Baylor University Undergraduate Research Newsletter 2019

Fall 2019

Baylor University Undergraduate

Research Newsletter Inside this Issue ♦♦ R1 Research- Dr. Linda Livingstone ♦♦ Student Research Experiences

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Faculty PerspectiveDr. Howard Lee

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BURST Member Research Spotlight

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Important Research Application Dates

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Science in the News

“Undergraduates... provide new perspectives and insights in research.”

“Baylor’s underlying Christian mission makes us unique from other R1 institutions.”

-President Linda Livingstone (for more, see Pg 2)

Message from the Editors

It’s finally here! After months of planning, interviewing, editing, and designing, BURST and The Office of Undergraduate Research are proud to present the first edition of the Baylor University Undergraduate Research Newsletter! Our mission: to provide Baylor students high value information concerning research opportunities on campus and abroad, highlight unique student research experiences, and promote deeper engagement in the fields of science and math.

To make this possible, we had the privilege of interviewing prominent university figures, including President Linda Livingstone. We hope that you will enjoy reading her take on what we, as undergraduates, can accomplish while conducting research here at Baylor. Dr. Howard Lee, a professor in the Department of Physics, also provides his own insights into the value of undergraduate research.

Several current students were also interviewed about their experiences, and we hope that by reading about them, you will feel inspired to try research out for yourself! We believe that it is an invaluable part of the learning process.

Also be sure to check out the many internship opportunities that are just beginning to open up this winter and read about some of the current research being done by leading scientists.

We truly hope that this annual publication will provide you with the information and resources that you need to be successful in your research endeavors. Best of luck!

-The Editorial Board 1

Reaching R1: Interview with Dr. Linda Livingstone Pro Futuris Mission

When Dr. Linda Livingstone began

her tenure as Baylor’s 15th President, she had significant and expansive plans to build upon Baylor’s Pro Futuris foundational mission. The creation of Illuminate, Baylor’s newest Academic Strategic Plan, focuses on growing the breadth, depth, and impact of research to achieve the university’s ultimate goal of Research 1/Tier 1 status.

Illuminate distinguishes itself from previous long-term initiatives because it focuses Baylor’s goals and targets five specific areas of existing strength based on who we are as a university. These include Health, Data Sciences, Materials Science, Human Flourishing, and Baylor in Latin America. At the foundation of these pursuits, the plan also seeks to strengthen the four pillars of the Baylor identity: academics, research, arts and athletics, and upholding the integrity of our Christian mission. The purpose of the plan is to prepare all Baylor students for worldwide service and impact, and Dr. Livingstone believes research plays a key role in developing evidence-based solutions for today’s significant problems. The motivation behind the plan stems from the belief that the university has an obligation to step up and provide a Christian voice in academia and research.

Dr. Livingstone states that the university expects to qualify for R1 status through expanded research expenditures, staffing for research, doctoral production, and infrastructure to help faculty secure outside funding. Specifically, Baylor has created a new postdoctoral researcher hiring program to hire 65 professional researchers over the next three years—more than double the current number. Postdocs propagate research productivity and expertise to support work in a professor’s lab as well as expand the capacity for undergraduate research involvement.

Additionally, a piece of the $100 million gift from the Give Light campaign has been reserved for academic pursuits such as STEM lab funding and endowed professorships.

Newsletter Editorial Board Members pictured with Dr. Linda Livingstone From Left to Right: Joshua George, Sanjana Ade, Tooba Haris, Dr. Livingstone, Arvind Muruganantham, Sean Ngo, and Tiffany Luan

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Undergraduate Research

When asked what role undergraduates play in helping Baylor achieve R1 status, Dr. Livingstone explained that “students at the undergraduate level add value to the research process by providing new perspectives and insights” when working alongside faculty to address meaningful questions. With a higher demand from top incoming students to engage in undergraduate research, Dr. Livingstone has made it a priority to provide more opportunities for this sort of handson learning. Increased faculty support and external funding will grow Baylor’s research capabilities, translating to greater opportunities for undergraduates to work in labs and pursue their research nationally.

Many Baylor professors conduct collaborative research within an international context that will not only expose these students to research at other institutions but also diversify academic perspectives.

Research Motivation

Dr. Livingstone states that Baylor’s underlying Christian identity makes the university unique compared to other R1 institutions because it drives both faculty and students to pursue opportunities that truly matter and make a difference for humanity.

The drive comes from a deeper faith-based perspective that focuses our goals on how we can enhance human flourishing and create a meaningful impact on a global scale.

Feeling Inspired?

Tips for how to get involved in research: -Decide what discipline you wish to research in. This can range from philosophy or sociology, to physics or biochemistry.

-Navigate the Baylor website to find faculty that research in a field you are passionate about.

