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    Microbiology & Cell Science

    Microbiology & Cell Science

    Graduate Symposium Fall 2024

    Monday, August 19 and Tuesday, August 20


    • Day 1 Schedule
    • Day 1 Schedule
    • Day 2 Schedule
    • Day 2 Schedule
    • Poster Schedule
    • Poster Schedule
    • Location Details
    • Location Details


    Day 1 - August 19 Schedule: Malachowsky Hall NVIDIA Auditorium (Room 1000)

    8:30am — Check-in and breakfast

     

    9:00am — Opening Remarks and Introduction of New Graduate Students

    • Dr. Julie Maupin-Furlow

     

    Moderated by:

     

    9:15am — Non-canonical Activation of ESCRT Machinery is Required for Division of Leishmania donovani Parasitophorous Vacuoles and Persistence

    • Javier Rosero — Kima Lab

    9:30am — Shaping the skeleton: genetic control of bone growth and regeneration in vivo

    • Dr. Tyler Square

    9:50am — Impact of mop1on the Meiotic Recombination Landscape of Zea mays

    • Mahmood Hasan – Zhao Lab  

    10:05am — Evolution of microbial metabolism in extreme environments

    • Dr. Valerie De Anda

    10:25am — Modeled Microgravity Alters Key Innate Immune Responses in the Squid-Vibrio System

    • Joey Emhof — Foster Lab

    10:40am — Break

     

    Moderated by: Dr. Nian Wang

     

    10:50am — Enhancing plant-microbe interactions to improve sustainability and human health

    • Dr. Wilfred Vermerris

    11:10am — Identification of Novel Functions of Cannabinoid Receptor Signaling in Regulating Host Defense Mechanisms Against Salmonella

    • Hailey Barker — Ferraro Lab

    11:25am — Mobile signals help plants fight microbes

    • Dr. Zhonglin Mou

    11:45am — Effector proteins contained in Lactobacillus johnsonii N6.2 EVs trigger cellular immune response

    • Asra Sharjeel — Lorca Lab

    12:00pm — Lunch

     

    Moderated by: Dr. Jamie Foster

     

    1:15pm — Exploring the FTO gene and its connection to depression and diet in females

    • Korrie James — Drew Lab

    1:30pm — The role of extracellular vesicles in bacterial regulation of host immune responses and control of intestinal infection

    • Dr. Melissa Jones

    1:50pm — NuCitrus: Commercialization of Transgenic HLB Tolerant Citrus Trees

    • Paula Rios Glusberger — Triplett Lab

    2:05pm — Break

    2:15pm — Poster Presentation Session 1 (list of presenters listed on pages 5-6)

    3:00pm — Break

     

    Moderated by: Dr. Xin Wang

     

    3:10pm — Research Topics in Claudio's Lab

    • Dr. Claudio Gonzalez

    3:30pm — Cracking the Code: How ROS and Callose Deposition Shape HLB Disease

    • Yu Feng — N. Wang Lab

    3:45pm — Beyond –Omics: Characterizing complex behavior and non-genetic regulation in nitrifying bacteria and archaea 

    • Dr. Willm Martens-Habbena

    4:05pm — Development of a Transient Expression System to Characterize Extracellular NAD(P) Receptors in Crop Plant Species

    • Benjamin Merritt — Mou Lab

    4:20pm — Microbial Cell Factories for Space and Earth - from single-carbon compounds to advanced bio-plastics

    • Dr. Nils Averesch

    4:40pm —  End of Day 1

     

     



    Day 2 - August 20 Schedule: Malachowsky Hall NVIDIA Auditorium (Room 1000)

    8:00am — Breakfast

     

    Moderated by: Dr. Willm Martens-Habbena

     

    8:30am — Characterizing the function of a flavin-based ferredoxin reductase in Haloferax volcanii

    • Katy Weber — Maupin Lab

    8:45am — The new lab on the block: Laboratory of Nucleic Acids

    • Dr. Luiz Passalacqua

    9:05am — A Work of ART: Characterizing secreted protein ART12 as a putative effector in rice blast pathogenesis

    • Rachel Kalicharan — Fernandez Lab

    9:20am — Realizing Robust Photosynthesis through Accelerated Evolution

    • Shaun Jiang — X. Wang Lab

    9:35am Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans research opportunities in the Rice Lab

    • Dr. Kelly Rice

    9:55am — Break

    10:05am — Poster Presentation Session 2

    10:50am — Break

     

    Moderated by: Dr. Brent Christner

     

    3-Minute Thesis Presentations

    11:00am — EVs from Salmonella-infected macrophages provide antigen-specific immunity

    • Saloni Bhimani — Ferraro Lab

    11:05am — Exploring the function of the radical SAM enzyme YhcC in E. coli and Archaea

    • Kaleb Boswinkle — De Crecy Lab

    11:10am — From Ice to Coast: Microbial Community Composition and Nutrient Cycling Across Western Greenland’s Watersheds

    • Justin Ellena — Christner Lab

    11:15am — Transgene-free CRISPR genome editing of the uORFs in Citrus sinensis to improve HLB resistance

    • Zhuyuan Hu — N. Wang Lab

    11:20am — Photosynthesis: Regulation, Optimization, and Applications

    • Nowshin Islam — X. Wang Lab

    11:25am — Elucidation of Rice Blast-Microbiome Community Dynamics Through a Gnotobiotic Approach 

    • Tim Johnson — Fernandez Lab

    11:30am — Exploring Autoimmune Disease Onset in Non-Risk Individuals: Insights from the ABIS Cohort

    • Adam Mearig — Triplett Lab

    11:35am — Determining the effects elicited by bacteriophage Sf14-encoded tRNAs on transcription and translation during infection

    • Nykki Ross — Doore Lab

    11:40am — New Insights into Haloferax volcanii Glycerol Kinase for Biotechnological Advancements

    • Karol Sanchez Sanchez — Maupin Lab

    11:45am — Investigating the role of commensal bacteria derived extracellular vesicles during MNV infection

    • Guanqi Zhao — Jones Lab

    11:50am — Closing Remarks: Dr. Eric Triplett

     



    Poster Presentation Session 1: August 19 at 2:15pm

    Gut permeability among Astronauts during Space missions

    • Sam Akinsuyi — Roesch Lab

    Can glutathione reductase serve as an antioxidant against an immune-mediated plant disease?

