Max McDermott, and Dr. Erin Bobec.

I have been able to learn so much more about the field of dentistry throughout this semester with Smithfield Dental care and thanks to Dr. Harris. Having been able to participate in functions in a dental office has helped solidify my desire to contin

The BioFire has given clinical labs the upper hand to diagnosing patients and creating treatment plans. The BioFire allows doctors to obtain more accurate and specific testing results sooner than compared to traditional methods while giving patients cheap...

While the lifespan of humans has increased in time, the health span of aging individuals has not turned away from deterioration. Medicine has been essential in extending the time of dying since as health is continuing to worsen, this is especially so in p...

Long term we hope that once we crystallize the novel domain we will use X- Ray Diffraction to help add to the theorized structure that we currently have to help us better understand function and hopefully uncover new properties to help further gene edit

Utah State University's Department of Biology Undergraduate Research Symposium Program.

A list of pests known to affect industrial hemp was created. Information was acquired from primary, peer-reviewed resources found through the USU library database, Scopus, and Google Scholar. References were maintained in the citation manager Zotero.

The protocol for evaluation and testing we developed appeared to have worked efficiently and minimized a lot of random statistical variance. It allowed us to isolate which samples were best to develop our assays, minimize errors, and isolate what conditio...

There is a clear effect of temperature on attack rate. Since the speed of the Paramecium’s movement increases with temperature, more encounters between predator and prey occur. With P. aurelia as a prey, the handling time decreases with temperature, like...

There was a significant change in jump height out of the water between Pre1 and Post, not directly after the 4-week intervention.

Selective management variance is likely due to the variety and flexibility of treatments, compared to standardized procedures of organic and conventional management.

Preliminary data from our lab has shown that GPR171 activation can also alleviate persistent inflammatory pain. However, the role of this receptor has not been investigated in other chronic pain models. Given these findings in acute and inflammatory pain,...

Mount Logan Middle School, located in Logan Utah, strives to live up to its district motto: “Ensure all students leave our schools ready to create a positive future for themselves and their community.” I spent my internship living up to this motto by...

The vectors used varied in their ability to transform L. kunkeei strains 3L and YH15. Vectors pTRKH2, pTW8, pGH9 and pTRK687 transformed both strains but pGK13 and pNZ8048 were only able to transform strain 3L.

Significantly improved survival, weight change and viremia, as well as a trend towards improved virus titer in the liver and ALT levels in the serum on 6 dpi, demonstrate efficacy of a domain III YFV 17D subunit vaccine administered with an alhydroxyqui

We found that across most of the 33 species in the data set, years with warmer spring temperatures tended to have earlier leaf budding. This suggests that temperature is a determining factor in the timing of budding which could lead to a longer growing s...

In my internship I remove sutures, dress wounds, take x-rays, etc. Podiatry research in the department of biology at Utah State University.

Based on our data, neither type of root in palms is more conducive to total epiphyte abundance. This leads us to conclude that conservation efforts for both types of roots are equally necessary to maintain maximum biodiversity.

EARTH university offers a good learning environment for American students. Look as USU students explore the ecology of tropical systems, the history and contribution of research, and the challenges they face in the context of climate change, food producti...

I was able to participate in an internship with a Family Practice/Obstetric and Gynecology Medical Clinic in Rexburg, Idaho and St. Anthony, Idaho. The medical clinic’s name is Teton Medical Group and there are two of them. I was able to intern at bo

If everything turns out successful, this could lead to a new type of drug that bacteria or fungus aren’t resistant to because they have never encountered something like this.

Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (GVS) is a technique used to improve a person's balance. A research study in the Department of Biology at Utah State University.

Analysis revealed negative correlations between development time vs adult weight and development time vs survival, indicating some RILs are poor for multiple fitness components.

Objective: Determine if, and for how long, a miRNA antagomir can knockdown miR-13b and influence gene expression related to physiology and behavior.

Both male and female mice rapidly develop anti-nociceptive tolerance to morphine.

Densities ranged greatly across lakes and years, but is this a result of lake warming or simply natural variation in aquatic macroinvertebrates?

Truly the most rewarding experience. It is amazing to learn while also making a difference. The best internship for working with your schedule, helping you learn, and increasing your happiness.

While the current study is largely qualitative, it provides an exploratory characterization that will allow for quantitative analysis by our research team in the future.

Colorectal cancer is the among the deadliest cancers- being the second most common cancer-related cause of death worldwide.