Wildfires in Western North America have become more frequent and intense in recent years. Wildfire smoke can cause adverse health impacts creating an urgent public health concern. This study compares wildfire smoke preparedness and response plans developed by jurisdictions and institutions in western North America, including counties, cities, states, provinces, and universities. We used qualitative content analysis methods to assess the characteristics of 20 wildfire smoke preparedness and response plans. The majority of the plans included strategies related to air quality monitoring, household-level exposure reduction, and risk communication. Wildfire smoke poses a bigger risk to susceptible and/or vulnerable populations, however, 25% of the plans did not include strategies related to targeted outreach for at-risk populations. Since wildfire smoke plans are a relatively new strategy within emergency response, a “gold” standard set of components has yet to be established, therefore,  significant variations of included plan components exist. To improve these plans, it is crucial to enhance targeted outreach programs for vulnerable populations, develop a standardized framework for preparedness, and integrate plans with existing public health frameworks. Additionally, training for first responders on health impacts and investing in air quality monitoring are essential. Future research should focus on evaluating the effectiveness of outreach strategies, conducting longitudinal health studies, and analyzing the economic impacts of wildfire smoke preparedness. By addressing these recommendations and pursuing further research, jurisdictions can enhance their wildfire smoke preparedness and response plans, ultimately protecting public health more effectively.

The electron transfer energy and the voltage of solar cells can be changed by tuning the energy band gap of photovoltaic materials. In lead perovskites, this is mainly controlled by the particular halides around lead atoms, with the best materials often having mixed halide compositions. Iodide substitution and identification in lead chloride APOSS perovskites to generate mixed-halide perovskites for control of light absorption in solar cells is creatively proposed in this project. In my previous work, I investigated new methods of bromide substitution and found that highly controlled substitution was achieved by heating copper chloride APOSS perovskites, (APOSS)[Cu₄Cl₁₆ ], in the presence of more stable organic bromides as normal methods, which includes highly reactive liquid bromine or trimethylsilyl bromide. Based on this preliminary research, proper experimental procedure and aims are put forward in this project as follows: lead chloride APOSS perovskite is first synthesized according to the synthesis method of copper chloride perovskite, which has already been published. After that, the iodide substitution is performed by exposing (APOSS) [Pb₄Cl₁₆ ] to a solution of relatively stable organic iodide reagents like carbon tetraiodide or diiodoethane at different temperature and concentration. In order to get more understanding about the substitution process on atom level, NMR and Gas Chromatography are performed to identify where the substituted chlorine atoms go.

Antibiotic resistance is an increasingly critical concern for the treatment of bacterial infections, rendering new therapy options progressively more necessary. Gram positive bacteria are common infectious agents in skin and soft tissue infections, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, bacteremia, and more. A novel antibiotic candidate, MRS-2541 has been demonstrated to inhibit Gram positive methionyl-tRNA synthetase and decrease bacterial loads of both methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Streptococcus pyogenes in mouse thigh infections to the same degree as currently recommended therapy. This study aims to further characterize the activity of MRS-2541 against Gram positive bacteria including Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus lugdunensis, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Streptococcus salivarius. I conducted this study by first determining the preliminary minimum inhibitory concentration of MRS-2541 in growth media against each of the aforementioned organisms. I then use these results to guide time kill assays that characterize MRS-2541’s synergy with another antibiotic often used to treat Gram positive infections outside of the United States. Preliminary results demonstrate that MRS-2541 inhibits the above-mentioned organisms. Synergy experiments with MRS-2541 and existing antibiotics will be performed and results will be presented at the symposium. These results will further define the spectrum of activity as well as synergy of MRS-2541, allowing new insight into its candidacy for clinical trials. As a novel antibiotic candidate, the development of MRS-2541 will help address the increase in antibiotic resistance among Gram positive bacterial infections.

The Kodiak Archipelago in southern Alaska has a rich archaeological heritage that has fascinated archaeologists and local communities for decades. Despite the presence of many archaeological research projects, archaeobotanical remains found during excavation have yet to be analyzed. The archaeobotanical remains recovered from the Kodiak Archipelago have often gone overlooked by archaeologists who considered preservation too poor in the wet climate and focused instead on fauna from shell-midden sites or other cultural artifacts. The Tanginak Spring site on Sitkalidak Island in southeast Kodiak was excavated by University of Washington field schools between 1994 and 2003. It is considered one of the oldest identified sites on the archipelago, dating to 7500-6000 cal BP. Sediment samples taken during these excavations were retrieved, floated, sorted, and identified by the archaeobotany class at the University of Washington. This poster presents the initial results of the analysis of wood charcoal and other preserved plant remains from the site, providing evidence to develop new insights into plant use by Kodiak’s earliest settlers.

