Eastern Student Elizabeth Del Buono of Southington Presents Research Poster at CREATE Conference

2016 May 3

More than 250 talented students at Eastern Connecticut State University presented research and creative work at the university's second annual CREATE conference this past April. CREATE stands for Celebrating Research Excellence and Artistic Talent at Eastern, and is the university's premier, academic year-end showcase. At the culminating event, students of all majors presented professional posters, live music, dance performances, artwork, photography, documentaries and panel discussions.

Elizabeth Del Buono '16 of Southington, who majors in Biology, presented a research poster at the event. Del Buono presented two poster presentations, both conducted alongside classmate Elizabeth Schoell. The first was titled "Studying Development in Caenorhabditis Elegans Through RNAI-Mediated Knockdowns of Pax Family Genes."

"Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) are microscopic worms that have about 40% gene sequence similarity (homology) with humans," said the students in a joint statement. "C. elegans are commonly used as a model organism because they are cheap, small, have a short life?span, and are transparent. We can make use of these traits by studying the genes in C. elegans that have related functions in humans. RNA interference (RNAi) in C. elegans is used to study the phenotypic changes of temporarily decreasing the function of a gene. RNAi is a useful tool for studying the function of genes because decreasing the function of a gene tells us what the gene is important for in development. The human paired box (pax) family of genes are known to be involved in embryonic development in humans, especially with the formation of tissues and organs. Pax genes in humans play a role in embryogenesis (the formation of an embryo), ovarian and cervical cancers, and more. We are studying the effects of RNAi?mediated knockdowns of various pax genes, including pax?1, pax?2, pax?3, vab?3, and egl?38, in C. elegans. Studying these genes may help uncover the function of and relationship between these genes in early development of C. elegans.

The second presentation was titled "An Investigation of Cleft Palate Related Factors in C. Elegans." In a joint statement, the students said: "Odd?skipped genes and pax genes are both highly evolutionarily conserved genes with special functions in development. Their functions and interactions are not entirely elucidated, but evidence suggests that their mouse homologs are both significant to proper patterning of the secondary palate. Specifically, it has been shown that Pax9 and Odd?skipped Related 2 deficient mice have cleft palate. Cleft palate is one of the most common birth defects in human newborns, and may lead to death. We seek to uncover the mechanisms and interactions among odd?skipped and pax genes in the model nematode C. elegans to further reveal their important roles in the development of organisms. More specifically, we plan to observe changes in odd?skipped gene expression in odd?skipped fluorescent reporters upon knockdown of pax genes. We ultimately aim to broaden research on the mechanisms that drive developmental disorders like cleft palate."

Remarking on the variety of presentations, Professor Dickson Cunningham, conference co-chair, said, "CREATE encapsulates the essence of the liberal arts in one afternoon. It is an intellectual smorgasbord."

Speaking to the value of CREATE, Eastern President Elsa Nunez said, "It takes a very strong and dedicated student to produce this quality of work, and it's important for other students to see this output." Praising the faculty, she added, "It takes a committed and skillful mentor to guide students to the work that is on display. Mentorship is such an integral part of undergraduate research."

During the one-day conference, the Student Center crawled with artistic and scholarly activity. Students in professional attire addressed their peers, faculty and family. In the cafe, ensembles performed; in the theatre, student-produced documentaries were shown; in the Betty R. Tipton Room, aisles of posters depicting scientific research were displayed; across the hall, a gallery-worth of paintings lined the walls; and on the ground floor, panel discussions and oral presentations about the humanities took place.

In celebration of students' exemplary research, experiential learning and creative activity, CREATE serves to reinforce high-impact practices such as mentored research; increases the number of students presenting their work in a professional forum; raises public awareness of Eastern's liberal arts mission and student accomplishments; and contributes to the intellectual richness of the campus community.