Senior Projects

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2023-2024

1. Ashley Amato, Biology, Inhibition of H.ducreyi by Manuka Honey 

2. Brooke Belfiore, Biology, Inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus by Essential Oil Combinations 

3. Dawit Kahesay, Biochemistry, Examination of Cytochrome C Oxidase Enzyme Presence in Haemophilus ducreyi Through Interactions with Kovács and Gaby and Hadley Reagents  

4. Megan Lowenguth, Biochemistry, Inhibition of Haemophilus ducreyi by Plant Extract Ficuseptine 

5. Matthew Taliani, Biology, Microbiome Variation in Callosobruchus maculatus Raised on Four Different Types of Legumes 

6. Sydney Watko, Biology, Isolating Phages That Infect Haemophilus ducreyi 

2022-2023

1. Marissa Callender, Biochemistry,  Antimicrobial effect of  Cinnamomum cassia, cinnamaldehyde, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, and eugenol against Haemophilus ducreyi in vitro 

2. Sierra Eger, Biology,  Antibacterial Effectiveness of Mentha spicata Extract Against Haemophilus ducreyi 

3. Dalton Lodzins, Biochemistry,  The Killing Activity of Lactic Acid and Hydrogen Peroxide on Two Strains of Haemophilus ducreyi 

4. Concetta Panza, Biology, Utilizing Combination Drug Therapy to Inhibit Haemophilus ducreyi Growth and Reduce Antibiotic Resistance 

5. Juyi Shen, Biochemistry, Minimum Lethal Concentration of Vancomycin and Chitosans Against Haemophilus ducreyi 

6. Macy White, Biology, Comparing the Growth of Haemophilus ducreyi in the Presence of the Male and Female Normal Flora  

2021-2022

1. Brian Beck, Biochemistry, Understanding if Combination Drug Therapy Decreases Antibiotic-Resistance in S. marcescens

2. Kate Christie, Biology, Lactobacilli Change the Biofilm Composition of  Haemophilus ducreyi  

3. Olivia D'Andrea, Biology, Lactobacillus vaginalis Limits Haemophilus ducreyi Growth in Co-Cultures at Specific Time Points

4. Lucas Foster, Biology, Investigating the Osmotic Stress Tolerance of the Tardigrade Hypsibius exemplaris  

5. Vanessa Kocher, Biology, Lavandula angustifolia oil and Melaleuca alternifolia oil: Potential Treatments Against Haemophilus ducreyi 

6. Samantha Mill, Biology, Inhibitory Effects of Natural Antimicrobials: Allicin, Melaleuca Oil, and Manuka Honey on Haemophilus ducreyi 

7. Cameron Schadl, Biology, Understanding Abiotic and Biotic Controls of Algae Within Ponds 

2020-2021

1. Olusoji Ajayi, Biology, Solving antibiotic-resistance of Serratia marcescens via Combination Drug Therapy 

2. Rachel Donlan, Biology, Detecting Live Haemophilus ducreyi Cells after Mechanical Transmission by Musca domestica 

3. Delaney Lacey, Biology, Confocal and Scanning Electron Microscopy for the Analysis of Biofilm Structure and Composition in Haemophilus ducreyi 

2019-2020

1. Marley Burnett, Biology, Phytotherapeutic alternative for treatment of Haemophilius ducreyi using flower and vegetable extracts 

2. Sarah Foster, Biology, Evaluation of microbicidal activities of Sapindus mukorossi soapnut powders on Haemophilus ducreyi and Lactobacillus vaginalis: in vitro studies

3. Savannah Gray, Biology, Inhibition and Promotion of Haemophilus ducreyi growth from Interactions with Lactobacillus iners and Corynebacterium glucuronolyticum 

4. Lynsey Gutzmer, Biology, Growth of Haemophilus ducreyi in the presence of Male Normal Flora Corynebacterium glucuronolyticum, Corynebacterium jeikeium, and Mycobacterium smegmatis Spent Supernatants

5. Gabriel Herbst, Biology, Fly to Fly Transfer of Haemophilus ducreyi 

6. Kayla McCandless, Biology, Transmission of Haemophilus ducreyi by House Flies, Musca domestica

7. Mary-Elizabeth Zipparo, Biology, Investigating the Microbiome Bias on the Growth of Haemophilus ducreyi using Corynebacterium hoffmanni and Staphylococcus citreus 

2018-2019

1. Khanyisile Baloyi, Biology, The Growth of Haemophilus ducreyi in the Presence of the Non-human Antimicrobial Peptides Bactenecin and Cecropin

