Poster Session Winners

FIRST PLACE – #002: The Effect of Ambient Light on Near Infrared Spectroscopy Measurements of Skeletal Muscle Oxygenation During Cycling, Yaseen Echekki1, Olivia Grahn1, Paraskevi Koilia1, Madison Rabold1, Liz Marcedes2, Sara Biddle3, Jennifer Trilk2, Randolph Hutchison1, 1Department of Health Sciences, Furman University, Greenville, SC, 2University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, Greenville, SC, 3Prisma Health Cancer Institute, Greenville, SC

SECOND PLACE – 006: Comparison of Viscoelastic Ligament Properties in Healthy and Osteoarthritic Trapeziometacarpal Joints, Lizzie Walker1, Daniel Gordon1, Alexander Chiaramonti2, Dane Daley2, Hai Yao1,2, Yongren Wu1,2, 1Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 2Department of Orthopaedics, Medical University of South Carolina. Charleston, SC

FIRST PLACE – #012: DNA damage response coregulator ddrR is a global regulator in Acinetobacter baumannii 17978,  Deborah  Cook, Mollee Flannigan, Janelle Hare, Biology & Chemistry, Morehead State University, Morehead, KY

SECOND PLACE – 016: A novel proteogenomics workflow for proteoforms detection, Kanishka Manna1, Michael S. Robeson II1, 2, Stephanie D. Byrum1, 2, 3, 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 2Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 3Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Little Rock, AR

FIRST PLACE – 028: Application of Machine Learning in Predicting Breast Cancer Patient Outcome, Ali Firooz1, Savannah M. Noblitt1, Julie Martin2, W. Jeffery Edenfield2, Anna Blenda2,3, Homayoun Valafar1, 1Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 2Prisma Health Cancer Institute, 3School of Medicine Greenville, University of South Carolina, Greenville, SC

SECOND PLACE – #036: Role of Entresto in Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity,  Abhishek Panditan1, Alanna Costas2, Biplov Sapkota1, Shilpa Thota1, Rizwana Begum1, Naveen Chintalaramulu1, Henry Green2, Joseph Francis1, 1Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, LA, 2Department of Veterinary Clinical Services, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, LA

THIRD PLACE – #024: Decoding Tumor-Stromal Crosstalk: How 4T1 Cells Shape the Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts and the Tumor-Associated Macrophages in 3D Organoid Models?, Naveen Chintalaramulu, Biplov Sapkota, Abhishek Pandit, Shilpa Thola, Rizwana Begum, Joseph Francis, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, LA 

HONORABLE MENTION – 037: Combinatory Effects of microRNA modulation and Viral Oncolysis on Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, Karthik Rangavajhula1,2, Isaiah Davis1,2, Karthik Gourishetti1,2, Deepak Bhere1,2, 1Biotherapeutics Laboratory, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia, Columbia, SC, 2Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia, Columbia, SC

HONORABLE MENTION – 039: Dysregulation of UPS-Autophagy Crosstalk in E-Cigarette Aerosol Exposure: Implications for Cancer Progression, Shilpa Thota, R. Begum, A. Noël, J. Francis, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Louisiana State University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, LA 

HONORABLE MENTION – 027: Effect of oregano, graviola and cinnamon nanosuspensions in lung carcinoma resistance and metastasis, Sthephanie Estrada1, Daraishka Pérez2, Carlos García3, Aracelis Torres4, Yamixa Delgado4, Yancy Ferrer5, 1Biology Department, University of Puerto Rico-Cayey, Cayey, PR, 2Neuroscience Department, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamón, PR, 3Medicine Program, Ponce Health Science University, Ponce, PR, 4Biochemistry & Pharmacology Department, San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, Caguas, PR, 5Anatomy & Neurobiology Department, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 

FIRST PLACE  – 041: A Y2H Screen Identifies WBP2 as a Novel Target of the Ubiquitin Ligase WWP1 in the Heart, Meaghan E. Arnold1, Ymani S. Wright1, Doug L. Pittman2, Lydia E. Matesic1, 1Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 2Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 

SECOND PLACE – 044: Control of Fibrotic Gene Expression in Cardiac Fibroblasts via the Rap1 GTPase, Kobby Frempong1, Jonathan G. Heywood2, Michael R. McLeod1, S. Madison Thomas1, William J. Richardson2, Adi D. Dubash1, 1Biology Department, Furman University, Greenville SC, 2Department of Bioengineerng, Clemson University, Clemson SC

THIRD PLACE – 048: Mechanistic Role for Peritoneal Microenvironment in Increased Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Women with Endometriosis, Jadyn Simon2, Nisha Suresh2, Brenda Mitchell1, Megan Ruley1, Nalini Santanam2, 1Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology,  2Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

