Global atmospheric carbon levels are continuing to rise from pre-industrial revolution levels. One of the main regulators of global atmospheric carbon levels, and thus climate, is the world's oceans. Unicellular marine cyanobacteria account for a large percent of total marine carbon fixation. We measured chlorophyll-specific ¹⁴C uptake rates (P[superscript b])...
Current protein immobilization techniques lack defined control over protein orientation. Protein orientation is important for making biosensors and biomaterials that are sensitive and efficient and can be crucial for designing some devices such as immunosensors or direct electron transferring biocells. A new method of protein immobilization is proposed that takes...
Anthopleura elegantissima (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) is an emerging model organism for studying the endosymbiotic relationship between dinoflagellate (genus Symbiodinium) and the cnidarian host. To be developed as a model organism, more genetic resources, like integrated genome and linkage map, are needed. An important validation for developing genomic resources is chromosome number....
Ubiquitous fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposures significantly impact global public health, yet little is known about the mechanisms causing these known adverse health effects. Oxidative stress due to PM2.5 associated chemical constituents, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), is a proposed possible mechanism for PM2.5 mediated health effects. Variations in...
Cytochrome P450 1B1 (Cyp1B1) is a xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme, responsible for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) oxidative metabolism. CYP1B1 metabolically activates several species of environmentally relevant procarcinogenic PAHs to reactive carcinogens. PAHs are aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists, leading to CYP1B1 upregulation. Though CYP1B1 is highly conserved across species, wild type...
Collaboration is crucial when advancing in scientific research. One person cannot
study all aspects of a system. That is why it is important for the scientific community to
communicate with each other and stay updated on research being conducted in other labs
around the world. In my research, I was...
Spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, is a recently introduced, invasive pest in Oregon. It oviposits in near-mature and mature fruit, and thus is an important concern for the small fruit industry. A crop consultant observed that mature raspberry fruit with D. suzukii larvae do not show symptoms of molds as...
As part of the Botswana Global Learning Internship Program, a qualitative study was conducted regarding the current staffing conditions at the local village health clinic in Maunatlala, Botswana. This was a month-long project conducted over the summer of 2018. Students from Oregon State University lived in the village of Maunatlala...
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by the degeneration of motor neurons in the motor cortex and spinal cord. Recent evidence suggests that the purine receptor P2X7 (P2X7R) plays a central role in the pathology of ALS. Previous research indicates that P2X7R activation by oxidatively modified heat shock protein 90...
Heavy metals have historically been popular for use in cosmetics manufacturing due to the colorful pigmentation of heavy metal compounds. In the case of sindoor, a cosmetic used by married Hindu women for religious purposes, mercury sulfide, lead tetroxide, and lead chromate are compounds suspected to still be involved in...