Lillvis Lab
Modern genetic engineering techniques are revolutionizing biological research and medicine. This project utilizes these techniques to manipulate and study how specific populations of neurons impact complex behavior. During the semester, students will make meaningful contributions to ongoing research projects by using cutting edge gene editing techniques to modify specific genes in Drosophila fruit flies.
Novel Virus Genome Discovery
Neuman Lab
For every living organism, there is a virus that infects it. When people go out and sample an organism, sometimes that organism is sick with a virus. These accidental bycatch viruses are sequenced and stored in transcriptome databases. We're looking at neglected virus hosts because these kinds of viruses are under characterized, so we want to help in finding and describing them. By describing these viruses that infect these underrepresented hosts, we can better understand how all the viruses in that group function. The broader impacts of this work could be used for things like conservation efforts or pest control.
Students find viruses from the Transcriptome Shotgun Assembly (TSA) database using reference protein sequences via tBLASTn. The genome arrangement is then annotated and built using ORFfinder and HHPRED.
Phylogenetic Signal in Chromosomal Traits
Blackmon Lab
In this CURE, students will investigate the evolutionary conservatism of chromosomal traits across diverse vertebrate clades. Students will collect real biological data from literature and databases, perform phylogenetic signal analyses, run simulations to model trait evolution and contribute to a publishable dataset and manuscript. The course integrates data science, evolutionary biology and collaborative research.
Study of the Circadian Rhythm of Drosophila using DGRP
Keene Lab
The project that students are currently working on examines natural variation in sleep behavior using the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP), a collection of genetically diverse inbred fly lines. We focus on DGRP lines that exhibit relatively short and long sleep durations to understand how variation in sleep and obesogenic diet may influence sleep regulation and aging. We are using Drosophila Activity Monitoring (DAM) system, and longevity assays to explore relationships between sleep variation, diet, and lifespan. We are using sleep deprivation methods to examine sleep homeostasis and intestinal barrier integrity. We also pharmacologically induce sleep using gaboxadol to determine how increased sleep influences longevity. In addition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels are measured to assess oxidative stress associated with sleep variation. These approaches would allow us to examine how naturally occurring genetic variation shapes sleep behavior and its relationship with aging.
Changing Climates and Cassiopea xamachana
Strader Lab
Organisms are consistently having to respond to rapidly changing climates. This challenges organisms to adapt, acclimate, or move, requiring fundamental knowledge about organisms’ ecology and evolution. To study this, we will utilize a partially clonal marine jellyfish species, Cassiopea xamachana, to understand the complex role genetics and evolution play in how organisms are able to respond to differences in their environment (ecology). We will learn fundamentals about life-history evolution, quantify aspects of fitness, and test how it changes under different environmental parameters. This research will contribute to our lab’s ongoing investigations into the mechanisms enabling the proliferation of C. xamachana in tropical and subtropical Florida."
Practical Plant Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology
McKnight Lab
Modern genetic engineering techniques and bioinformatics approaches are revolutionizing biological research, agriculture and medicine. During the semester, students will make meaningful contributions to ongoing research projects by using cutting edge gene manipulation and editing techniques and bioinformatics approaches to generate and analyze transgenic plants to elucidate biochemical and regulatory pathways.