HONORABLE MENTION – 042: Oxidative Stress Regulation in Adolescent-aged Vaping and Exercising Mice, Claire Combs, Nick Williams, Samuel Tetteh-Quarshie, Scotty Davis, Madysen Terry, Brandon Henderson, Nalini Santanam, 1Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, 2Department of Pediatrics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, and 3Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL

FIRST PLACE – 072: Use of Peroxisomal Targeting Sequences in Drug Delivery, Sabrina S. Pizarro, Soham Panda, Heeren M. Gordhan, Daniel C. Whitehead, James C. Morris, Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Clemson University, Clemson, SC

SECOND PLACE – 053: Investigating Biofilm Formation on Polymer Substrates Via Flow Cells, Sarah Crowsey1, Heather Broadhead2, Mary Mackey1, 1Department of Chemistry and Physical Sciences, William Carey University, Hattiesburg, MS, 2School of Polymer Science and Engineering, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS

THIRD PLACE – 063: Impact of SARS-COV NSP1 on RNA Transcription and Metabolism Nucleic Acid Aptamer Gold Nanoparticle Conjugates as Trojan-Horse Drug Delivery Vehicles in the Fight against Drug-Resistant Bacteria, Morgan Hunter, Elizabeth Skelly, Leyla Danai-Noldner, Yasmine Radwan, Allen Livingston, Kierra McCall, Victoria Frost, Kirill Afonin, Timea G. Fernandez, Department of Biology, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina Charlotte, Charlotte, NC

HONORABLE MENTION – 065: Impact of SARS-COV NSP1 on RNA Transcription and Metabolism, Ethan S. Lewis, Mario R. Romero, Anita Nag, Department of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of South Carolina Upstate, Spartanburg, SC

HONORABLE MENTION – 078: Synthesis and Evaluation of Diarylpyridines as Inhibitors of Amyloid-beta Aggregation for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mary Stegall-Smith, Casey Kopyc, James M. Hanna Jr., and Robin K. Lammi, Department of Chemistry, Physics, Geology & the Environment, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC

HONORABLE MENTION – 051: Analysis of Cas9 targeted mPing insertion in yeast, Megan Collins1, Peng Liu2, C. Nathan Hancock1, 1Department of Biology and Geology, University of South Carolina Aiken, Aiken, SC, 2Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO

FIRST PLACE – 083: Perspective of high school students, teachers, and parents on academic performance during the COVID-19 school lockdown, Jefxander Carrasquillo Villafañe1, Nilda G. Medina2, 1Academic Division of Liberal Arts, Psychology Undergraduate Program, Universidad Ana G. Méndez, Carolina Campus, Carolina, PR, 2Academic Division of Liberal Arts, Universidad Ana G. Méndez, Carolina Campus, Carolina, PR

FIRST PLACE – 093: Role of FTL_0445 in Francisella tularensis Susceptibility to Resazurin, Emily Young1, Jordan Gibson1, Siena McGovern1, Emma Beatty1, Claire Kelly1, Kendall Souder1, Justin Rice1, Ryan J. Percifield2, Donald A. Primerano3, Nicole Garrison1, Deanna M. Schmitt1, 1Department of Biomedical Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, 2Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 3Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

SECOND PLACE – 090: Cytokine Production Profiles of Dendritic Cell and Macrophage Subsets in AHCC-fed Stressed Mice during Chlamydia muridarum Genital Infection, Kristen Rolen, Tesfaye Belay, Department of Applied Science and Mathematics, Bluefield State University, Bluefield, WV 

THIRD PLACE – 086: Identifying Domains in the μ1 Protein that Mediate Reovirus Myocarditis, LeKivia Cobb1, Marcelle Dina Zita1, Lindsey Hazeslip1, Pranav Danthi2, Karl W. Boehme1, 1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and Center for Microbial Pathogenesis and Host Inflammatory Responses, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 2Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

HONORABLE MENTION – 092: Isolation and Identification of F. tularensis proteins that interact with the mammalian erythrocyte protein Band 3, Rori Schreiber, Elio Delatore, Joseph Horzempa, Department of Biomedical Sciences West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV

HONORABLE MENTION – 087: The effect of a low environmental oxygen concentration on gene expression of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Reagan Gray, Kaitlyn Bailey, Stuart Cantlay, Nicole Garrison, and Joseph Horzempa Department of Biomedical Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV

HONORABLE MENTION – 091: The role of Viral and Cellular Kinases in Efficient Herpes Simplex Virus Entry: Drug discovery via Assay Screening and Transcriptomic Analyses, Emmanuelle Ruiz1, Christella Nelson1, Farhana Mussarat1, Vladimir Choulgenko2, Thaya Stoufflet2, Brent Stanfield1, Konstantin Kousoulas1, 1Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 2Division of Biotechnology & Molecular Medicine (BioMMed) School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA

FIRST PLACE — 094: Automatic Segmentation of Vasculature in Computed Tomographic Angiograms Using Deep Learning, Alireza Bagheri Rajeoni1, Breanna Pederson2, Susan M. Lessner2, Homayoun Valafar1, 1Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 2University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC

FIRST PLACE  — 100: Running Exercise Enhances Probiotic Properties of Akkermansia muciniphila and Romboutsia to Tryptophan Metabolism, Alejandra Vazquez Medina1,5, Nicole Rodriguez Trujillo1,3, Kiara Ayuso Rodriguez1,2, David Ruiz Bolivar1,2, Patricia Morales Iglesias1,2, Charliette Golderos Trujillo1,2, Filipa Godoy Vitorino1,4, Nataliya Chorna1,5,  1PR-INBRE Metabolomics Research Core, University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine, San Juan, PR, 2Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, PR, 3Department of Nutrition, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, PR, 4Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine, San Juan, PR and 5Department of Biochemistry, University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine, San Juan, PR

SECOND PLACE — 096: The role of LpnA in Francisella tularensis LVS resistance to resazurin, Emma J. Beatty1, Emily Young1, Mackenzie Hall1, Blaze Oxier1, Jordan Gibson1, Claire Kelly1, Kendall Souder1, Justin Rice1, Ryan J. Percifield2, Donald A. Primerano3, Nicole Garrison1, Deanna M. Schmitt1, 1Department of Biomedical Science, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, 2Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 3Department of Biomedical Science, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

THIRD PLACE — 097: Effects of Dietary Iron on Taxonomic Composition and Function of Zebrafish Gut Microbiome, Samuel Evans, Stuart Gordon, Biology Department, Presbyterian College, Clinton, SC

HONORABLE MENTION — 098: Description of the gut microbiome composition in Puerto Ricans with Alzheimer’s disease compared to healthy controls, Gerianne Olivieri-Henry1,2, Vanessa Sepulveda-Rivera3, Fabian Perez-Luzunaris1,2, Cecilia Soler3, Carlos Herrero-Rivera3, Javier Ruiz3, Michel Santiago3, Ana C. Sala3, Filipa Godoy-Vitorino1, 1Microbiology Department, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, 2Biology Department, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, San Juan, PR, 3Internal Medicine Department, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR

HONORABLE MENTION — 099: Effects of gut bacteria on the circadian output of Klebsiella aerogenes, Anzlee Utley1, Sarah Stasel2, Olivia Waldridge2, Vincent Cassone2, 1Department of Psychological Sciences, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY, 2Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

FIRST PLACE  — 104: Mapping the Kidney Cell Types in iPSC-Derived Organoids Using Single Nuclei RNAseq, Madeleine Conerly1, Andrew Milner2, Ashley C. Johnson2, Lavanya Challagundla2, Michael R. Garrett2, 1Mississippi INBRE Research Scholar, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, 2Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS

SECOND PLACE — 116: Lipidomic analysis by LC-MS/MS of wildtype, mutant and VBNC strains of Francisella tularensis LVS, Rachelle Patterson1, Bo Xue2, Joseph Horzempa1, Stuart Cantlay1, 1Department of Biomedical Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, 2Bio Nano Research Facility, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV

THIRD PLACE — 110: Homology-Based Optimization of the Pong Transposase Protein, Zara Lacera, C. Nathan Hancock, Department of Biology and Geology, University of South Carolina Aiken, Aiken, SC

HONORABLE MENTION — 117: Role of Mitochondrial Carriers in Cryptococcus neoformans, Alanna Scoggins, Kerry Smith, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC

HONORABLE MENTION — 115: The desmosomal cadherin Desmoglein-2 controls extracellular matrix gene expression via NF-kB signaling, Zara Patel, Sadie Hunter, Josh M. Powers, Beatriz T. Mateo, Adi D. Dubash, Biology Department, Furman University, Greenville SC

HONORABLE MENTION — 102: Assessing the ratio of genotypes in CHD7 zygotic and maternal zygotic mutant Danio rerio, Emma Brock1, Tasha M. Swenney2, Ann C. Morris2, 1Department of Psychology, Morehead State University, Morehead, KY, 2Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY  

FIRST PLACE  — 126: Both Maternal Inflammation and Intrauterine Growth Restriction Enhance Susceptibility to Ischemic Stroke-induced Brain Injury and Neurobehavioral Dysfunction in Adult Rats, Madeline C. Harris1, Jonathan W. Lee2, McKenzee S. Henson1, Aswin I. Arunachalam1, Valerie V. Quach3, Irene Arguello4, Nilesh Dankhara2, Michelle A. Tucci5, Lir-Wan Fan2, Norma B. Ojeda6, 1Mississippi INBRE Research Scholar, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 2Department of Pediatrics, Division of Newborn Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 3John Sealy School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 4Department of Pediatrics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 5Department of Anesthesiology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 6Department of Advanced Biomedical Education, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 

