Session I: Posters - Biological Sciences
4:00- 5:00pm
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Entomology and Plant Pathology; Horticulture and Landscape Architecture; Microbiology and Molecular Genetics; Nutritional Sciences; and Plant and Soil Sciences (53 presentations)
Note: Presentations are grouped by the student’s area of research (based on the faculty mentor’s academic department), not the student’s academic major.
Presentations:
I-01 Reyse Campbell
Research Presentation Title: Engineer Agrobacterium strains to suppress plant ethylene and salicylic acid pathways to enhance plant transformation in Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana benthamiana
Faculty Research Mentor: Kashif Mahmood, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
I-02 Julia Sophia De Leon
Research Presentation Title: Impact of CTRP6 KO Macrophages on Adipocyte Insulin Sensitivity
Faculty Research Mentor: Xia Lei, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
I-03 Logan Fogo
Research Presentation Title: Investigating the Role of miRNAs on Cellular Senescence
Faculty Research Mentor: Yong Cheng, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
I-04 Brandon Lee
Research Presentation Title: Development of a new drug regimen for cystic fibrosis patients with bacterial lung infections
Faculty Research Mentor: Yong Cheng, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
I-05 Amber Meeker
Research Presentation Title: Microvesicles Derived from Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells Regulate Macrophage Activation During Mycobacterium abscessus Infection
Faculty Research Mentor: Yong Cheng, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
I-06 Niveditha Minukuri
Research Presentation Title: The Functional Role of Human Immune Cells in Cystic Fibrosis
Faculty Research Mentor: Yong Cheng, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
I-07 Larkin Riddle
Research Presentation Title: Survival of Elizabethkingia anophelis in double distilled water
Faculty Research Mentor: John Gustafson, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
I-08 Addison Snider
Research Presentation Title: Antimicrobial-producing bacterial species isolated from the secretion microbiome of the American burying beetle
Faculty Research Mentor: John Gustafson, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
I-09 Olivia Willbanks
Research Presentation Title: The Effect of INI1 Subunit Deletion on Nucleosome Repositioning Efficiency
Faculty Research Mentor: Donald Ruhl, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
I-10 Hannah Luke
Research Presentation Title: Identification of resistance sources to bird cherry oat aphid in wheat introgression lines
Faculty Research Mentor: Meriem Aoun, Entomology and Plant Pathology
I-11 Mallory Peek
Research Presentation Title: PCR Primers and Artificial Positive Control Design to Validate Internal Controls of Different Plant Species and Insects Through PCR
Faculty Research Mentor: Fransisco Ochoa Corona, Entomology and Plant Pathology
I-12 Sandra Sweat
Research Presentation Title: Towards biological control for pecan production in Oklahoma - Characterizing fungi isolated from pecan weevils
Faculty Research Mentor: Stephen Marek, Entomology and Plant Pathology
I-13 Maria Kathryn Salud
Research Presentation Title: Influence of Stink Bug Pressure on Soybean Seed Quality and Nutrition
Faculty Research Mentor: Ashleigh M. Faris, Entomology and Plant Pathology
I-14 Steven Bachelor
Research Presentation Title: Optimizing Hormonal Combinations for Enhanced Callus Induction and Regeneration in Bermudagrass
Faculty Research Mentor: Shuhao Yu, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
I-15 Garrett Blair
Research Presentation Title: Adaptive Reuse of Decommissioned Oil Infrastructure as Renewable Energy Demonstration Art for Sustainable Design
Faculty Research Mentor: Qing Lana Luo, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
I-16 Kaylee Morris, Tanner Lam, and Qing Luo
Research Presentation Title: A Design Framework for Sustainable Riverbank Regeneration Integrating Wetlands and Brownfield Remediation
