Stander Symposium: College of Arts and Sciences

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  The Moral Courage Project Presents: "At the Root: Policing and the Right to Protest"

  Lila Acott, Aila Carr-Chellman, Saija Cleveland, Sebastian De Leon Osorio, Precious Henderson, Kristine Hillstrom, Kathryn Horning, Mary Kate Mull, Kurtis Neiman, Katherine Shryock, Ximena Silva-Aguirre, Anastacia Zartman-Robb

  "At the Root: Policing and the Right to Protest," the Moral Courage Project's fifth exhibition, documents a social movement based in Atlanta, Georgia facing repression for its opposition to a plan to build a police training facility in a clear-cut forest outside the city. The Moral Courage Project is a collaborative storytelling program of the UD Human Rights that produces traveling exhibitions, interactive websites, and a podcast series, Moral Courage Radio. The program prepares students to conduct immersive fieldwork in the U.S. and document the experiences of grassroots organizers and activists who expose themselves to risk in order to promote dignity during moments of crisis.

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  The Power of Black Love: Exploring Black Students' Sense of Belonging through the Lens of Romance

  Kayla Jackson

  All humans desire some sort of connection, as we are social beings by nature. This study aims to better understand the relationship between Black students’ experiences in romantic relationships and their perceptions of belonging on campus. This is necessary, given that a student’s sense of belonging is crucial to their success in higher education. The study was conducted using confidential, semi-structured interviews of Black undergraduate students at the University of Dayton who have been in a relationship during their college years. Results show that Black students have mixed feelings about whether they feel that they belong on campus. Though relationships had less of an impact on campus events and involvement, they had a profound effect on social life. These findings paint a more detailed picture of an overlooked aspect of Black students’ experiences on UD’s campus.

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  The Price of Community: Budget Changes and Multicultural Student Sucess and Belonging

  Crystal Kissi

  Increasing political opposition to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies alongside budget cuts at higher education institutions have caused much concern about the future of diversity initiatives on many campuses, including the University of Dayton. This study explores the perceptions of multicultural student leaders concerning budget changes. The goal is to understand the importance of multicultural organizations and perceptions of budget cuts and link these experiences and perceptions to student belonging on campus. Through semi-structured interviews with 13 multicultural student leaders who are involved in MEC and/or SGA, results highlight these organizations as a key factor in why multicultural students feel they belong on UD’s campus. The interviews also revealed the importance of holistic support from advisors and other administrators on campus or in their organizations. These findings demonstrate the specific needs of students and organizations, as well as the importance of administrative structures and national networks in supporting students on campus.

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  The regulation of the Drosophila melanogaster pale gene and its evolution during the origin of a dimorphic pigmentation trait

  Devon Seibert, Ashley Williams

  The coordinated expressions of trait building, so-called “realizator”, genes in the appropriate cell types and developmental stages are two impressive outcomes of the genetic and molecular mechanisms of morphological evolution. For each realizator gene, its pattern of expression is anticipated to result from the interaction of a combination of transcription factors to binding sites within one or more cis-regulatory element (CRE). A question that remains murky is to what extent these similar patterns of realizator expression require their CREs to be bound by similar combinations of transcription factors. One model trait that may shed light on this question is the sexually dimorphic pattern abdomen pigmentation that evolved in the lineage of Drosophila (D.) melanogaster fruit flies. This male-specific pattern of melanic pigmentation on the posterior abdomen results from the spatial-, temporal-, and sex-specific deployment of a pathway of metabolic genes. While the CREs for several of these pathway genes have been well-studied, the biochemically first acting gene, known as pale, has received little attention. Here, we will share insights from studies on the regulation of the D. melanogaster pale gene and how this regulation and pale expression evolved during the origin and diversification of this pigmentation trait.

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  The Relationship Between Disciplinary Actions and the School-to-Prison Pipeline: Impact on Minority Dropout Rates

  James Quinn

  The school to prison pipeline is one of the biggest problems in the United States that is sending youth minority out of school and into jail instead. It largely weighs against young minority school students. One of the major problems in the school to prison pipeline is the dropout rate of youth minority students. This project will look into the effects of dropping out and what behaviors both in and outside the school were like. Schools have contributed to making minor violations into big problems which increase the rates at which minority students are being pushed out of school and into the juvenile justice system. This research aims to investigate the disciplinary practices impacting minority students like dropout rates and how they contribute to the school to prison pipeline. Some variables focus on whether suspension and expulsion has similar effects on whites and nonwhites, controlling for behavioral history, family structure, substance abuse, gang involvement, academic performance, and friends criminal involvement, and other variables. In the end, this study will help show the importance of changing these policies to more promote equal and fair disciplinary actions and to further reduce the long term consequences for marginalized students.

