The PAS Undergraduate and Graduate Research Grants Program has awarded grants to 27 students from 18 different Pennsylvania colleges and universities.

Grants were awarded to (bold font denotes student authors):

Cristoph Klews and Emily Stowe; Bucknell University: “Characterizing Small River Island Microbial Communities in the Susquehanna River via Metagenomic Analysis”

Kendall Heiney and Andre Walther; Cedar Crest College: “Using the oleaginous fungus Cryptococcus neoformans as a source of lipids for the production of biodiesel fuel”

Angelena Donovan, Kara Selesky, and Dia Beachboard; DeSales University: “Surveillance of tick-borne diseases at DeSales University’s campus”

Zahra Imrani, Antonio Rinaldi, and Lara Goudsouzian; DeSales University: “Investigation of nicotine-induced oxidative stress on PEP1 gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Kade Lippitt and Lara Goudsouzian; DeSales University: “Bogged Down in Human DNA: Homo sapiens DNA in the Protected Tannersville Cranberry Bog”

Trinity Gruber and Brian Alfaro; Eastern University: “Multi-season analysis of forest floor arthropod diversity and abundance in Saint Davids, Pennsylvania”

Caitlyn Jensen and Diane Bridge; Elizabethtown College: “Effects of Isolated Extracellular Vesicles on Regeneration in Hydra vulgaris

Saradha Gautam and Quyen Aoh; Gannon University: “The Role of SCAMP3 in APP trafficking and β-Amyloid Production”

Alexander Hurtado, Allison Franz, and Quyen Aoh; Gannon University: “Evaluating the Role of SCAMP3 on CXCR4 Trafficking”

Louisa Opp, Orion Haener, and Elisa Konieczko; Gannon University: “The Effects of Alcohol and Exercise on in vitro Skeletal Muscle Structure and Function at the Cellular Level”

Ashley Bonnet and Akeisha Belgrave; Harrisburg University of Science and Technology: “Investigating the Role of Myxococcus xanthus in Iron Bioremediation Under Varying Environmental Conditions”

Diana Geditz and Kelly Orlando; Immaculata University: “Determination of Cave Crickets (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae) spp. on Islands in Maine through DNA Barcoding”

Jessica Wolfgang, Francesca Giardini, and Stephen Mason; Immaculata University: “Testing the Plant Vigor and the Plant Vigor Hypothesis after Wildfire and Prescribed Fire in the Pinelands National Reserve, New Jersey”

Michaella Moyer and Tammy Tintjer; King’s College: “Infecting Wheat with Livestock Friendly Endophyte and Testing on a Brine Shrimp Bioassay”

Zahraa Muhammad and Jaimy Joy; LaSalle University: “Do Green Tea Polyphenols Protect Primary Human Lung Fibroblasts from Antiretroviral Drug-Induced Senescence?”

Jeanette Baker, Zackary Douglas, and Rajinikanth Mohan; Mercyhurst University “Exploring Mechanisms of Salt Tolerance in Halophilic and Halotolerant Bacteria”

Marina Evert and Amy Parente; Mercyhurst University: Regulation of Malate Dehydrogenase (MDH) by Citrate and alpha-ketoglutarate”

Sydney Wiegand, Annabel Arhin, and Rajinikanth Mohan; Mercyhurst University: “Examining the Function and Regulation of Bacillus subtilis Superoxide Dismutases During Abiotic Stresses”

Isabella Heckman and Michael Shin; Messiah University: “Impact of Caffeine on Anaerobic Capacity and the Influence of Genes linked to Caffeine Signaling and Processing”

Elise Kersten and Jennifer Ness-Myers; Messiah University: “Hypoxic Zebrafish Remyelination”

Maya Tabakha  and Giancarlo Cuadra; Muhlenberg College: “Phagocytosis, Escape and Invasion of Porphyromonas gingivalis under E-liquid Treatments”

Sophie Tomov and Giancarlo Cuadra; Muhlenberg College: “Effects of Cinnamon E-liquids on OKF6 Cell Toxicity and Death”

Hannah Stechmann and Minal Mulye; Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine: “Importance of the transcription factor PPARα in Coxiella burnetii infection”

Kyle Senn and Ovidiu Frantescu; University of Pittsburgh at Bradford: “Influence of Geologic Substrate on Trout Populations of Pennsylvania”

Acadia Banis and Amber Matha-Marble; Wilson College: “A Systematic Comparison of Traditional Veterinary-grade Topical Tick Preventions Versus Holistic Topical Tick Repellants for Canines”

Naiara Garcia and Meda Higa; York College: “Identifying Antibiotic Pathways in Paenarthobacter nicotinovorans through CRISPR-Cas9”

Jessie Mallette, Aiden Keja, and Brian Gray; York College: “CRISPR/Cas9 Mediated Knockout of a Potential Antimicrobial Producing Biosynthetic Gene Cluster in JAD10_F22WB (Pantoea eucrina)”

Link to 2024 awards, 2023 Awards2022 Awards2021 Awards2020 Awards2019 Awards2018 Awards, 2017 Awards, 2016 Awards2015 Awards2014 Awards2013 Awards2012 Awards