2022 Undergraduate Research Exposition

University of Rochester

The Undergraduate Research Exposition is a College-wide event in which University of Rochester students at all levels and in all areas of study are invited to present their investigative and creative work. The Expo reflects the passion for learning that enlivens the University, professors and students alike, and that finds expression in varied forms, in every area of study.

More info: https://www.rochester.edu/college/ugresearch/events/expo.html

Filter displayed posters (307 keywords)

Award Consideration (54) Depression (3) Brain (2) Community Engagement (2) Computational Biology (2) Computational Fluid Dynamics (2) Economics (2) Genomics (2) Machine Learning (2) Material Science (2) Microbiology (2) Neuroscience (2) Stroke (2) Vision (2) aptamers (2) biology (2) biomarkers (2) cancer (2) cell division (2) genetics (2) qPCR (2) sepsis (2) synthetic biology (2) show more... 3D printing (1) Acoustics (1) Amygdala (1) Animal Behavior (1) Antagonism (1) Anti-Predator Defense (1) Antibiotics (1) Antioxidants (1) ArcGIS Pro (1) Argentina (1) Audio Signal Processing (1) Auditory Signal Detection Task (1) Autism (1) Auto-encoder (1) Avian species (1) BME (1) Bacteria (1) Bacterial keratitis (1) Bacterial printing (1) Basal ganglia (1) Bioinformatics (1) Biology (1) Biomedical Engineering (1) Biomedical Genetics (1) Brain & Cognitive Sciences (1) Breast Cancer (1) Breastfeeding (1) Brooding (1) C.elegans (1) CFD (1) CNS injury (1) COVID-10 (1) COVID-19 (1) Cancer (1) Cartilage (1) Catalysis (1) Cell Differentiation (1) Childhood Trauma (1) Choreography (1) Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (1) Chronic Pain (1) Cognition (1) Cognitive Science (1) College Students (1) Community Gardens (1) Community-Engagement (1) Complement (1) Complement inhibitors (1) Computational Modeling (1) Corticogeniculate Feedback (1) Cosmetics (1) Covid-19 (1) Creative Research (1) Creative Writing (1) Criminal Justice (1) Cross-Coupling (1) Crowding (1) Crypsis (1) Cyberball (1) DNA damage (1) DNA damage response (1) Dance (1) Deaf (1) Decarceration (1) Deep Brain Stimulation (1) Deformation Mechanisms (1) Dermatology (1) Diffusion MRI (1) Dislocations (1) Dll4 (1) Drug intervention (1) Dystonia (1) ELISA (1) Ecology (1) Education (1) Electrical Engineering (1) Emotion Regulation (1) English (1) Epigenetics (1) Epilepsy (1) Equation of State (1) Ethnography (1) Exclusionary Zoning (1) Eye (1) First-Person Singular Pronouns (1) Fluid Dynamics (1) Fovea (1) Frog Virus 3 (1) Functional Genomics (1) GIS (1) Gardening (1) Gender (1) Gentrification (1) Glutathione (1) Glymphatics (1) Grand Challenge Scholars Program (1) HIV (1) HIV Risk (1) HMO1 Gene (1) Health (1) Helium Nanobubbles (1) Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (1) Human Vision (1) Hyperpigmentation (1) Immunology (1) Incarceration (1) Infection (1) Inorganic Chemistry (1) Intellectual Disability (1) Italians (1) LGN (1) LIWC (1) Language (1) Learning Disability (1) Limbic System (1) Lipid Production (1) MRI (1) Macaque (1) Macrophage Annotations (1) Maya concrete construction (1) Mechano-Biology (1) Mental Health (1) Microglia (1) Mixing (1) Molecular Dynamics (1) Molybdenum (1) Monocytes (1) Motion Processing (1) Mouse Model (1) Mouse Study (1) Movement Disorders (1) NICU (1) Neurodegeneration (1) Neurology (1) Neuronal Tuning (1) Non-human primates (1) Novel-Treatment Options (1) Nuclear Fusion (1) OB/GYN (1) OPC (1) Organic Chemistry (1) PET (1) Parasitology (1) Parkinson Disease (1) Pelli (1) Perception (1) Physical Chemistry (1) Physics (1) Psycholinguistics (1) Psychology (1) Psychophysics (1) Psychotherapy Use (1) Public Health (1) Pumping (1) R-loop (1) RNA-Seq (1) Racial Disparities (1) Radiation Therapy (1) Ranavirus (1) Refugees (1) Responder/Nonresponder (1) Rochester (1) Rotator Cuff (1) SARS-CoV-2 (1) Saccharomyces cerevisiae (1) Science Communication (1) Sepsis (1) Side-channel Attack (1) Sign Language (1) Skin lightening (1) Skin-to-Skin (1) Sleep (1) Stress (1) Striatum (1) Substance Use Disorders (1) Suicide Ideation (1) Sustainability (1) Synapses (1) Synaptic Pruning (1) Synergy (1) Texas (1) Thalamus (1) Transcription (1) Transglutaminase 2 (1) Trustworthiness Task (1) V1 (1) Ventral striatum (1) Virology (1) Water (1) Zoning Law (1) affordable housing (1) aging (1) attention (1) biomarker (1) brain and cognitive science (1) c-Cbl (1) chemical (1) child development (1) chromatin modulation (1) chromatography paper (1) climate data (1) climate networks (1) clinical decision support (1) computational (1) concrete damaged plasticity (1) contact angle (1) corbelled vaults (1) correlation matrix (1) cortical development (1) culture (1) diagnosis (1) diagnostic (1) diagnostics (1) dimethylsiloxane (1) eccentricity (1) epithelial tissue (1) ethnocentrism (1) exogenous attention (1) football (1) force (1) gene Knock out (1) genetic (1) global health (1) goniometer (1) hydromethylsiloxane (1) hydrophobic (1) iGEM (1) immigrants (1) infancy (1) infants (1) infection (1) interdisciplinary (1) lipid nanoparticles (1) mRNA (1) machine learning algorithm (1) mapping (1) materialism (1) mechanical (1) micro pads (1) microfluidics (1) myelin (1) nanowire (1) nationalism (1) neuroscience (1) nonlinear FE analysis (1) orientation transformation (1) outline (1) pancreatic cancer (1) parasite dynamics (1) pattern (1) perceived duration (1) perception (1) perceptual learning (1) phase transition (1) play (1) play behavior (1) policy (1) polymer (1) primitivism (1) printing (1) proteostasis (1) psychotic-like experiences (1) radiation therapy (1) redox (1) reintegration (1) scRNA-Seq (1) seismic vulnerability (1) service (1) sex differences (1) soccer (1) social defeat hypothesis (1) social exclusion (1) spindle orientation (1) stereotactic body radiotherapy (1) sweat (1) time-series (1) trauma triage (1) tumor (1) vaccine hesitancy (1) vinylphenylboronic acid (1) virus (1) visual science (1) war (1) zoning codes (1)

