Summer of Discovery Abstract Book-September 12, 2025
Welcome to the Summer of Discovery
Research and Internship Poster Symposium
The Summer of Discovery is a celebration of curiosity, creativity, and community impact. This poster symposium showcases the work of Baylor undergraduate students who participated in the Baylor Summer Fellows Program, an initiative of the Office of Engaged Learning.
Throughout Summer 2025, these students engaged in internships and research experiences designed to promote the public good. From scientific discovery and medical innovation to policy development and community service, their projects reflect a deep commitment to learning beyond the classroom.
The Baylor Summer Fellows Program provides funded opportunities for students to explore meaningful work in diverse local, national, and global settings. Fellows participate in cohort activities, receive mentorship, and present their findings at this culminating event.
Internship tracks include:
- City of Waco Policy Innovation
- Waco Family Medicine Primary Care
- Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty (SHECP)
- Urban REAP: Renewable Energy and Agricultural Project
- B-TRUE Summer Research Program
- Tropical Disease Research Internship Program (T-DRIP)
Today’s posters represent the culmination of a summer spent asking questions, solving problems, and serving communities. We invite you to explore these projects, engage with the fellows, and celebrate the impact of experiential learning.
Welcome, and thank you for joining us in honoring the work of these remarkable students.
Sincerely,
Dwayne Simmons
Senior Director of STEM Initiatives
and
Tammy Adair
Director of Undergraduate Research
List of Presentations
First Floor Posters
Poster 1 – Paige Badinger
Methods of TDP-43 Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation (LLPS) Analysis
Mentor: Bryan Shaw
Poster 2 – Miracle Bain
The Effects of Racial and Ethnic Identities on Discrimination Perception
Mentor: Jo-Ann Tsang
Poster 3 – Kristen Briggs
Synthesis of Vascular Disrupting Agents: KGP03, KGP413, and KGP369
Mentor: Kevin Pinney
Poster 4 – Ana Ching
The Role of HFD and Hyperglycemia on Behavioral Dysfunction and Neuroinflammation in APOE4 Female Mice
Mentor: Elisabeth Vichaya
Poster 5 – Caden Hendrix
Synthetic Studies Toward the Total Synthesis of a Derivative of Girolline
Mentor: Daniel Romo
Poster 6 – Trent Johnson
Spatial Functional Profiling of Bacterial Enzymes in the Murine Gut Intestinal Tract
Mentor: Aaron Wright
Poster 7 – Mayukhi Katragadda
Differential Impact on Autophagy by Ungeremine on Hormone Receptor Positive and Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Mentor: Joseph Taube
Poster 8 – Jonathan Khayat
Protocol for TDP-43 Culturing and Purification for CE Analysis of LLPS Formation
Mentor: Bryan Shaw
Poster 9 – Meera Phanse
A Latent Profile Analysis of Intergenerational Parenting Styles and Relations to Eating Disorder Symptoms and Emotion Regulation
Mentor: Francesca Penner
Poster 10 – Steven Podczerwinski
Mutagenicity of Decoupled E.coli Strains and their Reliance on SOS Polymerases
Mentor: Michael Trakselis
Poster 11 – Evan Roos
Residue-Selective Reactive Groups for B. cereus Proteome
Mentor: Aaron Wright
Poster 12 – Ian Stahl
Cellular Senescence and Afferent Synaptophagy in Cochlear Hair Cells
Mentor: Dwayne Simmons
Poster 13 – McKenzie Webb
The Binary System Gaia22ayj Modeled with MESA
Mentor: Barbara Castanheira
Poster 14 – Sophia Wright, Aliyah Ogden, and Savannah Fish
Effects of early life nicotine e-cigarette inhalation on behavior and perineuronal net and astrocyte expression
Mentor: Jacques Nguyen
Poster 15 – Paulina Yao
Exploring the Role of ITGA1 in Pancreatic Cancer through the Isolation of Integrin Adhesion Complexes
Mentor: Jonathan Kelber
Second Floor Posters
Poster 16 – Lucy Dennis, Dalton Meeker, and Joshua Ninan
Bridging the Gap: Approaching Local Public Policies to Uplift Underrepresented Communities
Mentors: Josh Caballero, Justin Rice, Kathleen Post, and Rebecca Flavin
Poster 17 – Anushya Jayakumar
Poverty and Inequality Among Immigrant Communities: Structural Barriers and Health Impacts
Poster 18 – Tanya Magesh
Bridging the Gap: Justice and Poverty in Rural America
Poster 19 – Isabel Miles
Medicine as Ministry: Lessons from a Summer at a Christian Nonprofit Clinic
Poster 20 – Jessica Robert
Breaking Barriers: A Study on how Poverty Shapes Access to Legal Care in Georgia
Poster 21 – Lochlan Walsh
Christ, Country, and Compassion: Policy Change Effects on Refugees and the Christian Call
Poster 22 – Sahil Adtani
Production Optimization of a Novel Lyme Disease Vaccine
Poster 23 – Pamela Cordova Rivera
Comparative Protein Profiling of Borrelia turicatae Strains
Poster 24 – Taylor Kent
How can Molecular Assays be Optimized for Detecting Borrelia turicatae in Ornithodoros turicata
Poster 25 – Alexa Moldenhauer
Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia: An Epidemiological Study of Ticks in Belize
Poster 26 – Brahmi Prayaga
Comparing Methods to Detect Flaviviral Neutralizing Antibodies
Poster 27 – Wei Cheng, Walker DeBord, Ashley Gibbins, Tori Hedlund, Miguel Hernandez, Zack Miller, Analisse Nicholson, Katherine Sitton, Noah Smith, and Will Stimson
Androcles and the Lion: Arts Practice-Based Approach to Community Engagement
Mentors: Guilherme Feitosa de Almeida and Michael Sullivan
Poster 28 – Isabella Cloud
Humility at the Heart of Service
Mentor: Emily Hills
Poster 29 – Avery Bishop
Looking Beyond The Insurance Card
ABSTRACTS
First Floor Posters
Baylor Transdisciplinary Research Undergraduate Experience
(B-TRUE)
Poster 1
Paige Badinger
Mentor: Bryan Shaw
Methods of TDP-43 Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation (LLPS) Analysis
TDP-43 is an RNA-binding protein that can undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), and its aggregates have been correlated with cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). LLPS is a crucial method of maintaining homeostasis in the cell, but increased cellular stress can cause LLPS droplets to become aggregates. Here, we aim to determine the best methods for analyzing LLPS droplets and the stages of TDP-43’s aggregation. We utilize transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) assays to analyze these protein droplets. We successfully visualized TDP-43’s LLPS droplets and can determine what stage of the LLPS process our protein is undergoing. Future directions involve determining the spontaneity of formation of LLPS droplets under different conditions. Analysis of LLPS formation and function in ALS mutations is crucial to understanding TDP-43’s role in the disease.