Wildfire smoke is a significant environmental health risk for Latino agricultural workers, particularly in Washington State counties with high concentrations of both agricultural activity and smoke exposure, such as Yakima, Chelan, and Douglas. Young workers face unique and poorly understood risks due to potential biological susceptibility and a lack of safety communication tailored to their demographic.

This project explores how social media interventions can reach at-risk populations during smoke emergencies. A short Spanish-language video was developed to deliver protective guidance for agricultural workers in a clear, culturally relevant format. As the first in a planned series of short-form videos, this content promotes protective mask use and introduces key health messages in an engaging, accessible way. Designed for platforms such as TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, the video serves as an entry point to a broader educational campaign launching during the 2025 wildfire season.

This pilot will test the reach and engagement of short-form content among younger audiences, who may be less responsive to traditional public health channels. Engagement metrics—including views, likes, shares, and viewer retention—will be collected and analyzed to assess effectiveness and guide refinements in message design and delivery.

Insights from this evaluation will inform a summer campaign focused on improving wildfire smoke safety through practical, culturally grounded messaging. The campaign aims to promote protective behaviors and reinforce employer responsibilities under occupational health regulations. By integrating community-informed design and real-time platform analytics, this work contributes to the development of scalable tools for occupational risk communication and supports ongoing efforts to protect vulnerable workers during wildfire smoke events.

Cortical tracking, a method that examines how neural activity encodes the dynamic features of the incoming speech stimuli, allows for the study of naturally produced continuous speech. Successful encoding of acoustic features is fundamental for language processing and comprehension. Studies show that cortical tracking of at least some acoustic speech features is already robust in the first year of life. However, it is unclear whether bilingual infants exhibit enhanced cortical tracking of non-native languages compared to monolingual infants, consistent with the idea of having a "bilingual advantage" as suggested in prior research. To investigate this, we recorded neural responses from 11-month-old English learning monolinguals, English-Mandarin learning bilinguals, and two mature comparison groups of English monolingual and English-Mandarin bilingual adults, while they listen to naturally produced, continuous, infant directed speech using electroencephalography (EEG) in three conditions: English, Mandarin, and Vietnamese. Stimuli were presented at an overall level of 70 dB SPL in a sound-attenuated booth. Using a combination of machine learning and linear modeling (i.e., Multivariate Temporal Response Function approach), we analyze the EEG signals using a multivariate encoding model consisting of acoustic features including envelope, envelope derivative, word onset, and phoneme onset. We hypothesize that both bilingual adults and infants will exhibit enhanced encoding of acoustic features in Vietnamese compared to monolingual adults and infants, indicating bilingual advantage in processing a third language. Additionally, we anticipate the bilingual advantage to be more prominent in infants than adults. These findings will contribute to the understanding of how bilingualism influences neural encoding across different languages and provide neural evidence of bilingual advantage in processing and acquiring a third language. I participated in study design, recruitment, data acquisition and analysis.

Sensory signal processes (specifically how visual systems perform) function under the limits imposed by physics. One such physical limit comes in the detection of light. Light is divided into discrete amounts of energy called photons. Because of this division, light is inherently variable and operates under such variance sets on the retina. So far, the only thing studied in low light is if our system can detect the existence of a flash or dim light, but not deduction of movement and time information. Through measurements of the flicker fusion frequency, rod cells have been understood historically as having extremely poor temporal resolution. This suggested that the ability to detect moving objects– which relies on timing information– would be poor at low light levels. Through extracellular electrophysiological experiments conducted using a 512-channel multi-electrode array, I recorded the electrical activity of neural firing from a population of retinal ganglion cells in the primate retina to show that there is high temporal precision in star-light levels due to compensatory mechanisms in the retinal ganglion cells and adjunct circuits. Since we currently do not yet have any definitive understanding of the cellular-level population dynamics that explain the internal mechanisms and physiology in the retina that allow for this behavioral sensitivity and adaptation, developing this understanding of how a population of cells in the retina work together to detect and encode the motion of moving objects during a given time interval will be pertinent to furthering the field’s understanding of the internal mechanisms of the retina.

Undocumented youth are a highly politicized group in the United States and Israel, two nations who are themselves composed mostly of recent migrants. Recently, Israel and the United States introduced temporary policies to attempt to address the "issue" of undocumented youth. In 2006, Israel enacted the Temporary Arrangement for Grant of Status for Children of Illegal Residents (TAGS) policy. This one-time program granted legal residence to undocumented youth in Israel. Just six years later, President Obama announced the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a policy that granted undocumented youth protections from deportation, a work permit, and sometimes access to certain benefits. In this study, I conduct a comparative analysis of DACA and TAGS to evaluate how both states restrict and expand pathways to citizenship for undocumented youth. I conducted a literature review of the policies and experiences of undocumented youth utilizing large research organizations such as the Migration Policy Institute, academic journals such as the International Journal of Intercultural Relations, and local news sources such as Haaretz and i24News. I argue that through their limited criteria and application, both policies function as a "gatekeeping" mechanism, creating a liminal status of citizenship through their narrow eligibility criteria and temporality. These policies also contribute to state-building through reinforcing a hierarchy of 'deservingness' and belonging in both States (Lee, 2004). As the relationship between the US and Israel continues to evolve and undocumented migration continues to be a politically charge topic, it is pertinent that undocumented youth, one of the most vulnerable groups, continue to be a topic of study.

