Category: Past Projects

[Past Projects]

Dr. Randy Mitchell and Rebecca Eagle

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Would you like an opportunity to be part of a lab that plans to SAVE THE WORLD?! Then our interdisciplinary lab is the place for you! Currently, we have eight undergraduate students working on various degrees (biology, geology, chemistry, and biomechanics). We all support each other in EVERYTHING we do. We would love to add YOU to our crew! *I support independent undergraduate research ideas within the scopes of our lab!*

1. Phytoremediation of lead-contaminated soils: Approximately 400 plants grew in our greenhouse in high levels of lead (plus the control, lead-free)! We chemically isolate the lead from the plant tissues and analyze by ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma). To date, we have found several native species and a food species having high concentrations of lead in the tissues! Needs for this project: digesting and refluxing plant tissues, lab clean-up, data entry, analyzing data, and writing reports. Potential future projects: grind, digest, isolate lead from root tissues of plants, data entry, analyze data and write reports.
2. Plants on Mars/Super Powers of Plants Part 2: I want to play with the idea of plants surviving on Mars. Plants survive in extreme environments on Earth and often multiple environmental stressors work to increase survival against the odds. This fascinating fact about plants suggests the possibility of plants tolerating certain environmental conditions on Mars. We will grow plants in NASA-approved regolith and subject them to several Martian conditions, assessing the impacts on plant growth! Ideally, all undergraduates working on the Mars project will participate in BURS Biology Undergraduate Research Symposium before they graduate (held in spring semesters). Needs for this project: reliability and dedication to care for plants, thorough data keeping, accurate measuring, data entry and analysis. Lab clean-up is an ongoing duty and part of all research.
3. Conservation Education at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo: My proposed research focuses on understanding individuals who actively participate in advocating for wildlife conservation at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, where I am a Biomimicry Education Fellow. Specifically, I will investigate higher-level advocates: Zoo Crew (teen volunteer program), Young Professionals (20-40 year-old professionals who advocate at CMZ), and Advanced Inquiry Program (Master’s degree students from Miami University) through surveys, interviews, social media analytics, and behavioral observations. Needs for this project: survey development, interview transcription/coding/categorization (TBD), social media tracking (i.e. frequency of specified types of shared posts during a specified time period), behavioral observations in person (i.e. making notes of personal interactions, physical actions, etc.), data entry, data coding, data analysis, report writing, and potentially more!
4. Biomimicry Education and Outreach: As a Biomimicry Fellow, I do a lot of public outreach in Northeast Ohio (zoos, museums, public and private K-12 schools and universities, Women in Science events, NASA-Glenn, non-profit art groups, community centers, etc.). Our lab students are always welcome to join!

Words from current students: “Having the opportunity to participate in the tiered mentoring program has exposed me to an extensive amount of lab experience that I otherwise would not have had, improving my capabilities in a lab environment on both a conceptual and practical level. The program has also provided an excellent collaborative atmosphere in which I am able to make meaningful contributions to ongoing research projects and receive valuable guidance and support on any projects I choose to undertake on my own.” Gavin DeMali, 2^nd year Tiered Mentoring student “I would like to start out and say that I have had a great time in the tiered mentoring program. Everyone was so welcoming and willing to help me out, which means a lot to me. Rebecca never has a problem assisting me with information on the lab or any questions in general. Her bubbly personality makes me feel at home and in a safe environment. Each person I have met in the lab has unique attributes that make working there all the more enjoyable. Not only do the people make the experience rewarding, but the lab’s organization as well. Whenever I have ran samples late I end up doing my homework in between, so it creates an atmosphere of productivity. Not to mention, I appreciate the diversity in plants that are tested. Also I love how we are able to take some plants home! One thing I would change about my time with the tiered mentoring program is the time I spent. I would like to dedicate more time in the lab and eventually come up with a research proposal that I can conduct myself! Thank you for this cool opportunity!” Olivia Orr, 1^st year Tiered Mentoring student “I believe the tiered mentoring program is a great asset to the university and every research lab. Throughout my past years of doing research, I have gained multiple skills that will benefit me in a future job or in life in general. One of the main reasons why I got my environmental science internship was that I had experience working independently and also with a team within our research lab. I was able to tell my employers that I had experience working with chemical equipment which helped me in the field as well. It has not only helped to open doors for my future career but has also further my education. I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to work in our research lab and I highly recommend anyone who is interested to explore their options.” – Stephanie Sawicki

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Click here for other information about Dr. Mitchell’s lab.