Poster 2
Miracle Bain
Mentor: Jo-Ann Tsang
The Effects of Racial and Ethnic Identities on Discrimination Perception
Race and ethnicity are often conflated in mainstream and scientific discourse, resulting in terminological confusion. This study defines race as a social construct categorizing people based on visible physical characteristics such as skin color, whereas ethnicity refers to a shared cultural heritage, values, traditions, and ancestry. This study examines the differences and intersections of these concepts, rooted in social identity, within two groups in the Black population—Black Americans and Black immigrants.
We believe racial identity is more important to Black Americans due to the prevalence of racial discrimination in America; therefore, ethnic identity is comparatively less central. We test this by evaluating naturally occurring racial and ethnic differences as well as manipulating the salience of racial and ethnic identities. We propose that Black Americans will report more discrimination and attribute it to race. For Black immigrants, discrimination perception and attribution to race and ethnicity will be moderated by acculturation. These naturally occurring differences are expected to lessen in response to the salience manipulation.
To assess these dynamics, a survey will be distributed to 400 Black Americans and 400 Black immigrants on Cloud Research Connect. Participants will be randomly assigned to an ethnicity or race social identity condition to prime either identity before administering the primary measure. Discrimination perception and attribution to race and ethnicity will be measured using ambiguous discrimination vignettes modeled on previous work.
By evaluating within-group differences and the intersections of race, ethnicity, and acculturation, this study will better inform our understanding of the discrimination experience. Findings are expected to inform culturally responsive counseling approaches and guide equity-focused policies tailored to the nuanced realities of marginalized populations.
Poster 3
Kristen Briggs
Mentor: Kevin Pinney
Synthesis of Vascular Disrupting Agents: KGP03, KGP413, and KGP369
A viable blood supply is essential for tumor growth and survival. The tumor blood vessel endothelium is rapidly proliferating, immature, and chaotic, making it an ideal target for potential cancer therapeutic agents designed to interfere with microvessel integrity. Vascular disrupting agents (VDAs) are a unique class of compounds that target existing tumor-associated vasculature by inducing morphological changes in the endothelial cells that line tumor-associated blood vessels. This leads to an efficient shut-down of blood flow to the tumor causing widespread tumor hypoxia and necrosis. One group of VDAs bind to the colchicine site located on the β-subunit of the α,β-tubulin heterodimer and inhibit microtubule formation. The tubulin-microtubule protein plays a crucial role in determining cell shape and structure and is also instrumental in cellular replication. VDAs thus demonstrate a dual mode of action by causing selective and irreversible damage to tumor-associated vasculature and as potent antiproliferative agents that interrupt the cell cycle at the G2/M phase. Combretastatin A-4 (CA4) is a natural product that functions as both a VDA and a potent antiproliferative agent. CA4 has inspired the design of a wide variety of structurally diverse analogues, including molecules developed in our laboratory such as KGP03, KGP413, and KGP369. These agents exhibit antiproliferation and vascular-disrupting properties. This study outlines the synthesis of KGP03, KGP369, and KGP413 for use as payloads in small molecule drug conjugates (SMDCs) targeting prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA), a cell surface protein that is expressed in some cancers as well as vasculature feeding certain tumor types. The synthesis of these payloads and their corresponding SMDCs will provide ample amounts of these agents to facilitate planned biological studies (through collaboration) to evaluate therapeutic efficacy.
Poster 4
Ana Ching
Mentor: Elisabeth Vichaya
The Role of HFD and Hyperglycemia on Behavioral Dysfunction and Neuroinflammation in APOE4 Female Mice
Individuals with diabetes are twice as likely to develop depression and have a 65% higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The mechanisms by which diabetes impacts brain health and increases risk for these disorders are not fully understood; however, emerging evidence suggests a role for neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. To investigate this relationship, the present study assessed metabolic function, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and affective dysfunction in three groups of mice: (1) control mice on a standard diet, (2) high fat diet (HFD) fed mice, and (3) HFD plus pharmacological induction of hyperglycemia (N = 25 mice). All mice were female transgenic APOE4 knock in mice, as the E4 allele of APOE is the highest genetic risk factor for late onset AD.
