SHADIYAH MANGRU

Under the guidance of mathematics professor Walter Morris, this spring I will explore ‘intradisciplinary’ interconnections between two distinct subfields of mathematics that particularly pique my interest: discrete mathematics and linear algebra. Of especial interest in my research will be the well-known Graham-Pollak theorem that “The edge set of the complete graph Kn of order n cannot be partitioned into the edge sets of fewer than n-1 bicliques.” During this course of study I will read an article by Fischer, Morris and Shapiro detailing their proof, alongside other germane readings, as I investigate the validity of a spectrum of statements, with the combinatorial Fischer, Morris, and Shapiro (FMS) theorem at one end and the linear algebraic Graham-Pollak theorem at the other.

ZAINAB BENCHEKROUN

The interaction of the nervous tissue with the electrode surface determines the efficacy of the charge transfer of the electrode. A better understanding of the brain's interaction with these electrodes will help in designing electrically conductive interfaces for implantable electrodes. In this project we propose to approximate the behavior of the electrode performance in different media. Carbon nanotube based (CNT) and iridium oxide coated (irox) stainless steel electrodes will be studied using Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) in different frequencies.

ERIC SCHIFFHAUER

My research will focus on the important Biodefense organism, Francisella, in the lab of Dr. Monique van Hoek. The van Hoek lab has previously shown that Francisella is capable of producing biofilms: important biological systems by which bacteria colonize surfaces and create resilient infections. Bacteria which form biofilms usually require a special structure called Type IV pili, which Francisella posess. I aim to determine the role of Type IV pili in biofilm formation in Francisella.

MYURAJAN RUBAHARAN

Dendrites serve as the principal sites of synaptic and/or sensory input and integration in the developing nervous system. Defects in dendrite development have been directly linked to aberrations in normal sensory perception, learning and memory, aging and a variety of nervous system diseases including schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and mental retardation. The major goal of the proposed study is to substantially extend initial observations that suggest the RNAi pathway plays a critical role in mediating distinct aspects of dendrite development in different neuronal subtypes. To accomplish this goal, I will use the Drosophila (fruitfly) peripheral nervous system as a model to perform loss-of-function (LOF) and gain-of-function (GOF) phenotypic studies of the role(s) of six key genes essential for mediating RNAi in the fruitfly.