Journal of Undergraduate Research

Samuel Barlow and Dr. Jonathan Wisco, Physiology and Developmental Biology Introduction Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is one of the highest causes of death in the United States. After the age of 65, the chance of getting Alzheimer’s doubles every five years. As the average lifespan of Americans increases, the importance of understanding AD and finding more […]

Marc Christensen and Dr. Jonathan Wisco, Department of Physiology and Developmental Biology Introduction Selective reinnervation of the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle (PCA), accomplished by anastomosis of a transected recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) with the phrenic nerve, is the best treatment for vocal cord paralysis and RLN compromise. However, anatomical variation of the RLN in human patients […]

Kinnison Edmunds and Dr. Jonathan Wisco, Department of Physiology and Developmental Biology Introduction The goal of my project was to create a data-driven, three-dimensional map of the human trigeminal nerve from the trigeminal ganglion to the ends of its major pathways throughout the face and head. The purpose was to test conventional wisdom regarding the […]

Jakob Gamboa and Dr. Jonathan Wisco, Physiology and Developmental Biology Ligaments are specialized connective tissues that stabilize the different synovial joints found in the body. Ligaments consist of fibroblast cells surrounded by a framework of dense fibrous bands of collagen, which anchor to bones to provide support and elasticity. Their varying biomechanical functions in different […]

Brett Gardiner and Dr. Jon Wisco, Department of Physiology and Developmental Biology Introduction Neuroanatomy lab specimens are limited to cadaver availability and inconsistently demonstrate variations confronted in pathology. Using rapid prototyping (RP) technology to create 3D models from segmented MRI data offers distinct benefits to medical education. An efficient and replicable procedure for customizing these […]

Zachary Hopkins and Jeffrey G. Edwards, Department of Physiology and Developmental Biology Introduction The ventral tegmental area or VTA is considered to be one of the foremost centers involved in motivation and reward processing in the brain [1]. This area is also heavily implicated in addiction. However, little is known in regards to the exact […]

Brady Hunt and Dixon Woodbury, Physiology and Developmental Biology Introduction My research focus has been to investigate how ethanol’s pharmacological effects could be tied to it’s interactions with a key component of all cellular membranes, lipid bilayers. Methodology To investigate the effect of ethanol on fusion rate, we used the Nystatin/Ergosterol (NYS/ERG) fusion assay. We […]

Adam Jorgensen and Jonathan J. Wisco, Department of Physiology and Developmental Biology Introduction Arrhythmia is a serious heart condition that affects 14 million people in the United Statesi, and is characterized by irregular frequency of atrial and ventricular beats.ii The most serious effects of arrhythmia include sudden cardiac arrest and stroke.iii About 383,000 cases of […]

Steven Knapp and Paul Reynolds, PDBIO Introduction The goal of this project was to characterize the predisposing susceptibility of mice that overexpress receptors for advanced gylcation end products (RAGE) to apoptosis (cell death) and autophagy. Work has already been done to characterize this mouse model as pro-apoptotic; this new project will allow us to identify […]

David Mecham and David Kooyman, Faculty Mentor Introduction Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease of the cartilage that affects more than 80% of Americans above the age of 65 (1). Many adults also suffer from Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD), and 80% of such individuals eventually develop Temporomandibular joint associated Osteoarthritis (TMJ OA) (2). Current pharmaceutical options […]