Shinsato, Haylie
Antibacterial Properties of Hydroxamic Acids
Hydroxamic acids and their derivatives are organic functional groups that are analogs of carboxylic acids. The amide and hydroxyl moiety of the groups are extremely useful in the synthesis of many drugs, including those containing antibacterial properties. This presentation will cover why and how hydroxamic acids and their derivatives are
important within the synthesis of antibacterial drugs, as well as research conducted on a modified procedure to synthesize hydroxamic acids within an undergraduate laboratory setting.
Mentor(s): Courtney, Arlene
Alexander, Jessica
Bad Blood: A Crime Scene Investigator's Nightmare
Blood… it flows through the veins of every living person. Blood has the function of transporting oxygen throughout the body, however, for certain individuals, there is one more important role. Crime scene investigators use blood to unravel puzzling mysteries of crime scenes. This presentation will explain how blood is analyzed, the varying types of blood spatter evidence and different chemical tests that can be used to find trace elements of blood.
Mentor(s): Courtney, Arlene
Wanderschied, Nicholas
Biochemical action of tetanus toxin at the synaptic terminal.
Tetanus toxin, one of the most deadly compounds known to man, is produced by a bacterial species in anaerobic environments. If released inside a human, the toxin will be shuttled by motor proteins to the synaptic terminal between an inhibitory interneuron and a motor neuron. It will then enter the axon of the interneuron and cleave necessary proteins. The action of this toxin may ultimately lead to spastic paralysis and possibly death. This presentation will outline how each of these processes occur.
Mentor(s): Courtney, Arlene
Smith, Alec
Eliminating Mosquito-Borne Diseases with One Simple Ingredient
Imagine a world where millions of lives could be saved; with global climate change becoming an issue, increasing amounts of groundwater are becoming available, contributing to a higher number of mosquitoes. Eliminating mosquito populations will eliminate diseases such as Zika Virus, and Malaria which affect over 700 million people on this planet. The purpose of this presentation is to inform the general public about the environmental effects on mosquitoes, ways to control mosquito population, and the environmental effects of insecticides.
Mentor(s): Courtney, Arlene
Azorr, Alexandria
Opioids: A Class of Drugs too Powerful to Ignore
Opioids are extremely addictive drugs that have a long history of overdose and abuse.
The shocking statistics show a vital need for change in our society. In this presentation, several aspects of opioids will be examined, including general characteristics and important biochemical information, such as the main mechanisms of action and effects of short-term and long-term use. In addition, the opioid epidemic will be explained to express the dangers of using opioids too freely, along with strategies to combat these dangers. This will include pharmacological treatment and several prevention methods that are currently being used and have proven to save many lives.
Mentor(s): Courtney, Arlene
Austin, Rachelle
Stannates: The Creation of Tin Oxide Semiconductors and their Applications as Photocatalysts
This presentation details the formation of tin oxide semiconductors and their
mechanisms for treatment of organic pollutants such as organic dyes via light-activation.
Information on semiconductors spanning from the quantum level up through synthesis and practical applications is included in this report along with a summary of previous research regarding semiconductor use for toxic waste treatment. The second portion of this presentation describes the methods used in the WOU Chemistry Research Lab to synthesize tin oxide semiconductors and test their ability to degrade organic dyes via
UV-light activation.
Mentor(s): Courtney, Arlene
Baron, Adam
The Importance of Water Quality Assessment in Our Changing Climate.
Global climate change is a prominent environmental concern, and most of the public focus has gone to finding viable renewable energy sources and reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide. In many ways, global climate change and human activities are affecting bodies of water around the world. It is crucial to our survival to identify these problems, including those from climate change, and properly address them to ensure a sufficient supply of clean water and food from aquatic and marine sources. This presentation covers the use of water quality assessment to identify environmental problems on both a global and local scale, showing the effects on ecosystems and our supply of clean drinking water and explores remediation options that are worth considering.
Mentor(s): Baron, Adam
Uri, Brandon
The Powers of Medicinal Cannabis; THC and CBD Explained
Cannabis has been used for thousands of years, not just to obtain a euphoric feeling, but for medicinal purposes too. This presentation covers the rapidly growing industry of cannabis as a medicinal and recreational drug. Additionally, it will explain how to obtain a high purity such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) components through instrumentation and how these components are used pharmaceutically, therapeutically, and the side effects thereof.
Mentor(s): Courtney, Arlene
Wright, D-Dre
Tissue Engineering: Rebuilding Aortic Layers
The aorta is the largest artery in the body, stems from the heart, and is vitally important for oxygen-rich blood delivery to the tissues. An aortic aneurysm can rupture a portion of the aortic wall and potentially lead to death. This presentation sets out to explore the
chemistry and biology behind a functioning aorta and apply these principles to building a tissue-engineered scaffold that can serve as a compatible substitute in the aortic wall.
Mentor(s): Courtney, Arlene
Winslow, Dakota
True Firepower: A Survey of Combustive Technologies
Combustion is foundational to much of chemistry, and a host of modern technologies.
This presentation serves as an overview of various combustive technologies, including general information about fuels, oxidizers, and common combustion reactions, as well as individual studies of combustive systems such as wax candles, turbine engines, and black powder cannons.
Mentor(s): Courtney, Arlene