Show Posters: with Recorded Presentation

Tracks

Engineering & Mathematics (13)

Humanities & Performance (4)

Natural Sciences (41)

Social Sciences (11)

Special Guest: Community-Engaged Learning Capstone Students (7)

Special Guest: Hajim Grand Challenges Scholars (7)

Special Guest: Meliora Scholars (2)

▼ Engineering & Mathematics Back to top

Disarming Power Side-channel Attack Countermeasures Using Machine Learning

Jiamin Gan, Selçuk Köse

Abstract

Computer side-channel is defined as a communication channel that is not designed for communication. Power side-channel attacks exploit the fact that different power is consumed depending on whether a 0 or a/1 is processed. By looking at the power trace of a device, one can infer some information about the secret key and eventually break the mathematically secure encryption system. However, simple countermeasures that introduce additional Gaussian-like noise or time-domain disturbance can easily disable traditional attacks. One approach for weakening the countermeasures is to preprocess the trace using machine learning techniques such as Auto-Encoder(AE) and use the denoised traces for further attack. This paper improves the early proposed AE by using residual connections, requiring only <5 training samples for a successful denoise, while early work requires >1000 traces. The denoiser is tested for different noise combinations and succeeds in most of the cases using limited samples.

Presented by

Jiamin Gan

Institution

University of Rochester, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Keywords

Side-channel Attack, Machine Learning, Auto-encoder

Tianwei Jiang, Zilin Zeng, and Michael C. Heilemann

Abstract

Sasha Nakita Murray

Katherine Rodriguez, Gloria Ansantewaa, Marco Zocchi , Leonid Schiller, Emily Tuttle, Dr. Fabio Hecht, Dr. Isaac Harris

Abstract

Breast cancer is a devastating disease worldwide, taking the lives of thousands of patients each year. To better understand breast cancer progression and to develop novel treatments to combat the disease, we must consider the role of lipid metabolism. Glutathione (GSH) serves as an antioxidant in the body. The inhibition of GSH production will compromise the cell membrane’s structural integrity, and potentially require lipids produced from the de novo synthesis pathway to be instead shunted towards membrane repair. Without this lipid supply, the cell membrane will collapse, and the cell will die. We aimed to find out how fatty acid synthase (FASN), which produces lipids, relies on GSH to buffer reactive oxygen species (ROS) and prevent lipid oxidation. Here we show cerulenin, an inhibitor of FASN, and MK-8245, an inhibitor of stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), another key lipogenic enzyme, significantly impacts the cell’s viability in combination with buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), an inhibitor of GSH synthesis. We find that FASN and SCD inhibitors alone at lower concentrations are insufficient to cause any impact on cellular viability but are effective when combined with BSO. Further, our results demonstrate that if we treat HCC-1806 cells early on (before reaching their peak confluency) with Cerulenin and MK-8245, we can impact the lipid production pathway, stop the production of viable lipids, and potentially stop the cancer cells from surviving. We anticipate expansion of these studies to in vivo experiments with mice will demonstrate similar effects. Overall, we hope this research leads to the implementation of a therapy to stop the progression of breast cancer, thereby benefitting patients.

Presented by

Katherine Rodriguez <krodrig9@u.rochester.edu>

Institution

University of Rochester: Department of Biomedical Genetics (Harris Lab)

Keywords

Breast Cancer, Antioxidants, Glutathione, Novel-Treatment Options, Biomedical Genetics, Lipid Production, Award Consideration

Watch Presentation

Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Defective Viral Genomes from RNA-Seq Data

Terry Zhou, Simone Spandau, Yan Sun PhD

Abstract

Defective viral genomes (DVGs) have been identified in many RNA viruses as a major factor influencing antiviral immune response, such as respiratory syncytial virus and influenza. In this paper we aim to elucidate DVG generation in SARS-CoV-2 and its relationship with host antiviral immune response. We identified genomic hotspots for DVG formation in vitro and autopsy tissues of COVID-19 patients using both bulk RNA-Seq and single cell RNA-Seq (scRNA-Seq) datasets. We observed an upregulation of Type I/III interferon responses in infected samples with high DVG and viral loads, suggesting that DVG and viral enrichment stimulate interferon response. In the context of scRNA-Seq, ciliated and basal cells were found to be the most enriched with DVGs and SLC16A7+ cells had high DVG percentages but comparatively low viral loads. DVG positive cells also had higher viral loads than DVG negative cells. Furthermore, analysis of the relationships between viral load and gene expression showed that DVG positive cells with moderate SARS-CoV-2 infection level expressed robust primary IFNs fast compared to DVG- cells with similar virus level, which can then alert neighboring cells to express ISGs. These findings call for further inquiry into the mechanisms of DVG generation in SARS-CoV-2 and how DVGs modulate host responses and infection outcome.

Presented by

Terry Zhou, Simone Spandau

Institution

University of Rochester Medical Center, Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Keywords

COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, RNA-Seq, Virology, Bioinformatics, scRNA-Seq, Computational Biology, Immunology, Microbiology, Biology, Genomics, Award Consideration

C-Cbl as a hub: a review of c-Cbl and its new role in cell cycle regulation

Camille Stevenson, Vidhya Dhar, Mark Noble, PhD, Katherine Padilla

Abstract

We have discovered a new molecular mechanism that appears to be crucial in the regulation of the cell cycle. The pathway that is in part responsible for this regulation is the redox/Fyn/c-Cbl pathway, but how exactly it regulates the cell cycle has yet to be determined. The protein of key interest, c-Cbl, is a ubiquitin ligase that is unique in that it functions as a tumor suppressor protein. It targets specific pro-division receptors for degradation, thus preventing excessive cell division without stopping it altogether. In contrast, we found that oxidation leads to the “super-activation” of c-Cbl, which then causes cell cycle exit. C-Cbl does this by decreasing the levels of proteins that promote cell division, and increasing levels of protein that inhibit cell division. The mechanism by which c-Cbl controls cell cycle proteins is unknown. We hypothesize proteins that are affected by c-Cbl super-activation but are not direct targets of c-Cbl will show lower levels of gene expression, while those that are directly controlled by c-Cbl will have the same levels of gene expression as in the controls. This area of research will provide insight into a new role of c-Cbl in regulating the cell cycle, and also will provide insights relevant when c-cbl function is inhibited in cancer cells.