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  The Rise of the Far Right in France & Impact on French Immigration Policy

  Rose Philbin

  The National Rally, France’s right-wing populist and nationalist party, has seen swift growth in recent years under the leadership of Parliamentary Party Leader, Marine Le Pen. Formerly a party on the political outskirts, in July of 2024 it won more seats in the French parliament than it has had in any other time in history. This project explores the French political system and the factors that have led the National Rally to gain increased popularity in the last decade. Additionally, it investigates how immigration has impacted France, the French government’s response to it, and how this situation will continue to change in the future. This project addresses the question: what are the factors that have led to the rise of the far right in France and how has this rise impacted French immigration policies? The rise of far-right ideals has historically included ideology that stresses racism, antisemitism, and xenophobia. Being aware of these global political shifts is essential in understanding the future impacts of the far-right in France, as well as its effects worldwide.

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  The Role of Retinal Degeneration Gene Crumbs in Alzheimer's Disease

  Magdalene Amponsah-Mensah

  Magdalene Mensah, Sunanda Yogi, Amit Singh CRUMBS (crb) is a transmembrane protein important for apical-basal polarity and is known to be a negative regulator of the growth regulatory pathway. It plays a crucial role in the morphogenesis of photoreceptor cells. The human ortholog is CRB1 (crumbs cell polarity complex component 1), which has been implicated in retinitis pigmentosa and retinal degeneration. Drosophila melanogaster has a short life cycle and various developmental stages, making it a useful model to study disease progression. We aim to characterize the basic function of crb in the developing eye of Drosophila. There is a single fly gene, crb, which is orthologous to both isoforms of CRB1 and CRB2 in humans, making it an appropriate model system to study mutations in the crb gene. In our lab, we have overexpressed crb (gain-of-function) and downregulated crb (loss-of-function) using the UAS-Gal4 bipartite system. Retinal and neurological degeneration share similar cellular mechanisms, and their mechanistic pathways often coincide. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that begins with the accumulation of abnormal plaques (Aβ42) and neurofibrillary tangles (Tau) in the brain. In our lab, we have previously modeled Alzheimer's disease by expressing human Aβ42 in Drosophila. This study aims to model retinal degeneration in the context of Alzheimer's disease. I will examine the effect of crb on Alzheimer's and score the resulting phenotypes, analyzing them across various developmental stages. This study could also be further extrapolated to human ocular diseases that result in progressive retinal degeneration.

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  The Role of Temperature and Transcription Factor CodY in Regulating the Effects of Propionate on Listeria monocytogenes Lactate Dehydrogenase Activity

  Emily Backus, Angelina Giannetto

  Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterial foodborne pathogen that can cause severe enteric infections with high mortality rates. During transmission, L. monocytogenes is exposed to propionate both as a common additive in food matrices and as a metabolic byproduct of our intestinal microbiota. However, how L. monocytogenes adapts to propionate exposure is not fully understood. In this study, we investigated how propionate exposure regulates the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). LDH activity is critical for bacteria to maintain redox homeostasis and therefore can be a good indicator for bacterial fitness. Therefore, bacteria grown under different conditions with or without propionate were harvested and lysed. LDH activities were quantified in the resulting lysates using Pierce LDH Cytotoxicity Assay Kit. To investigate how L. monocytogenes LDH activity is regulated by propionate under different environmental conditions, we analyzed the effects of temperature on wildtype L. monocytogenes LDH activity. We compared the results of 0 degrees Celsius, with or without propionate, and then 37 degrees Celsius, with or without propionate. We discovered that there was no statistically significant difference between any of the temperatures and with or without the presence of propionate. Moreover, to explore the molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of LDH activity, we compared the results between wildtype L. monocytogenes and a mutant strain lacking the transcription factor CodY. We found that while propionate didn't significantly change LDH activities, the lack of CodY resulted in a significantly lower LDH activity. These results highlight the potential role of CodY in activating LDH production.

