Stem cells are essential to establish tissue via proliferation and differentiation. We study stem cells of Caenorhabditis elegans germline as a model for development and differentiation. The distal tip cell (DTC) houses the stem cell niche which contains ~200 mitotically dividing cells. As germline stem cells move proximally the cells begin to differentiate while entering meiotic division (Austin and Kimble, 1987). Amongst the stem cells, previous research distinguished two populations, those that are naïve stem cells and others that are committed to differentiation (Cinquin, et. al, 2010).

We study stem cell regulation by two RNA-binding proteins, FBF-1 and FBF-2 that are both essential for stem cell maintenance (Zhang et al., 1997; Crittenden et al., 2002). FBF-1 and FBF-2 have different effects, FBF-1 restricts meiotic entry and FBF-2 promotes meiotic entry and cell division (Wang, et al. 2020) thus regulating mitotic stem cell population in an antagonistic fashion. However, previous studies did not distinguish FBF effects on naïve stem cells from the differentiating cells. Therefore, it remains unclear how the faster differentiation in fbf-1 mutant doesn’t deplete stem cell population (Wang et al. 2020). We hypothesize that fbf-1(lf) mutant maintains a relatively normal number of naïve stem cells protected from differentiation. By using a temperature sensitive assay that arrests cells in mitotic division (Cinquin, et al., 2010) we aim to count naïve stem cells from these different fbf (lf) backgrounds as compared to the wild type germlines. Upon temperature up-shift, naïve stem cells arrest in the M-phase of the cell cycle. Then they are detected with antibodies against phospho-Histone H3, and DNA is stained with DAPI. After imaging, naïve arrested stem cells are counted in the distal tip region of the germline. Our preliminary results confirmed protection of naïve stem cells in the fbf-1 mutant and revealed dramatic expansion of naïve stem cells in fbf-2 mutant. In future research, we will investigate molecular regulators of naive stem cell state in fbf-1 and fbf-2 mutants.

Despite attempts at systematic research, we are still missing critical information about pre-Hispanic populations in the Aztatlán region, one of the least studied regions of pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica. The Aztatlán region is located in West Mexico and extends from Sinola to Jalisco, including regions in Durango, Michoacán, and Zacatecas. This research will focus on those individuals recovered from an archeological site referred to as Tizapán el Alto, located in the highlands of the Lake Chapala Basin. The integration of genetics into our understanding of the past affords a better understanding of the archaeological record, and broader context of the populations of the past. This project will include the collection and comparison of mitogenomes between those recovered individuals through aDNA extraction and mtDNA sequencing. The subsequent mitogenomes will result in some of the first genetic data from that region of the world, acting as a foundational dataset for generations to come. This data will allow for broader comparisons with the larger Mesoamerican region and will provide a better understanding of the larger context of the pre-Hispanic population. By utilizing mtDNA, specifically whole mitogenomes, there is an opportunity to investigate questions about migration and matrilineal kinship, while also exploring questions of gene flow and genetic variation. Drawing on the ability to comparatively analyze this genetic information, the use of published information on the geographic region, and research/records on this archeological site, this paper will discuss the Aztatlán region, specifically the location of Tizapán el Alto, and the individuals recovered there, culturally, historically, and biologically/genetically.

Farnesoid X receptor (FXR), also known as bile acid receptor, is a metabolic nuclear receptor protein that controls gene expression in glucose, amino acid, lipid, and bile acid metabolism. FXR is a transcription factor that alters gene expression upon ligand binding through recruitment of coregulators. It is a primary drug target for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). FXR binds a wide variety of ligands, many of which do not resemble the endogenous bile acids that FXR binds, suggesting that it can be activated by a wide variety of ligand scaffolds. However, the effect ligands have on the surfaces of FXR that bind other proteins remains poorly understood. Because ligands create physiological effects by altering these surfaces understanding ligand-surface structure relationships is important to drug development. Here, we use fluorine NMR to show how the conformational ensemble of the FXR coregulator binding surface and the heterodimerization surface changes when different ligands are bound. We show that agonists stabilize helix 12, an essential part of coactivation binding to FXR, and helix 11, which encompasses the heterodimerization surface necessary for FXR to bind RXRα. Our work uses a highly sensitive technique to define the active conformations of FXR, revealing that FXR dynamics are more complex than suggested by a two-state “mousetrap” model of agonism.

