Student Research Programs - Office of Undergraduate and ...

individuals with optimal MHC diversity will have lower parasite loads and that females will select males of an
optimal MHC diversity compared to her MHC diversity.
MODELING THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON HYDROLOGY AT GALENA CREEK, NEVADA
Joanne Heslop
Program: NSF EPSCoR
Mentor: Douglas Boyle
Department: Natural Resources and Environmental Science
University of Nevada, Reno
Mountain snowfall is a major water supply source in the California and Nevada
region. Climate change is resulting in higher winter temperatures in the Western
United States, causing a greater proportion of winter precipitation to fall as rain,
earlier snowmelt dates, and earlier onset of spring. In order to fully understand
how these changes will alter regional water supply, it is first necessary to
understand how climate change will affect stream discharge in snowmelt
dominated watersheds. This study utilized the Thornthwaite Water Balance model
and historical and future climate scenarios to simulate how climate change influences streamflow in Galena
Creek, a small snowmelt dominated stream near Reno, Nevada. Both historical and future trends are identified at
Galena Creek for the time period between 1890 and 2099.
IDENTIFYING AND UTILIZING SPECIFIC MOLECULAR MARKERS FOR NEURAL TRACTS IN THE
DEVELOPING BRAIN USING IN OVO ELECTROPORATION
Hannah Jordan
Mentor: Grant Mastick
Department: Biology
University of Nevada, Reno
In the developing brain there are distinct populations of neurons which form the
first longitudinal projections in the nervous system. These initial tracts serve as a
template for the remainder of the developing cells, thus the accuracy and precision
of these projections is of great importance. The mechanism by which these
neurons are able to navigate so accurately, as well as where they are projecting, is
still being researched. To help investigate these questions we looked at identifying
molecular markers unique to each group of cells forming these tracts. There are
non-coding regions of DNA involved in transcriptional activation called enhancers,
which are at times activated only in specific populations of cells. Identifying these regions would allow us to track
where these cells project as well as perform genetic manipulations to better understand how axons are guided
longitudinally. To find these enhancer sequences bioinformatics as well as searching through existing databanks of
previously found enhancers was employed. Once possible enhancer sequences are identified we will insert the
sequences into a plasmid reporter system and electroporate chick embryos with said plasmids to see where
expression arises. The project is still in an early phase, but we hope to see the enhancers driving expression of our
reporter gene in specific populations of longitudinal neurons. Once the specificity of our chosen enhancers is
confirmed via in ovo analysis of our chick electroporation transfects we can use these enhancer sequences to
further the understanding of axon guidance, such as increasing the expression of an extracellular receptor
involved in axon guidance in just one specific type of neurons, and also better map the the final fate of these
pioneer axons.
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