NSF-funded Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates

Principal Investigator: Dr. Mohamed K Zobaa

Co-Investigators: Dylan Robinson, Benjamin Munoz, Traejen Sanchez

Project Duration: June 2023 - May 2024

Research Summary: The goal of this project is to conduct a detailed palynological study to identify and establish an important stratigraphic bio-event in the Yola basin, Nigeria and correlate it with what has been recently identified from northeast Africa (Egypt) and beyond. The primary objective of is to resolve the amalgamated Upper Cretaceous stages and establish a solid basis for boundary separation between them in Africa. This is a major Late Cretaceous palynostratigraphic problem which hinders the ability to provide robust age dating palynozonation schemes in important petroleum producing basins and provinces such as the Yola and Gongola basins in the Northern Benue Rift, Nigeria, and the North Western Desert and Gulf of Suez provinces in Egypt. The problem is mainly due to the lack of age diagnostic (index) fossils that can reliably and undoubtedly separate the Upper Cretaceous stages. Recent and ongoing work has identified an early Coniacian-specific Pediastrum bio-events in Egypt that show great promise in solving this problem. We seek to identify the same Bio-event and establish it as the first recognizable and correlatable biostratigraphic marker for the early Coniacian within the Yola Basin in particular and West Africa in general.

Principal Investigator: Athenia Oldham

Co-Investigators: Hannah Ware, Sebastian Perez, Douglas Henderson

Project Duration: July 2023 - June 2024

Research Summary: The goal of this project is to validate metagenome sequencing results by identifying and amplifying gene targets involved in biofilm formation and/or quorum sensing. Methodology includes data mining, primer design, PCR, gel electrophoresis, and DNA sequencing. Students should be able to identify a subset of genes involved in these two processes and validate their presence in the genomes of select organisms using PCR.

Principal Investigator: John Garza

Co-Investigators: Swetha Kesavan

Project Duration: July 2023 - June 2024

Research Summary: Smoking before or after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with diminished recovery. Data on the impact of smoking on short-term mortality of critically injured TBI patients is inconclusive. We used publicly available, statewide, and deidentified hospitalization records to study trauma and emergency patients aged ≥18 years, with a principal diagnosis of an initial encounter for TBI admitted to acute care hospitals in Texas from 2016 through 2021. Smoking was identified using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM). A principal diagnosis of TBI was identified using ICD-10-CM codes selected from Clinical Classification Software Refined Category INJ008, Traumatic brain injury (TBI); concussion, initial encounter. Three models estimated the association between smoking and in-hospital mortality. Multilevel logistic regression with propensity adjustment was the primary analysis approach with propensity score matching and multivariable logistic regression without propensity score matching applied as alternative analyses. Additional analyses were completed for patient subgroups, categorizations of hospitalizations, and for the secondary outcome of short-term mortality. Smoking was associated with lower in-hospital and short-term mortality for emergency and trauma patients with a principal diagnosis of an initial encounter for TBI. Studies exploring the mechanisms leading to these findings may improve understanding of the impacts of smoking on mortality following TBI.

Principal Investigator: John Garza

Co-Investigators: Jessica Villareal

Project Duration: July 2023 - June 2024

Research Summary: Smoking is associated with lower life expectancy and patients with a history of smoking are at an increased risk of COVID-19. Research on the prognostic impact of smoking on patients with COVID-19 is inconclusive. We used publicly available, statewide, and deidentified hospitalization records to study patients aged ≥18 years with a diagnosis of COVID-19 admitted to acute care hospitals in Texas for from Q2 2020 through Q1 2022. Patients with a history of smoking were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) codes. Hospitalizations with a diagnosis of COVID-19 were identified using ICD-10-CM code U071. Three models estimated the association between a history of smoking and short-term mortality. Multilevel logistic regression with propensity adjustment was the primary analysis approach with propensity score matching and multivariable logistic regression without propensity score matching applied as alternative analyses. Additional analyses were completed for patient subgroups, categories of hospitalizations, and for the secondary outcome of in-hospital mortality. Smoking was associated with lower risk of both short-term and in-hospital mortality for hospitalized patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19. Additional studies exploring the specific mechanisms leading to these unexpected findings may result in improved understanding of the impacts of smoking on the disease process of COVID-19.

Principal Investigator: Mario Kiran

Co-Investigator: Sami Ahamed

Project Duration: July 2023 - June 2024

Research focus: Design in residential areas and in the industry vary in several ways. Furniture can be designed with several materials including wood, steel, plastic, etc. Furniture is designed to serve a purpose and the need to have the appropriate furniture design is to make sure a need is served. Designing ergonomic furniture that will help those with back and knee problems to be able to use the furniture without much effort.