Latine people constitute the largest minority in the US, yet the prevalence of diabetes within the Latine community is nearly twice that of White Americans. Latine populations also experience food insecurity at higher rates than the national average, which heightens their risk for chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes (T2D). While nutritional counseling is critical for T2D care, there is limited research on the barriers to effective counseling, especially for minoritized identities. Understanding how Latine patients relate to counseling and barriers to adherence is an urgent health concern with significant implications for addressing health disparities. This study investigates both micro (e.g., provider pathologization of culturally relevant foods) and macro (e.g., food access) barriers to following nutritional guidance for Latine people with T2D. Previous research in South Asian communities shows providers pathologize culturally relevant foods, leading to poor metabolic control, increased complications, higher healthcare costs, and lower quality of life. Food insecurity exacerbates outcomes, with food-insecure diabetic patients reporting less control over their diets despite understanding dietary requirements. However, these barriers remain unexplored for Latine people with diabetes in the US healthcare context. Through a qualitative study in Greater Seattle, we seek to understand the experiences of Latine people managing T2D by conducting structured interviews on barriers to following nutritional counseling. Content analysis uncovers themes related to micro and macro barriers. We aim to enhance culturally competent healthcare to overcome barriers preventing Latine people with T2D from following nutritional guidance. By amplifying the voices of Latine patients, we can inform providers on more effective ways to interact with this population and develop tailored care plans.

Parents play a significant role in shaping adolescent alcohol use. The specific role of adolescent decisional freedom—the extent to which adolescents independently make decisions— has yet to be examined. I conducted a brief literature review on adolescent decisional freedom, and this study explores its links with alcohol use within distinct developmental periods. Data from baseline to year 6 follow-up of the National Consortium on Alcohol and NeuroDevelopment in Adolescence study (N=831) were tested for cross-sectional associations between decisional freedom and alcohol use phenomenology (i.e., drinking days per average month, past month alcohol consumption, quantity of drinks during average drinking period, and binge drinking days in the past year and month). Separate models were tested for early adolescence (ages 12-14), middle adolescence (ages 15-17), late adolescence (ages 19-20), and emerging adulthood (ages 21-24). Adolescent decisional freedom was measured using a self-report 5-point Likert scale across distinct domains (e.g., spending money, drinking alcohol, time spent with friends). Gender and age of first drink were covariates, and each model examined associations between decisional freedom and gender. Regression results consistently linked lower decisional freedom to lower alcohol use across all phenomenology in early adolescence (bs ≤ −.41, ps < .01). For middle adolescence, the protective effect of limiting decisional freedom only emerged for drinking days per average month (b = −.29, p < .01) and quantity of drinks during average drinking period (b = −.46, p = .001). In early and late adolescence, the association between lower decisional freedom and fewer past month binge drinking days was stronger for boys (bs ≥ 0.43, ps < .05). These findings suggest that increasing control over early adolescents’ decisional freedom, particularly for boys, and flexibly granting greater decisional freedom over time may protect adolescents from harmful decisions associated with alcohol use.

Diabetes mellitus is a rapidly growing metabolic disease, marked by abnormal functioning and inability to adequately regulate insulin production, which is responsible for the conversion of glucose into energy. The pathology of diabetes has been extensively investigated in the biomedical literature, but biosocial factors have yet to be explored with equal significance. A small body of emerging genetic and biosocial studies of South Asians with diabetes suggests that specific biomarkers, shaped by negative environmental influences, may heighten risk factors and lead to a high prevalence of diabetes mellitus in South Asians. South Asians, in particular, exhibit profound susceptibility to developing diabetes relative to other ethnic groups. This remains a small body of literature, signifying a need for more culturally competent research and raising awareness of the topic itself. The first half of the oral presentation will briefly highlight the main themes and findings of current biosocial literature regarding South Asians with diabetes, exploring possible factors, including genetic and environmental influences through South Asian history (e.g., famine, malnutrition, and chronic stress). The second half of the presentation will reference the literature, highlighting statements from South Asians with diabetes on their lived experiences navigating healthcare spaces. Following this, an open dialogue will generate ideas on how to implement initiatives that could lead to better outcomes, such as improved South Asian patient satisfaction. This research presentation aims to launch a necessary dialogue on diabetes within South Asians, while establishing a critical overview of the existing data and current cultural perceptions. Keywords: diabetes, epigenetics, genetic expressions, cultural perceptions, famine, environmental stressors, South Asians, Indian Asians. 