-Read the research published by the Baylor faculty member that interests you, and send them an email expressing your interest.

-Don’t worry if the first faculty member you contact doesn’t work out— keep trying!

-Remember, take your time exploring labs before jumping in.

-You can learn more from the Office of Undergraduate Research Website:

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Seeing in 3D and Using Technology to Detect Retinoblastoma

This past summer, sophomore Juan Lopez participated in the Baylor Transdisciplinary Research Undergraduate Experience (B-TRUE). It is an intensive 10week summer research-training program here at Baylor designed for students interested in pursuing research-related careers. Lopez researched with Dr. Bryan Shaw and worked mainly on two projects. The first project involved utilizing 3-D printing technology to construct protein models made out of gelatin.

The purpose of this project is to allow blind students to be able to learn about protein structure with the mouth. The second project is an app called CRADLE, which is used to identify retinoblastoma, a form of eye cancer found mostly in children. CRADLE allows parents to scan photos of their children, and identify whether they have leukocoria (“white eye”), a symptom of retinoblastoma. The app

enables early detection of retinoblastoma which can save a child’s vision before the cancer progresses.

Lopez describes working in the Shaw laboratory over the summer as a very enriching experience where he was able to learn various skills including writing a research paper and 3-D printing.

During his summer in the B-TRUE program, he was challenged to reach his fullest potential in the lab.

Moreover, his research experience has instilled in him the desire to help others, as both projects serve those with disabilities and illness. Lopez feels strongly that every student interested in research should apply for the B-TRUE program.

More information about B-TRUE can be found on their Baylor website: https://www.baylor.edu/shllc/index. php?id=941292

Coding 2.0: Integrating Computation with Medicine

Over the summer, junior Samuel Shenoi worked as a research intern through the UTHealth CPRIT Summer Undergraduate Fellowship in the School of Biomedical Informatics. His research internship was centered on precision medicine, which focuses on developing individualized treatments based on a person’s genetic, environmental, and lifestyle profile. At this internship, Shenoi developed a search engine that allows physicians to easily retrieve scientific abstracts and clinical trial data from MEDLINE and clinicaltrials.gov.

He built the search engine using coding languages like Python and Javascript which he was able to teach himself through online tutorials. (cont. on next page) 4

(Cont.)

His search engine was one of the first in this area of research to have a user interface. Shenoi believes that

this research is important because there is so much good data out in the world that cannot be used effectively. He believes his research is particularly useful in translating the basic science from research labs to actual clinical processes. The search engine he built uses the age, gender, genes, and type of cancer the person was diagnosed with to output a specialized treatment for the

patient. Shenoi further explains that the internship was based in the School of Public Health and School of Biomedical Informatics, so there were people of various disciplines working on the research. Looking back, Shenoi says that this research helped him crystalize how to effectively convey coding processes to others.

Apply

“ ... Even freshmen are a part of the internship program. It was anywhere from freshmen to people who were applying for medical school.”

Getting Clinical in Colorado

For several months this past summer, senior Jessie Benson conducted clinical research through the Summer Child Health Research Internship at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, examining the prevalence of depression in female patients with polycystic ovary syndrome and obesity. A typical day as an undergraduate researcher for Benson consisted of performing retrospective chart reviews through Excel Statistics and collecting data from the electronic medical records. She additionally spent much of her day analyzing data, shadowing physicians, and attending lab meetings. In retrospect, Benson notes that key takeaways from her experience included learning how to conduct research in a field outside of her comfort zone and coming to understand the gravity and importance of mental illnesses like depression. Additionally, this experience has sparked her interest in possibly pursuing a career in clinical academia. The most challenging aspect of her research, Benson says, was having to continuously modify her research question and extensively re-analyze medical records for data.

Benson greatly valued the mentorship she received, the impact of her work, and the opportunity to attend a fully funded conference in Las Vegas as part of her internship. If there was one aspect of the internship that could have been improved upon, Benson would encourage more interaction between the undergraduate researchers and current medical students. Benson would recommend this position for students who think they may enjoy clinical research and who are comfortable performing under considerable autonomy. Upon concluding her summer research, Benson says that the experience has made her look forward to pursuing even further clinical research opportunities in the future, specifically in pediatrics.

“Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Take advantage of all the opportunities... and really try to understand where you are getting your data and your research as a whole.”

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Engaging with Undergraduate Research Opportunities: A Physicist’s Perspective Wanted: Genuine Interest

In 2017, Dr. Howard Lee, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at Baylor University, was awarded the prestigious DARPA Young Faculty Award for being a researcher in a junior faculty position with an outstanding early career. Much of his research focuses on developing techniques to control the properties of nano-optical structures. This allows him to study optical physics and various light-matter interactions at the nanometer scale.