2. Matthew Kim, Biology, Combination Drug Therapy Reduces the Antibiotic Concentration Needed to Treat a Haemophilus ducreyi Infection

3. Katelyn Mays, Biology, Disruption of Haemophilus ducreyi biofilms with a commercial probiotic

4. Heidi Mueller, Biology, Differential Effects of Lactobacillus Species Independently and in Combination on Haemophilus ducreyi Growth

5. Alexandra Pope, Biology, Musca domestica (houseflies): potential mechanical vectors for Haeomphilus ducreyi transmission in yaws-endemic countries

6. Michaela E. Schlichtkrull, Biology, Antibacterial Effects of Manuka Honey and Mahonia aquifolium on the Growth of Staphylococcus aureus

7. Maxwell Steffen, Biochemistry, Polycaprolactone as a Coating Material for Orthopaedic Implants to Minimize Staphylococcus aureus Infections

2017-2018

• 1. Sierra Beaty, Biology, Growth of Haemophilus ducreyi in the Presence of the Male Normal Flora Corynebacterium glucuronolyticum and Mycobacterium smegmatis 

  2. Sara Cole, Biology, Comparing bactericidal effects of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solution and gel on Porphyromonas gingivalis: bacteria associated with periodontal pathogenesis 

  3. Caitlin Deubell, Global Health Studies, Are Yaws Ready to Talk About the Consequences of Vertical Approaches to Global Health? Using Yaws Eradication Efforts in Papua New Guinea as a Model 

  4. Hannah Fallon, Biology, Transmission of Haemophilus ducreyi by Musca domestica 

  5. Leah Kelly, Biology, The Female Flora: Inhibition of Haemophilus ducreyi and Gardnerella vaginalis Growth by Presence of Vaginal Lactobacillus 

  6. Alexandra Sheppeck, Biology, The Inhibitory Effect of Bacteria of Circumcised and Uncircumcised Males on the Growth of Haemophilus ducreyi 

2016-2017

1. Miranda Arison, Biology, Probiotic Interference and Fibronectin Binding in Haemophilus ducreyi without dsrA

2. Jess Aulicino, Biology, Interactions Between Haemophilus ducreyi and Bacteria Found in the Male Urogenital Normal Flora

3. Jackie Danisi, Biology, Changes in Lactobacilli Probiotic Concentrations After Exposure to Haemophilus ducreyi and Unknown Contaminants

4. Chloe Lattin, Biology, Influence of Polyamines on Haemophilus ducreyi Growth

5. Chris Mutz, Biochemistry, The Green Synthesis of Antibacterial Silver Nanoparticles using Chlorophytum comosum

6. Anna White, Biochemistry, Antibiotic Susceptibility and Outer Membrane Permeability Differences Between Class I and Class II Haemophilus ducreyi

2014-2015

1. Andrew Crofford, Biochemistry, Biofilm Characterization of Haemophilus ducreyi’s Sexually Transmitted Versus Chronic Limb Ulcer Strains

2. Katrina Durban, Biology, Characterization of Extracellular Carbohydrates in Class I Strains of Haemophilus ducreyi 

3. Evan Mahoney, Biology, Effects of Calcium Bentonite and Sialic Acid on Biofilm Formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Mycobacterium smegmatis  

4. Alice Tischler, Biology, Binding of Chronic Limb Ulcer Strains of Haemophilus ducreyi to Fibrinogen

5. Jenna Sandala, Biochemistry, Disruption of Haemophilus ducreyi Biofilms by Probiotic Lactobacilli

6. Anna-Marie Williams, Biology, Identification of Bacteria in Non-Mastitic Cattle Via Sequencing of the 16s rRNA gene

2013-2014

1. Stephanie Blystone, Biology, A Comparison of Class I, II, and Leg Ulcer Haemophilus ducreyi Phagocytic Resistance Genes

2. Emanoel DeJesus, Biology, Adherence of Haemophilus ducreyi to Fibrinogen, an Extracellular Matrix Protein

3. Grace Flowers, Biology, Catalase Activity of Class I and Class II Strains of Haemophilus ducreyi

4. Rebecca Nowacki, Biology, Binding of Non-Sexually Transmitted Leg Ulcer Syndrome (LUS) Haemophilus ducreyi to Extracellular Matrix Protein Type I Collagen

5. Allison Palmer, Biology, Lactobacillus Shows a Strain-Dependent Effect on the Growth of Haemophilus ducreyi

6. Tashina Robinson, Biology, Inhibition of Haemophilus ducreyi Due to the Presence of theVaginal Microflora Group B Streptococcus

7. Michael Sandino, Biology, The Disruption of the Lipid II Molecule of Haemophilus ducreyi by Vancomycin and Nisin

8. Joshua Taylor, Biochemistry, Isolation and Characterization of the Extracellular Polymeric Substances of Haemophilus ducreyi

2012-2013

1. Joseph Brennan, Biology, In-Frame Unmarked Deletion of hlp in Haemophilus ducreyi Using Recombineering.

2. John Hecht, Biology, The Effect of Benzalkonium Chloride Residues on Adhesion and Biofilm Formation by Wild-Type and Benzalkonium Chloride-Adapted Haemophilus ducreyi.

