Office of Undergraduate Research
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/20157
Emphasizing equitable and inclusive access to research opportunities, the University of Maryland's Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) empowers undergraduates and faculty to engage and succeed in inquiry, creative activity, and scholarship. This collection includes materials shared by undergraduate researchers during OUR events. It also encompasses materials from Undergraduate Research Day 2020, Undergraduate Research Day 2021, and Undergraduate Research Day 2022, which were organized by the Maryland Center for Undergraduate Research.
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Item Modeling Recurrent Emergency Department Trends in the United States(2025) Bair, Amanda; Rowland, ToddEmergency departments around the United States struggle with staff shortages and overcrowding following the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting shutdowns. This study aims to create and examine models representing the probability of patients requiring multiple emergency department visits to better understand why some patients require recurrent emergency department treatments. The two models considered in this experiment are the Poisson Process and the “Frequent Flyer” Hypotheses. Ultimately, analyzing the data provided by the National Center for Health Statistics revealed that the Poisson Process does not accurately represent the realities of recurrent emergency department visits, but the “Frequent Flyer” Hypothesis does in some situations. It also revealed that there may be several lurking variables that compound to determine if a patient will require multiple emergency department visits, accounting for the inconsistencies of the “Frequent Flyer” Hypothesis.Item Studying the Color, Brightness, and Outbursts of Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks(2025) Biswas, Debika; Kelley, MichaelComets are large objects primarily made up of dust and gas that orbit around the Sun. Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is known for having massive outbursts, which is when a comet becomes drastically brighter. The outbursts can be unpredictable in cause and duration. There are many theories as to why these outbursts happen, but we don’t always know the causes. Through this semester, we studied the mass of the outbursts and the lightcurve of this comet to learn information about the causes of these outbursts. We started with plotting the magnitude of the comet versus the distance of the comet from the Sun. We did this to calculate the scale of the outbursts and other information as well. We found that the data, which was in three different filters, didn't line up. We created a loop using python code that found the offset values in each filter and corrected them. With this information we can learn about the scale of these outbursts as well as do some calculations to figure out how massive these outbursts are. Our next few steps involved a multitude of calculations to find the mass of an outburst on any given day. Through aperture photometry, an astronomical imaging technique, we found the brightness of outbursts on nights of outbursts. We used these numbers to calculate the differential size distribution of the comet, the number of dust grains in the comet’s outbursts, the cross sectional area of the comet, and finally to calculate the mass of the outbursts. The mass of the outburst on July 21st 2023 was found to be 5.18*109 kg. We also compared this qualitatively to other masses to get an idea for just how big this was.Item Using Precision Therapies to Protect the Developing Brain from Viral Infection and Injury(2025) Abdelmalek, Clara; Adeyemo, Ademide; Alexander, Aubrey; Dyba, Zofia; Hobson, Caroline; Hussain, Haider; Li, Erin; Maturi, Soumya; Patel, Arnav; Patel, Nandi; Pocasangre, Ashley; Rasmussen, Hannah; Ruan, Janet; Park, Eunbin; Tran, Erin; Kousa, YoussefPrenatal viral infections can cause severe damage to the developing brain. Among the most threatening, Zika virus can cause microcephaly, ocular abnormalities, seizures, and fetal demise. Currently, there is no prenatal standard of care or treatment for Zika infection. Preliminary data and existing literature suggest that autophagy and the lysosome are crucial modifiers of injury and, thus, potential avenues for therapy. In this work, we will determine the effect of three drugs that manipulate autophagy in unique ways on the outcomes of prenatal viral infection; Trehalose, a lysosomal flux activator; Metformin, which induces AMPK signaling; and PD146176, an activator of the cells’ degradative machinery independent of mTORC1 through selective 12/15-lipoxygenase inhibition. Chloroquine, a lysosomal inhibitor known to mitigate the adverse outcomes of prenatal viral infections, serves as our positive control. Here, we infect humanized (hSTAT2 KI/KI), immunocompetent mice at a time point analogous to the first trimester in humans and perform comprehensive prenatal and postnatal analysis. Thus far, we have found that Metformin significantly rescues postnatal survival. In addition to identifying prenatal therapies, future work may also include testing postnatal treatments to account for infected infants not identified prenatally. These findings may also be clinically translatable for other prenatally transmitted