Cancer Cachexia is a condition characterized by muscle wasting, functional impairment and decreased quality of life that leads to 30% of cancer-related deaths. Cytokines, proteins secreted by both the body and tumors that drive inflammatory response, are potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers for tracking disease progression. However, their role in cancer cachexia and relationship with physical function, patient-reported quality of life, and body composition have not been fully characterized. We hypothesized that in cancer patients, inflammatory cytokines would be elevated in patients with weight loss compared to weight-stable patients and inflammatory cytokines would be negatively correlated with muscle function, patient-reported outcomes and body composition. Body composition was assessed by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and X-ray computed tomography (CT). Muscle function was assessed by stair climb power, hand grip strength and one-repetition maximum (1RM) muscle strength of different muscle groups. I assessed 55 cytokine plasma levels with Mesoscale Discovery Assay kits. Preliminary analyses show that in patients with cancer, interleukin (IL)-6 is negatively correlated with CT skeletal muscle mass (r=-0.36, p<0.05, n=53), IL-8 is negatively correlated with body weight (r=-0.40, p<0.01, n=53), body mass index (r=-0.41, p<0.01, n=53), CT skeletal muscle mass and subcutaneous adipose tissue (r=-0.49, p<0.05, n=53). Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha was negatively correlated with hand grip strength (r=-0.30, p<0.05, n=53). IL-5 was positively correlated with Anderson Symptom Assessment Scale (ASAS) fatigue (r = 0.40, N = 47, p = 0.005) and ASAS total (r = 0.45, n = 47, p = 0.002). Certain cytokines are linked to worse muscle mass and function, while others correlate with better patient-reported outcomes, suggesting inflammation’s role in cachexia is complex. More research is needed to distinguish these differences for targeted therapies treating specific attributes of cachexia.

Carpels are invaluable floral organs that have undergone myriad innovations in flowering plant evolution, providing fruits and seeds. Carpels consist of a pollination site (stigma), pollen growth area (style), and a region containing ovules (ovary) which become the fruit after fertilization. Understanding carpel development and evolution is fundamental for efforts to increase food production. A decreased abundance of insect pollinators due to anthropogenic climate change has made this pursuit all the more urgent. The plant genus Thalictrum comprises perennial herbs in temperate regions that have repeatedly transitioned from insect to wind-pollination in their evolutionary history. Hence, they are ideal to investigate the adaptations and genetics that decrease reliance on insects for reproduction. A key feature of wind pollination is a longer stigmatic surface that increases pollen capture. I am taking a candidate gene approach, examining homologs of the stigma development gene families STYLISH (STY) and NGATHA (NGA). I am characterizing the role of NGA and two STYLISH gene copies in our model species, Thalictrum thalictroides. Previous work has found that silencing one of the STY gene copies results in the loss of stigma development, while the function of the other copy remains unknown. In other genera, altered NGA expression has been shown to alter stigma development. To characterize the function of both NGA and STY, I am implementing Virus-Induced gene Overexpression (VOX) by infiltrating tubers with Agrobacterium transformed with Tobacco Rattle Virus (TRV) carrying an overexpression construct. STY genes will be overexpressed, and NGA will be both overexpressed and silenced using Virus-Induced Gene Silencing (VIGS). I will characterize the phenotypes resulting from these treatments to determine the functionalization of STY and NGA. By dissecting the genetic basis of floral adaptations to wind-pollination in this system, I hope to contribute solutions to enhance crop production in the face of pollinator decline. 

Abiotic stressors are an important driver of organism survival and community structure of epifauna in aquatic environments. Stressors present in estuaries are found in a gradient, as freshwater from rivers mixes with marine water. Marine epifauna have been shown to have both bottom up and top-down controls on ecosystems, which can promote the health of seagrass meadows ecosystems. In Washington state, eelgrass (Zostera sp.) grows across a gradient from coastal waters to estuaries; do abiotic stressors within this gradient determine what epifauna communities are supported in eelgrass? To consider for structure area, 30cm x 30cm artificial turf squares were placed in eelgrass beds overnight at two sites along an estuarine gradient in Willapa Bay (Washington, USA). Epifauna were collected by rinsing turf mats with freshwater, then preserved in ethanol and identified to family level. Following identification, this data will be used to explore the difference in community abundance (univariate statistics, ANOVA) and community composition (multivariate statistics, PERMANOVA). I hypothesize that there will be a difference in epifauna community structure in eelgrass beds between sites, specifically a shift in community composition with higher richness and abundance at the site closer to the ocean. Knowledge of how abiotic stressors influence community structure over estuarine gradients may act as a model for climate change and what communities are expected to be found as abiotic stressors change. How these communities may change as environmental stressors do is important, as epifauna are prey for many bird and commercial fish species.