After 4 weeks on HFD, mice received either 70 mg/kg STZ once a week for 3 weeks, with an additional dose administered at week 9, or citrate vehicle. Glucose tolerance testing, performed at week 9, revealed mild metabolic dysfunction in HFD which was exacerbated in the HFD+STZ group. However, this treatment protocol failed to induce diabetes in the mice, defined as a fasting blood glucose level > 250 mg/dL. All mice underwent behavioral testing from weeks 9-10 including marble burying, open field, splash, nest burying, social interaction, novel object, force swim test, and fear conditioning test. Behavioral testing revealed no evidence of affective dysfunction across groups.
qPCR analysis of hippocampal tissue revealed increased expression of Tnf (inflammatory marker) and Ppargc1a (a gene regulating mitochondrial function and biogenesis) in the HFD+STZ mice compared to the HFD alone, while II6 and Bdnf were unchanged. These findings suggest that hyperglycemia contributes to neuroinflammatory and mitochondrial alterations in APOE4 mice, with minimal behavioral alterations. Ongoing analyses will evaluate oxidative stress within the hippocampus.
Poster 5
Caden Hendrix
Mentor: Daniel Romo
Synthetic Studies Toward the Total Synthesis of a Derivative of Girolline
Girolline a natural product found in marine sponges has been shown to have anti malaria and anti-cancer affects. Specifically, Girolline works to inhibit the translation factor eIF5A and with this functionalization we are hoping to improve the binding affinity of Girolline to translation factor eIF5A. After receiving a model of how Girolline was bound to eIF5A it was theorized that the only location not bound to the eIF5A translation factor should be modified in order to increase the affinity. We began by using an imidazole starting material and protection, but the reduction had very poor yields. We were able to reach the fourth intermediate in the total synthesis and this was confirmed with IR data and proton NMR. In addition we concluded that the starting material we used in our reduction step was not purified possibly leading to the poor yields. In the future more work needs to be done in order to optimize the earlier steps and continue the synthesis forward.
Poster 6
Trent Johnson
Mentor: Aaron Wright
Spatial Functional Profiling of Bacterial Enzymes in the Murine Gut Intestinal Tract
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBDs) are a group of lifelong diseases characterized by intermittent inflammation centered in the colon with wide ranging impacts across the human body. IBDs present over 7 million cases globally and $15 billion in economic impact annually. The etiology of IBDs is closely tied to the gut microbiome, as compositional changes in the microbiota have been observed with IBDs; however, the functions of the gut microbiota and their role in IBDs remain largely inferred. Additionally, while IBDs largely impact the colon, parts of the small intestine may be impacted as well. We sought to study spatial functions of the microbiota along the GI tract by Activity-Based Protein Profiling (ABPP). Euthanized murine guts were harvested and cut into five intestinal sections, then bacteria extracted from each of the sections were lysed to recover proteins. The lysates were treated with probes and fluorescently labeled for reporting before SDS-PAGE (Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis) was used to visualize the probe-labeled proteins. We observed significant variations in the activity of serine proteases and glycoside hydrolases across the studied gut sections. Our results suggest that microbial functions vary across gut sections, and these functional variations can be due to the activities of different microbial taxa present. Further functional profiling across the GI tract will incorporate advanced techniques such as Activity-Based Probe-Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting (ABP-FACS) and Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) based metaproteomics to better characterize gut microbial functions and draw links between microbial functions and IBDs, even informing some therapeutic ideas.
Poster 7
Mayukhi Katragadda
Mentor: Joseph Taube
Differential Impact on Autophagy by Ungeremine on Hormone Receptor Positive and Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and occurs when mammary epithelial cells divide uncontrollably, forming abnormal masses.1 Around one in eight women are diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, and one in 43 ultimately dies from the disease. Of the different histological subtypes of breast cancer, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive, accounting for 10–15% of cases. Because TNBC lacks estrogen, progesterone, and HER2 receptors, it cannot be treated with hormone- or HER2-targeted therapies. In contrast, hormone receptor positive (HR+) breast cancers comprise around 70% of cases and respond to endocrine therapy, although resistance to these hormone therapies develops through genetic alterations and/or changes in key molecular pathways.2 Therefore, it is important for us to find new targets and develop treatments that may able to reduce cancer growth or work in conjugation with current therapies. Alkaloids from the Amaryllidaceae family of flowers have shown anticancer potential by inducing cell death in resistant cells.3-12
In this study, we investigated the cytotoxic properties of four natural product compounds, Ungeremine (UNG), Lycorine (LYC), Haemanthamine (HAE), and Narciclasine (NSC), in both HR+ and TNBC cells lines. Our IC50 assays revealed that the MDA-MB-231 cells (TNBC) were more sensitive to these four compounds relative to MCF7 cells (HR+). Our western blot analysis showed an increased LC3I to LC3II conversion as well as divergent changes in p62 expression, indicating that in addition to their cytotoxic activity, these compounds were able to activate autophagy-related cell death pathways. Taken together, these findings highlight Amaryllidaceae alkaloids as potential natural product compounds that can target HR+ and TNBC breast cancer, inducing autophagic cell death. Future work plans to incorporate more autophagy inducers and inhibitors, as well as assess more cell death pathways such as apoptosis and necroptosis. We also plan to evaluate sensitivity of these compounds to non-cancerous breast epithelial cells (MCF10A). In conclusion, these findings show the potential of natural product compounds in treating aggressive forms of breast cancer.
Poster 8
Jonathan Khayat
Mentor: Bryan Shaw
Protocol for TDP-43 Culturing and Purification for CE Analysis of LLPS Formation
Proteins play a critical role in cellular function which are mediated by their structure as well as interactions with other proteins. One such protein-protein interaction is liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of proteins where proteins form a membrane-less condensate full of identical proteins. One such protein that undergoes LLPS formation is Tar DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) which when exposed to cellular stress can form liquid-solid phase separation (LSPS) and eventually aggregates in motor neurons and in glial cells of the brain. These aggregates lead to cell death and are linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS and FTLD. Our goal is to produce a repeatable protocol for the culturing, purification, and modification of TDP-43 using plasmids and competent E. coli BL21 cells. Plasmid for Histidine-tagged C-terminal domain (CTD) and full length TDP-43 was successfully inoculated, cultured, and purified in desirable concentrations for CE and FRAP analyses of LLPS formation. Further research is being conducted in the CE and FRAP analyses of LLPS formation as well as using tags like SUMO to obtain a more efficient purification of TDP-43.
