Research & Innovation Week 2023 Book

SPONSORS - Thank You!

On behalf of the Division of Research & Innovation, we are so appreciative of those who

Office of the President

Innovation,

Disruption

THIS IS OUR TIME, CARPE DIEM!

Greetings Conference Participants and Attendees:

March 27, 2023

Welcome to the second Annual Research and Innovation Week 2023 at Texas Southern University.

This moment marks an era of transformation for our great institution. I am honored to work collectively with Tiger Nation faculty, staff, students, and esteemed colleagues to ensure that we achieve unprecedented success at an accelerated pace.

Texas Southern University is currently one of the 11 HBCUs recognized with the coveted R2 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education designation as one of the nation’s doctoral universities with “High research activity.” This, coupled with Texas Southern University as a major contributor to the economic and social impact of the city of Houston, and the state of Texas, academic research and innovation is one the highest priorities of the University. It is vital that this institution continue to produce outstanding research in response to the growing urban needs of our society and beyond.

Research is the key to realizing our mission as a student-centered comprehensive doctoral University.

As Texas SouthernUniversityfocusesonadvancing doctoral-level researchandscholarship, ourgoal is toelevate the University to the Carnegie Classification designation of R1 status, “very high research activity.” This achievement will take a collective effort inclusive of every stakeholder, constituent, and colleague who supports the University community.

As President of Texas Southern University, I will continue to articulate our bold vision while ushering in the principles of innovation, transformation, and disruption to create an outstanding educational environment for all students while serving as a beacon of light for our campus community, the state of Texas, and the nation.

I am truly excited about Research and Innovation Week 2023, and I know that Texas Southern University will be at the forefront of moving the big ideas of academic research to implementation.

Regards,

Dr. Lesia L. Crumpton-Young President, Texas Southern University

Texas Southern University Administration

Honorable Albert H. Myres, Chairman

Board of Regents

Honorable James M. Benham, 2nd Vice Chair

Honorable Caroline Baker Hurley

Honorable Stephanie D. Nellons-Paige

Honorable Brandon L. Simmons

Honorable Pamela A. Medina, Vice Chair

Honorable Mary Evans Sias, Secretary

Honorable Richard A. Johnson, III

Honorable Marilyn A. Rose

Honorable Keonne M. McClain, Student Regent

Officers of Administration

Dr. Lesia L. Crumpton-Young, President

Dr. Needha Boutte-Queen, Acting Provost/Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Devi Bala Vice President of Administration and Finance

Dr. Michelle Penn-Marshall, Vice President for Research and Innovation

Dr. DeNeia Thomas, Vice President for Enrollment & Student Success

Melinda Spaulding Chevalier, Vice President for Communications and Advancement

Dr. Kevin Granger, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics

Mr. Hao Le, Chief Compliance & General Counsel

Dr. Dakota Doman, Chief of Staff

Kia Harper, Executive Director of Presidential Initiatives and Projects

Dr. Edith Wu, Faculty Senate Chair

Mr. LaRence Snowden, Staff Council Chair

Mr. Dexter Maryland, Student Government Association, President

Officers of Academic Administration

Dr. Aladdin Sleem, Acting Associate Provost/Assoc. Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dr. Derrick Manns, Executive Director, Curriculum & Graduation Initiatives

Mr. Charles Henry, Executive Director, Provost Business Services

Ms. Haiying Li, Acting Executive Director of Library Services

Dr. Carlton Perkins, Faculty Ombudsperson

Mr. Remi Ademola, Director of Center for Online Education and Instructional Teaching

Deans of Colleges and Schools

Gregory H. Maddox, Dean, The Graduate School

Hector Miranda, Acting Dean, Thomas F. Freeman Honors College

David Yen, Dean, Jesse H. Jones School of Business

Christian Ulasi, Acting Dean, School of Communication

Bernnell Peltier-Glaze, Acting Dean, College of Education

Okezie Chukwumerije, Acting Dean, Thurgood Marshall School of Law

Jason Oby, Acting Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences

Rashid Mosavin, Dean, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Wei Li, Acting Dean, College of Science, Engineering and Technology

