UNDERGRADUATE PRESENTATIONS
Format : [ V – Virtual presentation | P – Poster presentation | In – In-Person presentation ]
Team presentation names listed in order of proposal submission
Biology and Chemistry
Karam Aldarwish ( V , P , In ) The Effects of Antibiotics on Biofilm Development Antibiotics control the growth of bacteria . Biofilm formation is a mechanism by which bacteria protect themselves from environmental stressors such as antibiotics ; biofilm formation contributes to antibiotic resistance . The bacterial species Bacillus cereus , Bacillus subtilis , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were exposed to varying concentrations of the antibiotics tetracycline , penicillin , and ciprofloxacin . Bacteria viability and biofilm formation were measured . Ciprofloxacin inhibited growth in all three species . Tetracycline and penicillin , P . aeruginosa showed strong growth and significant biofilm production , B . subtilis showed low growth and slight biofilm production , and B . cereus showed strong growth and slight biofilm production .
Melvin Mathew ( V , P , In ) The Effect of Ethanol on the IFN-γ-Induced Classical Pathway of Microglial Activation When microglia , cells of the brain ’ s immune system , recognize a threat in the neural environment , they can become activated via the classical pathway to become neurotoxic , resulting in changes in brain structure and function . This study investigates the effect of ethanol on the Interferon-gamma ( IFN-γ ) -induced classical pathway . Treatment of BV-2 microglial cells with IFN-γ resulted in nitric oxide production , STAT1 phosphorylation , and a decrease in pH , all indicators that microglial classical activation has occurred . Ethanol inhibited these processes , indicating that ethanol blocks the IFN-γ-induced pathway . Further investigation should seek the step in the classical activation pathway that ethanol inhibits .
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