Obstacles to Social Participation on University of Montana Campus

Research has demonstrated that social interaction is a necessary aspect of psychological health particularly for college students. Increased social isolation as a result of COVID, has negatively impacted the ability of college students to adjust well to college life. Early studies illuminate a deleterious effect of social isolation on social competence in youth. There is also evidence of an increase in depression and anxiety, both of which are ameliorated by active socializing. The purpose of this study is to identify the obstacles students face in participating in social activities on campus. Data from anonymous surveys of 100 student participants revealed that 36% do not engage in any social activities on campus on a regular basis, and 28% reported only socializing on average one time per week. Therefore, over half of the students surveyed are engaging in social activities on campus one or less times per week. Of the students surveyed, 60% attributed social shyness/anxiety as a moderate or greater factor. The other obstacles most often reported included lack of knowledge about activities taking place, not having someone they know to accompany them, not having more information about what the activity would entail, wanting smaller group activities, and lack of time or that the activities occurred during class time.

Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) is a model organism that undergoes many of the same processes for brain development that humans do. Work from our lab finds that pH regulation is important for brain development. The pH regulator, Ae2, is present at the cell membrane where it expels bicarbonate ions in exchange for chloride. Importantly, humans also express ae2 (SLCA4). It is not a well-studied protein, but low levels of SLCA4 are hypothesized to be associated with primary biliary cirrhosis. In other organ systems, the Ae2 exchanger was found to be important for development. Thus, we aimed to determine if Ae2 may similarly influence brain formation. We have previously found that pH regulation is important for neuroblasts, the neural stem cells of the fly brain, to proliferate and generate neurons. To define the function of Ae2 in Drosophila neurogenesis, I reduced ae2 expression to see how it would alter brain development. I prepared samples by dissecting both a control group and an RNAi knockdown of the ae2 gene (experimental group). Using immunostaining I was then able to visualize volumes and mitotically active cells in the brains with a confocal microscope. I found that the RNAi knockdown of the ae2 gene caused a decrease in both volume and actively dividing cells within the brain. Ae2 normally functions as an acid-loader (via bicarbonate removal), thus knockdown of ae2 would be expected to make neuroblasts more basic. The fact that we see smaller brains with less proliferation suggests that there is an ideal pH range for neuroblast proliferation and that cells being too basic may not effectively divide. This research will provide insight into similar areas of surrounding research for humans regarding developmental acid-base disorders.

The age-old question of what beauty is has been a common discussion among artists and philosophers for centuries. Maria de Zayas, a 17^th century Spanish novelist mostly known for her novella collections Amorous and Exemplary Novels (1637) and The Disenchantments of Love (1647), which describe violence and deception of beautiful women at the hands of men. In this paper, I will explore Zayas’s motives for all the female heroines being beautiful and how this all relates to the connection between beauty and misfortune that is seen throughout her works as well as many other pieces of literature. By comparing Zayas’s novellas with traditional fairy tales and Greek and Roman mythology we will understand how women were traditionally viewed as dual natured, their status and value during 17^th century Spain, and the traditional western narrative of blaming female victims rather than the male perpetrator. This literary exploration will emphasize the lack of control men had around “beautiful” women and how men felt a sense of entitlement and ownership over women during the 17^th century.

Research has shown that a more effective learning environment is established for students to thrive when there is a collaborative relationship between schools and community members (i.e., administrators, teachers, parents, community representatives). One author defines this type of relationship by saying that, “using k’é as a framework to discuss community and school community partnerships...community is an ongoing system of recognizing and maintaining harmonious relationships that can support the youth through partnerships based on relationships” (Kulago, 73). K’é encapsulates the complexity of relationships and how partnerships can be beneficial towards the members of the community. Kulago also discusses how these relationships has been historically negatively impacted. Schools that Westerners created for Indigenous children forced them to assimilate to Western-Christian culture and ideology. The Indigenous students were also forced into an individualized mindset instead of one of community. (Kulago, 61).

