Scholars

2021 TOUR-Scholars, Research, and Mentors

Left to right:

• Mary Oster, a recent biochemistry graduate from Juniata College, worked with Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and HNFE faculty Dr. Alexandra DiFeliceantonio on the research project, “Ultra Processed Foods and Eating Behavior Reinforcement.”
• Caitlin Bowman, a recent HNFE graduate, worked with Virginia Tech Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering faculty Dr. Michael Madigan on the research project, “Feasibility of Using Inertial Measurement Units to Measure Balance Loss in Daily Living Settings: A Pilot Study on the Effects of Obesity on Gait.”
• DeAndre Guyton, a senior at University of North Carolina Charlotte, worked with HNFE faculty Dr. Sarah Misyak on the research project, "Racial Equity Audit to Develop Recommendations to Increase FNP Accessibility for People of Color."
• Nicholas Logan, a senior in HNFE,  worked with Fralin Biomedical Research Institute faculty Dr. Carla Finkielstein on the research project, "The Circadian Rhythm’s Potential Role in Energy Pathways of Cancer Cells.”
• Nicole Botha, a senior in HNFE, worked with HNFE faculty Dr. Samantha Harden on the research project, "How to Communicate Virtually: Exercise Intervention Dissemination Tactics in Cooperative Extension."
• Jessica Melvin, a senior in HNFE, worked with HNFE faculty Deborah Good and Dane Fausnacht on the research project, “Neuronal Nhlh2 Expression in Muscle May Contribute to Energy Expenditure Pathways.”
• Lia Dopp, a senior in Virginia Tech's Public Health Program, worked with HNFE faculty Dr. Julia Basso on the research project, “Examining self-regulation as a target to improve health outcomes for pregnant women with obesity and their offspring.”
• Paige Eversole, a junior in medical technology at Fredonia, worked with College of Veterinary Medicine faculty Dr. Irving Allen on the research project, “Irreversible Electroporation and its Effect on Interferon Gamma and Programmed Death-Ligand 1 Expression in Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells.”
• Jewel Mayo, a junior in HNFE, worked with HNFE faculty and Department Head Dr.  Stella Volpe on the research project, “Micronutrient Intake and Physiological Outcomes in Master's and Collegiate Athletes.”
• Heather Kashin, a junior in HNFE's Dietetics option, worked with HNFE faculty Dr. Vivica Kraak on the research project, “Conducting an Accountability Evaluation for the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement’s Global Business Network to Support the 2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit Agenda.”

2020 TOUR-Scholars, Research, and Mentors

Top, left to right:

• Natasha Gaito, "In silico analysis of the POMC promotor-role of methylation in environmental triggers of obesity" (Tim Jarome - APS and Debby Good)
• Lauren Provinsal, "U.S. government progress to implement the Lancet Commission’s recommendations for the Global Syndemic of Undernutrition, Obesity, and Climate Change" (Vivica Kraak)
• Sam Browning, "Variation in daily mood states during COVID-19: accessing the impact of a gratitude letter" (Scott Geller - Psychology)

Bottom, left to right:

• Chloe Tenembaum, "The missing biomarkers of inflammatory bowel disease: identification of possible missense variants in the noncanonical NF-kB signaling pathway" (Irving Allen - Vet Med, Debby Good)
• Lindsay McClain, "How rurality impacts availability and affordability of healthy foods in SNAP-authorized retail locations" (Valisa Hedrick)
• Helen Oker, "The physical activity guidelines for Americans" (Samantha Harden)
• Kaylee Greiner, “Where does marbling come from?" (Honglin Jiang - APS)

2019 TOUR-Scholars, Institutions, and Mentors
2019 Abstracts, Office of Undergraduate Research

• Christina Mounzer (VT, mentor Jaclyn Nunziato), "Using organoids to investigate the role of NIK in colorectal cancer"
  
• Christina Compton (VT, mentor Dongmin Liu), "Antidiabetic Effects of Elenolic Acid in vitro and in vivo"
  
• Anvitha Metpally (VT, mentor Julia Basso), "Examining the psychological mechanisms underlying obesity: the importance of motivations and attitudes towards eating, exercise and body image"
  
• Gianni Villegas (SUNY Oswego, mentor Irving Allen), "Elucidating NRLX1 as an alternative tumor therapeutic"
  
• Shahd Nuri (VT, mentor Rob Grange), "Exercise and its effects on blood flow in mdx mice"
  
• Carrie Orey (VT, mentor Debby Good), "Using hypoxia to induce neuronal phenotypes in the N29/2 cell line"
  
• Oliva Smith (Montana State, mentor Samantha Harden), "Yoga Interventions for Older Adults: A systematic review"
  
• Kylea Andreano (VT, mentor Siobhan Craige), "Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells: Implications for Non-alcoholic steanohepatitus"
  
• Erin Le (VT, mentor Debby Good), "Understanding the Role of Single Nucleotide Variants on NHLH2 mRNA levels"
  
• Alexander Francois (Wesley College, mentor Scott McCrickard), "Exploring Fitness Awareness Mobile Applications with Former Athletes"
  
• Anissa Ashraf (VT, mentor Jeff Stein), "Medication Adherence, Health Behaviors, and Delay Discounting in Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer Survivors"

2018 TOUR-Scholars, Institutions, and Mentors
2018 Abstracts, Office of Undergraduate Research

• Darren Dougherty (VT, mentor Bin Xu), "Aggregation of Tau Proteins in Alzheimer's Disease: I. Human Tau Isoforms"
  
• Andrea Alejandra Yu-Shan (VT, mentor Samantha Harden), "If I wanted to walk the walk, could I? Perceptions of access and availability of community resources while participating in a statewide walking program"
  
• Zachary Wilson (VT, mentor Dave Brown), "High Resolution Respirometry of Heart Mitochondria in Healthy and Stressed States"
  
• Cat Hayes (VT, mentor Elena Serrano), "Data Management and Feasibility of Validity Testing of the Market Basket Assessment Tool"
  
• Desiree Valez (VT, mentor Kevin Davy), "Gut Microbiota-Generated Trimethylamine N-oxide and Glucose Tolerance"

2017 TOUR-Scholars, Institutions, and Mentors
2017 Abstracts, Office of Undergraduate Research

• Nan Yang (VT, mentor Dave Gerrard), "Excess nutrient niche negatively impacts muscle stem cell homeostasis"
  
• Alexandria Wright (VT, mentor Debby Good), "A genetic basis for motivated exercise"
  
• Ryan Lupi (VT, mentor Matt Hulver) "Human satellite cell function is regulated by autocrine secretion of IL-6 and TNF"
  
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  Grace Davis (VT, mentor David Brown), "Comparing mitochondrial targeted peptides and idebenone on complex III of the electron transport chain in damaged mitochondria"
  
• Mindy Wei (UVA, mentor Samantha Harden), "Does one size fit all? Exploration of the magnitude of effect of a statewide physical activity in white vs. non-white populations"
  
• Courtney Amos (VT, mentor Samantha Harden), "Do personal characteristics have an effect on Cooperative Extension agent willingness to participate in an interview on intervention dissemination?"