Brains can somehow maintain functionality despite significant neuron loss. However, we do not yet fully understand what factors contribute to this robustness or under what conditions brains become fragile to neuron loss. Research in our lab has identified two types of neurons: those that, when removed, lead to large changes in the network’s expected activity patterns, and those that do not appear to be so critical. My research aims to address this gap. I study the network properties that confer robustness in an ideal system: the Drosophila fly, the most complex organism with a fully mapped brain at ~140,000 neurons. I am focusing on one particular brain region, the Antennal Motor and Mechanosensory Center (AMMC), because it is a primary sensory region that receives direct connections from the fly’s ear (the antennae) and contributes to auditory-driven behaviors such as courtship, which we can easily measure.  I have found that many anatomically distinct neurons share high level network properties. I hypothesize that the morphological and network properties of these neurons make them special. Here, I investigate the morphological features of several neurons, such as arborization patterns, neurotransmitter profile, and synaptic partners, and also search for genetic driver lines through a large database that will help us test the impact of these neurons in a living fly. Investigating the relationship between neural properties and robustness to removal of a neuron is crucial for developing a deeper understanding of how brain circuitry copes with injuries and the progression of neurodegenerative diseases.

Nature has long been a source of inspiration when it comes to tackling engineering challenges. Taking this inspiration from nature, our study aims to emulate the behavior of burrowing animals in order to efficiently dig into granular media. The pacific razor clam utilizes its retractable foot muscle to burrow itself while simultaneously expanding and contracting its shell to fluidize the surrounding sand. Our goal is to create a digging device that approaches the digging efficiency of pacific razor clams of 21 J/m. Our hypothesis is that the interaction of vibration and fluidization is key in burrowing performance. We built a cylindrical robotic model composed of both soft and rigid materials, equipped with a vibrational motor and a downward-facing nozzle. We adjusted the energy devoted to vibration and flow to optimize burrowing efficiency as a function of energy per depth.  Preliminary results suggest that a combination of both local fluidization and vibration improves burrowing efficiency over using them independently. We anticipate that different combinations of flow and vibration are optimal for different burrowing stages. By understanding nature's efficient digging techniques, we can create a reliable anchoring system for sensor arrays and underwater vehicles to aid in the study of our oceanic ecosystem.

Art has long been a cornerstone for revolution. Whereas there are many narratives about artistic interventions in the established norms and systems of oppression within society, there has been less investigation of how the values held within artistic spaces inspire revolutionary change. Artistic spaces produce different modes for thinking about art, its function, and how to create space for its production by all people. I researched these norms within the context of Dutch art cooperatives that emerged from squatting movements in the 1960s and 70s. My research gave me an understanding of Dutch anarchist frameworks and their implications for creating new forms of working environments that prioritize community over capital. In Seattle, I constructed an ethnography to find different values in artistic communities through interviews and experiences in those spaces. I used my research in artistic spaces to map the values held and record how those values implicate different structural frameworks. My main question is how artistic spaces produce different structures that allow for interventions into systems of oppression and to what extent they open opportunities for revolutionary change and individual growth. I measured these through qualitative findings through interviews to find the varying values held within a community and how those are associated with organizational structure. As I continue my research throughout the winter and spring, I anticipate finding the level of collectivity and revolutionary modes of thinking to be based on the organization’s histories within the arts. These findings will implicate how artistic communities vary based on geographic location and the historical norms of that community. The findings will further provide a basis for future understandings of how the arts can create spaces that allow for revolutionary questioning of norms within Seattle and beyond through a historical narrative. 

In the spring of 2024, student protesters nationwide established non-violent encampments on college campuses, demanding university divestment from military and weapons manufacturers linked to the war on Gaza. At the University of Washington (UW), the Liberated Zone (LZ), organized by a coalition of student activist groups known as the United Front (UF), occupied the Quad from May 1st to May 17th. Muslim students were highly visible in the encampment, yet often stereotyped as a monolithic group, obscuring the internal discourse on identity, activism, and civic engagement within Muslim American communities. This project documents the LZ through oral histories of five Muslim students—Palestinian and non-Palestinian—supplemented with an analysis of student news coverage and digital artifacts from Instagram pages managed by groups such as the UF and the Muslim Student Association. By examining intragroup discourse among Muslim students and intergroup conversations with non-Muslim peers, family members, and the broader Muslim community, my research explores how students navigated solidarity, intergenerational perspectives on activism, and shifting perceptions of the university as a political space. Findings will contribute to the historical memory of student activism, highlight the role of intergenerational influences in shaping political engagement, and preserve narratives often marginalized in institutional and media portrayals of campus protests.