viruses, such as Oropouche and cytomegalovirus.Item Optimal Control of an SIR-Inspired Malnutrition Model: Subconscious and Societal(2025) Bonsu, Dia; Seshaiyer, PadmanabhanThis research project uses differential equations based on an epidemiology ("SIR") model to study how malnutrition is comparable to an infectious disease, considering factors such as poverty and social and economic culture around processed foods. My analysis considers an “infected” population of malnourished people as a group of people who choose processed junk foods out of convenience or preference, but are not completely aware of their choice’s severe impacts. This is a scientific investigation into how social conventions around food culture slowly work their way into everyday food choices. I am analyzing how education, different lifestyles, and conversations around food in the home impact the spread of “casual” and “normalized malnutrition” throughout the working middle class in the U.S. To scientifically model this, I consider an optimal control analysis to specifically analyze parental influence on food choices.Item Exploring Olfactory Cues: Behavioral Responses in Cichlid Juvenile to Food and Amino Acid Stimuli(2024) Leary, Maurice; Gable Parker, Coltan; Juntti, ScottCichlid fish have achieved a uniquely high rate of speciation, providing researchers the opportunity to better understand the sensory systems associated with speciation. Chemosensation, which includes both taste and olfaction and is used to detect food, must have evolved as cichlids evolved different lifestyles and diets. However, the specific neural mechanisms associated with chemosensory food detection in cichlids have not been discovered. In this experiment, we aimed to determine if cichlid juveniles show behavioral preference for food associated olfactory cues when presented with two types of stimuli: amino acids and food extract. We expect that both cues should be sufficient in evoking behavioral preference, as determined by time spent in odor compared to clean water, which would confirm the ability to confirm preference for food olfactory cues in cichlid juvenile. I tested a total of 28 cichlid juvenile, and their results revealed no overall significant preference when introduced to an olfactory cue. Nonetheless, we did observe 100% of fish spending over 50% of time in food extract order when administered, suggesting further research is required to determine if a possible stage in development is crucial in confidently proving this. Further research may entail an assay with a simpler food delivery system, a finer control of water flow, and histological studies in comparison of cichlid juvenile in various stages of development, as to determine significant olfactory or brain tissue differences.Item Generating Algorithms for Hot Spots Policing(2024) Versace, Nathan Rios; Arellano, Trina; Chen, Alex; Du, Allen; Eichstadt, Andrea Maria; Lin, Aaron; Samuels, Coley; Tao, Grace; Tasneem, Zoya; Hajiaghayi, Mohammad TaghiLarge police departments have come to rely on algorithms to predict where crime will occur, such that they can better allocate resources to communities that need them. While these algorithms have been shown to reduce crime, they are not built to account for historical bias in training data, especially against racial and class minorities. As a result, they run the risk of reinforcing historical prejudice against these already persecuted groups. The aim of team GAHSP is to address these inherent issues with predictive policing while also improving on crime-prediction accuracy. Using modern Machine Learning techniques, better data cleansing/weighting, and algorithm stopgaps such as unfairness penalties, we aim to construct an algorithm which has the benefits of better crime prediction while minimizing bias in ways that past algorithms have not attempted or succeeded at doing.Item Gluten Quantitation in Fermented Sourdough Using a Multiplex-Competitive ELISA(2024) Parimi, Manasvini; Galanis, Christina; Panda, RakhiBackground: Gluten in wheat, barley, and rye can cause adverse reactions in individuals with Celiac disease, who need to follow a strict gluten-free diet. There are regulations in place that defines gluten-free. Accurate quantification of gluten in different foods, including fermented and hydrolyzed foods, is necessary to comply with the gluten-free regulations. Here we report a multiplex-competitive ELISA for the quantification of gluten in fermented sourdough. Methods: Gluten-incurred sourdough using four types of sourdough starters were prepared. The starter cultures were combined with rice flour, water, incurred with 8, 20, and 100 ppm wheat gluten, and fermented for 72 hrs. Samples collected every 24 hours were analyzed by a multiplex-competitive ELISA that uses a gluten-incurred yogurt calibrant and six gluten specific antibodies. Gluten concentrations in the samples were estimated using a four-parameter logistic (4 PL) regression. Results: The quantitative values from two out of six antibodies used in the ELISA were used to estimate the gluten concentrations in the sourdough samples. The average gluten recovery was between 55-195% for all samples. The coefficient of variation (%CV) ranged between 2-31%. Implications: The average % recovery for most sourdough samples were within acceptable range of 50-150%. Few samples showed recovery up to 