This presentation will discuss the utilization of school-community partnerships in Indigenous communities and the beneficial components that make the relationship successful. Approximately ten participants will be interviewed regarding their perspectives on building the school and community partnership. They were chosen because of their involvement with a social-emotional learning pilot program, a larger research project focusing on culturally responsive social-emotional learning for students and educators that was created with the community. Qualitative data analysis was conducted via audio recorded, in-person interviews, which were then transcribed through Zoom. We will analyze and code the transcripts for recurring themes and benefits to discuss their impact on the partnership between the school and community. Establishing these themes is important for creating a safer and more effective learning environment for students within Indigenous communities. After these themes have been identified, we will discuss how these findings could be implemented to benefit various school systems.

References

Kulago, H.A. (2013). Theorizing community and school partnerships with Diné youth. Journal of Curriculum Theorizing 28(2). 60-75.

Speech-language pathologists provide speech and language therapy to people who have difficulty communicating their wants, needs, or ideas. Within therapy there are many unknown variables that determine its effectiveness, especially when working with preschool children who have difficulties saying speech sounds. To develop a better understanding of these unknown variables, the current research explored dosage. Dosage is the number of prompts that a clinician gives to a child to say a target sound within one treatment session (Farquharson et al, 2022). Dosage is an under studied element within therapy with potentially large effects on the amount and rate of progress a child makes. Therefore, this investigation sought to answer the question: What is the dosage used by the clinician during each therapy session? The participants were a six-year-old boy with a moderate speech sound disorder and a three-year-old boy with a profound speech sound disorder. Coders investigated dosage by watching video-recorded therapy sessions and counting the number of prompts given to the child, the number of times the child responded, and whether the child said the targeted sound correctly or incorrectly in one-minute increments. We based the correctness of the response on the reinforcement the clinician provided as observed in the video. During our presentation, the dosage results will be presented, and the child’s accuracy will be discussed. With these data on dosage, we hope that clinicians in private and school therapy settings will be able to use this information and create more effective learning opportunities for the children they teach. This investigation of dosage will help our understanding of the therapeutic process and inform our knowledge of potential ways to increase the speed of learning for preschoolers with speech sound disorder.

Technological and political tactics to promote sustainable ways of living are lacking while human behaviors continue to threaten the ability for Earth’s ecosystems to support humans and nonhumans. It is essential to build a new culture that is ecologically sustainable. This study - one part case study and one part memoir - explores what it takes to shift perspectives. This research locates the methods and characteristics that can be impactful in promoting sustainable attitudes in higher education students. This research helps develop an understanding of and framework for effectively promoting sustainable perspective change within higher education. I observe the Wilderness and Civilization program to determine if it is effective in inspiring ecological attitude change. Interning with the Wilderness and Civilization program I helped develop “group journal” questions that students would work together to answer. The questions were designed to promote deep discussion and reflection on human-nature relationships. I led one of the two backpacking groups during the program’s ten day trek where the students worked on the journals. At the end of the program the students were asked to discuss the questions amongst one another again in order to observe any changes. I also include a literature review that assesses the characteristics of a program that incites sustainable values, perspectives, and behaviors. Lastly, I apply the results and personal experience in a memoir essay analyzing the perceived separation between humans and nature, the perceived human domination of nature, and the need to take responsibility for the stories we believe in order to develop a new characteristic for effective wilderness-based education programs.

