Molecular Parasitology
Paul Ulrich, Georgia State University
Of the approximately 1000 different proteins that populate eukaryotic mitochondria, ~50% have no known function. Molecular Parasitology is a course-based intensively engages undergraduates by investigating roles of uncharacterized, mitochondrial proteins in trypanosomatid parasites. Students utilize basic bioinformatics (subcellular localization, conserved domain prediction, BLAST, secondary structure) to predict protein function followed by construction and transfection of GFP-fusion constructs into cell lines to validate their predictions. The CURE is designed to encourage independent problem-solving, science identity, and support career success.

Neurobiology of Alcohol CURE
Elizabeth Crofton, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Excessive alcohol use is highly prevalent in college students. Alcohol causes a multitude of alterations in the brain that can eventually lead to alcohol use disorder, but this shift is not fully understood. Evidence suggests that adolescents are particularly vulnerable to developing substance use disorders. Therefore, research into the neurobiology of alcohol has broad interest inside and outside the college classroom. The goal of this research project is to investigate the effects of chronic alcohol on gene and protein expression in specific regions of the rat brain. Students will critically evaluate existing alcohol research and design a well-controlled study to investigate a feasible and testable question. Students will use rodent brain histology, quantitative PCR analysis, or western blotting to investigate their hypothesis. This work will provide a better understanding of the effects of alcohol and provide students laboratory and research skills.

Flow Cytometry Based CURE – Genotoxic Stress and Immune Cells
Charlie Benson, Georgia State University; Megan Dickherber, Georgia State University
This lab will focus on learning laboratory techniques commonly used in cellular immunology and cancer cell biology research. Over the course of the semester students will conduct research investigating the impact of genotoxic stress and DNA damage agents on immune cell phenotype and function. It is not well characterized how diverse types of immune cells are changed following exposure to such agents. It is important to understand how exposure to such stressors influences cell biology as many such agents are used therapeutically in medicine (radiation and chemotherapy). In particular, the field of cancer immunotherapy relies on the function of immune cells to recognize and attack cancer cells. Thus, the impact of these standard therapies (radiation) on the immune cells themselves is useful knowledge that could help optimize immune based therapies. During the course they will learn the scientific process while also learning common research techniques for eukaryotic cell culture and diverse flow cytometry assays.

Microbial Community Diversity and Interactions
Rachel Bleich, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Stress and Social Behavior in Cichlid Fish
Edmund Rodgers, Georgia State University
Social bonds are critical to the success of all social animals. However, these relationships are not static: they change over the course of an animal's life experience due to a variety of factors. This CURE is primarily interested in the interconnection between stressful experiences and social bonds. To explore this relationship the lab uses the highly social convict cichlid fish, which exhibit a variety of different types of social bonds: they are monogamous, bi-parental, as well as forming social shoals when not breeding. Students will perform animal husbandry, design experiments, and perform those experimental protocols in small groups. They will then present their findings at a University Research Conference. Over the duration of the course, students receive training in animal care, behavioral quantification, hormone sampling and EIA assay performance, data analysis, literature critique, scientific writing, and oral presentation.

Invertebrate Biology
Michael Sitvarin, Georgia State University
In this course, students will collaborate with Dr. Michael Sitvarin to understand the behavioral decisions made by various arthropods, with an emphasis on spiders. Questions that could be explored include, "How do individuals choose their mates?", "How do predators find prey to consume?", and "How do prey avoid being eaten by their predators?". Students will gain experience working with arthropods as well as practice with experimental design, data collection and analysis, and scientific communication. This CURE will allow students to carry out the entire scientific process and will prepare them for future careers in STEM fields.

Assessing antibiotic resistance in E. coli isolates from environmental samples in urban Atlanta
Mauricio Lascano, American Intercontinental University

Analyzing datasets in crime and policing teach the nature and process of science
Michael Watson, Fisk University

Drosophila as a Model Organism for Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Rick Topinka, American River College
There is concern that chemical exposure may contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) such as autism. Drosophila (fruit fly) is a model system for NDDs and flies with mutations in genes homologous to known human autism-risk genes exhibit behavioral abnormalities. As part of the course-based undergraduate research experience in this biology class we will be exposing developing flies to environmental toxins and measuring one aspect of their behavior, either mating behavior or grooming behavior. In addition, we will be investigating whether neural development is impaired in these flies using dissection and fluorescent labeling of particular brain structures.

Bioenergy Materials for Renewable Energy: A Theoretical and Experimental Approach
Jalaal Hayes, Delaware State University
This course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) will focus on the topic of biomass energy.