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  The Role Race plays in Misconduct in Jails and Prisons

  Hunter Koehler

  I will be looking at if there is a connection between Race and the type of Misconduct that is conducted in prisons and jails in the United States correctional system. I will be focusing on Non-violent misconduct and Violent misconduct. I will be using other variables besides Race to help see what other factors may play a role in misconduct happening in the correctional facilities other than race. I will look at whether or not veterans and inmates with mental disabilities are more or less likely to commit misconduct while incarcerated than other inmates. I will also look at whether inmates have received some sort of education while being incarcerated. Whether inmates have been arrested and incarcerated before their current offence(s) and how many times they have been arrested and incarcerated before this offense(s). I am looking at this relationship due to the overwhelming media attention that Race plays a role in everything, so I want to know if the prisons system is subject to these claims. I also wanted to look into whether the prison system is as one sided as some people think, showing that the African American population is disproportionally represented in the prisons and jails of the United States. I am looking at the information and statistics to better understand what could influence the decisions of an inmate and what variables have a major role in those decisions.

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  The Safety on Campus Edges

  Riley Holkema, Maya Parks, Valerie Smith

  In this class project for SOC 324: Communities & Crime, we worked to identify a crime problem or a plan to promote safety that is pertinent to our own community. We applied relevant social science theories in order to understand how to promote safety on campus, especially along campus edges. Based on these theoretical explanations, we offer strategies to address the crime problem and to enhance community safety, as well as an action plan to implement our recommended solutions.

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  Time and Space are not Absolute

  Brett Jones, Andrew Shoemaker, Charles Strunc

  Before 1905, it was believed that time and space were absolute. Two observers will measure the same time and space regardless of the frame of reference where measurements are made. However, Albert Einstein challenged this long-held belief after introducing his well known special theory of relativity. This theory transformed how we view the universe as a whole. His theory shows that two observers would measure different times and distances when they move with respect to each other. In particular, time slows down and distance shrinks in moving frames. As an example, in our presentation we will discuss the twin paradox where we will show that the traveling twin will age less. Ten years later (1915), Einstein introduced his general theory of relativity where he shows that massive objects like planets and stars can bend space and time around them, affecting how the fabrics of space-time behave. This idea upends the traditional view of a constant, unchanging reality, showing instead that time and space are dynamic and interwoven in ways we’d never imagined before.

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  Tooth Development in Frogs: Implications for the Re-Evolution of Lost Mandibular Teeth and the Origin of Vertebrate Morphological Innovation

  Kyliah Gilliam-Beale

  Teeth have been maintained across most vertebrates for 400 million years, and the core regulatory network underlying tooth formation is deeply conserved in the embryonic jaws of fishes and amniotes. Unlike other vertebrates, frog odontogenesis is delayed, occurring during metamorphosis. Larval anurans possess unique keratinized mouthparts that functionally replace, and potentially inhibit, teeth. The majority of frogs form teeth on the upper jaw but lack lower jaw dentition; however, a single species re-evolved mandibular teeth. The developmental- genetic mechanisms underlying tooth formation is poorly understood in frogs, and it is unknown if an ancestral program is partially maintained in the lower jaw, providing a putative mechanism for recovering lost mandibular teeth. Using a developmental series of a non-model frog, we assessed 1) if the gene network underlying odontogenic competence is conserved in the late- forming teeth of frogs, 2) if keratinized mouthparts of tadpoles impede tooth induction, and 3) if transient tooth rudiments form in the anuran mandible. The frog upper jaw displays dental expression patterns comparable to other vertebrates, supporting the conservation of the tooth development network. Teeth emerge before keratinized mouthparts degenerate, but their location may be spatially constrained by keratin. No evidence of tooth development was found in the mandible, suggesting that frogs are unique in losing teeth without a trace. Overlapping gene expression patterns are present in tadpole keratinized mouthparts and frog teeth. We hypothesize that the novel mouthparts of tadpoles did not arise de novo but originated by partially co-opting the developmental program that typically orchestrates odontogenesis.

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  Trauma, Vengeance, and Healing in Haitian Corner

  Lydia Andrews

  This presentation examines how Raoul Peck’s 1987 film Haitian Corner explores the different ways trauma is processed within the Haitian diaspora, contrasting the protagonist Joseph’s obsession with vengeance against his community’s focus on rebuilding. Joseph, a survivor of the Duvalier dictatorship displaced in New York City, is consumed by his past, isolating himself as he relentlessly pursues his former torturer. Whereas, characters like Sarah and Hegel, who have endured similar trauma, exile, and displacement, focus on establishing stability and creating supportive spaces for their community in New York. While much of the Haitian diaspora prioritizes moving forward, Joseph remains trapped in a cycle of traumatic memories and vengeance. Through this juxtaposition, Peck reveals the complex reality of overcoming trauma: healing occurs in various ways, at different paces, and on different timelines. In this way, Haitian Corner gives insight into the Haitian diaspora’s diverse experiences and can resonate with communities and individuals dealing with similar histories of political violence and displacement. Ultimately, Peck leverages Haitian cinema as historical testimony and a means of reclaiming agency, depicting the diaspora’s struggles and resilience, and contributing to broader discourse on trauma within the Francophone world.