Animals must prioritize their needs to decide how to act in a way that meets their physiological needs and matches their environmental context. Since behaviors are often carried out at the expense of others, it is important to understand how these binary options are evaluated and prioritized in an animal’s nervous system. We aim to understand how internal states such as hunger are signaled to the brain. Further, we ask, how does an organism integrate multiple signals and ultimately decide how to respond? When a pair of Drosophila melanogaster males are placed in a small chamber with a high-quality food source, they have three options: feed, explore, or fight. When a male is starved, we hypothesize that a high-need hunger signal is sent from the gut to the brain. This signal should bump feeding to the top of the priority list, resulting in the fly eating before engaging in other behaviors. Our data indicates that starved flies feed earlier than fed flies, suggesting that they respond to internal signals telling them to feed rather than explore. Previous work in the Certel lab has determined that neurons that express the octopamine (OA) adrenergic receptor OAα2R innervate the gut. Preliminary data suggests OAα2R expressed in enteroendocrine (EE) cells is necessary for aggression. We hypothesize that OA binding to OAα2R inhibits the release of neuropeptides in EE cells. This, in turn, inhibits feeding behavior and promotes aggression in flies. Here, we predict that a reduction in EE cell OAα2R expression will result in fed flies feeding sooner. Using OAα2R Knockdown and UAS-Gal4 control flies, we starved or let male flies feed ad libitum for 24 hours. Subsequently, the flies were aspirated into the chamber with a nutritive food resource to be both fed on and fought over. To score flies’ behavior, lunges toward their counterparts were recorded as a metric of aggression. To test our hypotheses, we quantified flies’ latency to lunge and latency to feed (the time between aspiration into the chamber and the first act of aggression or feeding) under fed or starved internal states. Our preliminary analysis suggests that OAα2R does not inhibit feeding. Based on these results we will test a revised hypothesis: OAα2R inhibits the release of neuropeptides, thus promoting the transition from feeding to fighting. A greater understanding of decision prioritization will help map the internal codes of social behavior and dynamics as well as reveal therapeutic targets that could modulate aggression.

Liver disease is becoming a more prevalent problem in the United States. Roughly 30 million Americans suffer from a form of it. The increase in obesity is causing non-alcohol related fatty liver disease in 20-30% of adults. Other causes can be viral infections such as Hepatitis A, B or C, immune system problems, genetic inheritance, cancer and over consumption of toxins. These issues, and more, contribute to scarring on the liver not allowing it to regenerate until it can no longer function. One way we can help fight this disease is by gaining a better understanding of its origins. This can be done by running tests in a lab on different proteins associated with the disease and recording their affects. For this we will be conducting tests on. elegans. These worms contain many orthologous proteins that share the same phenotype responses when disrupted as we would expect to see in humans. I will be using RNAi, to knock out 2 genes associated with liver disease in worms, mars-1 and dnj-29. The total number of genes associated with liver disease in OMIM was 3. This was the same number that was orthologous to humans. MARS-1 is in the cytosol and works with methionine and RNA ligase activity. This may affect the translation process in the cells. When this gene is knocked down, I would expect to see embryonic lethality. DNJ-29 is involved in protein translocation and is critical for cell function. Knocking this gene down should result in worm death. For either protein any change in the phenotypical response of the worm would be regarded as a victory. In dnj-29(RNA-i) this may take a generation to take place.

Hybridization between species plays a very important role in the overall evolutionary history of many taxa. The study of hybrid zones can also provide insight into how species are responding to environmental factors such as climate change and changes in species interactions. The hybrid zone between the northern black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) and the southern Carolina chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) provides an insight into how hybridization is affecting two distinct species. As climate change worsens and Carolina chickadees are pushed more north to avoid sweltering temperatures, the hybrid zone is actively moving with them about 1 kilometer every year. Black-capped and Carolina hybrids have reduced fitness in the wild. Hybrids tend to have higher basal metabolic rates, less muscle growth, and less neuron growth to prepare for winter caching. There are genes that are not introgressed well into hybrids, and exploring why those genes are not introgressing could give an insight into why hybrids have such low survival rates. Our goal was to look at what functions those genes may have, and to see if the genes that don’t introgress have lots of differences between the two chickadee species. We used full genome transcripts from both black-capped and Carolina chickadees to look at the differences in the non-introgressing genes. Using a list of genes from the most to least non-introgressing, we pulled the top ten sequences from black-capped and Carolina transcripts and aligned them using the program Geneious. We also pulled ten random genes from the full transcripts to align and compare as a control. We calculated the percent that matched in nucleotides for each alignment. After getting this percentage, we calculated the mean percent for both the top ten non-introgressing genes and the ten random genes. The mean percent for the top ten genes was 97.5%, and the mean for the random genes was 98.7%. After determining that the data set did not follow a normal distribution using the Shapiro-Wilks tests, we used a Wilcoxon ranked sum test to calculate a p-value. With a p-value of 0.0169, the difference in means between the two gene sets is significant. This suggests that there might be some differences in the genes that do not allow them to be inherited by hybrids, and it upholds reproductive isolation between the black-capped and Carolina chickadee species.