Recent research suggests an association between comprehensive sex education and improved sexual health–demonstrated by lowered rates of STIs and teen pregnancy and higher rates of contraceptive use in states with comprehensive sex education as compared to states without comprehensive sex education. However, there is still an overall dearth of literature regarding the association of sex education legislation and relationship health. Some data suggests that education programs can have effects on relationship health, such as gender equality education programs that predict lower levels of intimate partner violence. Our project aimed to provide insight into how sex education legislation is associated with relationship health indicators by examining the relationship between legislative requirements and relationship health outcomes. We ran a series of t-tests and point biserial correlations, comparing states with comprehensive sex education and those with abstinence only education requirements, and found significant group differences in teen birth rates and STI rates. We also analyzed the association between legislation requiring medically accurate sex education and sexual health outcomes, and found no significant associations. We similarly did not find any significant associations between the requirement of consent in sex education legislation and intimate partner violence rates. Our significant results align with prior literature indicating that comprehensive sex education is associated with lower rates of sexual health outcomes like teen pregnancy and STI rates. Our non-significant findings are more difficult to interpret and could be influenced by limitations in our research, including inadequate sample size and a lack of publicly available databases on variables that accurately operationalize relationship health. Future research might conduct new surveys on relationship health indicators such as happiness, trust, and satisfaction within each state to better operationalize relationship health. These results can inform policy development around sex education in a direction that promotes higher-quality public health outcomes.

Human activity continues to significantly affect nature, expanding its area of influence via multiple sources. Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a major source of this human interference, originating from urban areas, roadways, and streetlights. Its influence is widespread, disrupting not only ecosystems but also the development, population size, life expectancy, and reproduction of plants and animals. We worked with house crickets (Acheta domesticus) to test whether and how exposure to ALAN throughout juvenile development altered behavior, development, and reproductive investment in the form of maternal hormone provisioning compared to crickets that experienced no light pollution. Here we report that lifelong exposure to ALAN affects cricket development and may influence the hormone provisioning to eggs by female crickets. However, ALAN had no effect on the behavior or movements of crickets. While our result is consistent with some previous findings in animal systems, it contradicts others: we conclude that the influence of light pollution on animal physiology and behavior is likely nuanced, and its effects are dependent on life history, development stage, and ecology.

Some older individuals exhibit the pathological hallmarks (i.e., amyloid-beta plaques and tau-containing neurofibrillary tangles) of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) yet remain cognitively intact, a phenomenon known as resilience. Microglia, the primary immune cells of the central nervous system are important for clearance of debris and responding to injury in the brain. When exposed to aggregated proteins, they can release inflammatory molecules toxic to neurons.  Because neuroinflammation has been implicated in neurodegeneration, understanding how microglia interact with Aβ could provide insight into immune mechanisms that support cognitive preservation despite AD pathology. In patients with AD who have dementia, it is known that their microglia cluster around amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques which possibly contribute to damaging inflammation.  Whether microglia in resilient individuals share the same relationship to plaque is unknown. This study investigated whether microglia in resilient individuals differ in their spatial relationship to amyloid plaques compared to non-resilient individuals in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Using confocal montage images from postmortem human brain tissue where immunofluorescence stained for Iba1+ microglia and PanAβ+ Aβ plaques, I quantified the proportion of microglia clustering around Aβ in three groups: 1) individuals with symptomatic AD, 2) cognitively intact individuals with AD pathology (resilient), and 3) cognitively intact individuals with no/low AD pathology (resistant). By generating 2D surface reconstructions, I measured microglia-Aβ overlap and proximity to assess colocalization patterns. I identified differences in microglia-Aβ colocalization between these three groups. This approach can help understand how microglial interactions with Aβ may contribute to resilience mechanisms and could inform novel therapeutic strategies for AD.

Play is a fundamental aspect of a child’s development. However, many toys on the market require fine motor skills for children to interact with them, creating barriers for those with varying physical abilities. This highlights the need for accessible play technology, such as adapted toys activated by an accessible switch. Unfortunately, these toys are often expensive and difficult to customize. To fill this gap, we developed the Switch Kit – a low-cost, customizable solution for accessible play. The Switch Kit includes: (1) interactive media created in Scratch; (2) an input device that connects to switches, functioning like a keyboard; and (3) various low-cost, easy-to-make accessible switches. To evaluate the usefulness of the Switch Kit, 10 early intervention providers were given a kit to use with their clients for 4-6 weeks. I hypothesized that a child’s clinical presentation would impact their game play, including the type of game providers selected for their client. To differentiate them, I used quantitative interaction metrics logged from the deployment through Scratch, which tracked measures such as duration of each switch press, the number of switch presses, and games played. Providers used the Switch Kit with 10 children with cerebral palsy, 3 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and 7 children with global developmental delay. Children with cerebral palsy had the highest switch press rate, while children with Autism Spectrum Disorder had the lowest. This may indicate that children with ASD are less engaged with the Switch Kit in its current form. This research emphasizes the need for tailored game designs to boost engagement, and offers guidance for providers and families when shaping future game design strategies. 

Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has revolutionized immunotherapy for blood cancers, achieving unprecedented outcomes for many patients. However, variability in treatment responses—ranging from complete remission to relapse or severe side effects—remains a critical challenge. Mathematical and computational models that have been calibrated to experimental data can help to predict treatment efficacy and inform personalized therapeutic strategies. Working with Dr. Konstantinos Mamis (UW Applied Mathematics) and Dr. Katherine Owens (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center), Rohan Pandey and Ray Chen (UW ACMS Department) employ models consisting of systems of ordinary differential equations (ODEs)- to simulate tumor and CAR T-cell dynamics. Though several prior mathematical models analyzing the interactions between CAR T-cells, tumor cells, and effector cells under varying treatment conditions exist, there has not been a systematic comparison of models representing competing mechanistic hypotheses against data from patients undergoing CAR T-cell treatment and/or chemotherapy. For two existing mathematical models, we explore the practical identifiability of model parameters using synthetic data and a population approach with nonlinear mixed effects implemented in Monolix. Furthermore, we calibrate the model parameters to real data from 10 patients with B-cell acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL) and identify the most accurate and parsimonious of the existing models. Finally, we determine and study the effect of key variables that largely influence patient responses to therapy, including those associated with sustained remission or relapse. This computational oncology work has the potential to inform strategies for optimal CAR T-cell therapy, improve patient outcomes, and further innovation in cancer treatment.