It can often be difficult for undergraduate students to even fathom undertaking such research, especially if they lack even a basic understanding of the subject matter. According to Dr. Lee, however, having robust background knowledge or prior research experience is not necessary for a student to meaningfully engage with undergraduate research opportunities.

Current Research Dr. Lee’s favorite research subject has always been the fundamental study of nearzero index materials (materials with a nearzero refractive index for certain wavelengths), as he finds them just as interesting as he does perplexing. He claims that he never would

“The most successful undergraduate students have been the ones with the most passion and grit, regardless of what they already knew coming in.” have discovered his passion if he didn’t take the leap of faith that he did during his own undergraduate career. He encourages all undergraduate students to not be intimidated by research, and instead, be excited that they have the opportunity to explore the material outside of class. How students learn during their time as 6

undergraduate researchers is almost completely different than how they learn in class, and the eye-opening procedures brought about by hands-on research are, according to Dr. Lee, among the most valuable experiences that academia can offer.

Undergraduate Research Dr. Lee notes that the only prior knowledge needed is a general understanding of the field so that undergraduates can tailor their search and find the research opportunities that best fit them. He believes any student can find out

what interests them if they keep an open mind and are always willing to learn. For example, Dr. Lee came to be interested about optics and photonics during his time as an undergraduate. One of the first research opportunities he undertook involved guiding light into a channel smaller than the width of a single human hair. The potential applications of his research kept him engaged and his desire to know more drove him through his undergraduate career and beyond. This is the type of breakthrough that Dr. Lee hopes his students find while here at Baylor University.

Interested in Publishing?

Scientia is Baylor University’s

Undergraduate Research Journal of Science and Technology

We accept submissions from all STEM disciplines and in the following formats: -Original Research Articles -Review Articles -Abstracts

The Submission Portal is NOW OPEN The Deadline for Submissions is January 1, 2020 Check out the Guidelines and Submission Portal Here:

BURST Member Research Spotlight Zachary Pranske From hearing about his internship program from friends taking German to having the freedom of independently developing his own research protocol, there was very little that was conventional about Zachary Pranske’s research experience this past summer.

After developing a passion for research working under Baylor’s Dr. Michael Scullin and being a member of BURST, senior Zachary Pranske wanted to expand upon his newfound calling for scientific investigation by working in a lab over the summer.

While most people may have started their search in the science building, Pranske began his by looking into a 10-week exchange program called “RISE.” Although he had found out about the program just after the deadline from the year before, Pranske found himself applying the next year and getting into a behavioral neuroscience laboratory at Phillips University in Marburg.

Upon arriving in Germany and beginning his research, Pranske was stunned at how much independence he was given when tasked to develop a new training box for research rats. Never having created a protocol before, Pranske was in newfound territory as he would have to design an experiment from the ground up, pilot test his new study, and create an Android app program to bridge the gap

between his Beta Mode Box and the computer using Java, a language he was not familiar with.

Intimidated by the grand scale and logistics involved with his internship, Pranske said that reaching out to the postdocs that worked in the lab for support was the best thing that he did. He notes that they proved to be collaborative, surprisingly fluent in English, and willing to help with anything at the drop of a hat. Due to the interactions that followed, the project, something that Pranske viewed at the start of the summer as an impossible task, began to come together. Pranske described it as a once in a lifetime experience that he will treasure forever. He is certain that he will be able to look back on the experience often as he embarks on his future path as a researcher.

While his experience was full of surprises, Pranske said that the biggest one overall was how the German scientific sector seemed to be less rigid in comparison to its American counterpart. Postdocs there were able to work on multiple projects in multiple labs at once and the university partnered directly with the private sector of businesses, working on research collaboratively to advance the field.

Pranske stated that during his time there in the summer, the collaborative environment helped foster a sense of community and openness that he hopes to one day emulate in his own research lab.

BURST is THE student organization for undergraduate research. With guest speakers, academic workshops, journal clubs, and access to in-depth faculty research databases, we’re here to help you get involved!

Interested in learning more?