Birdsong in the Machine is a soundscape composition that explores the evolving relationship between natural and artificial worlds through the story of the Streaked Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris strigata), a threatened coastal songbird native to the Pacific Northwest. The central research question is: How can artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) enhance environmental storytelling to amplify the voices of endangered species and reimagine human-nature-technology relations? By integrating AI-generated audio, wildlife recordings, and digital sound processing, this project critically examines the paradoxical role of technology as both a disruptor and preserver of ecological systems. Inspired by my lifelong connection to technology and deep appreciation for the natural world, Birdsong in the Machine reflects on the impacts of technological progress on the Streaked Horned Lark. The project draws from Donna Haraway’s A Cyborg Manifesto and the works of Bernie Krause and Thom van Dooren, challenging the perceived divide between the natural and artificial. It envisions a future where these realms coexist harmoniously, fostering collaboration rather than conflict. This composition combines recordings of the lark’s song and habitat with AI-generated audio, using machine learning models to emulate and predict natural soundscapes. Digital audio processing techniques integrate these elements into a cohesive narrative. Bibliographic, archival, and ethnographic research reinforce the ecological and artistic focus of the composition. Through its juxtaposition of organic and AI-generated sounds, Birdsong in the Machine illuminates the paradox of technology’s role in ecological degradation and preservation. The soundscape fosters empathy and awareness for endangered species while reimagining relationships between humans, nature, and technology. Future directions will explore the ethical implications of using AI in ecological art and expand collaborations with scientists and digital artists. Ultimately, this piece stands as both environmental advocacy and an artistic experiment, challenging audiences to rethink their place in the interconnected natural and artificial worlds.

How do photographic archives “animalize” or “humanize” animals in enclosed cultural spaces, like museums and zoos? I analyze the work of photographers Eadweard Muybridge, George Wheelhouse, Jill Greenberg, and Britta Jaschinski, and taxidermist Damien Hirst to interrogate the terms “animalize” and “humanize” by attempting to distinguish between animal/animalized and human/humanized couplings. To understand the term “animalize” and our aversion to being likened to animals, I argue what we are so afraid of is not being animal, but occupying the attached social position—being objectified and dehumanized. In visual media, this objectification manifests through the visual capture and frozenness of animals. Meanwhile, there are two approaches to “humanization.” The conventional one—“humanization through familiarization”—engages with the similarities between humans and animals through the anthropomorphized positioning of animals. The second, less conventional approach, which I argue deserves more attention, is what I call “humanization through defamiliarization.” This concept draws on Deleuze and Guattari’s idea of “becoming animal,” entailing a direct addressal of the animal that bypasses its appropriation for aesthetic or symbolic means and presents it outside of familiar contexts. Inspired by Jaschinski whose photography of zoo animals exemplifies the process of “becoming-animal,” I created my own images of animals from the Woodland Park Zoo that are both in accordance with and a direct response to her portrayals. While the animals in her photos draw their ostensible power from the darkness of the exposure, the animals in my photos reclaim the “voracious” and “all-exposing” light with the aid of my compositional and technical choices. Finally, I discuss the politics of looking at captive animals and decenter the very medium of sight to perhaps make space for the multisensorial encounters our bodies (human and other-than-human) are capable of.

