Usage of CSA-13 in the Antibiotic Lock Technique for Hemodialysis Catheters

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Jonathan O. Wright and Dr. Paul Savage, Chemistry and Biochemistry The projects that I have worked on this past year have been focused on a novel group of antibiotics developed Dr. Savage’s lab. The antibiotics, called ceragenins or cationic steroid antibiotics (CSA’s), are molecules synthesized from cholic acid and mimic the structure and functionality of […]

Strength and Mechanical Properties of Carbon Nanotube Templated Materials

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Taylor S. Wood and Dr. Richard Vanfleet, Physics and Astronomy Abstract Carbon nanotubes have an unusually high strength-to-weight ratio and thus present an exciting material for use in reinforcing the structural integrity of microstructures. However, despite their desirable properties, carbon nanotubes have proved difficult to incorporate in materials as strengthening elements. Our group has developed […]

Identification of Important Pathways in Cancerogenesis

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Michelle Withers and Dr. W. Evan Johnson, Statistics The human body interacts at a cellular level through a series of events known as biological pathways. These pathways consist of communications at the molecular, cellular, and genetic levels to maintain a healthy, functional body. When the pathways are disrupted, new pathways are formed that can lead […]

A Weak Structural Approach to Decentralized Control

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David Ward and Dr. Sean Warnick, Computer Science The research discussed here explores the interplay between dynamical structure functions, the communication structure of a controller and the zero pattern of a controller. Precisely understanding this interplay is a necessary result to utilize dynamical structure functions to help broaden the known tractable class of decentralized control […]

CuO Deposited by Spray Pyrolosis For Use in Photovoltaics

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Cary Tippets and Dr. Robert Davis, Physics and Astronomy Photovoltaics, solar cells, have great potential as an energy source. Currently solar energy is too expensive for it to make a considerable impact on the energy market. Including production and maintenance cost, solar energy is nearly five times more expensive than traditional energy sources such as […]

HIV Tropism and the Germinal Center

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Andrew Jay Thorne and Dr. Greg Burton, Chemistry and Biochemistry Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and resultant development of autoimmune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) killed 1.8 million people and infected 2.2 million more just in 2009. Not only are those whose personal lifestyle choices put them at risk for HIV infection affected. As of 2009, there […]

Structure of Octahedral Polyomavirus

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Robert Swenson and Dr. David Belnap, Chemistry and Biochemistry Polyomaviruses (PVs) are viruses that can cause tumors in mammals and fatal diseases in birds. Knowles et al. (2) estimated that over 90% of the human population is infected with a polyomavirus, but these infections are usually dormant, and only show symptoms in patients with compromised […]

The Influence of RNA Editing on miRNA Processing and Gene Regulation

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Brent Shepherd and Dr. Evan Johnson, Statistics The emergence of high-throughput DNA sequencing within the past decade has redefined the world of molecular research. Mapping a human genome, a project that cost the United States government almost $3 billion and took 13 years to complete, is now speculated to soon be less than a week-long […]

The role of Fcγ Receptor in activation of NF-κB in Follicular Dentritic Cells

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Jonathan Scoville and Dr. Gregory F. Burton, Chemistry and Biochemistry The purpose of this project was to determine the reason why the transcription factor NF-κB is not activated when immune complexes (especially those containing HIV) bind to its Fcγ-Receptor, but is activated in FDC’s when the same immune complex (IC) binds to its Fcγ-Receptor. We […]