Chronic kidney disease is projected to be the fifth leading cause of death worldwide by 2040. Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) makes up 70% of CKD cases in places such as India, Mexico, and Sri Lanka, largely through environmental factors. Ochratoxin A (OTA) accumulates in the kidney and is a nephrotoxic mycotoxin that contaminates grain products such as wheat, rice, beer, and most plant-based foods. Chronic OTA exposure has been linked to CKDu in rural agricultural areas, such as Sri Lanka. A prominent family of cell membrane transporters, Organic Anion Transporters (OATs), are one of the main drug transporter families in the kidney. Previous work in our lab elucidated that OAT1/3 and 4 are major OTA transporters. Certain antioxidants, found in common plant-based food products like green tea, coffee, and certain vegetables have been studied to reduce OTA-mediated nephrotoxicity. However, since our preliminary data indicate OAT transporter-dependent uptake into the kidney, we aim to test the competitive inhibition effect of OAT-substrate antioxidants in preventing kidney accumulation of OTA. Potential inhibitors include epicatechin gallate, miquelianan, caffeic acid, luteolin, and myricetin. Competitive inhibition in individuals consuming these products along with OTA exposure could lead to decreased uptake of OTA into the kidney, mitigating toxicity. Our preliminary uptake experiment with those inhibitors indicates that miquelianan reduces OAT3 mediated uptake of OTA by 48%. We will next assess the inhibition potential of miquelianan on OTA with an IC50 curve via mass spectrometry analysis. This study will provide evidence for a potential new mechanism of antioxidant amelioration of kidney toxicity to OTA exposure.

Ochratoxin-A (OTA) is a ubiquitous food contaminant linked to nephrotoxicity and carcinogenicity. Yet, its exposure risk and metabolic pathway in humans remain poorly understood. This research aims to investigate the intrinsic clearance of OTA in the human liver and to identify cytochrome P450 (CYP450) isozyme(s) responsible for its biotransformation. I employed a substrate depletion assay on OTA-treated human liver microsomes and used ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy to determine the kinetic parameters of clearance rates. To identify specific CYP450 isozyme(s) involved in metabolism, a parallel substrate depletion assay was conducted with recombinant CYP450 supersomes at defined intervals. Findings from this study reveal human susceptibility to OTA-induced toxicity and offers insight to our understanding to the hepatic metabolism of this widespread dietary toxin. Future research will explore human proximal-tubule specific OTA bioactivation, ultimately guiding regulatory decisions and public health interventions to reduce OTA-associated health risks.

Through the tagging and cleaving of DNA sequences in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we observe changes in MCM (minichromosome maintenance) protein recruitment, loading, and activation. The functions of MCM2-7 are critical to separate and unwind DNA in preparation for replication. In the G1 phase, MCMs are recruited and loaded to replication origins in an inactive state, within G1 cells. S phase follows, in which the CDC7/DBF4 kinase phosphorylates the MCM, allowing it to fire and initiate DNA unraveling for replication. The regulation of licensing and activation through these phases is crucial to ensure appropriate replication timing (early vs. late) in the genome. By tagging either a histone or one of the MCMs with micrococcal nuclease (MNase), I implement ChEC (chromatin endogenous cleavage) sequencing to cleave the DNA specifically where it surrounds the nucleosome or the MCM complexes. This method allows for precise mapping of the location of MCM binding sites and nucleosomes. We expect to see an increase in MCM helicase complex licensing and firing in regions occupied by less nucleosomes, resulting in regions of earlier DNA replication timing.

