RISE/SENIOR THESIS TITLES 2013

WARDAH ATHAR

The Role of EphA7 in Dendritic Spine Extension
Dr. Maria Donoghue, Department of Biology, Georgetown University 

JOSEPH ANDREW BAIOCCO

Changes in Spine Density of Striatal Medium Spiny Neurons in Ephrin-A2, -A3, and –A5 Knockout Mice
Lawrence F. Kromer, Ph.D., Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center
Elena Casey, Ph.D., Department of Biology, Georgetown University

ABHILASHA BANERJEE

Pre-existing Familiarity with Objects as a Determinant of Exploration and Categorization
Dr. Clay Mash, The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
Dr. Jennifer Fox, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

TIMOTHY M. BUCKEY

Cigarette Smoking: A Positive Correlation with Lung Cancer and a Non-Toxic Effect on Thyroid Cancer
Dr. Offie Soldin, Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center
Dr. Ronda Rolfes, Department of Biology, Georgetown University 

MICHELLE CHRISTINE CASSIDY

Accounting for Sexually Antagonistic Genetic Variation
Dr. Manus Patten, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

FELICIA CASTRIOTA

The Impact of Student Self-Perception of Cognitive Science Abilities in Classroom Performance
Dr. Amy Walsh, Department of Biology, Georgetown University
Dr. Heidi Elmendorf, Department of Biology, Georgetown University
Dr. Gina Wimp, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

IRENE CHING

Candida albicans Grf10 is involved in iron/copper homeostasis
Dr. Ronda Rolfes, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

LEIGHTON HARRISON DAIGH

Arginine-rich motifs are not required for RNA binding activity of hepatitis delta antigen
Dr. John Casey, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Georgetown University
Dr. Steven Singer, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

NICOLE MARIE DESFORGES

Tyrosine Kinase Inhibition Promotes Parkin-Mediated Amyloid Clearance in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Dr. Charbel Moussa, Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center
Dr. Joseph Neale, Department of Biology, Georgetown University 

SAMUEL DOWLING

The Role of Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) in Hormone-Independent Breast Cancer
Dr. Mary Beth Martin, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology, Department of Oncology, Georgetown University 
Dr. Heidi Elmendorf, Department of Biology, Georgetown University 

COLIN DOYLE

The Utility of a Remote Sensing Approach for Mapping Tropical Forest Tree Distributions
Dr. Timothy Beach, Science, Technology and International Affairs, Georgetown University
Dr. Gina Wimp, Department of Biology, Georgetown University 

SARA ELIZABETH ESHLEMAN

Soil Impacts of Leaf-cutter Ants (Atta sp.) in Northwestern Belize
Dr. Timothy Beach; Science, Technology and International Affairs, Georgetown University
Dr. Martha Weiss; Department of Biology, Georgetown University

EILEEN FENNELL

Detecting Secreted ApoER2 in Cellular Media
Dr. G. William Rebeck, Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University
Dr. Maria Donoghue, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

IAN GASTON

Aggression predictors in wild Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.)
Vivienne Foroughirad, Department of Biology, Georgetown University
Dr. Janet Mann, Department of Biology and Department of Psychology, Georgetown University

CAITLIN GILBERT

The Role of Sox 4 in Cortical Progenitor Fate-Restriction
Dr. Maria Donoghue, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

ALEXANDRA GABRIELLE HAHN

The effect of cooperative competition on student learning and classroom participation
Dr. Heidi Elmendorf, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

ALISSE HANNAFORD

The effect of antiestrogens on estrogen receptor expression 
V. Craig Jordan, Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University
Ronda Rolfes, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

DANIELA ANDREEA ILIESCU

Self-Correction of Homework Improves Student Performance in a Mathematics Classroom
Dr. James Sandefur, Department of Mathematics, Georgetown University
Dr. Heidi Elmendorf, Department of Biology, Georgetown University
Dr. Amy Walsh, Department of Biology, Georgetown University
Dr. Gina Wimp, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

LORENA INFANTE LARA

Knocking out ADI in Giardia lamblia: Potentiality for Treatment of Giardiasis in Humans
Dr. Steven Singer, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

LAUREN MICHELLE JACOBS

New Insights into Cytostatic versus Cytocidal Quinoline Drug Pharmacology against Plasmodium falciparum
Dr. Paul Roepe, Department of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology, and Center for Infectious Disease, Georgetown University
Dr. Steven Singer, Department of Biology, Georgetown University 

ANN-MARIE JACOBY

Impacts of shellfish aquaculture on bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.)
Dr. Eric Patterson, Department of Biology, Georgetown University
Dr. Janet Mann, Department of Biology and Department of Psychology, Georgetown University

SARAH PATRICE JUSTVIG

The Effect of Small Molecule Inhibitor YK-4-279 on Activity of Transcription Factors in Prostate Cancer
Dr. Aykut Üren, Department of Oncology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center
Dr. Heidi Elmendorf, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

ANIKA NEHREEN KHAN

Child Marriage Interventions to Advance Child & Maternal Health Metrics in Rural Bangladesh 
Dr. Heidi Elmendorf, Department of Biology of Global Health, Georgetown University 

MICHAEL KIRITSY

The role of angiomotin in the Hippo-Yap pathway
Dr. Chunling Yi, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University
Dr. Heidi Elmendorf, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

SEAN ZHANG LAUGHLIN

The Role of Rac1 in NF2 Mutation-Induced Liver Tumorigenesis
Chunling Yi PhD, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University
Steven Singer PhD, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

GABRIELA LIEVANO

The Meaning and Measurement of Linkage Disequilibrium
Dr. Manus Patten, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