Presented by

Camille, Stevenson and Vidhya, Dhar <csteve29@u.rochester.edu>

Institution

University of Rochester Medical Center, Department of Biomedical Genetics

Keywords

c-Cbl, redox, OPC, qPCR, cancer

Characterization Of Putative Virulence Determinants Of The Frog Virus 3 Ranavirus

Thandolwethu Shabangu, Francisco De Jesús Andino, and Jacques Robert

Abstract

Increasing ranavirus (RVs) infections of fish, amphibians and reptiles worldwide are posing serious economic and ecological concerns. Despite this, ranavirus immune evasion mechanisms remain poorly understood. A knockout (KO) methodology was used to assess the role of Frog Virus 3 (FV3) genes in virulence and immune evasion. This methodology involves gene disruption by site specific integration of a dual selection marker consisting of the puromycin resistance gene fused in frame with the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) reporter under the control of the FV3 immediate-early 18K promoter. KO-FV3 mutants are constructed by replacement of the target genes with the knockout Puro-EGFP cassette, followed by successive rounds of selection for puromycin resistance and GFP expression. This study focuses on KO of two immediate early genes of unknown function, p31K protein (ORF 25R) and the immediate early protein ICP-46 (ORF 91R). Recombinant vectors were generated and transfected into BHK-21 cells, followed by successive rounds of selection for puromycin resistance. We are currently working on selection for GFP expression using plaque assays. The specificity of recombination will be confirmed by PCR, sequencing and immunofluorescence microscopy. Our animal model, Xenopus laevis, will then be infected with these two KO-FV3 mutants and the viral immune response will be compared to wild type FV3 infected animals.

Presented by

Thandolwethu Shabangu

Institution

University of Rochester Medical Center, Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Keywords

Ranavirus, gene Knock out, Frog Virus 3, Award Consideration

Chronotherapy using KL001 for stroke and glymphatic

June Kim, Sophia Stafford, Daniel Garcia, Emma Waight, Lauren Hablitz, Maiken Nedergaard

Abstract

Stroke is one of the most devastating cardiovascular diseases and it is very important to give treatments to stroke patients as soon as possible to prevent long-term disability. Recent work has shown that many stroke patients exhibit disrupted 24-hour activity and we found that the glymphatic system, a waste clearance system that has 24-hour rhythm, was also disrupted in the chronic stroke model. In this present work, we investigated whether targeting internal rhythms using drug intervention, KL001would improve stroke in the mouse model. Stroke was induced with laser (photo-thrombosis) and KL001 was given for 9 days after 2 days of stroke. CM injection was done to analyze the glymphatic influx and perfusion and TTC staining was done to analyze the area of stroke region to see if KL001 worked. Our data indicate that KL001 intervention successfully improved a 24-hour internal rhythm and also improved the area of stroke region in a stroke mouse model.

Presented by

June, Kim

Institution

University of Rochester, Center for Translational Neuromedicine

Keywords

Neuroscience, Stroke, Drug intervention, Award Consideration

Color Polymorphism and Its Effects on the Substrate Preference of European Green Crabs (Carcinus maenas)

Regan I. Collins

Abstract

Crypsis, commonly known as camouflage, is a defense tactic against visual predators that relies on the morphological and physiological traits of prey organisms to avoid detection by blending into their environment. Given the expansive color polymorphs of the European green crab (Carcinus maenas), the primary goal of this study was to determine if C. maenas will prefer substrate that closely matches its polymorphic color pattern when given the choice between light and dark substrate in order to increase crypsis and avoid visual predation. Individual crabs (n=20) were photographed and caught in their natural environment to observe their substrate preference. They were placed into four different experimental conditions to test substrate preference when presented with two highly contrasting substrates both with and without rock cover. The initial substrate choice of the crab was recorded, as well as their subsequent substrate choice every 60 seconds for five minutes. It was found that though the crabs had little substrate preference when rock cover was available, when rock cover was removed, the majority of C. maenas (>80%) preferred the darker substrate regardless of carapace color (p<.01). This result highlights the interplay of both the behavioral and morphological components of crypsis as an anti-predator defense.

Presented by

Regan Collins

Institution

University of Rochester and Shoals Marine Lab

Keywords

Ecology, Animal Behavior, Crypsis, Anti-Predator Defense

Complement Dysregulation and Intellectual Disability: The Effect of Missense Mutations On Sez6 Family Members and the Link to Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Jennetta Hammond, Minh Loi, Nina Silver, Alison Hobbins, Jack Randolph

Abstract

The complement pathway is an important innate immune mechanism to clear pathogens and dead or dying cells from the body. It is also an active participant in inflammatory immune responses. In the nervous system, complement triggers synapse elimination that is necessary for normal brain development. Specifically, complement deposits on neuronal synapses and instructs microglia to remove them by phagocytosis. However, dysregulated complement-mediated synaptic pruning has been implicated as a potential contributing factor to various neurodevelopmental disorders. In the aging or diseased brain, excessive complement can also be a driver of neurodegeneration. Self-directed complement activity is usually held in check by complement inhibitors. The Sez6 family are a group of complement inhibitors primarily expressed by neurons throughout the brain and consist of Sez6, Sez6L, and Sez6L2. Its members have been genetically linked to various neurological and psychiatric disorders and may additionally play a role in some autoimmune disorders of the nervous system. The goal of this study is to investigate the effect of mutations in the Sez6 family on complement deposition so that we may gain insight into how these mutations may alter the complement pathway and, on a larger scale, lead to ntellectual and learning disability.

Presented by

Minh Loi

Institution

University of Rochester Medical Center, Department of Neurology

Keywords

Complement, Complement inhibitors, Synapses, Synaptic Pruning, Intellectual Disability, Learning Disability, Microglia, Autism

Construction and Evaluation of Intein Constructs in Mammalian Cells

Loren Cardani, Tyler McCullock, Paul Kammermeier

Abstract

Inteins are protein constructs with the ability to self-splice. Named thusly due to their similarities with introns in RNA, these inteins can spontaneously remove themselves from within a larger polypeptide. Although these are generally investigated in prokaryotes and in purified protein systems, our lab is seeking to use a split version of them in eukaryotes as a tool to force heterodimer formation in metabotropic glutamate receptors. For this, it was necessary to evaluate how certain split inteins performed in mammalian cells in terms of their selectivity, splicing efficiency, and localization within the cells. Intein constructs Npu and Gp41-1 were attached to fluorescent labels and observed in HEK293T cells using fluorescence microscopy and Western blotting. Here, we discuss the behavior of these split inteins and consider their broader applications towards mGluR heterodimer formation.

Presented by

Loren Cardani

Institution

University of Rochester

Keywords

Award Consideration

Miraz Ahammad Sadi, Cécile Courret, Amanda Larracuente

Abstract

Centromeres are regions that maintain kinetochore assembly and spindle fiber attachment during cell division.Centromeres are epigenetically defined by the presence of the histone H3 variant CENP-A, which is independent of the DNA underlying it.The contribution of epigenetic determinants to centromere function is the topic of research in various eukaryotes and our research is about trying to identify the contribution of DNA sequences to centromere function.To study centromere evolutionary dynamics, we used CUT&Tag to identify CENP-A-enriched DNA in Drosophila Melanogaster population. These data will allow us to identify the centromere sequences and compare their organization and composition amongst the different populations of Drosophila Melanogaster. The data would be interpreted in terms of overlapping and enrichment within the specie amongst different strains.

