Academic Creativity and Excellence Day
The semi-annual research colloquium at Bushnell founded by Dr. Tim Bergquist.
The Biological Effects and Medicinal Use of Psilocybin
In this presentation, I will be explaining what the chemical psilocybin is and does, and its recreational and medicinal use. My research is based on therapeutic uses of psilocybin and its potential to be used medicinally to help with common mental health disorders.
BIOL 499, Senior Capstone
Paul Allee
W100
2 – 2:30 PM
Dementia and its Impact of our World
In this presentation, I will be explaining what dementia is and the effects it has on older populations. I will dive into different types of dementia, the symptoms, and the different studies that are currently going on to find the best treatment. My research is focused on informing people of how prevalent dementia is, making people more aware of the effect it has on our older populations, and the different studies that have gone on to find a drug that will have a lasting impact on patients with dementia.
BIOL 499, Senior Capstone
Paul Allee
W100
2:30 – 3 PM
Biochemical Pregnancies
Biochemical pregnancies are an early-stage miscarriage and one of the most common types. Unfortunately, it can take an emotional toll on the parents who are trying to conceive a child. In this paper, I go through some of the reasons that this event may occur. It is first important to understand the process of fertilization, implantation, and development of the conceptus. With an understanding, it is easier to grasp the complexities of pregnancy and why mistakes may occur during development. Early miscarriage can occur for a few different reasons. Research has found that most occur from chromosomal abnormalities, specifically aneuploidy and sperm DNA fragmentation. There is also evidence that there can be endometrial complications. The thickness of the endometrium plays a role in keeping the fertilized egg alive. Findings also suggest that implantation can determine if a biochemical pregnancy happens. The mother’s uterus can reject the implanting embryo, and there seems to be a preferred window of implantation that allows the conceptus to survive. Most interestingly, it has been found that women who undergo in-vitro fertilization are less likely to have an early miscarriage when compared to those who have a sporadic pregnancy. While there is some research dedicated to answering the question of why chemical pregnancies occur, there is not much dedicated to preventative measures. Evidence does suggest that there are a few, specifically preventing aneuploidy, but there are minimal resources dedicated to this research. Overall, biochemical pregnancies are an unfortunate occurrence that plagues many women, and because of this, more time and resources need to be dedicated to research on early pregnancy loss.
BIOL 499, Senior Capstone
Paul Allee
Womack 100
1:30 – 2 PM
Periodontal Disease and Periodontistry
The primary cause of tooth loss is periodontitis. Close to 50% of the adult population has a form of periodontitis or swelling of the gums due to bacteria lying just beneath the surface of the gums. Oral health is important to the general health of a person and it is the first line of defense against diseases and other bacteria entering the body. Dental caries can lead to adverse health effects and can even be the cause of death. Dental disease can also cause and be caused by stroke, diabetes, and heart disease. Periodontistry is a field that has been around for a long time to help combat this. Periodontists can do a myriad of procedures in order to help prevent gum recession and bone loss as well as other signs of periodontistry. Hygienists can also help prevent periodontitis by performing procedures such as scaling and root planing. Periodontistry is a vital role in keeping the mouth healthy and also the body overall.
BIOL 499, Senior Capstone
Paul Allee
L203
2:30 – 3 PM
Relationship between Genetics and Personalities
Genetics and personalities, two very interesting topics that could very possibly have correlations and a relationship with each other. Understanding how genetics plays into personality disorders is another aspect that does not go deep into detail mainly because there is not enough research around the subject. The biggest aspect of genetics that plays into one’s personalities is the nature versus nurture aspect. The environment that someone is surrounded by during the developmental stages of their lives play the biggest role in the idea of genetics and personality disorders. There are ten different personality disorders that are typically related to the environmental aspects of genetics. However, not enough information has been discovered to determine if there is actually a correlation between genetics and personalities, but it is currently being looked into and further studied and maybe in future years the idea of genes correlating with personality and personality disorders will probably be deeper in understanding and further the knowledge of the possibilities.