Chronic exposure to woodsmoke presents serious health detriments, yet the acute response to woodsmoke exposure is not well defined. While current literature reports on woodsmoke exposure and exercise, little work has been performed to understand the potential compounding effects of sleep deprivation during exposure. Sleep deprivation could modify physiologic responses to stressors such as exercise and smoke inhalation. Acute sleep deprivation has been shown to depress vagal tone, specifically depressed heart rate variability and stress recovery. The further identification of acute physiologic responses to woodsmoke would likely provide insight into the mechanism behind increased cancer and cardiovascular disease rates. Purpose: To evaluate the effects of sleep deprivation on the acute physiological response to woodsmoke and exercise. Methods: Ten recreationally active male participants (age = 24±4 yrs.; height = 185±4 cm; weight = 85.7±9.4 kg ;VO2max = 46.8±5.7 ml∙kg¯¹∙min¯¹; body fat = 12.6±6.7 %) performed two separate 45-minute stationary bicycle workouts at resistances equivalent to 70% of their VO2 max while inhaling woodsmoke through a facemask in a crossover design. In random order, one trial was performed on 8 hours of sleep (control, slept 22:00-06:00) and the other on 4 hours of sleep (sleep-deprived; slept 00:00-04:00) with heart rate variability (HRV), exhaled breath condensate (EBC), pulse wave velocity (PWV), blood oxidative stress markers, and pulmonary function tests (PFT), analyzed before and after each trial. Trials were separated by one week. Results: EBC volume pre- and post-exercise was 2.4±1.0 and 2.6±1.3 mL, respectively. No significant difference in HRV, PWV, or BP was observed between the control and sleep-deprived groups. However, PWV was significantly different across trials in both groups (p < 0.01). Pulmonary data for key dependent measures of PFT (FVC, FEV1%, MVV) displayed no statistically significant differences between trials or across trials. Conclusion: Despite the known harmful effects of smoke inhalation, sleep deprivation did not magnify the physiological response following moderate-intensity aerobic exercise while exposed to woodsmoke particulate matter. Although these findings do not negate the negative impact of wood smoke inhalation, other research approaches are needed to understand better the acute effects of smoke exposure on the cardiovascular system.

Both animals and humans must constantly make decision in dynamic environments. Situational assessment and appropriate response selection are crucial processes that determine the ability of an organism to survive and thrive, or fail and die. Understanding how the signaling by neurons and circuits ultimately lead to behavioral decisions is a critical question that may lead to the identification of mechanisms that address out-of-context behaviors. To understand how neurons send important information that leads to a behavioral decision, I am using the powerful genetic model, Drosophila melanogaster, and the choice to engage in aggressive behavior between males. My focus is on the Mushroom Body Output 11 neurons (MBON-11) which are a pair of GABAergic inhibitory neurons that play a pivotal role in the decision to search for food. As the decision to fight depends in part on whether an organism has the energy to fight, we are testing that hypothesis that the MBON-11 neuron functions as a hub neuron directing feeding, aggression, and reproductive behaviors. To perform our experiments, we utilize the Gal4/UAS gene driving system to eliminate the ability of MBON-11 to signal by GABA. This is accomplished through the knockdown of the Vesicular-GABA-Transporter (VGAT) which loads GABA into synaptic vesicles. We used high throughput chambers containing two males and a central food portion to quantify and analyze latency and frequency of reproductive and lunging behaviors. Preliminary results indicate that reducing MBON-11 GABA inhibitory signaling, results in significantly higher levels of male-male courting behavior. Current experimental data suggests that GABA signaling from MBON11 is required to constrain out-of-context courting as well as onset of courting and lunging behaviors. Together these results address the role of MBON11 as a hub neuron directing context appropriate behavioral expression. These results contribute to our understanding of behavioral decision-making in wildtype and ultimately disease conditions.