Presented by

Miraz Ahammad Sadi

Institution

Larracuente Lab, Department of Biology, University of Rochester

Keywords

Genomics, Computational Biology, Award Consideration

Watch Presentation

Mechanisms underlying the Flow Parsing Effect

Chenyang Li, Yiping Yuan

Abstract

The brain has mechanisms for computing object movement during self-motion. Previous research has shown that optic flow, which is defined as the retinal motion of objects that are stationary in the world due to the observer's self-motion, induces a sense of self-motion in observers. Flow parsing is a process in which the brain identifies and subtracts optic flow patterns across the visual scene, to compute how objects move in the world (Warren & Rushton, 2005). However, whether the flow-parsing effect is due to global or local mechanisms remains unclear. Warren and Rushton (2009) compared subjects’ direction percepts of a probe object under different optic flow backgrounds to differentiate between global and local mechanisms. The angular difference between subjects' reported probe directions and onscreen probe directions is called the relative tilt. Warren and Rushton found that both local and global cues contribute to flow parsing. In our Experiment 1, which was a replication of Warren and Rushton (2009), we found very little flow parsing effect when optic flow was in the hemifield opposite to the probe object, suggesting that local mechanisms dominate over global mechanisms. One possible explanation is that we placed probe and optic flow in the left and right hemifields in our ‘opposite’ condition, whereas Warren and Rushton (2009) compared upper and lower hemifields. In our Experiment 2, we examined how flow parsing effects depend on the relative timing of optic flow and probe stimuli to explore whether flow parsing effects have temporal dynamics. Our preliminary findings show that flow parsing only occurs when optic flow and probe stimuli are presented simultaneously, suggesting a largely sensory interaction.

Presented by

Chenyang Li, Yiping Yuan

Institution

University of Rochester

Keywords

Motion Processing, Perception, Neuroscience, Cognitive Science

Modeling Satellite DNA organization

Sherif Negm and Amanda M. Larracuente

Abstract

Repetitive DNAs comprise large portions of eukaryotic genomes. Satellite DNAs (satDNAs) are abundant tandemly repeated DNA sequences found near centromeres, telomeres, and on sex chromosomes. SatDNAs originate through polymerase slippage, recombination between repeat elements, or TE-mediated mechanisms. Arrays of satDNA repeats are highly dynamic over short periods of evolutionary time: they vary in copy number and organization through unequal exchange, and other processes. SatDNA array expansion is thought to decrease organismal fitness but the relative importance of processes shaping satDNA evolution in natural populations is poorly understood. Population genetics studies have primarily focused on studying estimating copy number variation in satDNA arrays, due in part to limits in empirical data, as the repetitive nature of satDNAs make them difficult to study in detail. Recent advances in DNA sequencing now make it possible to infer satDNA organization at the sequence level, providing a richer source of empirical information. Here we provide a novel population genetics approach to study sequence variation in satDNA arrays. We simulate the effects of mutation, unequal exchange, gene conversion, drift, and selection on satDNA array sequence, structure, and organization in populations in a forward simulation framework. We designed a new probabilistic model for unequal exchange and gene conversion that takes into account sequence divergence between monomers in the repeat array. We have identified summary statistics that capture the variation in repetitive satDNA arrays independent of copy number. We use Bayesian inference and regression approaches to infer recombination rate and gene conversion from simulated data and empirical data from a natural population of Drosophila melanogaster. We show that our approach could be useful for understanding how mutation, recombination and drift shape satDNA evolution under neutral evolution and selection.

Presented by

Sherif, Negm

Institution

Department of Biology, University of Rochester

Keywords

Award Consideration

Monocytes derived Dll4 promotes brain vascular remodeling in mice

Laith Awad Mohamad, Shumin Wang, Yara Rose, Tiffany Nyugen, Giovanni Schifitto, Jinjiang Pang

Abstract

Background:

There were approximately 38 million people across the globe with HIV/AIDS in 20191. Even though the yearly infection rate is in decline; we still see a significant number of people living with the disease because of the better development of medicine to treat HIV, which means fewer people die of HIV than in previous years. However, we still see an annual death rate of approximately 1.5 million a year due to HIV. Monocytes are essential for persistent inflammation and the progression of cardiovascular diseases in HIV patients undergoing antiretroviral treatment. There is a significant increase in circulating cytokines such as LPS (lipopolysaccharide), TNF (tumor necrosis factor), IL-1b et al, in HIV-positive patients, which plays a vital role in monocyte activation2 and development of brain small vascular diseases. The Notch signaling pathway is crucial for cell-cell contact, as it entails gene regulation pathways that regulate various cell differentiation processes during embryonic and adult life. Involvement of the Notch signaling pathway in vascular development has been demonstrated by both gain- and loss-of-function mutations in humans and animals. Notch ligand (Delta like 4, Dll4) is usually restricted in endothelial cells and Dll4-mediated Notch signaling has a unique role in angiogenesis and vessel regression by regulating endothelial cell proliferation and differentiation. However, recently Dll4 has also been proved to be an essential molecule for macrophage and inflammation. TNF and LPS can increase the Dll4 expression and Notch activation.3 Enhanced Dll4 increases inflammation in macrophages by elevating TNF and IL-1b expression. Our lab found that Dll4 could be detected in culture media of TNF and LPS treated monocytes (we call it extracellular Dll4, exDll4).

Presented by

Laith Awad

Institution

University of Rochester Medical Center, Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute

Keywords

HIV, Dll4, Monocytes

Myelination Differentiates Postnatal Cortical Development Across Functional Regions

Lejla Sose, Claudio Toro Serey, Julia Lehman, Suzanne Haber

Abstract

Myelin insulates axons to facilitate fast conduction of electrical impulses. Maturation of complex circuitry in the prefrontal cortex necessary for high-level cognitive function is dependent on myelination. Many psychiatric disorders emerge during postnatal development, a period critical for establishing behavior guiding rules. Specific cortical areas linked to these disorders are prefrontal cortex Brodmann areas 10, 14, 32, and 25. This study aimed to quantify postnatal myelination across the four functional areas and neocortical layers in the rhesus macaque which follow similar myelination development sequences to humans. We used NeuN stained samples to differentiate supragranular and infragranular layers which were transferred to the adjacent myelin basic protein (MBP) stained digitized samples. MBP samples were converted to grayscale. We used optical density to quantify the rate of myelination. We found that cortical myelination significantly increases with age across all areas and layers. The rate of myelination is dependent on specific cortical areas and layers, with infragranular layers myelinating first. This study is the first to quantify myelin development and suggest area and layer specific myelination patterns across functional regions in postnatal development.