[Past Projects]

Dr. Teresa Cutright, Dr. Henry Astley and Elena Stachew

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We are studying the ability to quickly design, prototype and evaluate biomimetic forms to restore natural habitat complexity to our lake. Lab-scale wave attenuation and sediment depositional prediction studies are conducted using a 11 ft. re-circulating flume in the Hydraulics Lab of the Civil Engineering Department. We are primarily testing complex root forms mimicked after native coastal forests along Lake Erie. Other root forms may be considered and explored, such as those mimicked after mangroves or coastal wetland plants.

You’ll gain skills in one or more of the following:

• Simple electronics
• Programming in Python
• 3D modeling and printing
• Field visits to Lake Erie and surrounding watersheds
• Materials investigation
• There may be an opportunity to build smaller-scale wave tanks for use in classrooms and other public educational settings. Check out this Youtube video for an idea!

We are interested in undergraduate students from any major that are willing to learn and explore. No prior experience is necessary. Work at the interface of engineering and biology to improve the coastal ecology of Lake Erie with a Biomimicry Fellow. Additional Background: According to the United Nations, 40% of the world’s population lives within 100km of a coastline and this number is projected to increase. Coastal protection structures, typically made of rock, steel and concrete, are used to protect homes and businesses from waves, storm surges and flooding. On Lake Erie’s shoreline in Ohio, 80% of the shoreline is protected with these simple and rigid materials.

Worldwide, shoreline hardening destroys the land-water interface and nearshore habitat complexity, key to many significant transitional ecosystems and nursery habitat for fish, birds and other species. These coastal ecosystems also often act as natural protection from waves, storm surges and flooding.

Check out some examples of creative infrastructure and restoration efforts in marine environments for more inspiration: ECOncrete, Reef Design Lab, TetraPOT and Cemex.

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Click here to learn more about Dr. Cutright’s lab Click here to learn more about the Astley Lab

[Past Projects]

Dr. Todd Blackledge, Dr. Ali Dhinojwala, Angela Alicea-Serrano and K Zin Htut

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Research Description Spider dragline silk is the toughest biomaterial in nature; spider silk is ounce for ounce tougher than steel and the Kevalr in bullet resistant armor. Silk properties and composition inspire genetically engineered biomaterialssuch as medical sutures, artificial tendons and ligaments, which must be extensible and strong but also light. These future applications of spider silk require a clear understanding of protein structure and its connection with the mechanical properties of biomaterials. We are investigating the world’s toughest dragline silk from Darwin’s bark spider, which spins giant orb webs across the rivers of Madagascar suspended on silk lines up to 80 feet long. We are combing nanotensile testing of silk performance with cutting edge Raman laser spectroscopy techniques to understand how specific aspects of protein structure such as alpha helix and beta sheet content changed during the evolution of Darwin’s bark spider’s “super silk”.

Benefits of working in the spider lab

• Hands-on experience in interdisciplinary research.
• Introduction to cutting edge technology in spectroscopy techniques for characterization of biomaterials at the molecular level (like proteins and lipids).
• Use of sophisticated nano-tensile tester for characterization of mechanical properties of biomaterials (like silks, bones, skin and muscles).
• Participation in lab meetings and experience presenting research at a professional setting.
• Experience analyzing data and using statistics.
• High chance of publication opportunities.
• Experience handling spiders and collecting of spider silk and other biomaterials.

Example of publications by undergraduates in the lab

1. Amarpuri G*, Chaurasai V**, Jain D*, Blackledge TA & Dhinojwala A. 2015. Ubiquitous distribution of salts and proteins in spider glue enhances spider silk adhesion. Scientific Reports. 5: 9030.
2. Sahni V.*, Miyoshi T., Chen K.**, Jain D.*, Blamires S.J., Blackledge T.A. & Dhinojwala A. 2014. Direct solvation of glycoproteins by salts in spider silk glues enhances adhesion and helps to explain the evolution of modern spider orb webs. Biomacromolecules 15:1225-1232.
3. Sensenig A., Kelly S.P.**, Lorentz K.A.**, Lesher B.** & Blackledge T.A. 2013. Mechanical performance of spider orb webs is tuned for high-speed prey. Journal of Experimental Biology. 216: 3388-3394.
4. Kelly S.P.**, Sensenig A., Lorentz K.A.** & Blackledge T.A. 2011. Damping capacity is evolutionarily conserved in the radial silk of orb-weaving spiders. Zoology. 114: 233-238.

