Biology Honors Theses and Research Papers
Browse by

The Biology Major provides a rigorous background in mathematics and the sciences relevant to biology, along with a balanced spectrum of upper level biology courses. Students who desire broad training in biology graduate in the biology major, while those who wish to specialize may transfer into a related major.
To see all of the senior theses and honors papers in this collection, click on one of the browse buttons above.
Recent Submissions
-
Towards Profiling of G protein-biased Ligands of the Parathyroid hormone 1 receptor using a Streamlined Bioluminescence-based Binding
(2021)We have generated and characterized a NanoLuc-parathyroid hormone 1 receptor (PTH1R) fusion protein that enables improved equilibrium and kinetic competition binding assays. We examined both the truncated endogenous ... -
Investigation of the Physiological Changes Behind the Range Expansion of the Polyploid Hybrid, Polystichum scopulinum
(2022)In plants, polyploidy has been thought to play a key role in evolution as it can generate more genetic variation. However, we do not have a strong understanding of how polyploidy affects physiology, which limits our ... -
NF1 ALTERNATIVELY SPLICED EXON EXPRESSION CHANGES DURING SCHWANN CELL DIFFERENTIATION FROM MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS
(2022)Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) is a complex, yet relatively common, monogenic disorder that can lead to a variety of detrimental phenotypes. However, the mechanisms behind these manifestations of the disease are still ... -
The role of the integrated stress response pathway on amino acid regulation of murine lactation
(2021)Essential amino acids are the substrate for milk protein synthesis in the mammary gland. However, some amino acids play a supplementary role by signaling on cellular pathways that regulate lactation. The integrated stress ... -
IMPROVING CRYOPRESERVATION METHODS USING CHOLESTEROL TO MODIFY CELL MEMBRANES
(2022)Genomic testing has shifted the typical age distribution of bulls used for artificial insemination to younger bulls (1). However, younger bulls produce less sperm than mature bulls, creating a lack in supply to satisfy ... -
Peripartal treatment with high-dose sertraline increases the RankL/Opg ratio and leads to negative offspring outcomes
(2022)Clinical depression is common during pregnancy and postpartum, impacting 16% of pregnant women and 20% of postpartum women . SSRIs are used to treat peripartal depression; however, little is known about long-term effects ... -
The Prevalence of Clostridium difficile in the Wisconsin Area and the Role of Dietary Fiber on Colonization
(2020-05)Clostridium difficile is an opportunistic pathogen. Since antibiotics alter a human’s microbiota, hospitalized patients are more likely to become infected with C. difficile. Studies have shown that a high-fiber diet can ... -
GBT440 increases hematocrit and improves biventricular function in Berkeley sickle cell disease mice
(2020-05)Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a hereditary blood disorder affecting millions of people in which red blood cells become sickled and lyse easily driven by polymerization of hemoglobin. Chronically, SCD causes anemia and ... -
A Quantitative Analysis of Proteomic Changes in Hippocampal Tissue of Alzheimer's Patients vs. Aged-Controls
(2018-06-12)The purpose of this study was to identify changes in protein expression that occur in the hippocampus in Alzheimer's disease (AD). To achieve this, we performed a quantitative analysis comparing the protein levels from ... -
The impact of social support on hospital utilization patterns of older adults with multiple chronic conditions: a qualitative study
(2018-06-12)Five percent of the US population accounts for half of all health care costs. Members of this high-need, high-cost population are likely to be older, have multiple chronic conditions (MCC), and face complex social conditions. ... -
Bacterial strains within the fungus gardens of leaf-cutter ants show evidence of mutual and commensal interactions
(2017-06-13)Leaf-cutter ants have a symbiotic relationship with a fungal cultivar known as Lecuoagaricus gongylophorus. The cultivar functions as an external gut by breaking down plant polysaccharides and supplies the ants with simple ... -
The Emotional Body: The Intersection Between Embodied Emotional Awareness, Empathy, Alexithymia, Well-Being and Altruism
(2017-05-15)Emotion regulation and empathy are critical components for human social interaction and may help determine who is resilient when faced with challenging psychosocial situations and who may be vulnerable. Recent evidence has ... -
Investigating the Role of Kdm3b in the Acquisition of Pluripotency
(2017-05-15)Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells are somatic cells that have been reprogrammed to acquire the properties of embryonic stem cells by the overexpression of various proteins. These somatic cells have acquired pluripotency by ... -
The role of vab-1/Eph receptor during epidermal intercalation in C.elegans
(2017-05-15)During C. elegans embryo genesis, dorsal intercalation occurs when epidermal cells exchange places with one another. In this study, we describe a role for Eph receptor--a receptor tyrosine kinase, known as VAB-1 in C. ... -
Roles of Zic2 and Zic3 in early development
(2017-05-08)The Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway plays a crucial role in modulating embryonic development. Malfunctions in the vertebrate Hh pathway involving Sonic Hedgehog Homolog (Shh) have been linked to cancers including basal ... -
Numerical Understanding in Mind, Brain, and Education Relations (N.U.M.B.E.R.)
(2015-05-01)Past studies have demonstrated that non-human animals, infants and adult humans can process numerical information across multiple sensory modalities, and that number decisions are more accurate when number presented in ... -
AXL mediates the nuclear translocation of EGFR
(2015)Cetuximab is an anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibody that has shown efficacy in numerous cancer types. Clinical data suggests that patients whom initially respond to cetuximab eventually acquire ... -
Ric-8a is Essential for Regulation of Intercellular Interactions in the Developing Brain
(2015-04-29)Intemeurons are important cellular components in the brain and they are mainly responsible for inhibitory actions in the central nervous system. Investigation of how intemeurons develop is necessary to understand neuronal ... -
Sequence analysis of Aleutian Mink Disease Virus (AMDV) isolates in captive North American mink
(2014)Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV) is a member of the parvoviridae family which primarily affects mink, often resulting in death. Nine viral genomes were amplified in segments using polymerase chain reactions (PCR) and ... -
Bacterial Community Spatial and Temporal Variation in a North Temperate Bog Lake
(2012)Bog lakes such as Mary Lake in northern Wisconsin are ideal systems to investigate microbial communities due to easily identified spatial boundaries and well characterized seasonal ecosystem dynamics. Multiple factors are ...