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  Two Player Lights Out

  Maximo Gonzalez

  This is a project for MTH 466, Graph Theory and Combinatorics. A graph is a mathematical object that consists of two sets, a set of vertices and a set of edges. An edge joins two vertices and depicts a relationship between those vertices, and these vertices are called neighbors. This game is played on a graph, all of whose vertices can be thought of as lights which can be “off” and “on”. Selecting a vertex changes the state of that vertex and of all its neighbors. At the start of the game, the lights at all the vertices are on. The two players take turns in selecting a vertex of the graph. A player may not select the same vertex that their opponent selected most recently. The winner is the player who turns off the last light. If the lights remain on after 20 turns, then the game is a draw. This poster investigates the fewest required moves for a player to win, whether the order of moves matter, and whether there is an advantage to being the first player.

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  Type theory language and space mappings

  Joseph Kopp

  we explore the integration of constructive type theory within formal mathematical languages, focusing on its implementation in the Lean proof assistant. We delve into the Curry-Howard correspondence, which establishes a profound connection between logic and type theory, enabling propositions to be represented as types and proofs as programs. In particular, those concepts involving mappings between spaces, can be effectively modeled within this formal system.

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  UD Woodwind trio presents works by student composers

  Joseph Barnett, Rachel Gleberman, Kristen Smith

  The student trio presents a program of works arranged by composition students here in the music department.

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  Understanding Avondale: The Historical Roots of Contemporary Challenges

  Alexandra Amrhein

  The neighborhood of Avondale in Cincinnati, Ohio is characterized by a puzzling juxtaposition between elegant historic mansions and poverty, unemployment, and crime. Stigmatized for these latter qualities, its people have worked valiantly to revitalize their community, but pushing back against decades of economic depression is a challenge. This project offers a plausible, historically-based explanation for these conditions which have prevented Avondale from flourishing. Presenting research on Cincinnati’s 1930s redlining, the connection between West End and Avondale, the eruption of riots in the 1960s, and the consequent stigmatization of Avondale, I attempt to trace the domino effect that appears to have locked the neighborhood in economic stagnation and bred crime. I then discuss specific problems with which Avondale residents are currently faced. Citing Cincinnati’s census data and most recent Equity Indicators Report, I share statistics on poverty, unemployment, and crime rates that display the contemporary implications of Avondale’s earlier-discussed history. The effects on residents’ health are also concerning, and the link between possible social determinants (access to medication, stress-induced anxiety, and level of health literacy) and health is explored. Finally, I propose potential steps forward for undergraduates, like myself, who are inspired to use their research to help efforts currently underway in communities like Avondale. Though it may seem daunting at first to face such overwhelming issues, the smallest acts of service – as simple as writing a letter – could help set in motion a world of difference.

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  Understanding Calcium Signaling Pathways in 3D Microfluidic Models of Glioblastoma Multiforme

  Jenna Abdelhamed

  Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is one of the most malignant types of brain cancer and, therefore, highly fatal. Current lines of treatment include surgical resection, radiation, and chemotherapy, all of which GBM resists due to the complexity of GBM tumors, cells, and their microenvironment. Numerous research studies have been conducted to understand the oncogenesis, invasion mechanisms, and cellular characteristics of GBM. One specific mechanism that has caught the attention of researchers is calcium signaling, which plays a significant role in cell proliferation, resistance to treatment, and metastatic-related processes. Emerging targets for calcium signaling include transient receptor potential channels (TRP), a family of channels that mediate Ca2+ signaling and play a role in GBM development and invasion. This study examines and compares calcium signaling in non-invasive and invasive phenotypes of GBM. This will be done by generating a migrating cell model consisting of GBM spheroids placed into a Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic device, where I can observe the cells sprouting from the spheroid and traveling through microchannels, monitor migration, and measure cytosolic calcium levels using dye for both the non-invasive and invasive phenotypes. It was hypothesized that more calcium would be associated with the invasive GBM model than the non-invasive one. This hypothesis was tested using spheroids from four different GBM cell lines: A-172, U118MG, LN229, and U-87MG. This allows for the examination of common invasion responses and characteristics across GBM cell lines. This project lays the groundwork for new therapies to limit GBM migration and prevent further metastasis of this cancer by targeting the calcium signaling pathways.