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For more information visit: https://www.facebook.com/blackledgelab, https://www.blackledgelab.com/, https://blogs.uakron.edu/dhinojwala/

[Past Projects]

Dr. Peter H. Niewiarowski (Biology), Dr. Ali Dhinojwala (Polymer Science), and Austin M. Garner

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Geckos and anoles are two groups of lizards which possess adhesive toe pads composed of thousands of microscopic hair-like structures (setae) that generate adhesion when placed against a surface. These lizards can be found in a wide variety of habitats and move about on numerous surfaces that differ in roughness, softness, and chemistry. Our labs are interested in understanding how these lizards adhere to biologically-relevant surfaces, such that we can apply this information to the design of synthetic adhesives that can stick under a wide array of conditions. Here are some potential projects in development:

• How does setal shape vary across anoles?

In this project, the setae of various anole species will be viewed under a scanning electron microscope and physical measurements taken to better understand the variation in setal shape and configuration.

• How does the adhesion of geckos differ on surfaces of varying roughness?

Here, the adhesion of live geckos will be measured on surfaces with different degrees of roughness to obtain data on how roughness affects lizard adhesion.

• How does adhesive ability impact the behavior of geckos?

In this project, we will measure gecko adhesion on a variety of rough surfaces and observe gecko behavior to determine if adhesive ability is related to the types of surfaces geckos move on.

Benefits of this Research Experience

Undergraduate students in the Niewiarowski and Dhinojwala labs will gain an array of critical research skills including: reptile care and handling, live animal performance measurements, experimental design, statistics, microscopy, use of museum collections, surface characterization methods, scientific writing, and more. Additionally, many of the undergraduate students in our labs have been co-authors on several papers published in peer-reviewed journals (see below)!

*Denotes undergraduate student Niewiarowski, P. H., Lopez, S., Ge, L., Hagan, E.* and Dhinojwala, A. (2008). Sticky gecko feet: the role of temperature and humidity. PLoS. ONE 3, e2192. Niewiarowski, P. H., Stark, A., McClung, B.*, Chambers, B.* and Sullivan, T.* (2012). Faster but Not Stickier: Invasive House Geckos Can Out-Sprint Resident Mournful Geckos in Moorea, French Polynesia. J. Herpetol. 46, 194-197. Stark, A. Y., Sullivan, T. W.* and Niewiarowski, P. H. (2012). The effect of surface water and wetting on gecko adhesion. J. Exp. Biol. 215, 3080-6. Stark, A. Y., Badge, I., Wucinich, N. A.*, Sullivan, T. W.*, Niewiarowski, P. H. and Dhinojwala, A. (2013). Surface wettability plays a significant role in gecko adhesion underwater. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 110, 6340-5. Stark, A. Y., Wucinich, N. A.*, Paoloni, E. L.*, Niewiarowski, P. H. and Dhinojwala, A. (2014). Self-drying: a gecko’s innate ability to remove water from wet toe pads. PLoS ONE 9, e101885. Stark, A. Y., McClung, B.*, Niewiarowski, P. H. and Dhinojwala, A. (2014). Reduction of water surface tension significantly impacts gecko adhesion underwater. Integr. Comp. Biol 54, 1026-33. Badge, I., Stark, A. Y., Paoloni, E. L.*, Niewiarowski, P. H. and Dhinojwala, A. (2014). The role of surface chemistry in adhesion and wetting of gecko toe pads. Scientific Reports 4, 6643. Stark, A. Y., Ohlemacher, J.*, Knight, A.* and Niewiarowski, P. H. (2015). Run don’t walk: locomotor performance of geckos on wet substrates. J. Exp. Biol. 218, 2435-41. Stark, A. Y., Palecek, A. M.*, Argenbright, C. W., Bernard, C.*, Brennan, A. B., Niewiarowski, P. H. and Dhinojwala, A. (2015). Gecko adhesion on wet and dry patterned substrates. PLoS. ONE 10, e0145756. Stark, A. Y., Dryden, D. M., Olderman, J.*, Peterson, K. A., Niewiarowski, P. H., French, R. H. and Dhinojwala, A. (2015). Adhesive interactions of geckos with wet and dry fluoropolymer substrates. J. R. Soc. Interface 12, 20150464. Stark, A. Y., Subarajan, S.*, Jain, D., Niewiarowski, P. H. and Dhinojwala, A. (2016). Superhydrophobicity of the gecko toe pad: biological optimization versus laboratory maximization. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A 374, 20160184. Klittich, M. R., Wilson, M. C., Bernard, C.*, Rodrigo, R. M.*, Keith, A. J.*, Niewiarowski, P. H. and Dhinojwala, A. (2017). Influence of substrate modulus on gecko adhesion. Scientific Reports 7, 43647.Garner, A. M.*, Stark, A. Y., Thomas, S. A. and Niewiarowski, P. H. (2017). Geckos go the Distance: Water’s Effect on the Speed of Adhesive Locomotion in Geckos. J. Herpetol.51, 240-244.