200%. The %CV for most samples were ≤ 20%. These results indicate that the multiplex-competitive ELISA can provide accurate and precise quantitation of wheat gluten in fermented sourdough. The effects of heat treatment and several other variations in sourdough preparation on quantitation is currently being evaluated.Item Exploring the Effect of Putative PGF Synthase Genes in A. Burtoni Cichlid(2024) Amini, Cyrus; Jackson, Peter; Juntti, Scott; Li, Cheng-YuExploring the Effect of Putative PGF2α synthase genes in A. burtoni Cichlid ProstaglandinF2α (PGF2α) drives reproductive behaviors in different species as a hormone and pheromone. In African Cichlids, fertile females produce high levels of PGF2α which are converted to PGF2α metabolites. These metabolites signal and induce male preferential behavior. However, the mechanism behind the synthesis of PGF2α is widely unknown. Using A. Burtoni, we hypothesize that Aldo-Keto Reductase (AKR) enzymes are the putative PGF2α synthases; we proceeded to test the effect of a knockout of AKR using CRISPR-Cas9. In African Cichlids, two paralogs of AKR genes, LOC102291490 and LOC102291786, are hypothesized to be involved in PGF2α synthesis. However, individual knockout (KO) of either enzyme did not result in any significant change in the reproductive behaviors; we predicted that KO of both would result in lower PGF2α levels, circling bouts, and pecking in females. We targeted LOC102291490 in animals already carrying LOC102291786 d53/d53 homozygous mutations and recovered two mutant genotypes, d4 and d12d2. We had two tanks, each containing about 15 mixed-sex WT siblings or dual-KO fish, allowing undisturbed mating. Both tanks were live-recorded and reviewed to compare the male-female interactions between the genotypes. We surprisingly discovered a dual-KO male mouthbrooding eggs, complementing that PGF2α suppresses male mouthbrooding behavior via pheromone signaling. Additional investigation is necessary to examine whether PGF2α signaling suppresses male appetite and if males can discern between food and eggs. This study aids in our comprehension of reproductive behaviors and the mechanisms of hormone and pheromone-mediated behaviors.Item Instrument Design for Low-Temperature Infrared Spectroscopy of Materials(2024-04-17) Dietrich, Matthew; Dodson, LeahSolid material analysis has come a long way in its ability to accurately characterize the structure of bulk materials progressing from magnifying glasses to today’s atomic resolution instruments. Present common techniques include the use of various IR spectroscopies to determine the structural properties of these materials. Typically, these methods are low-resolution and are used to pinpoint only a few vibrational modes in the material’s structure. In addition, these studies are either done near room temperature or at one temperature setting. This poster presents a custom-built cryogenic FTIR instrument that is capable of characterizing a given material from room temperature down to 30K with < 2 cm-1 resolution. Shown to the right and below is the design, creation and specific components of the cryogenic instrument, future plans include incorporating gas-species dosing to allow for gas adsorption experiments. The Dodson laboratory is one of few labs capable of cryogenic IR analysis of various metal and covalent-organic frameworks using these necessary techniques to fully characterize the changes in structure and vibrational modes of these materials as they approach extremely low temperatures.Item Functional characterization of nuclear receptor NR1D1 on investigation of brain metastasis(2024) Berroya, Arryn Joeina Mercado; Klotz, Remi; Wang, Yiru; Yu, MinBrain metastasis is a fatal recurrence of advanced cancer that affects 20% of cancer patients. Capturing comprehensive brain metastasis landscape is critical to the establishment of sufficient and effective anti-tumor strategies. Ongoing research efforts in our team aim to better understand the biology of tumor cells in human brain metastasis. Preliminary data, generated by single cell sequencing of human brain metastases highlighted a potential role of the nuclear receptor NR1D1. Indeed, NR1D1 activity seems to be correlated with proliferation, immune evasion, and metabolism of brain metastatic tumor cells. The activity of this nuclear receptor can be controlled by its ligand Hemin (HEME) and is critical in retaining control of the circadian rhythm. Our aim is to investigate the functional properties of NR1D1 itself through breast cancer cell lines. Breast cancer cell lines, SUM190, MDA-MB-231 and JIMT1 were used to study NR1D1 function and undergone multiple treatments with conditions that consisted of exposing HEME and a synthetic agonist in various incubation times while adjusting media with no FBS, essentially starving the cells from creating their own HEME. In publicly available data sets it was found that low NR1D1 expression correlated with increase of Triradylglcerols metabolism and high NR1D1 expression with increase of amino acids and peptide metabolism. In addition, our data suggests that NR1D1 activation leads to cell morphology changes and future experiments will determine whether NR1D1 influences tumor cell proliferation and immune invasion. This will assist in determining discrete phenotypes of brain metastatic tumor cells and new approaches for treatment.