3. Ryan Napper, Biology and Global Health and Development, Promotion of Haemophilus ducreyi Biofilm Formation or Incorporation by Environmental Factors in the Human Reservoir.

4. Erin Nawrocki, Biology, Formation and Structure of Biofilms in Wild Type and Mutant Haemophilus ducreyi.

5. Aaron Nehilla, Biology, Pursuing the Evolutionary Divergence Between Class I and II Strains of Haemophilus ducreyi by Using Multilocus Sequence Analysis.

6. Neil Whaley, Biology, Defining Growth Factors in Haemophilus ducreyi:  IsoVitaleX™ Derivatives, L-Serine, Proteose Peptone No. 3, Selenium and Bovine Albumin.

2011-2012

1. Malaika Atte, Biology, Confirmation of Biofilm Formation in Haemophilus ducreyi

2. Audra Batdorff, Biology, The Antibiotic Properties of Essential Oil Against Haemophilus ducreyi

3. Colleen Dailey, Biochemistry, Sequence Comparison and Analysis of the Haemophilus ducreyi homologue to Escherichia coli tolB

4. Khrystine Damare, Biology, Determining the Role of Catecholamines on the Growth of Haemophilus ducreyi

5. Kirsten Guckes, Biology, Recombineering Construction of a Haemophilus ducreyi hlp Deletion Mutant

6. Julie Laux, Biology, Promotion of Haemophilus ducreyi Growth Due to the Presence of the Male Flora Mycobacterium smegmatis

7. Alison McKelvey, Biology, Determining the Evolutionary History of Haemophilus ducreyi Using Multilocus Sequence Analysis

8. Sarah Petrovich, Biochemistry, Analysis of Peptidoglycan Structure in Two Classes of Haemophilus ducreyi Using IR Spectroscopy and HPLC

2010-2011

1. Hillary Bedell, Biology, An Evaluation of the Plant Compound, Resveratrol, for Use as a Microbicide Against H. ducreyi Class I Infection

2. Leanne Ianiello, Biochemistry, Determination of Efflux Pump Characteristics in Haemophilus ducreyi Using Efflux Pump Inhibitors CCCP and PAβN

3. Kyle Knupp, Biochemistry, Identification of a Sialometabolism Gene Cluster in Haemophilus ducreyi

4. Zachary Lindeman, Biology, Assessing the Antibiotic Potential of Essential Oils Against Haemophilus ducreyi in vitro

5. Laura Magnelli, Biology, Polyamine Influence on Haemophilus ducreyi Growth

6. Aleksas Nerone, Biology, Inhibition of Haemophilus ducreyi by Vaginal Lactobacillus

7. Molly Waggoner, Biology, Inhibitory Effect of Essential Oils Against Haemophilus ducreyi

2009-2010

1. Ryan Cole, Biology, An Evolutionary Investigation of Haemophilus ducreyi Using Molecular Phylogenetics

2. Stephanie DeSantis, Biology, Plasmid Mediated Antibiotic Resistance in Haemophilus ducreyi HMC56

3. Amy Dolnack, Biology, Differentiation of Two Classes of Haemophilus ducreyi by Antibiotic Susceptibility

4. Stephanie Elkins, Biology, An Evaluation of Resveratrol as a Microbicidal Candidate Against Haemophilus ducreyi infection

5. Blair Gleeson, Biology, Peptidoglycan Analysis in Two Classes of Haemophilus ducreyi Using RP-HPLC and Sequencing of murC 

6. Timothy Lowe, Biology, Utilizing the ftpA and flp Mutants for Examination of Biofilm Formation of Haemophilus ducreyi

7. Nathan Rojek, Biology, The Effects of Catecholamines on in vitro Growth and Virulence of Haemophilus ducreyi

8. Kylee Tofani, Biology, Inhibitory Effects of Vaginal Lactobacillus on Haemophilus ducreyi Growth

2008-2009

1.     Courtney Walker, Biochemistry, Phagocytic Resistance of Class II Haemophilus ducreyi