Faculty Research Mentor: Qing Lana Luo, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
I-17 Austyn Peters
Research Presentation Title: Freeze Tolerance of Zoysiagrass Cultivars During Acclimation and Deacclimation Stages
Faculty Research Mentor: Mingying Xiang, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
I-18 Breanna Allen
Research Presentation Title: Characterization of a Putative Toxin-Antitoxin System from the Upper Respiratory Mutualist Dolosigranulum pigrum
Faculty Research Mentor: Reed Stubbendieck, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
I-19 Kaylee Brenner
Research Presentation Title: Evaluating the role of MreB in Lag Phase
Faculty Research Mentor: Randy Morgenstein, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
I-20 Aiden Bucher
Research Presentation Title: Comparing the Relative Fitness of Stressosome-Deleted and Wild-Type Bacillus subtilis
Faculty Research Mentor: Matthew Cabeen, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
I-21 Isaiah Burns
Research Presentation Title: MMP25 affects on C. neoformans virulence Pathways
Faculty Research Mentor: Karen Wozniak, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
I-22 Murrie Custer
Research Presentation Title: Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Biomass Using Combined Microbial and Hydrothermal processes for Efficient Biofuel Production
Faculty Research Mentor: Babu Fathepure, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
I-23 Hibba Eissa
Research Presentation Title: Antifungal Activity and Mechanistic Characterization of Human Neutrophil Elastase (HNE) against Cryptococcus neoformans
Faculty Research Mentor: Karen L. Wozniak, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
I-24 Hana Elkashef
Research Presentation Title: Functional Analysis of GtaN and Other GATA Transcription Factors Regulated by Erk2 in Dictyostelium
Faculty Research Mentor: Jeff Hadwiger, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
I-25 Delminio Finch
Research Presentation Title: Testing the Antimicrobial Activity of Lab Synthesized Compounds
Faculty Research Mentor: Erika Lutter, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
I-26 Remington Fiore
Research Presentation Title: Culturing Anaerobic Isoprene-Reducing Microbes in Carbon-Rich and Carbon-Lacking Media
Faculty Research Mentor: Sabrina Beckmann, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
I-27 Abigail Grant
Research Presentation Title: Antifungal Activity of Dendritic Cell Lysosome Proteins Against Phagocytosed Cryptococcus neoformans
Faculty Research Mentor: Karen L. Wozniak, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
I-28 Brynne MacLaren
Research Presentation Title: Testing the Antibiotic Activity of Lab Synthesized Compounds
Faculty Research Mentor: Erika Lutter , Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
I-29Molly McGaughy
Research Presentation Title: Defining the Antifungal Mechanism of Myeloperoxidase in Cryptococcus neoformans
Faculty Research Mentor: Karen Wozniak, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
I-30 Taylor Menard
Research Presentation Title: Determining how Mycobacterium tuberculosis utilizes host serum albumin for heme iron acquisition
Faculty Research Mentor: Avi Mitra, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
I-31 Taylor Mills
Research Presentation Title: Description of Three Novel Anaerobic Gut Fungal Genera From Tortoise Feces
Faculty Research Mentor: Noha Youssef, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
I-32 Saylor Salmans
Research Presentation Title: Trafficking and Expression of Nonnative Enzymes in Aspergillus nidulans with Presence and Absence of Signal Peptides
Faculty Research Mentor: Rolf Alexander Prade , Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
I-33 Crissy Villasmil-Velasco
Research Presentation Title: Identification of an Antivirulence Signal Produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa Clinical Isolates
Faculty Research Mentor: Erika Lutter, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
I-34 Ty Young