Aisha Morris-Moultry, Acting Dean, College of Transdisciplinary Studies

George Kieh, Dean, Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs

University Research Committees

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University Research Committee

Dr. Linda M. Gardiner, Chair (Research & Innovation)

Dr. Daniel Vrinceanu (College of Science Engineering and Technology)

Dr. Nancy Shepherd (College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences)

Dr. Rochelle Parks-Yancy (Jesse H. Jones School of Business)

Dr. Dong Liang (College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences)

Dr. Ahunanya Anga (Thurgood Marshall School of Law)

Dr. Jasmine Drake (School of Public Affairs)

Dr. Tyrone Dixon (School of Communications)

Dr. Yoruba Mutakabbir (College of Education)

Dr. Hector Miranda (Honors College)

Faculty Development Committee

Dr. Ladelle Hyman, Chair (School of Business)

Dr. Leamon Green (College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences)

Dr. Victor Obot (College of Science Engineering and Technology)

Intellectual Property Committee

Dr. Dong Liang, Chair (College of Pharmacy Health Sciences)

Ms. Elsa Ransom

Mr. Hao Le (General Counsel)

Dr. Viveca Grant (College of Education)

Dr. Huan Xie (College of Pharmacy Health Sciences)

Dr. Cyril Abobo (College of Pharmacy Health Sciences)

Dr. Yi Qi (College of Science Engineering and Technology)

Dr. Andrea Shelton (College pf Pharmacy Health Sciences)

Dr. Oscar Criner (College of Science Engineering and Technology)

Dr. Xin (Jacob) Wei (College of Science Engineering and Technology)

Dr. Ponmille Olonilua (Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs)

Dr. Alamelu Sundaresan (College of Science Engineering and Technology)

University Research Committees

Institutional Research Board (IRB)

Dr. Marion Smith, Chair

Dr. Cary Wintz

Dr. Nicole Willis

Dr. Candy Ratliff

Dr. Eartha Nance

Dr. Veronica Ajewole

Dr. Jasmine Drake

Dr. Audrey Player

Dr. Grace Loudd

Dr. Ashraf Mozayani

Dr. Gautam Nayer

Dr. Anastasia Anderson

Dr. Cyril Abobo

Dr. Arlene Gordon-Hollingsworth

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

Dr. Zivar Yousefipour, Chair

Dr. Thomas Gomez, Attending Veterinarian

Ms. Diane Nicholson-Jones

Dr. Song Gao

Dr. Huan Xie (Alternate)

Dr. Hector Miranda (Alternate)

Dr. Momoh Yakubu

Dr. Alamelu (Lalita) Sundaresan

Dr. Omar Ayah

Ms. Darnell Johnson, III (Alternate)

IBC (Institutional Biological & Chemical Safety Committee)

Dr. Daryl Wilkerson, Chair

Ms. Mellany Patrong

Ms. Tinnille Leak-Johnson

Dr. Hyun-Min Hwang

Dr. Chelliah Selvam

Ms. Mellany Patrong

Mr. Darnell Johnson

Dr. Amruthesh Shivachar

Mr. Frederick Holts

Radiation Safety Committee

Dr. Ya-Fatou Njie-Mbye, Chair

Mr. Darnell Johnson, III

Dr. Tuan Phan

Dr. Ashraf Mozayani

Dr. Bai Li

Dr. Daryl Wilkerson

Dr. Mark Harvey

Dr. Kasturi Ranganna

Mr. Darnell Johnson, III

TSU Research Centers & Institutes

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Institute/Center Name: TSU SHAPE Initiative

Name(s) of Director(s): Dr. Grace Loudd & Dr. Dominique Guinn

Date Established: September 2014

Office Phone: 713-313-1194

Website: http://www.tsu.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/colabs/social-work/social-work-shape/contact-us.html

