Biological Sciences Graduate Programs

The study, led by former graduate student Dr. William King and involving undergraduates Justin Singer and Mitchell Warman from the Patton-Vogt lab, explored the physiological role of the protein Gpc1 in the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans. Gpc1 was shown to be an enzyme involved in membrane lipid remodeling. Further, Gpc1 was shown to be important for cell viability and other attributes important to the pathogenicity of the organism. This work provides new insight into the membrane biology of Candida albicans, an infectious organism that can negatively impact human health.

Dr. Jessica Packard, a former Biological Sciences PhD candidate in the Dembowski lab, conducted research on the interactions between viral DNA and host cell proteins during infections. Her work focused on understanding how viruses exploit the host's cellular machinery to replicate and sustain their life cycles. By identifying and validating these interactions through experimental methods, she explored their impact on critical processes such as DNA repair, replication, and transcription. These findings not only better our understanding of virus-host dynamics but also provide insights for future research on viral infections.

Dr. Kyle Emerson and Associate Professor Dr. Sarah Woodley's research demonstrates the impact of the gut microbiome on how an animal perceives and responds to its environment. Emerson and Woodley found that tadpoles raised in autoclaved pond water had a dramatically altered gut microbiome and decreased behavioural responses to sensory stimuli. They were also larger in body mass, with heavier brains compared to tadpole raised in regular pond water. This indicates that the gut microbiome plays an important role in shaping animal behavior and brain development.

Dr. Brooke Deal, along with undergraduate students Laura Reynolds and Charles Patterson from Dr. John Pollock's lab, studied how male and female rats respond to neuropathic pain. They found that while both sexes experienced similar pain levels, a nanotherapeutic delivering celecoxib fully relieved pain in males but only partially in females, due to fewer macrophages at the injury site in females. The study suggests that male and female neuroinflammatory responses differ, which could influence pain treatment strategies.