BIOL 499, Senior Capstone
Paul Allee
L203
2:30 – 3 PM
The Pathology of Compartment Syndrome in the Lower Legs
This assignment discusses the pathology and anatomy of compartment syndrome in the lower legs. Compartment syndrome results in an increased amount of pressure build-up within the swollen compartments because the fascia does not expand very well. It is considered dangerous because it decreases the blood supply, oxygen, and nourishments that your compartments need to function. The syndrome creates complications within a person’s lower legs by causing tissue damage, loss of body function, and even death. The syndrome can be diagnosed by taking the compartment syndrome measurement test. The amount of pressure that shows up by the test can be used to differentiate between whether it is chronic compartment syndrome or acute compartment syndrome. Normally chronic compartment syndrome is caused by over-exerting the muscles, whereas acute compartment syndrome is caused by an injury. Doctors suggest taking a break (rest), physical therapy, or even fasciotomy to help manage compartment syndrome.
BIOL 499, Senior Capstone
Paul Allee
L203
Click here to view the live stream
12 – 12:30 PM
A Historical and Functional Analysis of the Smallpox and Tetanus Vaccines
Ascribed to SARS-CoV-2, the current pandemic has generated a lot of questions and concerns pertaining to not only the COVID vaccines, but also the broad spectrum of vaccination practices that exist. With this in mind, the objective of this presentation is to analysis the general safety and effectiveness of vaccines, based on an extensive historical overview and functional analysis of their mechanisms of action. In order to do this, an emphasis on the smallpox and tetanus vaccines will be rendered.
BIOL 499, Senior Capstone
Paul Allee
P114
10 – 11 AM
Skeletal Muscle Soreness and Fatigue; Causes and Treatment
High intensity training, induces muscle fatigue, increases blood lactate levels, causes an accumulation of metabolites within the muscle body, and induces sensations of pain and decreased mobility following the exercise. In an effort to mitigate the feeling of strain on the body often we turn towards different recovery modalities; cryotherapy, myofascial release, and electrical stimulation. Many times these can have a perceived benefit while being administered which may not always be truly indicative of whether the modality has any efficacy. This review was aimed at addressing the objective benefits seen with each training modality, which encompasses how they affect muscle soreness, subjective feelings of fatigue prior to the next exercise, and biological markers and indicators for inflammation levels.
BIOL 499, Senior Capstone
Paul Allee
P114
11 – 11:30 AM
The Beginning of Life
Covered in this research paper is the journey of the secondary oocyte and the sperm to unite to form a zygote. From there the zygote then begins its journey of replication. In this paper the subject of female and male gamete production will take place. As well as the fertilization of the secondary oocyte and implantation into the uterus. Despite this paper only covering a small portion of development it does cover events that have a high level of failure. The goal of this paper is to explore the beauty of reproduction and the miracle that it is.
BIOL 499, Senior Capstone
Paul Allee
P114
11:30 AM – Noon
Multiple Sclerosis, and the role of T cells
This presentation reviews the autoimmune disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and its’ association with the role of T cells along with causes and possible treatments. Multiple Sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system which includes the brain and also spinal cord. Myelin specific T cells play a major role in this disease and there are other factors which can play a role in the risk of getting multiple sclerosis, such as vitamin D deficiency, gut bacteria dysbiosis and certain gene alterations. T cells are seen working throughout these causes and in the disease itself. Although there is no cure for multiple sclerosis, there are medications which can help those affected and are used to prevent frequent attacks. Further research is being done for treatment and cure of MS.
BIOL 499, Capstone
Paul Allee
10:30 – 11 AM
Join the Zoom discussion afterward. The presenter and faculty advisor both have the password.
In September of 1990 Gene therapy was delivered to its first patient, a four-year old girl suffering from adenosine deaminase deficiency. Research on Gene therapy had begun in 1985 when trying to discover a new way to deliver a human gene via a retrovirus. Since its creation, Gene therapy has been met with major push back based on its ethical concerns. However, it has also been proven through clinical trials to be an effective way of treating diseases we have not had the methods to be able to treat. This presentation reviews the techniques associated with Gene therapy as well as a review of a few of the clinical trials. It also addresses some of the ethical concerns and the regulations in the United States. The further development of Gene therapy could change the course of people’s lives who currently live with untreatable diseases.