Poster 9
Meera Phanse
Mentor: Francesca Penner
A Latent Profile Analysis of Intergenerational Parenting Styles and Relations to Eating Disorder Symptoms and Emotion Regulation
Introduction: This study aimed to find if intergenerational patterns in parenting styles predict the likelihood of eating disorder symptoms and emotion dysregulation in a clinical sample of adolescents.
Methods: Adolescents (N=259, 12-17 years old) who were admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit completed the Parenting Bonding Inventory (PBI) to report on the care and overprotection received from their mothers, the Difficulties in Emotions Regulation Scale (DERS), and the Computerized Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (CDISC). Their mothers also completed the PBI about the care and overprotection they received from their own mothers. We conducted a Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) to find subgroups within the sample who reported similar patterns of intergenerational maternal parenting styles. Chi-square tests were used to test for mean differences across profiles in eating disorder symptoms and emotion dysregulation.
Results: We found that a 3-profile LPA model best fit the sample data. The three profiles included: (1) Opposite Care and Overprotection across generations, (2) Similar Care and Opposite Overprotection across generations, and (3) Similar Care and Overprotection across generations. Profile 2 (n=27) reported higher emotion dysregulation and greater eating disorder symptoms.
Discussion: The intergenerational pattern with similar care received by moms and children, but different reports of overprotection--with mothers reporting they received low overprotection in their childhoods, and youth reporting high current overprotection, may be associated with greater risk for emotion problems and eating pathology. For future research, a more diverse sample could be used as well as using eating disorder symptom criteria based on the DSM-5.
Poster 10
Steven Podczerwinski
Mentor: Michael Trakselis
Mutagenicity of Decoupled E.coli Strains and their Reliance on SOS Polymerases
The main replisome of Escherichia coli (E. coli) is stabilized by complex interactions between a variety of proteins. This replisome coupling occurs between the Alpha subunit of the Polymerase III core (α-Pol III), the Tau subunit of the Clamp Loader Complex (τ-CLC), and the helicase (DnaB). Site-directed genomic mutations in dnaB: K180A, dnaE: Y1119A, and dnaE: L1097/8S cause decoupling of unwinding and synthesis. These decoupled mutants showed signs of cellular stress including cell elongation, increased lethality, activation of SOS promoter genes, and increased mutagenesis. To determine which polymerase, Pol IV or Pol V, is contributing to increased mutagenesis, these strains were transduced by P1 bacteriophage to knock out the respective polymerases. All twelve variants and a positive control induced by nitrofurazone (NFZ) were tested in a rifampicin mutagenesis platting assay to report on the genomic mutagenic frequency. It was found that dinB, encoding for Pol IV, was responsible for the majority of error prone gap filling synthesis in the decoupled strains. These findings help contribute to the broad overview of how the SOS pathway is deployed to affect the survival and propagation of E. coli when the replisome is decoupled.
Poster 11
Evan Roos
Mentor: Aaron Wright
Residue-Selective Reactive Groups for B. cereus Proteome
Activity-based protein profiling is a foundational approach utilized to study proteomics, especially when protein activity is the primary focus. Activity-based probes may have a variety of reactive groups, which affect how a probe binds to the protein of interest. Any given reactive group often targets an amino acid residue, such as cysteine or lysine, which alters the paths in which a probe may bind to its target. Given the importance of the reactive group, probes should be carefully designed with the optimal reactive moiety. To find an effective reactive group for use in our B. cereus cultures, we labeled cell lysate with four reactivity-based probes. Probe labeling was performed using click chemistry and gel electrophoresis, with visualization via fluorescence. We found the maleimide probe to be the most reactive, and surprisingly the chloroacetamide probe was the least reactive. Differences in labeling indicated that the reactive group confers amino acid specificity onto the labeling as expected; cysteine-targeting reactive groups labeled similarly to each other and differently than the lysine-targeting groups. These moieties can be incorporated into activity-based probes to tune reactivity and specificity, further improving proteomic analysis. Furthermore, these reactive groups can be added to modular chemical probes to produce a wide variety of possibilities.
Poster 12
Ian Stahl
Mentor: Dwayne Simmons
Cellular Senescence and Afferent Synaptophagy in Cochlear Hair Cells
Hearing loss will affect around 1 in 7 Americans in their lifetime, with causes related to age, noise exposure, and ototoxic drugs. Hearing loss is associated with the loss of outer hair cells (OHCs) in the organ of Corti, which convert sound waves into electrical impulses (mechanoelectric transduction). OHCs are post-mitotic cells and, subsequently, do not replenish or regenerate once lost. This permanent cell loss leads to the elevation of hearing thresholds (hearing loss) and changes in afferent synaptic morphology and number.
Calcium (Ca2+) regulation is paramount to OHC function. Our lab previously engineered a knockout (KO) mouse model of oncomodulin (Ocm-/-) – a small Ca2+ buffering protein – to study the role of Ca2+ dysregulation in age-related hearing loss. We found that adult KO mice had elevated hearing thresholds compared to wild-type mice. However, the KO mice did not exhibit any increased OHC loss as would be expected. Therefore, we hypothesize that OHCs in KO mice might be undergoing cellular senescence, a stress response pathway associated with reduced function. We investigated whether cellular senescent pathways are present in KO mice before the onset of hearing and shortly after the onset of hearing loss. We used a senescence-associated (SA) β-galactosidase assay to investigate senescent OHCs and a CtBP2 immunofluorescence assay to investigate changes in afferent synaptic ribbons.