In vitro models (cells in a dish) are a powerful tool in toxicology, allowing for advanced research in biological mechanisms while decreasing our reliance on in vivo animal models. Reproductive development is a critical endpoint in toxicology and requires a large number of animals, making reproductive studies a priority for in vitro alternatives. The current in vitro testis models are insufficient to recapitulate human reproductive development as they still rely on cells from laboratory rodents due to low human testis tissue availability and the need to capture dynamic developmental stages. To address this, I am developing an in vitro model that recapitulates human spermatogonia development to generate human primordial germ cell-like cells (hPGCLCs) using two induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines. This approach relies on spontaneous differentiation of the iPSCs using an extracellular matrix overlay. My pilot experiments did not robustly differentiate; therefore, I adapted the protocol to first induce incipient mesoderm-like cells (iMeLCs), which are primed for differentiation to hPGCLCs. I observed distinct cell morphological differences in the iMeLCs relative to control iPSCs using phase-contrast microscopy and found increased expression of Vimentin in the iMeLCs using immunocytochemistry. I am completing additional experiments to visualize expression of the mesoderm marker Brachyury, proliferative marker ki67, and primordial germ cell markers ki67 and SOX17. Using these iMeLCs I will follow the overlay protocol to derive hPGCLCs. I will assess the hPGCLC phenotype using flow cytometry for TFAP2C, a marker of PGCs. The hPGCLCs will then be cocultured with primary testis tissue to drive development towards spermatogonia-like cells (SpLCs), determined by expression of DDX4. The primary tissue will include our labs standard rodent model, as well as human tissue from collaborators at the UW Male Fertility Lab. Developing a fully human in vitro model system will be a powerful tool to study infertility.

Our understanding of atomic physics has driven technology for the past century, but we still know shockingly little about the internal structure of protons and atomic nuclei. Studying quarkonium production in high-energy electron-proton collisions is a potential gateway into probing the mysterious glue that binds nucleons together. In this research we compute the cross section for heavy quarkonium production in nuclear deep inelastic scattering at small-x within the nonrelativistic quantum chromodynamics framework. Our methods decompose the process into independent leptonic and hadronic processes and includes octet contributions from S and P wave states. We employ quantum electrodynamics Feynman Rules to solve the leptonic process, and compute the short distance coefficients for the production of the heavy quark pair within the framework of the Color Glass Condensate effective field theory, which accounts for the effects of multiple interactions of the heavy quark pair with the nucleus at all orders. Our results provide insights into the kinematics of quarkonium production at the future Electron-Ion Collider at BNL.

Despite widespread drug abuse, treatment options for people in recovery are oftentimes ineffective, as current research fails to cover the full range of the ways in which opioid, stimulant, or other substance contribute to substance use disorders. The goal of our study is to model how polysubstance use disorders operate in the human brain utilizing a translational rat model of addiction. 64 rats were assigned into single or polysubstance cohorts. Each rat was implanted with a jugular catheter, allowing a controlled dose of methamphetamine or fentanyl to be self-administered through a lever press, along with a drug-associated cue light. The cohorts completed a 3 week period of self-administration, followed by extinction, modeling withdrawal and abstinence. After extinction, the animals went through cue-induced reinstatement, a model of relapse. No drugs are dispensed when the lever is pressed, however the light cue continues to be used as a stimulus signal. Within a large dataset following this model, we are looking to uncover patterns related to differences in drug-taking and reinstatement behavior between the different cohorts. Correlations between the rats’ sex, polysubstance use, and other measurements of their behaviors offers a crucial lens of the more nuanced ways in which methamphetamine and fentanyl influence addiction-related behaviors. Methamphetamine and fentanyl function through distinct neural circuits, thus affecting behavior in individual and synergistic manners. To complement the current work, future studies will investigate the neurocircuitry underlying polysubstance use disorders utilizing whole brain imaging. Gaining clarity into how the nervous system responds to the interaction of both drugs present would mean the ability to develop targeted treatments options. Assuming there’s one treatment that works to treat all polysubstance addictions minimizes individual experiences and ignores the reality that we need to better understand the neurobehavioral aspects of addiction so people can get accurate and effective help.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa commonly colonizes cystic fibrosis (CF) lungs, causing persistent infections even under novel CFTR modulator therapies such as elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor (ETI). While antibiotic resistance and patient-specific factors partly explain this persistence, bacterial adaptation to post-ETI conditions likely plays a critical role. Previous findings of functional shifts in bacterial variants point to underlying genotypic changes, yet the genomic basis for P. aeruginosa’s persistence remains insufficiently defined. This work aims to identify the genetic adaptations enabling P. aeruginosa to persist in CF lungs despite the improved airway environment afforded by ETI. We developed a method combining temporal allele frequency shifts and cross-patient recurrence to identify selection. My preliminary analysis revealed algG, a gene involved in alginate biosynthesis, as a promising candidate showing multiple signatures of positive selection. First, algG mutations increased in frequency across two-thirds of sampled individuals. Second, the phylogenetic analysis demonstrated the parallel evolution of algG mutations within individual hosts. Third, statistical testing showed significant enrichment for non-synonymous mutations in algG, indicating protein-altering changes are favored. I am extending this work by developing null models to quantify the significance of observed parallel evolution both within and between hosts, and using protein structural prediction to evaluate the functional impact of identified mutations. This research provides novel insights into bacterial adaptation mechanisms during CF treatment and may guide the development of more effective therapies targeting P. aeruginosa persistence. The findings will enhance our understanding of pathogen evolution within human hosts and have implications for improving treatment outcomes for CF patients. 