Presented by

Lejla, Sose

Institution

University of Rochester Medical Center

Keywords

myelin, cortical development, Award Consideration

New-Onset Seizures among Children Living with HIV in Zambia

Musonda Nkhoma for the CHASE Study Team

Abstract

Children living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (CLWHIV) frequently experience seizures. However, the cause of these seizures and best management are unclear particularly given the significant risk of drug interactions between the available antiseizure drugs (ASD) and antiretroviral therapies (ART). The aim of this study was to determine seizure etiology and the risk of and risk factors for seizure recurrence (i.e. epilepsy) among CLWHIV who experience a first seizure. CLWHIV presenting with their first seizure were enrolled in a prospective cohort study across 3 sites in Zambia. Demographic and clinical data regarding the index seizure and HIV disease history were captured at enrollment. Seizure etiology was independently assigned by two Zambia-based physicians with consensus by joint review. Quarterly follow-ups assessed recurrent seizures and death. Because death was a common outcome that might preclude the development of epilepsy, potential risk factors for epilepsy were determined using a Fine-Gray model that adjusted for the competing outcome of death. Subjects were censored if they were lost to follow-up or did not have a recurrent seizure before the end of the study. 73 children were enrolled, mean age 6.6 (SD= 4.6) years, 39 (53%) male. Seizure recurrence occurred in 18 (25%) and 28 (38%) died with most deaths being within 30 days of enrolment. The Fine-Gray regression model included age, sex, prior brain injury, worst World Health Organization HIV Stage, seizure semiology, and seizure etiology as covariates. Children with a CNS opportunistic infection (OI) as the etiology of their index seizure were less likely to develop epilepsy 0.34 HR (95%CI 0.12-0.95). In this prospective study of CLWHIV and new-onset seizure, 25% developed epilepsy. CLWHIV who experience seizure(s) due to an OI may not warrant chronic ASDs once the underlying OI is treated. Death remains a common outcome despite wide availability of ART highlighting the need for programs to identify at-risk children and support caregivers in ART access and adherence.

Presented by

Musonda Nkhoma

Institution

University of Rochester, Center for Health and Technology, University Teaching hospital

Keywords

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Epilepsy, Award Consideration

Optimization of 3D Bacterial Printing for Precise Prints with Extended Survival

Marie Olland, Ram Gona, Anne S. Meyer

Abstract

The applications of 3D printing bacteria are tremendous, and the ability to make this method cheap, accessible and easily reproducible would be an incredible step forward. This technology could be used to study enzymatic degradation, multifunctional sensors, self-healing materials, wound dressings, and biofilms. However, this technology is still very expensive, inaccessible and aspects such as print gelation rate and structure complexity are not consistent and difficult to achieve. Therefore, we looked at the process of altering a standard $300 3D printer to modify and optimize it for 3D bacterial printing. We designed, printed and mounted a new extruder, and altered various settings and code to transform the plastic filament printer to a bacterial printer. We tested different alginate solvents and calcium gel concentrations to optimize visual quantification of the bacteria. Various incubation methods were tested as well to allow for the longest growth and lifespan of the bacteria. Finally, the code and settings were further optimized to adjust for retraction of the syringe extruder to produce the clearest prints possible. We found that a retractable syringe pump minimized streaking between prints and alginate dissolved in LB produced the brightest bio-ink. This bio-ink produced the most successful growth particularly when incubated in an LB bath. Overall, this project is looking promising and future directions involve further optimization for even more precise prints and the printing and use of other bacteria.

Presented by

Marie, Olland

Institution

University of Rochester, Department of Biology

Keywords

3D printing, Bacterial printing, Microbiology, Award Consideration

Radiation Therapy Elicits a Responder/Nonresponder Phenomena

Lauren B. Gradzewicz, Taylor P. Uccello, MS, Nicholas Gavras, Scott A. Gerber, PhD

Abstract

Rectal cancer is a devastating malignancy, ranking as the second leading cause of cancer-related death. Historically, the standard of care for patients diagnosed with rectal cancer is surgical excision, however this procedure greatly affects patients’ quality of life. In an effort to avoid or delay surgery, patients are treated with pre-operative radiation therapy (RT). Approximately 20% of patients respond positively to preoperative therapy while the majority are nonresponsive. Currently, there are no predictive factors that determine why certain groups of patients respond to RT (responders), while RT has little to no impact on others (nonresponders). This responder/nonresponder phenotype following a clinically relevant short course radiation therapy (SCRT; 5 Gray x 5 fractions) is observed in previous work utilizing an orthotopic injection of MC38 tumor cells syngeneic to C57BL6 mice. The work presented here demonstrates that the responder/nonresponder phenotype can be reproduced in an additional rectal cancer model of CT26 that is syngeneic to the BALBc mouse strain. This secondary study of CT26 orthotopic tumors in a BALB/c mouse model generates reproducibility of the original MC38 tumor model. Findings can be used to explore what factors drive a response to SCRT, and could inform clinical trials for patients with rectal cancer.

Presented by

Lauren Gradzewicz

Institution

1 Department of Microbiology, University of Rochester 2 Immunology, Microbiology and Virology, University of Rochester 3 Department of Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center 4 Departments of Surgery, Microbiology/Immunology, and Radiation Oncology, University of Rochester Medical Center

Keywords

Cancer, Radiation Therapy, Mouse Model, Responder/Nonresponder, Award Consideration

Representative Cancer-Associated U2AF2 Mutations Occurring at the Inter-RRM Interface Alter RNA Interactions and Splicing

Emily Butler, Debanjana Maji, Eliezra Glasser, Jermaine L. Jenkins and Clara L. Kielkopf

Abstract

Recurrent missense mutations of pre-mRNA splicing factors involved in the early stages of splicing are associated with hematologic malignancies. Most mutational hotspots recur at the protein–RNA interfaces of SF3B1, SRSF2 and U2AF1. At lower frequencies, we identified cancer-associated mutations of an essential pre-mRNA splicing factor, U2AF2. These mutations either lie at the inter-RRM interface or the RNA interacting interface of U2AF2. Normally, U2AF2 recognizes the polypyrimidine (Py) tract preceding the 3 ́ splice site and initiates spliceosome assembly. We investigated representative mutations at the U2AF2 inter-RRM interface, including Q190L, L187V, and A318V associated with leukemia, lung cancer, and colorectal cancer. We determined the high resolution crystal structures of these mutant U2AF2 proteins bound to a prototypical Py tract and compared the baseline structure of the wild-type complex. The hydrophobic Q190L residue lost its interaction with the RNA. Accordingly, Q190L-mutant U2AF2 showed a decrease in apparent RNA binding affinity to both a uridine-rich Py tract from the well-studied AdML splice site and a uridine-poor Py tract from a cancer-relevant FMR1 splice site. Neither of the L187V nor A318V residues directly contacted the RNA site. Although the L187V and A318V mutations did not penalize U2AF2 binding to the uridine-rich AdML Py tract, these mutations significantly reduced affinity for a uridine-poor FMR1 Py tract. This result implies that L187V and A318V mutations influence U2AF2 – FMR1 RNA recognition indirectly, for example by modulating the inter-RRM packing. Currently, we are in the process of testing the generality of our observations for a variety of splice sites. Altogether, our results contribute to understanding the effects of disease-associated mutations on normal U2AF2 structure and function.

