Spring 2018 Undergraduate Research Poster Competition Winners
Texas ChE is pleased to announce winners of the spring 2018 Undergraduate Research Poster Competition. Nearly 60 undergraduates presented research posters at the competition, held on Thursday, May 3. Graduate student judges selected five students to compete in the final round. The three winners of the competition are guaranteed a spot as a presenter during the AIChE Annual Meeting this fall in Pittsburgh, PA.
Winners
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Ali Modak, Sophmore (Contreras Group) Identification of Species-Specific Ribosome Pausing Sequences for Targeted Antibiotic Development My research project is about finding ribosome pausing sequences in various bacteria in order for targeted antibiotic development. Our results were very interesting as we were able to detect ribosome pausing sequences in pathogenic bacteria, which can then aid in finding more specific and effective antibiotics. |
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Nicole Phillip, Junior (Rosales Group) Structure-Property Relationships in Peptoid-Containing Hydrogels This semester, my goal was to synthesize structure-defined protein mimetic molecules, namely polypeptoids, to investigate the mechanical properties of hydrogels on a molecular level for applications such as tissue engineering. My main focus was the synthesis and purification of the peptoid products, which are now undergoing characterization before being incorporated into hydrogels to study the impact of molecular structure on gel stiffness. |
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Allison Holzman, Junior (Alper Group) Multiplexed CRISPR-dCas9 Regulation of Metabolic Pathways in Saccharomyces cerevisiae In my research, I helped to develop a tool that essentially acts as valves in a chemical process. By opening or closing these valves, we can simultaneously alter expression of multiple genes in living cells. It will be extremely useful in cutting down the amount of time needed for metabolic pathway optimization. |
The department thanks the graduate student judges who gave their time and expertise in judging the competition. Students are encouraged to participate in competition, which takes place every semester, to showcase their research and sharpen their presentation skills.
Tags: AIChE Annual Meeting, Alper Group, Contreras Group, Rosales Group, undergraduate research poster competition