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[Past Projects]

Stephen C. Weeks and Gabrielle Russell

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Explore the underwater life in Ohio’s streams, while earning valuable stream assessment skills! Stream restoration is a growing practice, as people have understood the important ecosystem services that streams provide us. Certain aquatic macroinvertebrates serve as “biological indicators” meaning that their presence or absence indicates the quality of a stream. This research project will be comparing the aquatic macroinvertebrate communities between restored and non- restored streams. As a tiered mentor student, you would assist in the collection of the aquatic macroinvertebrates and learn the Ohio EPA’s methodology for doing so. We will also be surveying stream’s hydrology (flow) and geomorphology (physical channel features). There will also be opportunities to learn aquatic macroinvertebrate identification, data analysis and see some of the area’s beautiful metro parks!  

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Click here for more information on the Weeks lab

[Past Projects]

Dr. Brian Bagatto and Jen Piechowski

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Electronic cigarettes have been in use for over a decade and there is little known about their potential health implications, particularly on embryonic development.  We are looking to understand the impact vaping has on cardiovascular development using zebrafish embryos as a model for human embryonic vapor exposure.  Zebrafish are a common model organism used in vertebrate developmental research.  They are easily maintained, have short developmental time frames, and typically produce large numbers of offspring from a single breeding event.  In addition, zebrafish offer the ability to view the developing heart noninvasively, via microscope, due to their lack of body pigmentation during early development.  Videos of the beating heart and vasculature can then be recorded and cardiovascular measurements obtained.  We are currently seeking one undergraduate student to assist with this project as part of the Tiered Mentoring Program in Biology.

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Click here for more information on Dr. Bagatto’s lab.

[Past Projects]

Dr. Petra Gruber and Ariana Rupp

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In our biomimicry design lab, we are interested in learning from leaf shapes. Leaves not only are plants’ solar cells, they also pull nutritious water through plant tissues via transpiration.

Because of this, leaves continuously endure energy and water flows, with leaf structure shaping such flows, potentially helping dissipation of water vapor and excessive heat.

Can we discover structural lessons in leaf design, to apply to human technologies which also uses evaporation for thermal management?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are two sides to learning from leaf thermodynamics and shapes:

• Biology efforts involve studying leaf exchange from real plants under different environmental conditions and collecting data related to leaf shape, water status and temperature.
• The engineering approach deals with application of design lessons, testing of leaf-inspired models in controlled environments, precise measuring and data analysis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOR MORE INFO, PLEASE CONTACT:

pgruber@uakron.edu

ak230@zips.uakron.edu

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Click here for more information on Dr. Gruber’s lab.