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  Understanding Empathy Deficits among those with Vulnerable Dark Triad Traits: The Indirect Effects of Self-Compassion, Self-Concept Clarity, and Negative Affect

  Celia Koch, Veronica Vasko

  The Vulnerable Dark Triad (VDT) is a group of three related maladaptive personality styles: vulnerable narcissism (characterized as defensive, neurotic, and suffering from feelings of inadequacy), secondary psychopathy (characterized as chronically unstable, impulsive, and emotionally volatile), and tendencies of borderline personality disorder (BPD; characterized by unstable emotional states, sense of self, and social relationships) (Miller et al., 2011). The individual components of the VDT are substantially correlated with one another and have been found, in isolation, to be associated with empathic deficits (Grieve & Mahar, 2010; Salgado et al., 2020; Urbonaviciute, 2020). In the current two-part study, we will test two serial mediation models designed to better understand specific processes involved in empathetic deficits among individuals high in VDT traits. In the first model, we hypothesize that the negative relationship between the VDT and empathy occurs through the indirect path of self-compassion->self-concept clarity. The second model tested is identical to the first, but with negative emotion substituted for self-concept clarity as the second mediator variable. These hypothesized models are expected to be significant both when self-compassion, self-concept clarity, and empathy are examined as traits (Part 1) or within a specific situational context (Part 2).

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  Understanding First-Year Experiences of LGBTQ+ Undergraduate Students at the University of Dayton

  Eric Litterer

  Research shows that LGBTQ+ college students experience a lower sense of belonging in many contexts compared to cisgender and heterosexual students. Recent surveys at the University of Dayton show that around 15-18% of undergraduate students identify as LGBTQ+. This study focuses on the initial experiences of LGBTQ+ students during their first year at the University of Dayton, as well as how their sense of belonging develops over time. I conducted an anonymous survey to give voice to students who are part of a community that has historically been marginalized, and continues to face barriers to their sense of belonging and overall well-being. I find that LGBTQ+ students face experiences such as isolation and microaggressions that negatively impact their sense of belonging. This is especially relevant in relation to students’ first-year experiences. These findings could lead to a better understanding of how to better serve the LGBTQ+ population on campus for staff and administrators.

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  Understanding the Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition of Glioblastoma Multiforme on a Microfluidic Model

  Khadija Fatima

  Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is one of the most aggressive and fatal forms of brain cancer. Despite multiple advances in treatment, median survival is only about 15 months upon diagnosis. Hence, numerous studies have been conducted to further our understanding of GBM tumor biology and the mechanisms underlying its malignancy. I am particularly interested in the Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) of GBM cells, which has been shown to enhance their migratory and invasive capabilities. In this study, I aim to investigate the specific effect of the TGFβ inhibitor, SB-431542, on EMT as well as other aberrant outcomes. Using the non-adherent method and microfluidic technology, I can generate a model of three-dimensional GBM spheroids surrounded by physical constrictions, which mimics the GBM tumor microenvironment. The TGFβ inhibitor will be introduced, and the resulting sprouting and migrating behaviors of the invasive cells will be quantified. To enhance the generalizability of my findings, I have expanded my research to include multiple GBM cell lines. I hypothesize a detectable decrease in the level of invasion among the treated spheroids compared to the control. The findings of this proposed study will broaden our knowledge of the complexity of EMT and its role in GBM cancer development and metastasis. Moreover, I hope my work will provide the means to improve therapies that can inhibit cancer cell dissemination in GBM patients.

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  Understanding the Impact of Financial Insecurity and Student Belonging: A Study of University of Dayton Students

  Taylor Gallagher

  What is the impact of financial insecurity on a student's academic performance and pursuit of educational goals? How does financial insecurity impact a students' psychological and emotional wellbeing and their sense of belonging on campus? By exploring the experiences of undergraduate students at the the University of Dayton through an anonymous survey, this study highlights the ways in which financial instability can hinder a student's academic journey and overall college experience.