    • Shannon Barry — N. Wang Lab

    Temporal linkage of nitrification and denitrification leads to significant atmospheric N loss from fertile tropical soils

    • Shannon Brown — Willm Martens-Habbena Lab

    GATOR-GC: Genomic Assessment Tool for Orthologous Regions and Gene Clusters

    • José Cediel-Becerra — Chevrette Lab

    Investigation of genetic determinants responsible for citrus HLB disease development via genome editing

    • Javier Dalmendray — N. Wang Lab

    Novel Bacteriophage Cocktail Eliminates Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vivoand Reveals Bacterial Genes Important for Infection

    • Garrett Ellward — Czyz Lab

    Salmonella effector SopB utilizes ubiquitination for trafficking into host-derived exosomes following infection

    • Sam Enslow — Ferraro Lab

    Regulation of Ploidy in Haloferax volcanii and its role in Resistance and Response to Replication Stress

    • Daniel Gal — Maupin Lab

    Overexpression of CsSNAT in Citrus sinensis CV. Hamlin to Enhance Plant Tolerance Against HLB

    • Ma Andrea Cruz Gatmaitan — N. Wang Lab

    Impact of Soil Moisture Levels on Redox Potential and Microbial Soil Organic Carbon Degradation in a Tropical Peat Soil

    • Nina Infantado — Willm Martens-Habbena Lab

    Vibrio fischeri-derived outer membrane vesicles as a tool for therapeutic delivery in spaceflight

    • Rachel Ivester — Foster Lab

    The structure of Shigella flexneri phage Sf14

    • Hailey Kerns — Doore Lab

    Impact of Altered Shigella flexneri LPS on Sf14 Infection

    • Taylor Ladner — Doore Lab

    Effects of HLA on the Juvenile GI Tract Across Time

    • Kelley McKinley — Triplett Lab

    Research programs at the Lorca lab

    • Dr. Graciela Lorca

    Poster Presentation Session 2: August 20 at 10:05am

    Mutation of Staphylococcus aureus Nitric Oxide Synthase Dysregulates Genes Involved in Nitrate-Based Respiration

    • Connor Meenan — Rice Lab

    Autoencoder-Based Dimensionality Reduction of Gut Microbiome Data: A Celiac Disease Case Study

    • Brandon Pate — Dias Lab

    Title TBD

    • Brooke Ritchie — Jones Lab

    Linking Bacterial Secondary Metabolism to Antibiotic Resistance: A Comparative Genomic Analysis Across Bacterial Taxa

    • Murrel Saldanha — Chevrette Lab

    Salmonella deubiquitinase protein SseL disrupts extracellular vesicle production in macrophages following infection

    • Alex Schultz — Ferraro Lab

    Utilizing Multimodal Database for Enhanced Data Management ​and AI Workflow Orchestration

    • Nick Sexson — Dias Lab

    KDPG aldolase modulates the photosynthetic carbon yield of cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942

    • Chetna Sharma — X. Wang Lab

    The Impact of Differing Lipid Profiles of Bacterial Extracellular Vesicles on Induction of Antiviral Immune Responses and Murine Norovirus Infection

    • Joe Sullivan — Jones Lab

    The Impact of Simulated Microgravity on Biofilm Formation in Staphylococcus aureus

    • Rachel White — Rice Lab

    Gut Barriers on Earth and Beyond: A Countermeasure For Astronaut Mucosal Disruption

    • Jessica Xhumari — Roesch Lab

    Determination of Genetic and Epigenetic Regulations of Meiotic Recombination under Domestication in Maize

    • Akwasi Yeboah — Zhao Lab

    Developing Novel Biosensors to Determine Modulators of Biosynthetic Gene Cluster Regulation in Bacteria

    • Sebastian Guerra — Chevrette Lab

    Characterization of SAMP-Proteasome Proteins in Haloferax volcanii

    • David Yu — Maupin Lab

    Identification of proteotoxic and proteoprotective bacteria that non-specifically affect proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases

    • Dr. Alyssa Walker — Czyz Lab

    One-Step Microbial Synthesis of High-Performance Bioplastics with Space and Earth Applications

    • Sulogna Chatterjee — Averesch Lab

    Title TBD

    • Dr. Peter Kima

    Location Details for Malachowsky Hall

    Address:

    1889 Museum Rd, Gainesville, FL 32606
    Malachowsky Hall
    NVIDIA Auditorium (Room 1000)

    Campus Map:

    https://campusmap.ufl.edu/#/index/1024

    Transportation:

    Campus Connector Live Track Map 

    RTS Bus system-  RST Trip Planner

    Parking:

    UF TAPS Parking Map: https://taps.ufl.edu/parking-info/parking-map/

    Garage 14 is the nearest Green Decal Parking Lot, The Frazier-Rogers lot is the closest Orange Decal Parking Lot

    WiFi: https://getonline.ufl.edu/

    https://helpdesk.ufl.edu/connecting-to-eduroam-off-campus/

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    Microbiology & Cell Science Department
    P.O. Box 110700 Gainesville, FL 32611-0180
    (352) 392-1906

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