[Past Projects]

Dr. Teresa Cutright, Dr. Henry Astley and Elena Stachew

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According to the United Nations, 40% of the world’s population lives within 100km of a coastline and this number is projected to increase. Coastal protection structures, typically made of rock, steel and concrete, are used to protect homes and businesses from waves, storm surges and flooding. On the Lake Erie shoreline in Ohio, 80% of the shoreline is hardened/protected with concrete, steel and rock.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Example of revetment – provided by Jim Park, ODNR                      Example of seawall – provided by Jim Park, ODNR

Lab-scale hydrodynamic studies will be conducted using a 11 ft. re-circulating flume in the Hydraulics Lab of the Civil Engineering Department.  The studies will test next-generation biomimetic forms and biologically friendly materials for coastal protection structures that are more compatible with aquatic life in Lake Erie.

You will help build a wave plate and actuator system using Arduino components to create realistic lake wave profiles in the flume. You will also help build a program in Python for real-time video tracking of changing wave dynamics. There may be an opportunity to build smaller-scale wave tanks for use in classrooms and other public educational settings. Check out this Youtube video for an idea!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recirculating flume at University of Akron’s Hydraulics Lab

It is highly recommended (though not required) that you pair this tiered mentoring project with enrollment in the Special Topics undergraduate biology course 3100-495:007 Digital Skills for Biologists (3 credits). Expect to learn about 3D modeling, 3D printing, videography and image tracking, in addition to Lake Erie’s natural history, food web dynamics and systems ecology. We are interested in undergraduate students from any major that are willing to learn any of the above skills and subject areas. No prior experience is necessary.

Work at the interface of engineering and biology to improve nearshore aquatic habitat conditions on Lake Erie with a Biomimicry Fellow.

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Click here to learn more about Dr. Cutright’s lab

Click here to learn more about the Astley Lab

[Past Projects]

Dr. Janna Andronowski and Reed Davis

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The misuse and addiction to opioids (and synthetic opioids) is a serious public health crisis nationwide that has become an epidemic. Current evidence suggests that opioids upset the balance of bone remodeling towards more destruction and less formation of bone. Experimental studies have been limited by the fact that small laboratory animals traditionally used in bone research (mice and rats) do not exhibit spontaneous cortical bone remodeling, making them a poor choice of animal model for this subject.

A new project in the Andronowski Lab seeks to develop a long-term model for studying the effects of prolonged opioid use on cortical bone remodeling in an animal which remodels its cortical bone in a manner comparable to humans, the rabbit. An innovative 3D X-ray imaging technique (micro-CT), combined with dynamic histomorphometry, will allow us to describe how morphine and fentanyl affect microscopic structures of cortical bone used in histological age estimation methods in forensic anthropology. Given the limited data available related to the impact of opioid abuse on bone remodeling, our goal is to further understandings of the underlying biological processes and improve the applicability of histological age-estimation methods and scientific standards within the field of forensic anthropology.

Prospective students can expect to learn about how we apply the principles of bone remodeling to estimate age-at-death in forensic anthropology, 3D X-ray imaging using desktop micro-CT (Figure 3), big data processing, the preparation of bone tissue slides, animal handling, and dissection techniques. Dr. Andronowski is interested in undergraduate students from any major who are willing to learn the above skills. Preference will be given, however, to those who have experience with live animal research, animal dissections, histological techniques, and computer programming/modeling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 1: Coupled osteoclast and osteoblast activity depicted as a Basic Multicellular Unit during bone remodeling. A) Osteoclastic activity near the leading edge of the cutting cone, B) initiation of osteoblastic activity, C) active osteoblast activity, and D) a fully formed intact osteon depicting a Haversian Canal in the center.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 2: Micro-CT 3D render of cortical bone showing vascular porosity (red) and osteocyte lacunae (grey). Data collected at the Canadian Light Source synchrotron.

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 3: SkyScan 1172 Desktop Micro-CT system at the University of Akron.

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Click here to learn more about Dr. Andronowski’s lab

[Past Projects]

Dr. Petra Gruber and Thibaut Houette

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This project is about the use of fungi to solidify agricultural waste aggregate to solid materials that can be used for construction. The goal is to examine the currently used growth processes, and find out about improvements and practical solutions for small scale production, to produce materials and do a variety of tests on the properties. The research will be done in collaboration with phD student Thibaut Houette, and take place in the Biology labs. The student should be interested in fungi microbiology and their cultivation, and open to an interdisciplinary approach to develop biomimetic solutions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Click here for more information on Dr. Gruber’s lab.