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  Unveiling the role of Hippo Interactors in Glioma Progression using Drosophila models

  Satya Burugupalli, Maria Theresa El Biri, Grace Leitzel, Arushi Rai

  Chronic inflammation has the potential to impact tumorigenesis including gliomagensis. Yorkie (YAP/TAZ in human), downstream effector of Hippo pathway by interacting with its regulatory pathway such as JNK might play critical role in promoting glioma progression. Drosophila is employed as an in-vivo model to study glioma and immune regulation. Presence of diverse evolutionarily conserved cellular pathways and gene homology in Drosophila makes it an ideal and relevant model comparable to higher vertebrates for glioma studies. The preliminary data from transcriptomics, scRNA-seq in primary and recurrent GBM, and immune landscape of GBM associated microglia suggest that activation of NFkB and YAP lead to activation of several transcription factors that together cause cellular and signalling alterations that promote GBM growth. In Drosophila we intend to study the interactions of Yorkie (YAP/TAZ in human) with other pathways and the innate immune system. We will use two well-established glioma models, by constitutively activating EGFR and PI3K in one, and by knocking down PTEN with oncogenic Ras overexpression in another using the Gal4-UAS system in Drosophila CNS. Here we present our progress on changes in expression of cellular markers in the established glioma models. We also investigated for inflammatory markers in GBM and immune invasion in glioma. We will present the data on role of Yorkie interactors and inflammation using immunostainings, qPCR analyses, and western blot of larval brains of both wildtype and glioma models.

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  Unveiling the role of Hippo Interactors in Glioma Progression using Drosophila models.

  Satya Burugupalli, Maria El Biri, Grace Leitzel, Arushi Rai

  Chronic inflammation has the potential to impact tumorigenesis including gliomagensis. Yorkie (YAP/TAZ in human), downstream effector of Hippo pathway by interacting with its regulatory pathway such as JNK, might play critical roles in promoting glioma progression. We use Drosophila as an in-vivo model to study glioma and immune regulation. Presence of diverse evolutionarily conserved cellular pathways and gene homology in Drosophila makes it an ideal and relevant model comparable to higher vertebrates for glioma studies. The preliminary data from transcriptomics, scRNA-seq in primary and recurrent GBM, and the immune landscape of GBM associated microglia suggest that activation of NFkB and YAP leads to activation of several transcription factors that together cause cellular and signalling alterations that promote GBM growth. In Drosophila, we intend to study the interactions of Yorkie (YAP/TAZ in human) with other pathways and the innate immune system. We will use two well-established glioma models, by constitutively activating EGFR and PI3K in one, and by knocking down PTEN with oncogenic Ras overexpression in another using the Gal4-UAS system in Drosophila CNS. Here we present our progress on changes in expression of cellular markers in the established glioma models. We also investigated for inflammatory markers in GBM and immune invasion in glioma. We will present the data on role of Yorkie interactors and inflammation using immunostainings, qPCR analyses, and western blot of larval brains of both wild-type and glioma models.

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  Using Bioinformatics to Discover Novel Interactions Regulating Growth, Development, and Cancer

  Clinton Belott

  “Bioinformatics” utilizes computer scripts and some degree of artificial intelligence (AI) to constructively break down and process large sets of biological data into tangible results. Using bioinformatics programs like Alphafold3 and AIUPred, it is possible to break down and understand the complex interactions between transcription factors and potential repressors, activators; and the competitive nature between repressors and activators. Alphafold3 predicts three-dimensional protein confirmation and binding between or among proteins all in a probabilistic manner. AIUPred was then used to predict areas of protein-protein binding, motifs, and redox sensitivity. The resulting synergy between Alphafold3 and AIUPred was capable of correctly predicting protein interactions that have been previously empirically demonstrated. Therefore, we sought to leverage these bioinformatic programs to discover novel interactions between transcription factors like Drosophila Scalloped (TEAD in mammals), which forms activator- and repressor-complexes depending on its binding partners that play a major role in growth, development, and cancer. For proteins that are already known to interact, Alphafold3 and AIUPred provided insights at a motif- and/or residue-level, which can be corroborated with molecular level interactions amongst proteins. Furthermore, our results predicted several novel protein interactions, including cross-talk interactions between proteins belonging to two different canonical pathways involved with growth, development, and cancer. Excitingly, we hypothesize that this may shed light on the enigmatic nature of some proteins to act as a repressor in some experimental conditions, or as an activator in others. Lastly, we are currently in the process of experimentally testing these predictions using in cellulo models.