Adolescents and young adults often experience barriers to accessing inclusive, high-quality, and youth-friendly healthcare. Despite growing attention to these disparities, few standardized tools exist to assess or encourage youth-friendly practices across healthcare settings. This project, conducted under the Adolescent Health Team at the Washington State Department of Health, asks: What criteria define a youth-friendly healthcare environment, and how can these be translated into a sustainable certification model? To answer this, we employed a mixed-methods approach. We conducted a landscape review of existing youth-focused health frameworks, analyzed qualitative feedback from community partners and youth advisory groups, and iteratively developed criteria through stakeholder engagement. Branding materials and an informational flyer were designed to enhance accessibility and understanding of the certification. A draft patient satisfaction survey was also created to capture ongoing youth experiences in certified settings. Preliminary findings highlight key themes in youth feedback, such as the importance of inclusive language, provider relatability, and confidentiality and privacy in care settings. These themes directly shaped the final set of certification criteria and informed outreach materials. This work contributes to the field by piloting a novel framework for Youth-Friendly Certification in Washington State. Findings underscore the value of youth-informed design in public health initiatives and provide a replicable model for other regions seeking to improve healthcare access and equity for young people.

This project critically examines online narratives about human and more-than-human cloning, with a focus on the spread of misinformation, radicalization, conspiracies, and their dangerous impact. At first glance, discussions about human vs. more-than-human cloning differ significantly. Human cloning is commonly considered morally objectionable, with supporters often forming part of controversial communities. In contrast, more-than-human cloning frequently sparks curiosity and, in some contexts, is encouraged. It is viewed not as an "act against God" but as a testament to human intelligence and dominance. This difference in responses raises many questions: Why are responses so dissimilar? How does online discourse drive these reactions? And can these distinctions--these different understandings of personhood and "life"--reinforce or perpetuate ideologies that cause harm? To answer these questions, I examine academic explorations of cloning and compare them with ones found all across the digital sphere-from social sites such as Reddit, X (formerly known as Twitter), and 4chan, to YouTube comment sections. Using a digital, “websplorer” approach, I analyze different perspectives on cloning, ranging from the "manosphere"-- interconnected misogynist online communities, scientism, and how they relate to the more-than-human. After a critical interrogation of these perspectives, I invite the user to consider an alternative, perhaps more ethical, approach to discussing cloning, one that does not reinforce heteronormativity, human exceptionalism, or pro-eugenic views. This alternative approach includes an exploration and critique of the Western concept of “personhood” and its limitations regarding cloned life, human and more-than-human.

The He6-CRES collaboration experiment aims to take precision measurements of nuclear beta decay spectra to search for exotic currents of the weak interaction, which would indicate a deviation from the Standard Model of particle physics. The sources used for the investigation of beta decay in the experiment are helium-6 and neon-19, which are created via use of a Tandem Van de Graff particle accelerator. For neon-19, a 12 MeV proton beam is incident upon the target gas sulfur hexaflouride. At this energy scale, it is possible for unstable isotopes, in addition to neon-19, to be created. As such, it is necessary to place upper limits on possible contaminants. The focal point of this project is the determination of the maximum amount of radioactive contaminants that are created when producing neon-19, and the methods in doing so.

The root cause of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson's and dementia is protein misfolding which leads to toxic aggregations in the brain, causing neuron death. At the molecular level, these diseases are offset by chaperone proteins, which have the task of stopping toxic aggregation events which directly causes onset of many neurodegenerative diseases. Understanding interactions between small heat shock proteins (sHSP), which are a class of chaperone proteins, and their client proteins, such as those involved in neurodegeneration is key for preventing these diseases. The sHSPs are a class of chaperone proteins which have the purpose of preventing other proteins from misfolding. The formation of toxic aggregates plays a factor in the first steps to pathology. Prevention of these aggregates and thus the toxic events that follow means understanding the protective mechanism that exists to stop aggregation. The challenge of these mechanisms is their immense complexity and there are not many methods in which small changes in the proteins can be detected. One possible technique that allows these small changes to be detected is Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET), which is a highly sensitive distance-dependent physical process. Fundamentally, energy is transferred non-radiatively via an excited molecular fluorophore (the donor) to another fluorophore (the acceptor). The goal of my work is to incorporate the FRET pairs into sHSP oligomers to probe changes in these oligomers. These changes could be the binding of another protein, such as a client protein, or another sHSP. These changes in the FRET signal will be indicative of how the probes are orientated relative to each other, allowing us to gauge what interactions are happening. My work validates the use of FRET to gauge how sHSP are interacting on a molecular level.