College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Honors and Undergraduate Research Program
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Undergraduate students who participate in research activity or in the CALS Honors Program are the authors of these senior theses. The objective of these programs is to help students develop critical thinking abilities through specialized courses and the challenges of designing, conducting and reporting research in collaboration with faculty from one of the world's leading research institutions. Students prepare a research proposal, conduct original research and present the results orally and in writing.
To see all of the senior theses and honors papers in this collection, click on one of the browse buttons above.
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Microbiology Honors Theses and Research Papers
Includes Bacteriology majors (2007)
Recent Submissions
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Do Amazon Fulfillment Centers Help or Harm Local Economies?
(2020-05)In this paper, I investigate the Amazon Corporation’s impact on the economic well-being of the communities that house its warehouses, or “Fulfillment Centers.” A review of the literature surrounding Amazon’s economic impact ... -
Defining the molecular determinants required for RNA binding functions of the Bicaudal-C (Bicc1) translational repressor protein
(2020-05)Bicaudal-C (Bicc1) is an RNA binding protein that functions as translational repressor in all animal species. Its repression activities are required for a multitude of biological processes such as guiding the earliest steps ... -
The Prevalence of Clostridium difficile in the Wisconsin Area and the Role of Dietary Fiber on Colonization
(2020-05)Clostridium difficile is an opportunistic pathogen. Since antibiotics alter a human’s microbiota, hospitalized patients are more likely to become infected with C. difficile. Studies have shown that a high-fiber diet can ... -
Improving the Production of Terpenes by Recombination of 1-Deoxy-D-Xylulose 5-Ph
(2020-05)None provided -
α7-Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Signaling in Cardiac Regeneration
(2020-05)Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Loss of heart regenerative capacity in adult mammals is a principle reason why adults fail to recover from heart diseases. In contrast, neonatal mammals possess ... -
GBT440 increases hematocrit and improves biventricular function in Berkeley sickle cell disease mice
(2020-05)Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a hereditary blood disorder affecting millions of people in which red blood cells become sickled and lyse easily driven by polymerization of hemoglobin. Chronically, SCD causes anemia and ... -
Novel insight into the patterns of in vitro short abortive RNA release by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase
(2020-05)E. coli RNA polymerase (RNAP) catalyzes prokaryotic transcription with the σ70 specificity factor, which directs the binding of RNAP to promoter DNA. RNAP operates on the promoter to form an open complex. In transcription ... -
Investigation of the Genome-Wide Distribution of Histone Variant H3.3
(2020-05)Epigenetic regulation via loci-specific deposition of variant histone proteins is important for genome stability and regulation of gene expression. Replication-independent histone variant H3.3 has been implicated in ... -
The role of social media in polarization of viewpoints towards climate change
(2018-06-15)The purpose of this research was to determine the role that social network sites play in the polarizing of viewpoints regarding climate change. To measure this, I surveyed participants about their initial perceptions of ... -
Phenylacetic acid degradation regulation in Acromyrmex ant-associated and non-ant associated Pseudonocardia strains in the context of pathogen co-cultivation
(2018-06-15)The Acromyrmex ant agriculture system is a highly evolved symbiosis that involves four organisms; the Attine ants, the fungal cultivars, the bacterium Pseudonocardia, and the fungal pathogen Escovopsis. The bacterium ... -
The Potential Negative Effects of FGF-23 peptide Vaccination on the Hatchability of Fertilized Eggs
(2018-06-12)In Ren et al. (2018), fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) peptide vaccination increased eggshell quality of Single Comb White Leghorn laying hens. Increasing eggshell strength may have considerable benefits for egg ... -
A Quantitative Analysis of Proteomic Changes in Hippocampal Tissue of Alzheimer's Patients vs. Aged-Controls
(2018-06-12)The purpose of this study was to identify changes in protein expression that occur in the hippocampus in Alzheimer's disease (AD). To achieve this, we performed a quantitative analysis comparing the protein levels from ... -
Functional changes in gut microbiota across the hibernation cycle of Ictidomys tridecemlineatus examined by stable isotope-assisted labeling
(2018-06-12)The hibernation cycle of the 13-lined ground squirrel, which includes fasting during winter months, drives changes in taxonomic composition of the gut microbiota. This study employs stable isotope-assisted labeling (SlAL) ... -
The impact of social support on hospital utilization patterns of older adults with multiple chronic conditions: a qualitative study
(2018-06-12)Five percent of the US population accounts for half of all health care costs. Members of this high-need, high-cost population are likely to be older, have multiple chronic conditions (MCC), and face complex social conditions. ... -
Effects of Manganese on (p)ppGpp Homeostasis in Bacillus subtilis
(2018-06-12)The bacterial nucleotide signal (p )ppGpp is an important signal for stress survival, antibiotic tolerance, and virulence in common pathogens. In addition, the group 7 metal manganese has been implicated in having critical ... -
Identification of Salmonella enterica genes that influence plant host association
(2017-06-19)Human enteric pathogens, such as Salmonella enterica, spend a significant portion of their life cycle associated with plant hosts. However, the specific genes required for S. enterica plant colonization have only begun to ... -
The potential functional consequences of mandible shape evolution in giant house mice from Gough Island
(2017-06-13)An extremely large-bodied Mus musculus domesticus mouse population from the remote Gough Island (GI) were used to study how the evolution of shape may affect the performance of a morphological trait. The study question ... -
MGAT2 deficiency alters bile acid metabolism
(2017-06-13)MGAT2 deficient mice (Mogat2—/—) are protected from obesity and hyperglycemia. We hypothesize that altered bile acid (BA) signaling contributes to these protective effects. The present study investigates whether Mogat2—/— ... -
Neuronal Ensemble Reactivation in the CA3 Hippocampal Region in Memory Formation due to Pattern Completion
(2017-06-13)The hippocampus functions in many memory processes; not only is it essential to the storage of new memories, but the retrieval of associated memories as well. A postulate of memory recollection called pattern completion, ...