We found that KO OHCs have high levels of (SA) β-galactosidase immediately following hearing loss, as well as a decreased number of CtBP2 ribbons (though not statistically significant) in comparison to the wildtype OHCs. Our findings suggest that cellular senescence may play a pivotal role in hair cell loss. To confirm the role of cellular senescence, we will investigate using senolytics to manage this pathway and preserve OHCs and hearing.
Poster 13
McKenzie Webb
Mentor: Barbara Castanheira
The Binary System Gaia22ayj Modeled with MESA
Gaia22ayj is a magnetic white dwarf binary whose behavior challenges traditional classification, showing properties of both white dwarf pulsars and magnetic polars. Discovered in outburst in 2022, the system exhibits rapid 9.36-minute modulations with amplitudes up to 2 magnitudes, exceptionally strong linear polarization (~40%), and broad cyclotron-like emission features between 4000–8000 Å. These signatures point to an intense magnetic field, while simultaneous evidence of active accretion, X-ray luminosity of ~10³² erg s⁻¹, and rapid spin-down on a ~10⁶ year timescale highlight its hybrid nature. Using the Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA) code, I plan to construct evolutionary models of Gaia22ayj to investigate how magnetic field strength, mass transfer rate, and angular momentum loss drive its transitional state. Modeling this system with MESA will allow constraints on whether Gaia22ayj represents a short-lived evolutionary bridge between non-accreting white dwarf pulsars and synchronized magnetic polars. Its rare combination of extreme variability, accretion physics, and magnetic spin-down makes Gaia22ayj a unique case study for understanding magnetic binary evolution and the late stages of compact stellar systems.
Poster 14
Sophia Wright, Aliyah Ogden, and Savannah Fish
Mentor: Jacques Nguyen
Effects of early life nicotine e-cigarette inhalation on behavior and perineuronal net and astrocyte expression
E-cigarette vape is the most common form of nicotine administration among US youths and has been shown to cause higher levels of dependence than traditional cigarettes. E-cigarettes also carry the risk of “dry hitting,” a phenomenon where the liquid level in a vape cartridge gets too low, causing the cotton coil to burn and release chemicals delivered when the user takes a hit. Previous studies have shown that dry hit vape carries toxic levels of acetaldehyde, ketene, formaldehyde, and other chemicals. Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are extracellular matrix structures formed during development and key in synaptic stabilization. Astrocytes are glial cells that support neurons. This study used an in vivo model to examine the behavioral and neurological effects of seven days of passive nicotine and dry hit vapor exposure on adolescent rodents. Locomotor activity assessment (LMA) was used to examine locomotion and anxiety related behaviors. The elevated plus maze test further examined anxiety related behaviors. The tail withdrawal assay test was used to determine any anti-nociceptive effects of nicotine. Sections from the hippocampus and amygdala were taken and stained for PNNs and astrocytes with WFA and GFAP antibodies respectively. The data determined that nicotine dose-dependently increases antinociception on the first day of exposure and seven consecutive days of exposure result in tolerance. It was found that acute exposure dose-dependently decreases spontaneous locomotor activity. Repeated exposure produces a locomotion sensitization effect that is significantly potentiated by dry hits. Preliminary immunohistochemical data shows nicotine having no effect on PNN density in the Basolateral Amygdala but decreasing density in the Central Nucleus of the Amygdala; this effect is exacerbated by dry hits. All treatments increase astrocyte cell counts in the hippocampus compared with air control; this effect is slightly exacerbated by dry hits. The data confirm that nicotine and nicotine dry hit vapor have behavioral and neurological effects in adolescent rats.
Poster 15
Paulina Yao
Mentor: Jonathan Kelber
Exploring the Role of ITGA1 in Pancreatic Cancer through the Isolation of Integrin Adhesion Complexes
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most prevalent and lethal malignancies, in part due to its aggressive nature and complex tumor microenvironment. Integrin adhesion complexes (IACs) are central mediators of cell signaling and are important contributors in PDAC metastasis and therapy resistance. However, there is a lack of understanding in the functions and pathways of IACs in PDAC. This project aimed to isolate and analyze IACs from PDAC cells to better explore the role of integrin alpha 1 (ITGA1) in PDAC. The PANC-1 cell line was cultured and plated in order isolate the IACs, then collected samples were analyzed using western blotting. IACs were successfully isolated from PANC-1 cells, and the data provided insight into how ITGA1 interacts with other proteins within the adhesion complexes.
Second Floor Posters
City of Waco Policy Innovation
Poster 16
Lucy Dennis, Dalton Meeker, and Joshua Ninan
Mentors: Josh Caballero, Justin Rice, Kathleen Post, and Rebecca Flavin
Bridging the Gap: Approaching Local Public Policies to Uplift Underrepresented Communities
In what ways can local public policy help underrepresented communities? This presentation highlights three key projects we worked on with the City of Waco’s Housing and Community Development Department that answer this important question. These initiatives centered on financial counseling, solar panel installation guidelines, and affordable and adequate housing. The first program focused on Financial Empowerment Centers (FECs), drawing on national models to evaluate how free financial counseling services can be implemented locally to support Waco residents in need. Second, we focused on a solar panel initiative for qualifying low-income households, which involved translating in-depth technical research into accessible program guidelines that any citizen could understand and use. Finally, the last project examined the potential for a Community Land Trust (CLT) in Waco, informed by research into policies and nonprofit partnerships in major Texas cities. Through this work, we explored how CLTs can provide alternative partnerships to homeownership, while also navigating the legal, policy, and community-driven considerations necessary for implementation. Our research revealed the central truth that proactive solutions emerge when technical expertise is coupled with contextual awareness and authentic community stakeholder engagement. A core takeaway from this internship was the intersection of policy and empathy - balancing intensive research and program design with the relational work of analyzing, collaborating, and listening to different people from various backgrounds. The presentation will frame Waco’s poverty landscape through maps, data, and contextual analysis while also emphasizing the human dimension of policy.
Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty (SCHECP)
Poster 17
Anushya Jayakumar
Poverty and Inequality Among Immigrant Communities: Structural Barriers and Health Impacts
Displaced immigrants in the United States face overlapping legal and economic barriers that contribute to poverty and adverse health outcomes. This study draws on observations from Casa Marianella, a shelter for displaced immigrants in Austin, Texas, to explore how political instability in countries of origin, restrictive immigration policies, and housing and employment instability intersect to influence socioeconomic status and health outcomes. Findings highlight that limited access to healthcare, unstable housing, and low-wage employment sustain cycles of poverty and increase health disparities. Casa Marianella offers resources such as legal assistance, affordable healthcare access, English classes, and holistic wellness programs, demonstrating potential to improve integration and health outcomes. This study illustrates the importance of addressing structural determinants of poverty to promote health equity among immigrant populations.
Poster 18
Tanya Magesh
Bridging the Gap: Justice and Poverty in Rural America
The promise of justice is written into the law, but for many, it exists only on paper. I witnessed this inequity firsthand during my time with Legal Aid of West Virginia, a nonprofit law firm providing free civil legal services to low income clients across the state. My work included assisting with research, client intake, and case preparation in areas such as family law, employment, housing, and public benefits. Through this placement, I observed how legal issues rarely exist in isolation. Legal Aid’s model of community-based lawyering, rooted in the realities
of the people it serves, demonstrates how effective advocacy requires both legal and community partnerships. I also came to recognize the unique challenges of providing legal services in a largely rural state, where geographic isolation and limited resources create barriers to access. Despite these obstacles, Legal Aid of West Virginia continues to work creatively to extend support and empower communities. Reflecting on these experiences, my internship emphasized
how community-based lawyering is essential to addressing systemic barriers to justice and revealed how access to legal services is deeply intertwined with the broader issues of social justice in underserved communities.
Poster 19
Isabel Miles
Medicine as Ministry: Lessons from a Summer at a Christian Nonprofit Clinic
This reflection examines the intersection of medicine and ministry through a summer internship at CrossOver Healthcare Ministry, a Christian nonprofit clinic in Richmond, Virginia that serves patients from 118 nations and more than 40 language groups. In the context of increased community need and reduced clinic capacity following recent federal and state funding cuts, the experience revealed challenges that extended well beyond medical treatment. The internship highlighted systemic barriers faced by patients of low socioeconomic status in accessing both healthcare and community resources. As resources diminished, demand for care within the community continued to grow, raising questions about sustainability and continuity of care in the current political climate in the United States. This summer taught me how nonprofit medicine is a form of ministry focused on standing alongside those who suffer within broken systems while also seeing the Image of God in all patients.
Poster 20
Jessica Robert
Breaking Barriers: A Study on how Poverty Shapes Access to Legal Care in Georgia
While access to justice is often seen as a universal right, for many Georgians in poverty, this right remains out of reach. This study asks the question How do poverty-related barriers influence access to legal care for individuals in Georgia? Understanding barriers such as transportation challenges, housing instability, childcare responsibilities, and financial constraints are crucial in taking steps toward ensuring that cases are represented equally and fairly and diminishing the broad inequities in the justice system. In order to explore this question, I will draw on my experiences this summer interning for the Georgia Legal Services Program in the Savannah office through the SHECP (Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty Program). I aim to observe and reflect on certain cases I observed and clients I interacted with as well as analyzing secondary research on access to justice and poverty law in Georgia and the U.S. to contextualize my findings. Lastly I hope to consider a wide range of models and proposed interventions in order to find solutions that could address identified barriers. Upon my research, I found that poverty-related barriers had a compounding effect wherein logistical and financial challenges not only delay or prevent access to legal aid but also deepen cycles of instability for populations that are already vulnerable. This also increases the likelihood of negative legal outcomes in court systems, also perpetuating this cycle. Ultimately, it is through education to low-income communities, fee waivers, increased funding to legal aid programs, and a more streamlined and accessible legal process, that we can work to dismantle systemic barriers and promote fairer access to justice for low-income individuals.
Poster 21
Lochlan Walsh
Christ, Country, and Compassion: Policy Change Effects on Refugees and the Christian Call
Within the Christian faith, one of the most prominent commands is to “go forth and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). However, there seems to be a prominent disconnect between this and the reality of America allowing the nations to come to us. I spent the summer in Louisville, KY, as a Migration and Refugee Services Intern at the Catholic Charities of Louisville and was a witness to the living stories of refugees and the immense barriers that they face. I learned about their economic struggles, lack of opportunities, and deeply rooted fear of the government. Now, there are more refugees living in camps and trying to escape persecution in their home countries than ever. Regardless, the United States’ new administration, which claims to have a foundation in the Christian faith, has implemented policies that have increased the difficulty of the resettlement process. I often wrestled with this and what it meant for me as an individual who was both Christian and who desired a career in American law. I began to do my own research into American foreign policy changes, studied the scriptures more closely, and saw the successful response of Catholic Charities to these issues. I believe that it is the responsibility of Christians to uphold their values by showing compassion to those who are either migrants in America struggling to provide for themselves or who are asylum-seekers that desire a safe home. We can do this by advocating for refugees, volunteering at community centers, preventing the spread of misinformation, and by loving our neighbors to the best of our abilities.