Institute/Center Description: The TSU S.H.A.P.E. Initiative (TSI) is a Texas Southern University and community-based partnership established by the Department of Social Work in 2014 and annually funded through SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). S.H.A.P.E. is an acronym representing core targets to include Substance Use, Mental Health, HIV/AIDS, and Prevention Education. The program focuses on addressing health disparities through the provision of easily accessible and culturally sensitive service delivery. TSI offers students and community members free and confidential in-person and virtual health screenings, community-based referrals, educational and volunteer opportunities, and service linkage consistent with its motto: Awareness, Action, and Empowerment. TSI is a single initiative comprised of three primary programs: CHANGE (Change Through Healing Awareness Networks and Gateways to Empowerment), YES (Youth and Young Adult Empowerment Services), and the #Bruthas Project that collectively serve individuals 13+ years of age on the Texas Southern University campus, in Greater 3rd and 5th Ward communities, and throughout Greater Houston.

Internal interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: University Counseling Center, Student Health Center, Campus Organizations, Department of Social Work, Center for Emotional Health & Wellness

External interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: Avenue 360 Health & Wellness, City of Houston Health Department, KEW Learning Academy, Shape Community Center, Center for Recovery & Wellness Resources, AIDS Foundation Houston

Institute/Center Name: Forensic Science Learning Lab

Name(s) of Director(s): Ashraf Mozayani (Executive Director); Jasmine Drake (Laboratory Coordinator)

Date Established: 2012

Office Phone: 713-313-7332

Website: http://www.tsu.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/bjml-school-public-affairs/departments/administration-of-justice/ degrees/forensic-science-learning-lab.htm

Institute/Center Description: The mission of the Forensic Science Learning Lab (FSLL) is to provide specialized forensic science education and training for any Texas Southern University students interested in pursuing careers in the field of forensic science and to provide training opportunities for current practitioners in the field aspiring to expand and update their knowledge and skills.

Internal interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: TSU Leadership, Education, & Advancement in Undergraduate Research Pathways (TSU-LEAP) Trainees, TSU Bioscholars Summer Program (Youth Camp), TSU Parent-Child Learning Center STEM Demos, TSU Tier Two Faculty Member, Student Academic Support Services

External interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: Support of the 13th Annual Community Drug Awareness Conference, Houston ISD Fall Initiative: Career Readiness initiative Professionals.

Innovative Transportation Research Institute

Name(s) of Director(s): Director: Dr. Lei Yu; Co-director: Dr. Fengxiang Qiao

Date Established: 2000 Office Phone: 713-313-1915 / Fax Phone: 713-313-1856

Website: https://coset.tsu.edu/itri/

Institute/Center Description: The Innovative Transportation Research Institute (ITRI) at TSU was developed in the fall of 2006 by expanding the former Urban Traffic and Air Quality Lab (UTAQL), which was first established in 2000. The goals are to develop, evaluate, optimize, and recommend comprehensive strategies for traffic congestion mitigation, mobile source emission reduction, fuel consumption saving, urban transportation planning, and ITS development, through the smart utilization of advanced technologies, large-scale computer simulation methods, complex modeling systems, and state-of-the-art lab equipment. The missions

TSU Research Centers & Institutes

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are to conduct innovative research and development to seek optimal solutions to various transportation problems, and to develop and deliver high-quality education and training programs to traffic engineers, transportation planners, transportation managers, air quality specialists, etc. ITRI receives funding support from various federal and state level agencies, including the newly awarded National Center for Sustainable Transportation (NCST), where ITRI is a member of the seven-institution consortium, a national University Transportation Center (UTC) funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, which also includes the University of California at Davis, University of Southern California, the California State University at Long Beach, the University of California at Riverside, Georgia Institute of Technology, and the University of Vermont.

Internal interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: While based in the Department of Transportation Studies, ITRI was actively working with other programs and research centers, such as the Department of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Sciences and the Department of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy, on joint educational and research collaborations.

External interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: Conducted research on "Synthesis of Best Applications and Verification Practices for Long-Life Pavement Markings" under the direction and support from the Texas Department of Transportation. The research report (R1) and project summary report (PSR) have been accepted for printing and distribution.

Institute/Center Name: High Performance Computing Center

Name(s) of Director(s): Daniel Vrinceanu

Date Established: 09/01/2010

Website: https://coset.tsu.edu/hpcc/

Office Phone: 713-313-4482

Institute/Center Description: The Texas Southern University High Performance Computing Center (TSU-HPCC) promotes research and teaching by integrating leading edge, high-performance computing and visualization for the faculty, staff, and students of Texas Southern University, as well as advance disciplinary diversity, partnerships, and excellence. Additionally, our secondary mission is to partner with and promote research at underrepresented Universities across the state of Texas.

The HPCC will facilitate research and aid in educational advancement by integrating leading edge, high-performance computing and visualization to individual administrative units, as well as multidisciplinary units across campus. The Center will embrace this disciplinary diversity by creating partnerships across the department and colleges of Texas Southern University and additionally with underrepresented universities across the state of Texas. The center will ensure that Texas Southern University obtains and retains superior computing and visualization facilities for the present and future of the University.

Internal interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: Dr. Bruce Prince (Chemistry), Dr. Y. Wang (Mathematics)

External interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: Dr. L. Huang (PVAMU), Dr. M. Jensense (BNL)

Institute/Center Name: TSU Aggressive Prostate Cancer Study

Name(s) of Director(s): Dr Veronica Ajewole (Director)

Date Established: September 2020

Website: https://linktr.ee/tsuapcastudy

Office Phone: 713-313-1233

Institute/Center Description: Aggressive prostate cancer among African American men to increase prostate cancer education, awareness and screening among African American males.

Internal interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Division of Research and Innovation,, TSU Advance Health Equity Program, TSU Institute for Health Equity Advancement, Research and Training, TSU Advance Health Equity Program, Community Engagement Core of Center for Biomedical and Minority Health Research, TSU Breast Cancer Screening and Prevention Center

External interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: Houston Methodist Hospital, Sankofi Research Institute

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Institute/Center Name: TSU Breast Cancer Screening and Prevention Center

Name(s) of Director(s): Dr Veronica Ajewole (Director)

Date Established: September 2021 Office Phone: 713-313-4424

Website: https://linktr.ee/TSUBreastcareclinic

Institute/Center Description: TSU BCSPC provide breast cancer screening mammogram and diagnostic workup for uninsured and underinsured women at no cost. We also provide patient navigation and barrier reduction services. Our services are provided at Harris, Grimes, Walker, Matagorda, and Wharton for eligible women.

Internal interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Division of Research and Innovation,, TSU Advance Health Equity Program, TSU Institute for Health Equity Advancement, Research and Training, TSU Aggressive Prostate Cancer Study, Community Engagement Core of Center for Biomedical and Minority Health Research

External interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: Trinity Church, Lilly Grove Baptist Church, Good Hope Baptist Church, Houston Canterbury, Dominion International Center, Willing Workers Baptist Church, MT. Rose City of Refuge, The Fountain of Praise, San Mateo Iglesia Episcopal, PowerHouse Church, Emancipation Park, Texan YMCA, City of Houston Northeast Multiservice center, Buckner Family Hope Center, Precinct 2, SurviveHer, Christopher Pichon Foundation, Gulfton National group

Realtors Helping Realtors, Breast of Us, Susan G Komen, Cancer Alliance of Texas, AKA/Alpha Alpha Eta Omega Chapter, Navasota Public Library, Houston Police Department, Houston Housing Authority, Avenue 360, BeeBusy Wellness Center, Lonestar Circle of Care, Houston Methodist Hospital, The Rose