Self-exploration and mobility are crucial parts of a child’s development. Young children with Down syndrome experience movement delays compared to typically developing peers. The use of mobility aids, such as gait trainers and orthotics, has been shown to support these children with increasing their mobility. However, there remains a distinct lack of research on children with Down syndrome’s use of mobility aids. Therefore, this study examines children’s exploration in the Permobil Explorer Mini, a powered mobility device meant to facilitate self-exploration. In particular, this study compared changes in exploration as measured by distance traveled when using an Explorer Mini with a standardized rigid seat and a dynamic soft seat. During play sessions their movement was tracked using synchronized video cameras and a region-of-interest movement-tracking algorithm. This data, combined with annotations from the sessions, was used to determine if there is a significant difference in exploration between the rigid and dynamic seats. I expect there to be a significant increase in distance traveled with the dynamic seat than with the rigid seat due to its increased flexibility, comfort, and adjustment for children. The results of this study will help to expand research on mobility aids in promoting self-autonomy for young children with disabilities. These results can also aid in improving future mobility aid designs to ensure greater comfort for the children using them.

Tooth whitening is a rapidly growing sector in oral health, yet the interactions between chemical whitening products and the tooth microstructure remain complex and not fully understood. This study investigates how natural changes in the enamel microstructure and composition with age affect tooth whitening efficacy. Specifically, we are looking at the enamel of teeth from different age groups that are treated with the whitening agents potassium hydroxide (KOH) and bleach (NaOCl). Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman Spectroscopy, we assess key compositional parameters, including organic-mineral ratios and carbonate-phosphate ratios, as both techniques reveal characteristic spectral “fingerprints” of enamel. Preliminary results indicate observable changes in the molecular structure of enamel post-treatment, emphasizing the need for balancing product efficacy with enamel preservation. This research not only advances tooth whitening technologies but also contributes to broader dental care practices for a range of ages, ensuring safer and more effective dental products for consumers.

Alcohol and cannabis are associated with increased rates of sexual risk behaviors, especially unprotected sex, and decreased perception of the risk involved in unprotected sex. However, little research has explored the relationship between the context of substance use (e.g., partner presence, simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use) and sexual risk behaviors. Multilevel models tested if simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use with a romantic partner present was associated with a greater likelihood of sex, sex while intoxicated, or unprotected sex compared to using only alcohol with a romantic partner present. Young adults (n=409, ages 18-25) who reported using alcohol alone at least three times and alcohol and cannabis simultaneously at least once in the last month were recruited from the Seattle area. Participants completed six two-week periods of twice-daily surveys over two years. Items measured alcohol and cannabis use, presence of others during use, whether sexual intercourse occurred, condom use, and intoxication during intercourse. Analyses were conducted on 308 participants who reported the presence of a romantic partner during use at least once. Simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use with a partner present was associated with significantly higher rates of sex while intoxicated compared to days when only alcohol was used with a partner present. No other associations were found. Although there was no increase in the likelihood of sex or unprotected sex on simultaneous use days with a partner present (versus alcohol-only days with a partner present), there was an increased likelihood of sex while intoxicated. The increased likelihood of sex while intoxicated on simultaneous use days with a partner present could lead to issues with consent and harmful emotional/psychological outcomes (e.g., guilt, regret, lowered self-esteem, worse self-image). Future work could expand the definition of sexual risk behaviors to include these outcomes of sexual encounters rather than focusing exclusively on protection.

Self-initiated mobility has multi-faceted implications for early development, influencing cognitive, social, and physical growth. Children with Down syndrome experience delayed motor milestones—learning to walk much later than their neurotypical peers—potentially resulting in a delay of their overall development. Currently, limited research describes the impact of mobility aids on the muscular development of young children, particularly those with Down syndrome. Our study aims to address this gap by comparing and analyzing muscle activation patterns in children with Down syndrome aged 12-36 months,  both with and without mobility aids. I hypothesize that mobility aid use will result in an increase of muscle activation during play. Participants engaged in 30-minute exploratory play sessions in an enriched environment with and without mobility aids. During these sessions, data was recorded using surface electromyography sensors on the legs. The data was then analyzed to identify the nuances in muscle activation across different methods of movement—both aided and unaided. Preliminary results show that muscle activity may be similar regardless of the use of mobility aids. By identifying key muscle movement patterns, this analysis could inform future designs and protocols for motor skill development in all children, including those without Down syndrome. These findings could have implications for physical therapy and the recommendation of mobility aids for pre-ambulatory young children.