Tropical Disease Research Internship Program (TDRIP)
Poster 22
Sahil Adtani
Production Optimization of a Novel Lyme Disease Vaccine
The most common vector-borne illness in the United States (US) and Europe, better known as Lyme Disease, is primarily caused by the bacterium Borrelia Burgdorferi and has been classified as an emerging infectious disease. This pathogen is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected ticks, causing approximately 476,000 cases per year in the US alone. While there is treatment with antibiotics, we have yet to see a vaccine in the market. In need of an effective vaccine, a Borrelia bacterial surface protein, CspZ, was chosen as a candidate antigen since CspZ binds to Factor H, a protein in our immune system, to evade our body’s defenses. To create a protein vaccine, we generated a modified version of this antigen (CspZ-YACS) that is more stable and does not bind to Factor H. This antigen was able to effectively induce protective antibodies via vaccination. The CspZ-YACS protein was expressed in E. coli and isolated using steps of filtration and column chromatography.
Here, I present the optimization of the last chromatography step in CspZ-YACS production process to make the process more cost-effective with high purity. Additionally, finding optimal buffer conditions to store the protein is important for scale-up production used in manufacturing and for vaccine long-term stability. Experiments included testing the chromatography methods using Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography and analyzing the purity of produced antigen protein by SDS-PAGE gels and High Performance Liquid Chromatography. After our experiments, we found that the purified antigen in a buffer at pH 6.5 consisted of 95.12% monomers and 4.88% dimers. However, we were able to reduce dimer percentages to 1.64% by adjusting buffer pH from 6.5 to 5.5. These findings allow production of vaccine antigen with high purity (>98%).
Poster 23
Pamela Cordova Rivera
Comparative Protein Profiling of Borrelia turicatae Strains
Relapsing fever is a vector-borne illness caused by Borrelia species and characterized by recurring episodes of fever. Borrelia turicatae, a tick-borne spirochete and causative agent of relapsing fever, undergoes antigenic variation to evade host immunity and sustain infection. However, the molecular determinants of vector colonization and transmission remain unclear. To identify proteins with potential essential functions in vector colonization, transmission, and early mammalian infection, we compared protein profiles from an infectious B. turicatae strain (MS) and a B. turicatae strain (BCM) with a severe defect in infectivity. In a tick-transmission model, MS had a 100% infectivity rate, while BCM had only a 3% infectivity rate.
We analyzed protein lysates from MS and BCM cultures grown under mammalian-like (35 °C) and tick-like (22 °C) conditions, harvested, and analyzed using Western blotting and silver-stained SDS-PAGE. To determine if cultures grown at 22ºC produced proteins known to be produced during tick colonization, we performed western blot analysis for production of arthropod-associated lipoprotein (Alp). We found Alp production was induced at 22ºC across both strains; however, we found BCM produced lower levels of it compared to MS. Silver staining revealed distinct banding patterns between MS and BCM, particularly in the 20–25 kDa range, potentially representing variable major proteins. Additionally, a unique ~14 kDa band, likely corresponding to Alp, was present only in MS at 22 °C, along with an additional unidentified band above 25 kDa.
These findings suggest strain-specific protein production profiles during tick colonization, which may underlie divergent transmission outcomes. Future work will employ 2D gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry to further resolve and identify candidate proteins, followed by functional assays to determine their roles in vector competence and mammalian infection.
Poster 24
Taylor Kent
How can Molecular Assays be Optimized for Detecting Borrelia turicatae in Ornithodoros turicata
Detection of Borrelia turicatae in Ornithodoros turicata ticks is traditionally costly and time-intensive, requiring mouse infection models with blood collection over 10 days followed by immunoblot confirmation. To evaluate more efficient molecular approaches, four assays were optimized for B. turicatae detection in O. turicata. DNA was extracted from five ticks and tested using conventional PCR, probe-based rtPCR, and SYBR rtPCR. Additionally, RNA was extracted, converted to cDNA, and analyzed with probe-based rtPCR. Among these assays, SYBR rtPCR and probe rtPCR yielded the most specific and reliable results, whereas cDNA rtPCR failed to amplify infected DNA from O. turicata. These findings highlight the potential of molecular assays as practical alternatives for future detection, while indicating the need to explore additional methods for improved specificity.
Poster 25
Alexa Moldenhauer
Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia: An Epidemiological Study of Ticks in Belize
Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia (SFGR) are a family of tick-borne pathogens with serious public health implications, yet their prevalence and distribution in Central America are poorly characterized. Early diagnosis is often difficult as initial signs and symptoms can be non-specific, making passive surveillance for these diseases difficult . Belize faces additional challenges due to limited epidemiological surveillance infrastructure, contributing to misdiagnosis and underreporting. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of SFGR in ticks across Belize. Ticks were collected from multiple ecological zones using methods such as host sampling and collection of questing ticks. Samples were screened for SFGR using molecular techniques, and positive specimens underwent Sanger sequencing to identify Rickettsia species. Of the ticks collected, 325 (16.7%) tested positive for SFGR, with Amblyomma mixtum as the predominant species. The sequencing of 158 DNA samples revealed Rickettsia amblyommatis as the most common bacterial species. Spatial and temporal analyses reveal a year-round risk of SFGR transmission, with higher prevalence during the dry season and in southern Belize. These findings highlight the widespread presence of SFGR and provide baseline data for understanding pathogen distribution and human exposure. Future work will integrate entomological, molecular, and clinical data to refine risk models and inform prevention efforts, thereby enhancing diagnostic accuracy and guiding public health strategies.