A New Member of Melainabacteria, the Closest Relatives of Cyanobacteria

Melainabacteria are the recently discovered, closest non-photosynthetic relatives of cyanobacteria, the organisms responsible for the oxygenation of Earth's atmosphere. Previous work has shown that Melainabacteria live in a wide range of environments, including deep groundwater, anoxic sediments, and the digestive tracts of termites and mammals. These bacteria have been suggested to play a significant role in the latter environments and may contribute to neurodegenerative and gastrointestinal disease in human populations. However, our knowledge of Melainabacteria diversity and metabolism is still very limited, principally because no member of this group has been successfully cultured in the laboratory.

Recently, DNA sequencing has revealed that a member of the Melainabacteria is growing in co-culture with an established diatom strain at the University of Montana’s Miller lab. In this study, we obtained a nearly complete Melainabacteria genome from metagenomic sequencing data. We then compared this genome to other previously sequenced Melainabacteria genomes to better understand genome architecture and the metabolic capacity of this bacterium. These data will guide further culturing efforts and future experiments. Together, our work will help clarify the functional role(s) of Melainabacteria in its environment and how it “makes a living” energetically. It will also provide new insights regarding the metabolic capabilities of the cyanobacterial ancestor and the origin of oxygenic photosynthesis.

Genomic analyses can provide powerful insights into important issues in conservation biology, including rapid estimates of overall genetic diversity and related population genetic parameters. Noninvasive DNA sampling, such as from fecal samples, is an affordable, efficient, and broadly applicable field collection method that has been utilized in many genetic analyses. However, the efficacy of whole genome sequencing from fecal samples collected under field conditions is relatively unexplored. Here, I will present initial results from an experiment designed to test the quantity and quality of genomic material obtained from snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) fecal pellets. A collaborative research program at the University of Montana has studied this iconic seasonally camouflaging species using demographic and genomic analyses on wild and captive animals. This has provided a robust dataset connecting the long-term evolution of seasonal traits to global climate. This presents an amenable system to explore the potential and limits of genome sequencing from fecal material. I will present an evaluation of DNA extraction protocols tailored to snowshoe hare fecal material, along with plans to execute a two-week time series testing how pellet DNA degradation influences the generation of whole genome sequencing data. These data will provide important insights to researchers interested in applying genomic techniques to non-invasive samples collected under field conditions.

Diel activity patterns of large mammals are shaped by predator-prey dynamics but can also be adapted to the species’ environment. The avoidance of predation risk by prey in both space and time can affect predator-prey overlap and reduce risk of mortality. Here, I examine if rifle hunting affected the diel activity patterns of ungulates in Lubrecht Experimental Forest, Montana. I deployed 30 infrared wildlife remote cameras across 29 different sites using a stratified random design over three months before, during, and after the Fall 2022 Montana rifle hunting season. Using timestamps from these photos, daily activity patterns were tracked for ungulates, humans, and pumas. Over 41,000 images were classified using artificial intelligence classification software through Wildlife Insights. Because white-tailed deer comprised 83% of the photo captures of ungulates, I focused on white-tailed deer and human hunting. I also tested the consequences of avoiding human hunting for deer-puma overlap to see if mutual avoidance could increase overlap of predator and prey species. I compared peak periods of white-tailed deer activity pre, during, and post rifle season using the R package overlap. Under the predation risk hypothesis, I predicted deer should show a significant shift in time of peak activity during hunting season when compared to before and after hunting season, especially for more heavily hunted males. However, white-tailed deer females only reduced their overlap with human hunters in a slightly statistically significant way (14%). Furthermore, the more heavily hunted male white-tailed deer reduced their overlap with humans during the hunting season by less than half the responseof females (7%), rejecting the sex-based predation-risk hypothesis. Under the alternative hypothesis, I predicted ungulates should show consistent temporal avoidance of humans. However, the amount of overlap between deer and humans was relatively high across the study (Average = 60%). Despite weak evidence for deer avoidance of human hunters, I found that increased overlap of pumas and white-tailed deer could be a result of mutual avoidance of humans. This study implies that deer did not seem to avoid human activity that strongly during the hunting season, but that avoidance of peak human activity hours could potentially increase overlap between deer and their dominant non-human predator, mountain lions.