Commercial pet food (CPF) is not what most people think it is. In the U.S. about 90% of pet owners raise their dogs on CPF, claimed to be complete and nutritionally balanced. Major pet food companies make efforts to hide the fact that their products consist of contaminants such as heavy metals, aflatoxins, heterocyclic amines, and acrylamides. As investigated by Dr. Richard Pitcairn, feeding CPF to animals increases chances of developing cancer and other degenerative diseases. Due to toxins combined with insufficient nutrients, CPF is likely a major factor negatively affecting dogs’ physical health, shortening healthspan (period in life considered healthy), and causing premature deaths. Top causes of death in dogs are illnesses in which veterinarians generally prescribe drugs to treat only the symptoms of these common ailments. However, a focused approach to reduce dog’s susceptibility to disease, by eliminating the potential root cause, should be considered instead. This literature review investigates various threats posed by CPF by analyzing its risk factors and their impact on dogs’ healthspan. Returning dogs' natural diet by including living, raw, nutrient dense food may be the answer in improving dogs’ overall health and lengthening healthspan. Eliminating the overly processed, cooked, and toxic feed and transitioning to a diet of raw food as an alternative poses a chance to reduce common indicators of illness, ultimately resulting in fewer stressful vet visits and allowing owners to spend more time with their pets. Identifying the research gap surrounding the ambiguity of the effects of contaminants in CPF on dog health, this analysis helps to urge studies to be conducted on these contaminants to further pave the path towards creating a healthier dog diet; in addition to prompting more unbiased research on what types of diets are most efficient and effective at maximizing dogs’ healthspan.

In the developing brain of a fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster), neural stem cells, called neuroblasts, divide to produce new cells that will become neurons. These divisions follow strict biological rules, but because many factors influence how and when neuroblasts divide, predicting their behavior is challenging. While lab experiments provide crucial insights, they are often limited in how many conditions can be tested at once (genetic, physical, or otherwise). To address these limitations, we developed an agent-based computer model that simulates neuroblast divisions and their interactions with neighboring cells. Our model allows exploration of different conditions to predict how neuroblasts behave in complex environments. This work focuses on three key hypotheses about neuroblast behavior: (1) post stem cell division, the larger cells are more likely to remain as stem cells, (2) the cell positioned on top during division will keep its stem cell identity, and (3) clustering of differentiated neural cells on the membrane of a neuroblast suppresses their division. To investigate these hypotheses, we examine emergent behaviors in our model through size-based, location-based, and clustering-based differentiation rules. By adjusting parameters such as cell placement, division timing, and proximity to other neuroblasts, we analyze how these factors influence neuroblast fate. We validate model predictions against experimental data by comparing division patterns observed in simulations to those seen in Drosophila brains through live imaging. By combining computational modeling with experimental data, this work provides a framework for understanding the factors responsible for neural development. Our findings will refine existing models of neural stem cell behavior and help guide future experiments, making it easier to uncover the fundamental rules of brain development.

Multitasking, such as walking and talking, is common for humans and other animals, yet we are limited in how many behaviors we can perform simultaneously. The neural circuit mechanisms that limit multitasking are not well understood. Uncovering these mechanisms will help us understand how brains combine some, but not all, behaviors during normal function, but also in the context of aging and neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, where multitasking gets compromised. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster walks and “sings” by vibrating a wing during courtship, in a natural example of multitasking. These stereotyped behaviors are controlled by a relatively simple brain, which can be experimentally driven via artificial stimulation of key neurons, making the fly an amenable model to study multitasking. I therefore developed a platform to record and manipulate the interaction between locomotion and “singing”. I will activate sing-inducing neurons during two contexts, when flies are stationary (single-tasking) vs. moving (multitasking). I hypothesize that singing characteristics will change depending on context. For example, multitasking may decrease the likelihood of singing because the fly’s nervous system is “busy” controlling locomotion. Alternatively, locomotor context may make it easier to drive wing vibrations because of the higher activity levels in the circuits involved. My results will therefore help uncover how neural circuit interactions shape an animal’s ability to multitask.