Research Presentation Title: Comparative Metagenomic Analysis of the Microbial Gut Community of Ratites
Faculty Research Mentor: Mostafa Elshahed, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
I-35 Madison Neal
Research Presentation Title: Assessing the Rate of Antibiotic Resistance Gene Loss in Environmental Escherichia coli Strains from Livestock Operations Under Antibiotic-Free Conditions
Faculty Research Mentor: Wouter Hoff, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
I-36 Lexi Henson
Research Presentation Title: Peripheral CB1R Inverse Agonist (JD-5037) Reduces Diet-Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy and Metabolic Dysfunction in Obese Mice
Faculty Research Mentor: Yoo Kim, Nutritional Sciences
I-37 Parker Huizinga
Research Presentation Title: Diet, DNA, and Macular Degeneration: Investigating Micronutrient–SNP Interactions on Photoreceptor Segment Thickness
Faculty Research Mentor: Winyoo Chowanadisai, Nutritional Sciences
I-38Sara Lewis
Research Presentation Title: Effects of Pinto Bean Supplementation on Markers of Bone Health in a Mouse Model of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
Faculty Research Mentor: Edralin Lucas, Nutritional Sciences
I-39 Abby Maupin
Research Presentation Title: The Impact of a Minimal Ultra-Processed Diet on Body Composition in a Real-World Setting
Faculty Research Mentor: Sam Emerson, Nutritional Sciences
I-40 Cody Moss
Research Presentation Title: The Protective Role of Matcha Supplementation in High-Fat, High-Sugar Diet–Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy via the Gut–Heart Axis
Faculty Research Mentor: Yoo Kim, Nutritional Sciences
I-41 Madi Myers
Research Presentation Title: Diet Quality Among International Students at Oklahoma State University: A Cross-Sectional Study
Faculty Research Mentor: Harriet Okronipa, Nutritional Sciences
I-42 Elizabeth Nowlin
Research Presentation Title: Exercise-Induced Changes in Body Composition in Young Men with Normal Weight Obesity
Faculty Research Mentor: Sam Emerson, Nutritional Sciences
I-43 Hanna Ramirez Zeigler
Research Presentation Title: Student-proposed solutions to address food insecurity among international students at Oklahoma State University
Faculty Research Mentor: Harriet Okronipa, Nutritional Sciences
I-44 Ella Smith
Research Presentation Title: Lifestyle Influences in Young Men with Normal Weight Obesity
Faculty Research Mentor: Sam Emerson, Nutritional Sciences
I-45Kasey Grider
Research Presentation Title: Reducing Ultra-Processed Foods Improves Gut Microbial Diversity and Body Composition in Free-Living Adults
Faculty Research Mentor: Sam Emerson, Nutritional Sciences
I-46Spencer Akins
Research Presentation Title: Herbicide effectiveness under different soil PH levels
Faculty Research Mentor: Liberty Galvin , Plant and soil Sciences
I-47 Nia Grigsby
Research Presentation Title: Determining social engagement methods for OSU Weed Science Extension
Faculty Research Mentor: Liberty Galvin, Plant and Soil Sciences
I-48 Audrey Hardgrave
Research Presentation Title: Speciation and Sequestration of Manganese in Organic Wetland Substrates
Faculty Research Mentor: Julie LaBar, Plant and Soil Sciences
I-49 Shelby Harland
Research Presentation Title: Genetic Identification of Off-Type Turf Bermudagrass using SSR Markers
Faculty Research Mentor: Yanqi Wu, Plant and Soil Sciences
I-50 Leah Juhnke
Research Presentation Title: Optimizing Production under Water Scarcity: Identifying Resilient Forage Alternatives for Sustainable Cattle Systems
Faculty Research Mentor: Daniel Adamson, Plant and Soil Sciences
I-51 Thomas Parkey
Research Presentation Title: Metribuzin Tolerance Screening In Regional Winter Wheat
Faculty Research Mentor: Liberty Galvin, Plant and Soil Sciences
I-52 Luke Reynolds
Research Presentation Title: Herbicide Tank Mix Options for Controlling Brush Species in Pasture and Range
Faculty Research Mentor: Liberty Galvin, Plant and Soil Sciences
I-53 Ty Shreve
Research Presentation Title: A Statewide Survey of Herbicide Resistance in Rye Brome (Bromus secalinus) Populations in Oklahoma
Faculty Research Mentor: Liberty Galvin, Plant and Soil Sciences