Institute/Center Name: Community Engagement Core of Center for Biomedical and Minority Health Research

Name(s) of Director(s): Dr Veronica Ajewole (Director); Dr Grace Loudd (Associate Director)

Date Established: October 2020

Website: https://linktr.ee/cectxsouthernu

Office Phone: 713-313-1233

Institute/Center Description: The Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) is a program under the National Institute of Health (NIH)’s National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparity (NIMHD). The RCMI program develops and strengthens the research infrastructure necessary to conduct state-of-the-art biomedical research and foster the next generation of researchers from underrepresented populations. Texas Southern University (TSU), one of the nation’s largest HBCUs, recently received a $8.63 million RCMI award for the Center for Biomedical and Minority Health Research (CBMHR) which consists of 4 major components: Research Infrastructure Core; Community Engagement Core and Investigator Development Core and a research project on prostate cancer.

The Community Engagement Core (CEC) works directly with the Greater Houston Community to identify and address health related concerns. The CEC provides health-related resources to the community through partnerships with healthcare systems, Federally Qualified Health Centers, as well as community and faith-based organizations. The CEC hosts health education events across the Greater Houston Community to increase clinical trials awareness and reduce health disparities related to communities of color. For more information, visit us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @CECTxSouthernU

Internal interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Division of Research and Innovation, TSU Breast Cancer Screening and Prevention Center, TSU Advance Health Equity Program, TSU Institute for Health Equity Advancement, Research and Training, TSU Aggressive Prostate Cancer Study

External interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: Trinity Church, Lilly Grove Baptist Church, Good Hope Baptist Church, Houston Canterbury, Dominion International Center, St. Luke's Episcopal Church , Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, Holman Street Baptist Church, The Fountain of Praise Church, Jordan Grove Missionary Baptist Church, Saint Peter Claver Catholic Church, Progressive New Hope Church, Saint Monica's Catholic Church, Mt. Horeb Missionary Baptist Church, Loyal Missionary Baptist Church, Our Mother of Mercy, Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, Holman Baptist Church, Shape Community Center, TSU Aging and

TSU Research Centers & Institutes

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Intergenerational Resources, DAWN Center, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Third Ward Community Cloth, American Heart Association, CenterWell, NRCDC Go neighborhoods, Research Match, Friends of Riverside Park Houston, Hester House Houston, 50 Hoops legend, Collaborative, Baker Ripley, Care Connection, 5th Ward NRCDC, KEW Learning Center, Law Harrington Center, Santa Maria Hostel, Cuney Homes, Sisters Network , AWARE for All, Lupus foundation, Emancipation Park, Avenue 360 Health and Wellness, Legacy Community, Bee Busy Wellness Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, University of Texas Medical Center Galveston, Genentech, Janssen, GSK, Merck

Institute/Center Name: TSU Advance Health Equity Program

Name(s) of Director(s): Dr Veronica Ajewole (Director), Dr Ivy Poon (Associate Director)

Date Established: September 2022

Website: https://linktr.ee/cectxsouthernu

Office Phone: 713-313-1233

Institute/Center Description: The goal of Advance Health Equity Program is to advance health equity in Priority Tier 1 and 2 communities through COVID-19 related and health equity promotional activities conducted by Community Health Workers (CHWs). This aligns with the Center for Disease Control (CDC)’s mission to reduce COVID-19 related health disparities and promote health equity among racial/ethnic minority populations. It also aligns with Houston Health Department (HHD)’s goal to build community infrastructure in health promotion to minority communities through CHWs.