The retina is a layer of neurons on the back of the eye that sense light and relay visual information to the brain. Our goal is to understand the role of epigenetic repression in retinal cell development by focusing on the polycomb complex, a complex of many proteins that repress gene expression through deposition of the H3K27me3 mark on histones. The goal of my project is to learn how the polycomb complex influences retinal development by altering specific aspects of the complex’s activity and observing how these alterations influence cell fate, using two complementary model systems: fetal-derived retinospheres and stem cell-derived retinal organoids. To perturb different aspects of the polycomb complex, I have treated retinospheres with Gskj4, a UTX inhibitor, and BRM014, a BAF inhibitor. During development, UTX is responsible for removing H3K27me3 so genes that are silenced can be expressed. When I added Gsjk4 to 135-day old retinospheres, I observed that cell proliferation decreased, and more cells expressed the marker OTX2, indicating an upregulation of either bipolar or photoreceptor cell differentiation. These data indicate that H3K27me3 removal is critical for proper specification of retinal cell types. BRM014 inhibits BAF, an ATP-dependent chromatin remodeler that has been shown to be recruited by UTX to remove nucleosomes and initiate transcription. When I added BRM014 to day 135 retinospheres, I also observed an increase in the expression of OTX2, similarly indicating an upregulation of either bipolar or photoreceptor cell differentiation. From these experiments, we conclude that removal of H3K27me3 is necessary for proper retinal cell specification and development. A better understanding of epigenetic regulation during retinal development will allow us to develop therapies to regenerate damaged retina lost in blinding diseases and restore sight to patients.

6PPD-Quinone (6PPD-Q) is a toxic transformation product of the tire rubber additive, 6PPD, that has been identified as the primary cause of Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) mortality in watersheds impacted by roadway runoff. Recent studies have focused on quantifying the lethal concentration of 6PPD-Q, identifying the major sources, and predicting the environmental release from rubber products. Organic chemical release from solids is typically evaluated with solvent extraction where organic solvent and solid are contacted, releasing the leachable chemicals for measurement. However, different solvents and methods introduce inconsistencies in leaching data from different laboratories. This study evaluates the impact of solvent choice on 6PPD-Q extraction from crumb rubber. I will quantify 6PPD-Q concentrations in methanol, ethyl acetate, or acetone during storage after rubber extractions. Determining the best solvent for 6PPD-Q that promotes the most recovery and stability is essential for data quality. After this study, desorption and resorption rates of 6PPD-Q onto various crumb rubbers will be measured.  These studies aim to improve study design for leaching assessments and enhance our understanding of the persistence and mobility of 6PPD-Q in the environment.

Biological structures by necessity are often optimized for multi-functionality. Northern gannets (Morus bassanus) have developed the ability to plunge-dive into water at speeds of up to 70 mph in pursuit of fish, surviving high impact loads and yet maintaining maneuverability. Their long, slender, and segmented necks are the opposite of current engineered structures anticipated to resist compressive forces. The goal of the study is to emulate impact survivability afforded by this unconventional design by establishing the mathematical and engineering principles behind observed diving bird morphology. We take inspiration from the musculoskeletal system of the gannets’ necks to examine the effects of muscle connectivity and initial shape on wave propagation in segmented structures. Our study goes beyond previous engineering investigations of water impact that are limited to single segmentation and simple connectivity. We create an experimental setup to systematically evaluate energy distribution with a focus on the initial shape and complex muscle connections. Based on open literature, the findings are the first to show how segmented structures can provide passive control of energy propagation to stabilize structures during impact. Understanding these dynamics allows for engineering of novel multifunctional lightweight structures that passively absorb shock or vibration, allowing maneuverability without compromising performance under compression.

CdCr₂X₄ and ZnCr₂X₄ (X = S, Se) spinels are ferromagnetic semiconductors, with reported bandgaps between 1.3-2.5 eV. With the advent of spintronic devices, a renewed technological interest in materials with coupled magnetic and optical properties has caused a resurgence in the study of these magneto-optically active spinels. Despite prevailing interest in their magnetic structure, the semiconductor luminescence of these materials is not well studied. We have prepared these materials in-house to study the magneto-optical coupling of this bandgap transition. We are also beginning to prepare these materials as nanocrystals for the first time as a way of accessing alloyed and shelled varieties. We started by synthesizing the non-magnetic In³⁺-based analogous sulfide and selenide spinels as nanocrystals, establishing a starting point to prepare the Cr³⁺-based spinels. We then introduced Cr³⁺ ions, which occupy the In³⁺ sites, into the lattice during the solution-phase synthesis. We aim to make the pure chromium-based nanocrystal spinels, along with a concentration range of Cr³⁺ ions in the In³⁺-based lattice. Our goal is to explore the relationship between the Cr³⁺ concentration gradient and the magneto-optical properties of these materials. We have characterized the composition and optical bandgap energies of these spinels with X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence, and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. We have begun tuning the bandgap energy of the nanocrystals by preparing mixed anion alloys with different ratios of Se and S ions (i.e. CdCr₂(Se_1-xS_x)₄; ZnCr₂(Se_1-xS_x)₄) and examining the bandgap shift with photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy. Future work includes utilizing magnetic circularly polarized luminescence (MCPL) to probe the magnetization of the lattice emission, letting us conclude how the optical properties of the semiconductor are coupled to its magnetism.