VICTORIA LYNCH 

Effects of Detrital Inputs on Salt Marsh Food Webs
Dr. Gina Wimp, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

KERRI MCKIE

The Clinical Failure of LY2140023 and the Implications for Future Drug Development Based on the Glutamatergic Theory of Schizophrenia
Dr. Joseph Neale, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

EMILY ISABELLA MOFFAT

Mercaptoacetamide-based class II HDAC inhibitor promotes dendritic spine density
Dr. Hyang-Sook Hoe, Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University 
Dr. Joseph Neale, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

ERIC QUINLAN MOORING

Smaller Influenza Epidemics Due to Higher Revaccination Rate Modulated by Contact Network Structure
Dr. Shweta Bansal, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

 
JAY LAWRENCE MOTTLA

Modulation of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in A431 Cells 
Louis Weiner MD and Sandra Jablonski Ph.D., Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center
Amy Walsh PhD of Department of Biology, Georgetown University 

BRADLEY ANDREW MURRAY

Co-evolution of Laterally Transferred Genes in Two Species of Bacteria
Dr. Anne Rosenwald and Dr. Gaurav Arora, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

GEOFFREY S. NEWCOMB

Nuclear Localization of Activated Genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Dr. Kris Willis and Dr. Ronda Rolfes, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

GLYN M. NOGUCHI

Estrogen receptor-alpha activation by intracellular calcium in antiestrogen-resistant breast cancer
Dr. Mary Beth Martin, Department of Oncology, Georgetown University
Dr. Ronda Rolfes, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

BRENNEN KATHLEEN O’ROURKE

NAAG Peptidase Inhibitor 2-PMPA Improves Contextual Memory in C57BL Mice
Dr. Joseph Neale, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

HILLARY ALLISON RAAB

Role of variability in DAT1 and APOE on white matter, executive function, and creativity 
Dr. Maria J. Donoghue, Department of Biology, Georgetown University
Dr. Adam E. Green, Department of Psychology, Georgetown University

AMANDA ROSEN

An inhibitor library screening to elucidate alternative regulatory mechanisms in antiestrogen-resistant breast cancer
Dr. Robert Clarke, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University
Dr. Amy Walsh, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

KERRY RYAN

Neuroprotective Effects of PACAP27 Against HIV Tat-Induced Neuronal Dysfunction
Dr. Italo Mocchetti, Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, and the Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University
Dr. Elena Casey, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

JULIA SANN

Human Papillomavirus and the HPV Vaccine: Effectiveness of an Educational Intervention Targeting a Vulnerable Population 
Dr. Sherrie Wallington, Lombardi Cancer Center, Georgetown University 
Dr. Anne Rosenwald, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

JULIE SHUSTER

From lab bench to globe: a structure to facilitate the distribution of regenerative medicine treatments and therapies to the developing world
Fr. Kevin FitzGerald SJ PhD, Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center 
Anne Rosenwald PhD, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

ANGIELA SIVAKUMAR

Assessing VMY-1-103 and Its Effects on DNA Damage Response Pathways in Medulloblastoma and Prostate Cancer Cells
Dr. Chris Albanese, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Departments of Oncology and Pathology 
Dr. Elena Casey, Department of Biology, Georgetown University 

MARIE CAROLINE SMITHGALL

Effect of Electrospun LL-37 Incorporated Nanofibers on Biofilm Formation and Growth
Dr. Makarand Paranjape, Department of Physics, Georgetown University
Dr. Ronda Rolfes, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

HELEN MARIE STANLEY

Prompting student reflection on the lesson’s “Enduring Understanding” improves performance in biology 
Dr. Amy Walsh, Department of Biology, Georgetown University
Dr. Heidi Elmendorf, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

CAROLINE DYER TREVISAN

Investigating the Effects of Reading Aloud on Comprehension in a High School Science Classroom 
Dr. Gina Wimp, Department of Biology, Georgetown University  
Dr. Heidi Elmendorf, Department of Biology, Georgetown University  
Dr. Amy Walsh, Department of Biology, Georgetown University  

AYLIN UNSAL

Perinatal Sodium Exposure and Fetal Outcomes: Predisposition to Hypertension
Dr. Diane Bild, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health 
Dr. Amy Walsh, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

STEPHANIE VAN DECKER 

Healthcare Redesign to Improve Quality, Reduce Costs, and Improve Access to Care for Underinsured in Camden, NJ
Dr. Jeffrey Brenner and Kathleen Stillo, Cooper University Hospital
Dr. Anne Rosenwald, Department of Biology, Georgetown University 

MARIE-SOPHIE VAN DER GOES

The role of EphA7 in cerebral cortical synapse development
Dr. Stefano Vicini, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Georgetown University Medical Center
Dr. Maria J. Donoghue, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

LINDSAY WEIL

Contextual Applications Help Students Understand and Apply New Math Concepts
Dr. James Sandefur, Department of Mathematics, Georgetown University
Dr. Heidi Elmendorf, Dr. Amy Walsh, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

KELLY ANNE WELSH

Learning through collaborative testing: the mechanisms behind students’ increased performance
Dr. Heidi Elmendorf, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

MEGAN WINTER

A Novel Over expressing GSK-3β Mouse Model of Parkinsonʼs Disease
Jonathan Wills and Anita Sidhu PhD, Department of Biochemistry, and Molecular and Cell Biology, Georgetown University School of Medicine
Dr. Joseph Neale, Department of Biology, Georgetown University

NADIR ZAIDI

Answering open-ended questions aids student knowledge retention
Dr. Gina Wimp, Department of Biology, Georgetown University
Dr. Heidi Elmendorf, Department of Biology, Georgetown University
Dr. Amy Walsh, Department of Biology, Georgetown University