Perceived Post-Graduate Job Prospects of University of Montana Wildlife Biology Students.

The wildlife biology job growth over the next decade is projected to be 1% (US Bureau of Labor Statistics 2022). In courses and through personal experiences students are made aware of the challenges of pursuing a career in this field. I want to determine the perceived post-graduate job prospects current UM Wildlife Biology students hold. Do current students have a positive or negative perception of their job outlook? Further, I want to determine how well students think they have been prepared for a career in this field by our program? I will survey current juniors and seniors in the UM Wildlife Biology Program. They are a key demographic as they are aware of the challenges of their career path and less likely to change majors and are hypothetically committed to acquiring the wildlife degree, and therefore, are the group most focused on career prospects in the wildlife field. An optional survey will be provided in upper division wildlife biology courses and clubs so that we can reach our key demographic. We will ask their opinion regarding certain post-graduation milestones such as getting a job in the wildlife field or pursuing a masters or PhD in this field.

The importance of this information is twofold. Firstly, the opinions of undergraduate students are a gauge as to their dedication to continuing into their field of study, particularly one as specialized and competitive as wildlife biology. Secondly, these students represent a large investment in the future of this field both by the university who input facilities and capital, and by the professors who are established influential researchers. The investment of time by these professors represents a reduction in the time they could otherwise be investing in something else either on a professional or personal front. Crucially this is a nonrefundable investment, as there is a fixed amount of time a professor can give towards the effort of training future technicians and biologists. If those trained graduates are not entering or staying in the field but going elsewhere because of their believed prospects, then that represents a failure to recoup the invested resources put into those individuals by the university, the program and their professors.

Work Cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2022. Zoologists and wildlife biologists : Occupational outlook handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved December 5, 2022, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/zoologists-and-wildlife-biologists.htm

The cellular innate immune response is the first line of defense against viral infection. A robust response is necessary to fight infection, but an overblown response can kill the cell and damage surrounding tissue. Understanding how the innate response is regulated can elucidate better means of preventing and ending viral infections. Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), an RNA virus, is a pathogen of particular importance due to its deadly effects on domestic livestock and humans. Our lab investigates RVFV's effects on proteins involved in the cell's innate antiviral response. Although the precise roles of RIOK3 remain controversial, it has been determined to affect the type-1 interferon (IFN) response. Results from our lab showed that RIOK3 helps mount an IFN response in epithelial cells, but it was recently suggested by another group that RIOK3 plays a role in suppressing the interferon response in immune cells. In their model, RIOK3 acts as a guide for the protein TRIM40, an E3-ubiquitin ligase that targets other proteins for proteolytic degradation. In particular, the immune cell model suggested RIOK3 led TRIM40 to ubiquitinate MDA5 for destruction. Since MDA5 usually plays a role in mounting the IFN response, targeting MDA5 would blunt the response. Interestingly, TRIM40 is not typically expressed in epithelial cells but in immune cells. Therefore, we hypothesized that the expression of TRIM40 in our epithelial cells in culture would affect their IFN response. To test this hypothesis, immortalized human embryonic kidney cells (HEK-293) were transfected with vectors expressing the protein TRIM40. Cells were immune stimulated using poly(I:C), a potent IFN inducer that mimics viral RNA. We compared expression levels of MDA5 in the cells expressing TRIM40 to control cells by immunoblotting. Additionally, HEK-293s were transfected with TRIM40 and then infected with RVFV (MP12), and expression of IFN-𝛽 was assayed by RT-qPCR. The results of my experiments showed no comparative decrease in cells' expression of MDA5 when TRIM40 was present and no difference in expression of IFN-𝛽 during infection when TRIM40 was overexpressed. Collectively, these results suggest some mechanism other than TRIM40 expression alone is responsible for the other group's observed suppression of the IFN response by RIOK3 in immune cells.