Substance use disorders are a devastating global issue and using multiple substances simultaneously has become common among drug users. Polysubstance use has been linked with higher rates of mortality, overdose, and relapse when compared to single substance use. There is currently little research on how using multiple substances simultaneously affects behavior and motivation to take drugs. Our goal is to better understand the motivations of drug seeking and consumption in rats with a history of polysubstance use compared to rats with a history of single substance use. Rats (n=18 male,18 female) were implanted with jugular catheters and trained to press a lever for an infusion of either 0.0015 mg/kg/infusion of fentanyl (fentanyl-only: FENT) or 0.1mg/kg/infusion of methamphetamine (methamphetamine-only: METH), or both (polysubstance: POLY). The rats then underwent a behavioral economics threshold test, in which the concentrations of fentanyl and methamphetamine were decreased over ten days in an attempt to determine the level of effort and motivation for the drug at each dose. The FENT and METH rats only underwent the behavior economics test for one drug and POLY rats were randomly assigned to either fentanyl or methamphetamine. Our preliminary results suggest that polysubstance use increases the motivation for consuming fentanyl but not methamphetamine; however, sample sizes are small right now and further analysis is needed. In future experiments, we will image the brains of these rats using light sheet microscopy to map the neurocircuit activation that may point to differences between polysubstance and single substance use. Understanding the differences between polysubstance and single-substance use is imperative for designing effective treatment plans that address the motivations behind drug use.

Organs-on-a-chip (OOAC) are biomimetic systems that replicate the physiological environments of human organs at a micro-scale. They are gaining industry acceptance due to their ability to control critical parameters including shear stress, concentration gradients, and cell-biofluid interactions. By mimicking the behavior of human organs, OOACs are transforming how pharmacokinetics, physiological, and toxicological studies are performed, offering a more relevant model than animal-based studies. Our studies focus on how drugs and toxins affect the human kidney, a crucial organ for processing medications and filtering out harmful compounds. A key component of kidney OOACs is a hydrogel, which provides a structural scaffold and a biological substrate for cells. The hydrogel consists of rat tail Collagen I (Col-I) and specialized cell culture media (PTEC and 199 (10x)). The media mimics the extracellular fluids that surround kidney cells in the body, providing a more realistic environment for cell growth/interaction. Collagen IV (Col-IV) is the most abundant protein in kidney tissue but lacks structural rigidity. A combination of these materials is crucial for achieving a more accurate representation of kidney structure and function. While adding more matrix to the hydrogel improves the model’s ability to replicate the native environment, it is challenging to maintain structural stability, hence the need for a stabilizing agent. The aim of this project is to determine the proximal tubule epithelial cell (PTEC) viability of a mixed collagen I and IV matrix. At this stage, we have shifted from determining optimal collagen ratios to evaluating cell viability. By refining these models with optimized kidney extracellular matrices, the Kelly-Yeung lab aims to develop OOAC systems that better predict how drugs, toxins, and diseases impact human kidneys. This progress will lead to more effective and personalized treatments, as well as a reduction in reliance on animal testing. 

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by microvascular (MV) changes due, in part, to basement membrane (BM) alterations. Collagen IV (Col IV), a key BM structural protein, is often found near amyloid-beta (Aβ) deposition in AD, but their relationship remains unclear. Our project investigates how Aβ binding and removal using lecanemab (mAb158) affects MV structure and Col IV in 5xFAD mice, an AD model with extensive brain Aβ deposition. We hypothesized that Aβ removal disrupts Col IV, increasing MV damage and hemorrhage risk. Six-month-old 5xFAD male mice were treated weekly for eight weeks with mAb158 10mg/kg, mAb158 20mg/kg, or isotype control. A fourth group consisted of wild-type (WT) mice (n=4/group). We stained brain sections with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) for acute hemorrhages and Prussian blue (PB) for subacute hemorrhages. Additionally, I performed immunohistochemistry using collagen hybridizing peptide (CHP) for Col IV degradation and antibody 6E10 for Aβ deposition. In our preliminary results, H&E and PB indicated no acute or subacute hemorrhages in any of the groups. CHP levels were highest at 10 mg/kg, while 20mg/kg and isotype groups had levels similar to or slightly lower than the WT group. Contrastingly, Aβ decreased at 10 mg/kg but increased at 20 mg/kg, and was consistently higher in the lower cortex than in the upper cortex. All non-WT mice exhibited extensive Aβ deposition, suggesting that the late start to treatment reduced efficacy. Concurrently, our co-investigator observed increased blood-brain-barrier (BBB) leakage at 20 mg/kg, but not at 10 mg/kg. Overall, this pilot informs how Aβ-targeting antibodies affect Aβ deposits, Col IV structure, and BBB integrity during AD treatment. Ongoing studies with younger 5xFAD mice (n=10/group), treated from four-months-old for 12 weeks, will further define effects of Aβ on MV structure.