SECOND PLACE — 136: Cellular Senescence in Peripheral Tissue after Spinal Cord Injury, Tanisha A. Valdez1, Benjamin R. Rood1,2, Lukasz P. Slomnicki1, Yonglin Gao1, Mason Miller1, Kariena Andres1, Scott R. Whittemore1, Michal Hetman1,3, 1Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 2Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 3Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY

THIRD PLACE — 134: Mechanisms Connecting Inflammation to Astrocytic Glucose Transport: Relevance to Alzheimer’s Disease, Andrew Shelton, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Harding University, Searcy, AR

HONORABLE MENTION — 125: Early developmental exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol causes latent behavioral, growth, and bioenergetic effects in Danio rerio, Astra S. Hahm, Cammi E. Thornton, Jason J. Paris, and Kristine L. Willett Department of BioMolecular Sciences, University of Mississippi, School of Pharmacy, University, MS 

HONORABLE MENTION — 127: Role of Dunc13 Isoforms in Alcohol Tolerance Formation, Makenzie Havard, Gaurav Shrestha, Gregg Roman, Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, Department of BioMolecular Sciences, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS 

HONORABLE MENTION — 129: Temporal Dynamics of Pro-inflammatory Responses and Glucocorticoid Release from Acute Sleep Fragmentation in Male Mice, Van Thuan Nguyen, Cameron J. Fields, Owen R. Honaker and Noah T. Ashley Department of Biology, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY

FIRST PLACE — 143: Evaluation of pancreatic development in homozygous glis3 mutant zebrafish, Abigail E. Santos, Gary T. ZeRuth, Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, Murray, KY

SECOND PLACE — 145: Whole Food Plant-Predominant Cookbook: Promotion of Wellness, Social Connection, and Patient Education through the Evaluation of Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes of Pediatric Residency Members, Caroline Wilson, Whittaker Russell, Natalie Bikulege-Baum, Erin Brackbill, and Blakely Amati, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, Greenville, SC 

THIRD PLACE — 142: Respirometry using Seahorse in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) during a high-fat challenge, Jordan Livingston, Elizabeth Warner, Paula Saez-Raez, James Walters, Department of Applied Science, Bluefield State University, Bluefield, WV

HONORABLE MENTION — 140: Expression of Aim2 is Upregulated in Hypercholesterolemic and Obese Congenic Mice, Emma E. Cimino1, Tanner Richmond2, Jung Han Kim3, 1Department of Preprofessional Studies, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 2Department of Biology, University of Charleston, Charleston, WV, 3Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

HONORABLE MENTION — 139: Assessment of Neuromuscular and Motor Coordination in Response to Acute Sleep Fragmentation in Female Mice, Tobi J. Akangbe, Van Thuan Nguyen, Noah T. Ashley, Department of Biology, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY

FIRST PLACE — 146: Validation of an Avian Model of Induced-Thyrotoxicosis, Tyler Hill, Holly Racine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty WV

FIRST PLACE — OTHER: Transplant Surgery, 155: Infrared Thermography As a Viability Measure during Ex Vivo Preservation of Vascularized Composite Allografts, Kate Jensen1, Varun Kopparthy2, Mazen Al-Malak2, Jacob Lammers2, Ying Ku2, Abigail Meyer2, Brian Figueroa2, Payam Sadeghi2, Antonio Rampazzo2, Bahar Bassiri Gharb2, 1University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville,  Greenville, SC, 2Department of Plastic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH

SECOND PLACE — OTHER: Polymer Science and Engineering, 151: Evaluating Graphene-based Additives in Polyurethane Films for Magnetic, Conductive, and Morphological Properties, John F. Searles1, Zoe A.B. Lequeux1, Garrett M. Abrahamsen1, Lisa K. Kemp1, Dane N. Wedgeworth2, Steven R. Price2, John K. Newman2, Sarah E. Morgan1, 1School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, 2Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Vicksburg, MS

THIRD PLACE — OTHER: Biology, 149: Optimization of methods for DNA extraction from brood caps of Honeybee Apis Mellifera, Ian Gonzalez Vélez, Cristina Andújar, Abigail Strubbe, Yilmaz Berk Koru, Maya Andersson, Miguel Urdaneta, Tugrul Giray, José L. Agosto-Rivera, 1Division of Science & Technology Universidad, Ana G. Méndez, Carolina Campus, Carolina, PR, 2PRINBRE, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR

HONORABLE MENTION — OTHER: Bacterial/Pathogens: Poster #148 – The role of FTL_1199 in erythrocyte invasion by Francisella tularensis, Elio F. Delatore III, Elle Roberts, Stuart Cantlay, Mariah Cashbaugh and Joseph Horzempa, Department of Biomedical Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV