The Maplewood Flats Crabapple and Soil Contaminant Assay

Through Learning

BIOL 351 (Biogeography):
Literature review to explain the complicated biogeographical origins of the ratites (ostriches, emus, and such). Did flightlessness evolve once or multiple times? Did they fly in to all the continents or was an ancient ancestor widespread before the breakup of the supercontinent(s)?

Sometimes even science doesn't have clear answers!

BIOL 300 (Molecular Genetics):
Using evolutionarily-conserved proteins to identify evolutionary relationships between fish species.

Our experiment showed unexpected relationships. Scientific methods aren't always flawless!

Flame Atomic Absorbance Spectroscopy (FAAS), used to determine concentration of heavy metals in our soil and crab apple samples

Vacuum Filtration

Acid Digestion and Extraction

Locating and GPS-tagging sample sites

Collecting crab apple and soil samples

We found lots of lead (!) in both soil and crab apple samples, and were able to make recommendations to TWN and WBT about next steps towards environmental remediation.

The beautiful mud flats

Far more work goes into even a small study than I think either of us had anticipated

There were many logistical hurdles, requiring flexibility and creativity

BIOL 412 (Neuropathophysiology):
Developed and proposed a novel transuterine intravenous delivery of gene-editing technology to fetuses identified as having genetic markers for a debilitating neurodevelopmental disorder known as Angelman syndrome. Pathophysiology of the disease and where the treatment aims to intervene are shown on left.

Additionally, we learned hands on skills for gene editing by conducting a modification experiment on bacteria, giving them an antibiotic resistance gene! The results of one of the experimental conditions are shown on the right


I wish I could show how much work goes into a proposal like this!