BIOL 499, Capstone
Paul Allee
11 – 11:30 AM
Join the Zoom discussion afterward. The presenter and faculty advisor both have the password.
The Importance and Potential Benefits of Nanotechnology: Nanomedicine
This presentation is about the importance and potential benefits of nanotechnology used in medicine: Nanomedicine. Technology has been a vast growing field. But we always think of the technology that is in our hands or sitting in front of our face. Nanotechnology is a technology that we can put to the use of medicine. It can be used to prevent disease, new drug delivery, and may even extend our life span. It can also be used to treat cancer tumors by having Nanoparticles injected into our body, destroying only the tumor. Knowing about the benefits of Nanomedicine can open your mind about new ideas of medicine.
BIOL 499, Capstone
Paul Allee
P114
2:30 – 3 PM
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and human biological effects
Pollution has created significant impacts in human life in the past. It has devastated life greatly in all aspects. Pollutant materials are found across the globe in the water we drink, the air we breath, and land we walk on. One of the biggest concerns within the topic of pollution discusses the harmful particles we are constantly exposed to through the air we breath and the everyday products we use. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are derivatives of partial combustion of fossil fuels, biomass and overheating of organic material.[8] Exposure to this particulate matter has been researched and linked to the synthesis of DNA adducts and tumorigenesis. There are a number of pathways that operate the metabolic activation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,
BIOL 499, Capstone
Paul Allee
P114
1 – 1:30 PM
Crohn’s Disease Presentation
An overview and analysis of Crohn’s disease, its epidemiology, genetic and epigentic factors, and overview of treatments to combat the disease.
BIOL 499, Capstone
Paul Allee
P114
1:30 – 2 PM
Treatment of Spinal Cord Injuries
The presentation will provide the basic anatomy of the human nervous system and explore the unfavorable events of spinal cord injury. Followed by the triggered cascades that lead to the lack of normal restorative and regenerative function of the spinal cord. Then the presentation will conclude with an explanation of the top strategies to promote neuroprotection, regeneration, and cell replacement for the spinal cord.
BIOL 499, Capstone
Paul Allee
P114
2 – 2:30 PM
Enhancing Computing with Biologically Inspired Design
Computers as an integral part of the modern world are continuously being improved upon, and yet there is still a lot of space for advancement. With the impending end of Moore’s Law and the limits to how small components can be made, new computer designs and engineering models are needed to make further progress.
One area of inspiration that researchers and engineers have been turning to is that of the biological world. Computer architecture and design that takes a page from the structure of neurons and how they work in the brain promises great improvements in areas such as efficiency and parallel computation.
This process however of creating a biologically inspired computer is one that has required large amounts of research and study, as the vast differences between binary-based computers and biological neurons makes a fusion of the two paradigms very difficult.
This presentation will explore these topics and examine how these problems are being solved with the use of clever engineering and novel technologies.
BIOL 499, Capstone
Paul Allee
P003
1:00 – 1:30 PM
CRISPR: The Healing Tool of the Future
Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats; 9 nuclease (CRISPR/Cas9) is a new tool based upon a bacterial protein that is associated with CRISPR. Cas9 comes from Streptococcus pyogenes. CRISPR’s functions and associated genes are essential in adaptive immunity in archaea and bacteria, enabling them to respond and eliminate invading genetic materials. The goal of many scientists and their communities is to apply this adaptive immunity to the human race. CRISPR/Cas9 can also be used to remove genetic diseases and even affect future generations of humans. By researching and analysing CRISPR/Cas9 further, humanity could be free from disease, disorders, and even aging. This paper reviews what CRISPR/Cas9 is and its possible future effects it will have upon humanity.