Check out our website at baylor.edu/burst 8

Important Dates Baylor Transdisciplinary Research Undergraduate Experience (B-TRUE) • Where: Baylor University • Details: B-TRUE is an intensive 10-week summer research-training program for students interested in pursuing research-related careers. The program is designed to provide a rigorous, in-depth research experience across the life and physical sciences • Application Opens: December 1, 2019 • Deadline: February 15, 2020

Baylor-Scott & White Health Hillcrest Clinical Leadership Practicum • Where: Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center • Details: This program provides currently enrolled Baylor PreHealth students with the opportunity to become more involved and familiar with medicine and healthcare in a “hands on” environment within various medical fields and specialties • Application Opens: December 1, 2019 • Deadline: February 15, 2020

The Leadership Alliance 2019 Summer Research-Early Identification Program • Where: 20 various research institutions, including: Brown University, Cornell University, Harvard University, and Johns Hopkins University • Details: A fully paid summer internship in life and social sciences that provides undergraduates with training and mentoring in the principles underlying the conduct of research and prepares them to pursue competitive applications to PhD or MD-PhD programs • Applications Opens: Open Now • Deadline: February 1, 2020

Baylor University - Tropical Disease Research Internship Program • Where: Baylor College of Medicine • Details: The BU-TDRIP interns will gain an understanding of neglected tropical and emerging infectious diseases, experience the development of vaccine target antigens from bench to clinic settings, and learn about translational public policy, including application of current research in local communities • Application Opens: December 1, 2019 • Deadline: February 15, 2020

Mathematical and Theoretical Biology Institute (MTBI) Summer Program • Where: Arizona State University • Details: MTBI is an intensive summer research experience that prepares undergraduate students for the rigors of graduate level research at the interface of mathematics, statistics, and the natural and social sciences • Application Opens: Open Now • Deadline: January 31, 2020 9

Important Dates BCM Summer Medical and Research Training (SMART) Program • Where: Baylor College of Medicine • Details: The Summer Undergraduate Research Training (SMART) Program was developed to provide frontier-level, biomedical summer research projects for undergraduates in a supportive environment with supplemental educational activities • Application Opens: Open Now • Deadline: January 11, 2020

Johns Hopkins Summer Internship Program (SIP) • Where: Johns Hopkins • Details: The Summer Internship Program at Johns Hopkins provides undergraduates exposure to biomedical and/or public health research is to encourage students to consider careers in science, medicine and public health. The program runs ten weeks and a minimum stipend of $3,000 is provided • Application Opens: Open Now • Deadline: February 1, 2020

Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) • Where: Various host locations, including UC Berkeley and Stanford • Details: Created by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, this premier undergraduate education and research program offers the students the opportunity to conduct research in STEM at one of 17 host locations • Application Opens: Open Now • Deadline: January 9, 2020

Texas A&M College of Medicine Summer Research Program • Where: Texas A&M University College of Medicine campuses in Bryan-College Station and Houston • Details: The 10-week program consists of students working closely with Texas A&M University College of Medicine faculty on research projects in basic or clinical science disciplines • Application Opens: Open Now • Deadline: February 9, 2020

For over 200 more research internships, check out the Baylor BURST Website at baylor.edu/burst!

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Science in the News 2019 Nobel Prize in Medicine Awarded to the Discovery of Oxygen’s Signaling Pathway

William Kaelin Jr., Peter Radcliffe, and Gregg Semenza were awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize for Medicine for their work in elucidating the molecular pathway behind how cells in our body react to oxygen abundance in their surroundings. When cells in our body are deprived of oxygen, they send out signaling molecules to produce more blood cells and sprout new blood vessels. The investigators’ work uncovered the molecular intermediaries involved in this signaling pathway, allowing targeting of specific transcription factors as novel therapeutics for a wide variety of diseases. This work, originally published in 2001, has caused major paradigm shifts in the field of cancer chemotherapy, as it calls into attention the viability of drugs targeting the blood vessels that serve as a nutritional source for tumors.

“Planet Nine” Could be a Black Hole

For years, scientists have hypothesized the existence of “Planet Nine,” an undiscovered planet beyond Neptune. This hypothesis was formulated to account for the observation that beyond Neptune’s orbit, small bodies termed Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs) have orbits that are clustered in a particular region.

New research published earlier this year by Jakub Scholtz and James Unwin suggests that Planet Nine could actually be a primordial black hole, a type of black hole thought to have formed shortly after the Big Bang.

It is possible that one of these black holes was caught in the gravitational field of the sun. A black hole in that area of the solar system would account for the unusual orbits of TNOs as the gravitational pull of a black hole is relatively equal to that of the hypothesized Planet Nine. Additionally, a black hole would explain why Planet Nine has never been seen by scientists, despite constant searching. While the new research does not confirm the existence of a black hole, it does present an exciting possibility.

Editor-in-Chief Sean Ngo Editorial Board Shubhneet Warar, Sanjana Ade, Isha Thapar, Tiffany Luan, Arvind Muruganantham, Joshua George, Tooba Haris, Timothy Domashevich Faculty Advisors Dr. Tamarah Adair & Dr. Rizalia Klausmeyer Special Thanks to Dr. Linda Livingstone, Dr. Howard Lee, Dr. Barbara Endl, Kyle Dinh, Kathrine Do the Office of Undergraduate Research, and the BURST Officer Board