Presented by

Emily Butler

Institution

University of Rochester School of Medicine, Center for RNA Biology

Keywords

Award Consideration

The 'Other' Limbic Striatum in Non-Human Primates

E. Wu and J. L. Fudge

Abstract

The striatum is part of the basal ganglia, which is a group of structures traditionally known for their role in motor coordination. It is now known that the striatum participates in reward-related, cognitive, and motor behaviors based on wide inputs from the cortex. In both human and nonhuman primates, the striatum is functionally divided into dorsal, central, and ventral functional regions based on inputs from the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The dorsal (motor-related) striatum receives inputs from sensorimotor cortices, while the central caudate nucleus and putamen receive inputs from the association cortices that are largely responsible for cognition. The ventral (limbic) striatum, composed of the ventromedial caudate nucleus, the nucleus accumbens, and the ventrolateral putamen, receives strong inputs from cortical regions associated with emotion and motivation, and also from the amygdala, and hippocampus. The classic 'limbic' striatum is known for its role in rewarded learning and approach behavior. Previous work in our laboratory shows that the amygdala, a key limbic structure, projects past the classic ventral striatum, to innervate larger regions of the posterior striatum. We asked what 'functional' cortical inputs define this 'other' limbic striatum. In Macaques, tracer injections were placed into these posterior striatal regions that receive amygdala input. Since the posterior striatum is known to receive sensory inputs, I mapped the distribution of retrogradely labeled cells throughout the temporal cortex to examine input from cortical regions involved in the processing of salient visual and auditory stimuli. I found that different injection sites in the posterior ventral striatum result not only in labeled cells in the amygdala but also in specific patterns of retrogradely labeled cells in sensory association cortices. Depending on the location of the injection site, visual association cortices (area TE, ventral bank of the superior temporal sulcus (STS)), and auditory association cortices (auditory belt and parabelt, superior temporal gyrus) have different magnitudes of contribution. Together, these results suggest that the amygdala inputs to the caudal ventral (‘limbic’) striatum are involved in auditory and visual information processing in this unique region. We propose that amygdala inputs may ‘gate’, or mediate, this critical sensory information for primate auditory and visual processing and behaviors. These findings have translational implications in understanding the auditory, visual, and emotional disturbances in psychosis and social learning disorders in humans.

Presented by

Estee Wu <ewu18@u.rochester.edu>

Institution

University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Departments of Neuroscience and Psychiatry

Keywords

Amygdala, Basal ganglia, Limbic System, Striatum, Ventral striatum, Award Consideration

The Efficacy of Ocular Antibiotics When Used in Combination

Elianna Dunster, William Johnson, and Rachel Wozniak

Abstract

Bacterial keratitis (corneal infection) is a severe, sight-threatening disease of the eye that can cause permanent damage and vision loss. However, often unclear etiology leads physicians to treat infections with a variety of broad-spectrum agents, including antibiotics such as fluoroquinolones, antifungals such as voriconazole, and even anti-Acanthamoeba drugs. While the efficacy of these ophthalmic drugs has been analyzed individually, their efficacies in combination had not been tested. First, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the antibiotics Vancomycin, Tobramycin, Gentamicin, Moxifloxacin, PolyTrim, Ceftazidime, Cefazolin, Erythromycin, and Rifampin were determined to set a standard of efficacy against both S. aureus UAMS-1 and P. aeruginosa PA01. The drugs were then systematically combined to determine their fractional inhibitory concentrations (FIC) and whether the combination was antagonistic, indifferent, additive, or synergistic. A multitude of combinations were additive against both UAMS-1 and PA01 and a few combinations displayed synergy, including polymyxin B/trimethoprim and rifampin against UAMS-1 and PA01. These results allow us insight into what antibiotic combinations are more effective against bacterial keratitis and therefore should be used in future.

Presented by

Elianna Dunster <edunster@u.rochester.edu>

Institution

University of Rochester, Department of Ophthalmology

Keywords

Bacterial keratitis, Infection, Antibiotics, Bacteria, Synergy, Antagonism, Award Consideration

The Ground Truth

Alyssa Graegin

Abstract

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is a hugely common lymphoid malignancy amongst adults in the Western World; monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy has shown great strides as a treatment option for CLL. However, patients tend to develop a resistance to the therapy as treatment progresses - and this resistance can be linked to a loss of antibody-dependant cellular phagocytosis (ADCP). The mechanism behind ADCP is not yet fully understood, but the Chu Lab has made it a goal to understand. A group of “ground-truth” team students manually annotate large video datasets that capture the movement of macrophages undergoing ADCP. The use of an automatic tracking software would be quite useful, however, the currently existing automatic tracking systems are not as reliable as manual annotations. Ground-truth annotations can be compared to computer-generated data, in order to improve and advance the way that the automatic software work. In the past, it has been shown that ground-truth annotations are highly reproducible and consistent. Current data from the Ground-truth team is expected to show the same.

Presented by

Alyssa Graegin <agraegin@u.rochester.edu>

Institution

University of Rochester

Keywords

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Macrophage Annotations

The Impact Chronic Pain has on Glymphatic Influx

Sophia Stafford, June Kim, Lauren Hablitz, Maiken Nedergaard

Abstract

The glymphatic system cleanses the central nervous system (CNS) of harmful waste products, fluids, and soluble proteins. When working properly, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flows into the brain, mixes with solutes, and clears waste along the perivenous space. In the brain, the glymphatic system’s dysfunction is linked to many different neurological disorders, like chronic neuropathic pain, which may lead to differences in pain processing. Using the sparse nerve injury pre-clinical model of chronic neuropathic pain, we test whether glymphatic function is diminished after pain induction and whether melatonin can relieve glymphatic deficits due to chronic pain. Using two forms of behavioral assessments, the Von Frey test and a thermal allodynia assessment, we objectively quantified the progression of chronic neuropathic pain over three weeks. After performing glymphatic analysis, we have shown that glymphatic influx is worsened in animals who experienced chronic neuropathic pain. We hypothesize that melatonin, an anti-inflammatory molecule, will improve glymphatic function and relieve symptoms of chronic neuropathic pain. This project has the potential to introduce a new therapy for those affected by chronic neuropathic pain and other diseases where glymphatic dysfunction occurs.

