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Students, Faculty Present Research at Tennessee Academy of Sciences Meeting

Belmont Biology department faculty members Drs. Darlene Panvini, Nick Ragsdale, Chris Barton, Roger Jackson and Jennifer Thomas and Mathematics & Computer Science department faculty member Dr. Daniel Biles, along with 22 Belmont students, attended the 126th Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Sciences held at Austin Peay State University on November 19.

Students, primarily seniors, representing majors in biology, biochemistry & molecular biology, neuroscience and mathematics presented their undergraduate research projects in various poster sessions ranging from ecology and environmental Science to cell and molecular biology to mathematics.

Four Belmont students received recognition for their excellent work:

  • Anna Margaret McDonnell received first place in the Health and Medical Science section.
  • Gary Noel received first place in the Ecology and Environmental Science section.
  • Stacey Crockett received second place in the Cell and Molecular Biology section.
  • Sarah Anderson received third place in the Health and Medical Science section.

Additionally, Barton and Ragsdale served as section chairs in microbiology and health and medical science sections, respectively. Biles served as a judge for the mathematics/ computer S=science student presentations.

Panvini and Chris Barton gave an oral presentation entitled “DNA Barcoding as a Research and Teaching Tool in the Undergraduate Curriculum”  and Thomas presented her work, “Connecting with Our Students: Traditional Approaches and Radical Ideas,” in the science and mathematics teaching section.

The following research projects that were presented at the conference:

  • “Decomposition Rates of Acer Saccharum and Lonicera Macckii in Mixed Litter Bags,” Anna Anderson, Faculty Advisor: Darlene Panvini, Ph.D.
  • “Convallatoxin induces apoptosis in HCT116 colorectal cancer cells,” Sarah Anderson, Faculty Advisor:  Chris Barton, Ph.D.
  • “Seeking Behaviors of Nicotine,” AJ Arnold, Faculty Advisor: Robert Grammer, Ph.D.
  • “Disinhibition by Ethanol on C. elegans Towards Bacillus thuringiensis,” Samantha Bush, Faculty Advisor: Grammer
  • “Insight Into the Chemotaxis of Caenorhabditis Elegans Toward Pathogenic Bacillus Thuringiensis Strain 4A4 Using Chemosensory Deficient Nematodes,” Stacey Crockett, Faculty Advisor: Grammer
  •  “The effect of caffeine on motor movement of Caenorhabditis elegans,” Madeline Johnson, Faculty Advisor: Grammer
  • “Investigating the effect of super oxide dismutase, 6-hydroxydopamine and exogenous dopamine on the mobility of Caenorhabditis elegans,” Arielle Manabat and Abby Rife, Faculty Advisor: Nick Ragsdale, Ph.D.
  • “Effects of Epigallocatechin-gallate and Enoxacin on HeLa cells,” Anna Margaret McDonnell, Faculty Advisor: Barton
  • “Chemotaxis of Caenorhabditis elegans with Bacillus thuringiensis 4A4 in vegetative and sporulated growth stages,” Meghan McGath, Faculty Advisor: Grammer
  • “Investigation of p53 activation in HCT116 with the sesquiterpene Beta-Caryophyllene,” Diana Neculcea, Faculty Advisor: Barton
  • “The Effects of Fertilizer on Decomposition of Native and Invasive Exotic Plant Species,” Gary W. Noel, Faculty Advisor: Panvini
  • “Detection of Respiration in C. elegans and the Effects of Different Sugars and E. coli,” Prisha Patel, Faculty Advisor: Grammer
  • “Differences in Plant, Macroinvertebrate, and Microbiota Diversity on a Well-Established Green Roof and a New Green Roof,” Sargoel Rezanejad, Faculty Advisors: Barton and Panvini
  • “Comparison Between Established Versus Newly Created Green Roofs Focusing on Microbiology, Macroinvertebrates and Green Roof Flora,” Kelsey Saint ClairFaculty Advisors: Barton and Panvini
  • “Caffeine’s Effect on Chemotaxis of C. elegans at Various Stages of Life,” Emily Shearon, Faculty Advisor: Grammer
  • “Treatment effects of emetine on HCT-116 cells,” Kerry Sommers, Faculty Advisor:  Barton
  • “Expansion on the Nematode Scent Detection Test: Evaluating C. elegans Attraction to Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer,” Brian Song Faculty Advisor: Grammer
  • “Linearization and solution approximations for nonlinear differential equations,” Allison B. Hardee, Faculty Advisor: Daniel Biles, Ph.D.
  • “Mapping the unmapped of Nigeria,” Oluwatito P. Ebiwonjumi, Faculty Advisor: William Hooper, Ph.D.
  • “Problems in algebraic combinatorics,” Tucker L. Dowell, Faculty Advisor: Brad Schleben, Ph.D.
  • “Vector representations of musical harmonic structures,” Brandon Stephens and Peter Eigel, Faculty Advisor: Schleben

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