BIOL 499, Capstone
Paul Allee
P114
10:30 – 11 AM
Ebola, A Threat Assessment
Hemorrhagic fevers like Ebola have been in the news over the last several years as severe outbreaks have sprung up in West Africa. It has captured our imagination due to its extremely virulent nature and by the spectacularly gruesome way in which kills those it infects. In addition its origin is relatively unknown which furthers the myth of this virus. Understandably the American public became incredibly worried, with large portions of the population concerned that the pandemic would spread to our shores. But was all this hype really worth it? Sure, Ebola is very deadly. In fact in some cases it kills up to 90% of those infected. What’s even more incredible is that it is not the virus that ultimately kills you, but rather your own immune system. Through viral trickery, the Ebola virus silences and short circuits your immune cells causing massive internal bleeding and organ failure. Also it can last relatively long periods on common hospital surfaces and still remain viable. However while it is quite destructive on the individual level it seems to be relatively impotent on a global level. Outbreaks have been severe but still remain locked to a relatively small area. This becomes very evident if we look at the R0 number and other infection factors of the virus and we can see that it has less teeth than originally thought. Therefore, I believe Ebola is not the harbinger of some future apocalypse, but it is an incredibly complex and fascinating virus that deserves future study.
BIOL 499, Capstone
Paul Allee
P114
11 – 11:30 AM
Dental Caries: A review of pathogenesis and genetically linked predispositions
Bacteria are small unicellular organisms that can cause an array of human diseases. They can take on a variety of shapes and sizes and can infect through many different modes of transfer. Streptococcus mutans is a spherical, Gram-positive bacterium that is responsible for causing dental caries. This disease is characterized by the breakdown of calcified tooth tissue, and is known more commonly as “cavities”. Studying and understanding the pathogenesis of a disease such as dental caries is helpful for medical professionals to recognize and treat the disease.
Besides understanding the exact mechanisms through which S. mutans invades and infects, it is also worth exploring any genetic predispositions for dental caries. The completion of the Human Genome Project has allowed researchers to sequence complete human gene extracts. With this information, researchers have been able to determine which genes and proteins are responsible for resistance or susceptibility to caries. Alterations to protein expression can lead to modifications in enamel structure, immune response, and sugar metabolism. Any of these modifications make one increasingly susceptible to disease.
Understanding pathogenesis and knowing genetic risk factors for diseases are two powerful weapons in combatting against them. Preventative measures should be taken when fighting against dental caries. Vaccines have been developed with some success, but perhaps the greatest method of prevention rests in low sugar diets and the daily practice of brushing.
BIOL 499, Capstone
Paul Allee
P103
10 – 10:30 AM
Engaging Students at the Junior High Level: How to Overcome Biological Hindrances to Learning and Foster a Prosperous Classroom Environment for a Student’s Ultimate Success
In the teenage years, as one undergoes puberty, many biological changes are occurring. In order, to understand how to teach students at this level, teachers should be aware of how their brain works and the ways in which they learn. Taking a look at the process of myelination and examining different hormones, grasping the effects of poverty on the brain, and seeing how those with disabilities differ in the learning process provides insight into the effects on learning. In schools today there are various types of learners. Some learn through visual means, some auditory, and some kinesthetic. Through understanding these types of learners, a teacher can construct a classroom that accommodates students and pushes them to their highest potential. With the background knowledge of brain structures and functions, it becomes easier to limit distractions in the classroom, build lesson plans which collaborate and invent, and enforce classroom structure and discipline. This also informs how technology is used in the classroom and what type of relationship a teacher should have with students. All of these components construct a complete view of how a classroom can cater towards students and assist them to reach success, no matter the biological hindrances.
BIOL 499, Capstone
Paul Allee
P103
10:30 – 11 AM
Food and People: a Review of the Western Diet and Implications for Human Health
The need for food is something that all humans have in common and is something that has not changed since we have started walking the Earth. What has shifted, however, is the way that we obtain food. Immense change has occurred at various levels of the food chain, from the crops grown, to raising meat, all the way to how we eat. Known as the “western diet” our way of eating today looks far different from our hunter-gatherer days, with highly processed foods full of refined sugar, fat, and grains comprising over half of our energy intake. With the emergence of the western diet phenomenon, so have “western diseases”, which are understood to be noninfectious chronic diseases common to developed societies, including type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and various types of cancer, not to mention obesity. Wherever people have shifted towards a westernized way of eating, western diseases have seemed to follow. As eating and food becomes more simplified, it seems that our health continues to get more complicated.
BIOL 499, Capstone
Paul Allee
P103
11 – 11:30 AM