Poster 26
Brahmi Prayaga
Comparing Methods to Detect Flaviviral Neutralizing Antibodies
Flaviviruses, such as dengue virus (DENV) and Zika virus (ZIKV), remain a persistent global health threat due to increasing potential for rapid outbreaks. Effective surveillance requires reliable methods to detect acute and prior exposure. The plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) is considered the gold standard for quantifying viral neutralizing antibodies, but is labor intensive, dependent on technical expertise, and requires viruses that produce cytopathic effect (CPE) leading to cell death. This project evaluated the xCELLigence Real-Time Cell Analysis (RTCA) system as an alternative to detecting flaviviral neutralizing antibodies. To do so, we used ZIKV strain HN16, which produces CPE, and isolates of DENV1 and DENV2 that do not produce CPE. We performed the experiments across multiple cell lines, including BHK21s, Vero CCL81s, and Vero E6s. Results demonstrated that RTCA reduced preparation time and increased throughput while still maintaining sensitivity to serum neutralizing activity. Additionally, RTCA reduced the risk of unreadable results associated with improper technique or plaque variability in PRNTs. However, RTCA assay performance varied by cell line and requires further optimization. These findings suggest that RTCA could potentially be a suitable alternative to PRNTs for screening flaviviral neutralizing antibodies, with its advantages in speed, scale, and lower risk of technical limitations. Future studies should validate RTCA with larger groups of samples and additional viral serotypes, and by exploring complementary assays, such as immunoperoxidase focus reduction neutralization tests (iPA-FRNTs), to further strengthen seroprevalence surveillance efforts.
Theatre Arts
Poster 27
Wei Cheng, Walker DeBord, Ashley Gibbins, Tori Hedlund, Miguel Hernandez, Zack Miller, Analisse Nicholson, Katherine Sitton, Noah Smith, and Will Stimson
Mentor: Guilherme Feitosa de Almeida and Michael Sullivan
Androcles and the Lion: Arts Practice-Based Approach to Community Engagement
Arts practice is a multi-disciplinary field which looks at the synthesis of practice and research in creating and interpreting artistic expressions. Artists seek new ways with which to perceive and interpret the world, ways that make vivid realities that would otherwise go unknown. Arts-based research creates affective encounters, which are a crucial part of inclusive and respectful knowledge production, because they highlight the experiences and feelings of the other and for the other.
Throughout Summer 2025 we engaged in the creation of a new production of "Androcles and the Lion" (Harris & Mack), a heartwarming and humorous musical adaptation of the classic Aesop's fable, following Androcles, a runaway servant, who befriends a wounded lion by removing a thorn from its paw, only to be reunited with the beast in a Roman arena under unexpected circumstances. A play for younger audiences that draws from stylistic elements of Italian commedia dell'arte, "Androcles" is full of lively characters, catchy songs, puppets, masks, live musicians, and a timeless message about kindness and gratitude.
We worked with the production structure of The Young Festival Stage, an organization established to help provide first time experiences of theatre to the youth of central Texas, and our community partner was Cultural Arts of Waco, a local organization that engages and enriches Waco’s diverse community by providing art events and cultural activities. Within the framework of our production, we supported a sensory-friendly performance, with needed modifications of the theatrical event to allow the experience to become a non-judgmental environment, more inclusive, and dramaturgically rich.
Urban Renewable Energy and Agriculture Project
(Urban-REAP)
Poster 28
Isabella Cloud
Mentor: Emily Hills
Humility at the Heart of Service
Emily Hills is the Director of Urban Reap in Waco, Texas, an environmentally centered initiative through Mission Waco that aims to educate and provide. Reflecting on her experiences in the Peace Corps to her current work, Emily suggests that humility is an essential aspect of community service, especially in order to become a liaison between the people one intends to serve and the resources they need. Thus, humility is not only about recognizing one’s limits, but a point from which individuals who want to help can serve with openness and a commitment to solutions shaped by the community itself. With the motto “Loving our Neighbor by Loving our Earth,” Hills and her team at Urban Reap continue to take part in meaningful projects in the Waco area, and invite all those who are able to participate.
Waco Family Medicine Primary Care Internship
Poster 29
Avery Bishop
Looking Beyond The Insurance Card
This capstone project began with a poignant case that is more common than not in a Federally Qualified Health Center like Waco Family Medicine. A 43-year-old woman facing postmenopausal bleeding missed her gynecological appointment due to a financial clearance meeting, embodying the reality of systemic breakdowns that place bureaucratic barriers before gaining access to healthcare. This personal moment unfolds into a national portrait of inequality: despite enormous healthcare spending, insurance gaps persist, and life expectancy is sharply divided along lines of geography, race, and class. In order to bridge this ever-widening gap, policy reform at the national level needs to occur.
The 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), rather than offering relief, deepens this ongoing crisis. By enforcing Medicaid work requirements, cutting enrollment safety nets, and slashing provider funding, OBBBA threatens to strip at least 10 million people of coverage and destabilize care infrastructure. But there is also hope. The Medicare For All Act, currently under congressional review, outlines a single-payer universal health system that could cut national spending costs by about 13%, or $450 billion per year, and save tens of thousands of lives annually. Because losing coverage in a low-income setting does not merely represent a change in insurance status but conveys a narrative of dispossession, marginalization, and embodied suffering. All of which are central themes in medical humanities scholarship.
Medical Humanities reminds us that medicine is made up of moments that transcend the politics of the human body. Through narrative medicine and storytelling, whether in testimony, visual art, prose, or poetry, can health transcend privilege and become the right we dare demand. The community must elevate wounded voices, bear ethical witness, and reshape despair into a shared narrative if we are to reflect the effects of policy reforms and restore health as a basic human right.