Presented by

Sophia Stafford

Institution

University of Rochester, Center for Translational Meuromedicine

Keywords

Chronic Pain, Glymphatics, Sleep, Award Consideration

The Snuggle and Pump: A Shirt Engineered to Facilitate Skin to Skin Care and Pumping

Priya Mandava and Jasmine Moon

Abstract

Skin-to-skin care and breastfeeding have been shown to have significant benefits for sick neonates and their parents (AAP 2012), but due to numerous competing demands, many lactating parents struggle to find the time and resources to establish a skin-to-skin and pumping regimen (Ikonen 2015). A novel garment for lactating parents was designed to facilitate the simultaneous practice of skin-to-skin care and breast pumping. Our goal was to test the acceptability and feasibility of this garment. After educating NICU nurses and enrolled parents on garment use, we observed parents performing skin-to-skin with and without the garment. Among other measures, we collected data concerning frequency of skin-to-skin practice, adverse events associated with the garment, and parental experiences of garment use. Of the 9 dyads who completed study procedures, 75% of parents reported that the garment helped them practice skin-to-skin more often than before garment use, and 55.5% reported it helped them to express milk for their babies. When practicing skin-to-skin with the garment, 55.5% of mothers felt more confident and less stressed than without it. On observation as well as chart review, no infants suffered adverse events during the use of the garment. Overall, the use of the garment resulted in positive feedback from parents, suggesting that the novel skin-to-skin garment may be effective in increasing ease, frequency, and confidence surrounding skin-to-skin care and breast pumping for new mothers.

Presented by

Priya Mandava and Jasmine Moon

Institution

URMC, Department of Breastfeeding and Lactation Medicine

Keywords

Skin-to-Skin, Breastfeeding, Pumping, NICU, Award Consideration

Transglutaminase 2 Attenuates the Beneficial Response of Astrocytes to Injury: Underlying Molecular Mechanisms

Jacen Emerson, Gail Johnson

Abstract

Astrocytes play a key role in promoting neuronal health after CNS injury. The molecular mechanisms underlying this key feature of astrocytes are not well known. Our lab has shown that Transglutaminase 2 (TG2) plays a key role in mediating the astrocytic response to injury. These studies begin delineating the mechanisms by which TG2 facilitates the repression of beneficial gene expression post injury. In initial studies we investigatedTG2’s interaction with the DNA binding protein, Zinc Finger and BTB Domain Containing 7a (Zbtb7a) which was originally identified in a yeast two hybrid screen. Zbtb7a can act as a gene repressor or enhancer depending on the context of its action. We hypothesize TG2 may mediate these differential functions of Zbtb7a. Further, previous studies have demonstrated that TG2 can bind histone deacetylase 1(HDAC1). Co-immunoprecipitation (co-ip) experiments showed an interaction between TG2 and Zbtb7a in the nucleus of astrocytes. Additionally, co-ip experiments using constructs with each domain of TG2 selectively deleted revealed that Zbtb7a binds TG2 via the catalytic domain of TG2. To investigate our hypothesis that TG2 binds HDAC1 and is recruited to the chromatin by binding to Zbtb7a we examined the levels of histone H3 acetylated at lysine 9 by immunoblotting of nuclear fractions from TG2-/- astrocytes and wild type astrocytes. These data clearly demonstrated that deletion of TG2 results in a significant increase in histone acetylation. These findings suggest that TG2 impacts the gene expression of astrocytes, through an interaction with Zbtb7a, by mediating histone deacetylation.

Presented by

Jacen Emerson

Institution

University of Rochester

Keywords

CNS injury, Transglutaminase 2, Neurodegeneration, Award Consideration

▼ Social Sciences Back to top

Dhara Patel, Jennifer Risako Niwa; Timothy D Dye; Catherine Cerulli

Abstract

Menopause is the permanent cessation of menstruation that occurs after the loss of ovarian activity. Menopausal transition is marked by fluctuations in hormone levels due to the slow down in ovarian function, and typically occurs at a time of life characterized by numerous developmental processes and transitions that are composed of stressors and challenges. Collectively, these symptoms may negatively impact a woman’s quality of life, self-esteem and sexual intimacy. Over the years, discourse regarding menopause has remained highly clinical in nature, regarded simply as a medical condition which needs to be treated. Treatment has persisted in a uniform fashion, as a disease, excluding the different circumstances and lived experiences that patients go through during this sensitive period. When we fail to treat menopausal symptoms appropriately, there is a large, avoidable burden of suffering. Our study suggests that the ‘science’ of menopause is class, race and gender biased, as we present a feminist analysis of the concerns facing mid-life menopausal women.

Presented by

Dhara Patel

Institution

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. Susan B. Anthony Institute, University of Rochester.

Keywords

Evaluating the impact of social exclusion on psychotic-like experiences

Mars Scharf, Gloria Liu, Bridget Shovestul, David Dodell-Feder

Abstract

A leading theory of schizophrenia states that being excluded sensitizes the mesolimbic dopamine pathway and causes psychotic symptoms. While there is strong correlational data, there is little experimental work to support it. We aimed to evaluate whether socially excluding individuals in the laboratory leads to psychotic-like experiences in the form of auditory perceptual errors and mistrust of strangers. We hypothesized that compared to socially included participants, socially excluded participants would make more perceptual errors (i.e. more false alarms on a voice detection task) and judge neutral faces to be less trustworthy. 100 participants first played Cyberball, a digital ball-tossing game in which they were randomly assigned to be included or excluded during the game. Then they completed two tasks: (1) the Auditory Signal Detection Task (ASDT), in which participants listened for a voice in clips of white noise and indicated when they heard one; and (2) the Trustworthiness Task in which participants rated how trustworthy they found a selection of neutral faces. Participants also completed self-report measures of everyday experiences of paranoid thoughts and hallucinations. The social exclusion manipulation was very effective as excluded participants reported feeling significantly more feelings of ostracism compared to included participants. On the ASDT, excluded participants reported more false alarms than included participants, although the difference was small (mean of 0.31 for exclusion and 0.27 for inclusion) and not significant (p<0.001). On the Trustworthiness task, excluded participants reported higher trust scores than included participants, but again the difference was small (mean of 6.02 for exclusion and 5.88 for inclusion) and not significant (p=0.653). Daily experiences of paranoid thoughts and hallucinations did not significantly moderate these group differences (hallucinations and ASDT: b=.004, t=.19, p=.850; referential thoughts and trust: b=-.04, t=1.71, p=.092; persecutory thoughts and trust: b=-.04, t=1.80, p=.078). These results suggest that the effect may take a long time to develop over several instances of exclusion, or perhaps takes place through another variable we have not accounted for.

Presented by

Mars Scharf

Institution

University of Rochester, Department of Psychology

Keywords

social exclusion, social defeat hypothesis, Cyberball, psychotic-like experiences, Auditory Signal Detection Task, Trustworthiness Task, Award Consideration

James S. Sheinbaum, Gwyneth DeLap, Angela Santee, and Lisa Starr

Abstract

The UCLA Life Stress Interview (LSI) is a gold-standard tool for assessing life stress exposure. While LSI stress scores have been associated with depressive symptomatology and etiology, they have not yet been used as a source of psycholinguistic information. Increased usage of first-person singular pronouns (FPSP) has been associated with increased depressive symptoms and related constructs like brooding. In the current research, we describe a protocol developed to extract psycholinguistic data from existing LSI recordings, and utilize preliminary data to analyze relationships between increased FPSP and depressive symptoms, brooding, episodic and chronic life stress, and emotion dysregulation in an adolescent sample. Using QSR Nvivo and Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC), a process has been designed to transcribe LSIs which were collected as part of a longitudinal study on depression etiology in adolescents. This poster elaborates on the transcription process of the LSI, presents preliminary data (n=55) from LSIs, and discusses the promise of the LSI as a source of psycholinguistic information on internalizing disorders.

Presented by

James, Sheinbaum

Institution

University of Rochester, Department of Psychology

Keywords

Depression, First-Person Singular Pronouns, Stress, Emotion Regulation, Brooding, Language, Psycholinguistics, LIWC, Transcription, Award Consideration

▼ Special Guest: Community-Engaged Learning Capstone Students Back to top

Abstract

Rochester houses a wide variety of organizations fighting for positive change in our city. However, much of the University’s resources still remain untapped, particularly the student body. But in 2022, performative activism is being called out nationwide as the public becomes more socially aware as social media provides a larger platform for activists and organizations. After hearing that The Rochester Mutual Aid Network had an interest in connecting with the University Community, I began the process of transitioning my fraternity into a partner of their organization and disconnecting from our previous national philanthropy sponsor. Instead of fundraising for a well-supported national organization and having no awareness of the impact our donations have, the focus is shifted to collaboration with the local community. This model fosters regular communication between students and the organization which allows us to coordinate our efforts in direct response to what they need in the moment. This also allows students to contextualize social issues outside of the campus bubble through direct exposure and contribution. This project defines the process in which a community-engaged transition can be conducted on our campus, showcasing the trials and tribulations along the way, and the incredible reward once it takes off. While my “Capstone Project” has officially concluded, this has set the foundation for the fraternity to continue a successful local partnership indefinitely.

Partner Organization: The Rochester Mutual Aid Network Organization Supervisor: Corey Davis Faculty Supervisor: Alvin Lomibao

Presented by

Wesley Mawn

Institution

University of Rochester Center for Community Engagement

Keywords

Understanding and Accommodating Education Practices for Deaf Refugees

Aimee Pina

Abstract

Deaf Refugee Advocacy (DRA) is a Deaf volunteer-run organization here in Rochester that promotes Deaf refugees’ autonomy in America through assistance with paperwork and the citizenship process, and access to interpreters, driver’s education, and local Deaf mentors.This project was established to strengthen the education department by asking teachers what they wanted to see in a curriculum, breaking down already established curricula, planning a workshop for the teachers, and even bringing some Deaf-friendly ASL learning tools into the same place.

Presented by

Aimee Pina <apina@u.rochester.edu>

Institution

University of Rochester, Center for Community Engagement

Keywords

Deaf, Refugees, Education, Sign Language

▼ Special Guest: Hajim Grand Challenges Scholars Back to top

BIO-SPIRE: Designing a novel aptsensor for sepsis diagnosis using sweat

Muskaan Vasandani

Abstract

Presented by

Muskaan Vasandani

Institution

University of Rochester

Keywords

Joshua Batres

Abstract

An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Application of Community Engagement Models to Water Chlorination Project Development in North America

Presented by

Joshua Batres

Institution

University of Rochester

Keywords

Grand Engineering Challenges Scholars Program: Engineering the Tools of Scientific Discovery

Anis Idrizovic

Abstract

Presented by

Anis, Idrizovic

Institution

Institute of Optics, University of Rochester

Keywords

▼ Special Guest: Meliora Scholars Back to top

Salt of the Earth: a Short Story Collection

Olivia Alger

Abstract

Under the guidance of the Meliora Scholar program, I compiled a collection of six short stories and workshopped them at two writing conferences, the Middlebury Bread Loaf Conference and the New York State Summer Writers Institute, for further exploration. Each of the stories focuses on a major societal issue and subsequent emotional theme. For example, “Salt of the Earth,” the story after which this collection is named, follows the disparity of a young woman at the height of the opioid epidemic in 2009. When writing, I wanted to illustrate the intricacies of her own experience and the much larger scope of the crisis as a whole in order to create a multifaceted narrative that felt simultaneously personal and accessible. I also experimented with a variety of creative techniques with which I was previously unfamiliar in this project, including a lack of dialogue tags, first-person present narratives, and a minimalist approach.

Presented by

Olivia Alger <oalger@u.rochester.edu>

Institution

Meliora Scholar

Keywords

Creative Writing, Creative Research, English

The Gendered Carceral Experience in Albion, NY: A Cross-Disciplinary Approach to the Relationship Between Gender and Incarceration

Hannah Yeager

Abstract

For my Meliora Scholars project, I conducted a cross-disciplinary analysis of the relationship between the community of Albion and the Albion Correctional Facility with regard to the women incarcerated there through what I call “gendered carcerality.” The anthropological approach to my project included conducting interviews with Albion locals and several figures involved with prison work in upstate New York, as well as field trips to Albion in order for me to establish a working foundation of the town’s layout and attributes, including advertising and local business. Historically, I accessed the correctional facility’s archives at the Hoag Library in order to nuance my project historically and understand the prison’s past. In keeping with the findings of others who have studied women’s prisons, I found that the experiences of the incarcerated women in this facility were largely ignored, as well as their mere existence. Many locals see the prison as a source of income without critically thinking about the implications on those held inside. However, through my conversations with several community members, I found that there is a willingness to renegotiate the community’s relationship with the prison through awareness and education. As part of this awareness-raising initiative, I created a blog that will be published on the Hoag Library website. My blog includes the highlights from both the anthropological aspects of my research and the historical side.

Presented by

Hannah Yeager

Institution

University of Rochester, Department of Anthropology

Keywords

Incarceration, Decarceration, Gender, Community-Engagement