Internal interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Division of Research and Innovation, TSU Advance Health Equity Program, TSU Institute for Health Equity Advancement, Research and Training, TSU Aggressive Prostate Cancer Study, Community Engagement Core of Center for Biomedical and Minority Health Research, TSU Breast Cancer Screening and Prevention Center

External interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: San Jose Clinic

Institute/Center Name: Center of Excellence for Housing and Community Development Policy Research (CEHCDPR)

Name(s) of Director(s): Jeffrey S. Lowe, Ph.D., Director; Laura Solitare, Ph.D, Associate Director

Date Established: May 2022 Office Phone: 713-313-4826 / Fax Phone: 713-313-4896

Institute/Center Description: CEHCDPR advances research and debate on affordable housing and community development policy for racial equity benefiting low-income communities of color in the six major Texas cities: Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. Investigators assume research projects under the following two thematic and interconnected areas: 1) individual and community wealth building and housing security and stability; and 3) planning and infrastructure inequity affecting underserved communities.

TSU is the only HBCU with both an accredited professional urban planning program (in the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs) and an accredited (Thurgood Marshall) School of Law. A joint center of the two schools, CEHCDPR aims to expand the ability to conduct academic and empirical research in housing and community development at TSU. As a US Department of Housing and Urban Development Center of Excellence (one of two at an HBCU), CEHCDPR intends to become a destination point for supporting the innovative research projects of seasoned and emerging scholars within and outside of TSU that help foster collaboration and stimulate policy debate. In partnership with Alabama A&M University's Department of Community and Regional Planning (the only HBCU with an accredited undergraduate planning program), and the University of Texas at Austin’s Department of Community and Regional Planning Department and Law School, CEHCDPR investigators conduct research with assistance from graduate and undergraduate students and, thereby, extend the pipeline for conveying future housing and community development researchers and scholars of color.

Internal interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: Department of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy, Barbara JordanMickey Leland School of Public Affairs; Department of Journalism, School of Communication; and Thurgood Marshall School of Law

TSU Research Centers & Institutes

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External interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: Department of Community and Regional Planning, Alabama A&M University; Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Department of Community and Regional Planning and Law School, University of Texas at Austin; and School of Science and Engineering, University of Missouri-Kansas City

CPRIT GCC Center for Comprehensive PK/PD & Formulation (CCPF)

Director: Dr. Dong Liang, Principal Investigator

Date Established: 09/2018

Website: https://www.gcc-ccpf.com

Office Phone: 713-313-1986

Institute/Center Description: Preclinical drug development usually takes several years from the identification of a new chemical entity (NCE) to advance to clinical testing. Most of these pharmacokinetics (PK)/pharmacodynamics (PD) and formulation evaluations are required for Investigational New Drug (IND) applications. Two aspects are generally involved for an NCE at this stage: 1) in vitro PK characterizations (physiochemical properties, metabolism, stability, and cellular and gastrointestinal permeability); and 2) in vivo PK and PD evaluations in animal models. In addition, most NCEs are either unstable or unsuitable for conventional routes of drug administration. Thus, developing an optimal dosage formulation is critical for further NCE candidate development.

Gulf Coast Consortia (GCC) Center for Comprehensive PK/PD & Formulation (CCPF), funded by Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) in 2018 with $5.1M., is a state-of-the-art drug development core facility with experienced faculty from Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Science (TSU COPHS), University of Houston College of Pharmacy (UHCOP), and the GCC for Quantitative Biomedical Science. Our primary focus is on preclinical drug development to facilitate rapid advancement of novel cancer drug candidates to clinical trials. We are proud to provide critically needed PK/PD and formulation services to streamline drug development of potential anti-cancer drug candidates identified in existing drug discovery cores, individual labs, and small companies throughout Texas.

Internal/External interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022:

1. Dr. Cara Gonzales, UT San Antonio, “Pharmacokinetic studies of a novel anticancer agent CIDD150228

2. Dr. Shiaw-Yin Lin, MD Anderson Cancer Center, “Pharmacokinetics and metabolic evaluations of a novel anticancer agent R14”

3. Dr. Ming Hu, UH, “PK/PD evaluations of a novel anticancer agent”

4. Dr. Marc Cox, UT El Paso, “Novel formulation and structural development of agents for the treatment of prostate cancer”

5. Dr. Jangsoon Lee, MD Anderson Cancer Center, “LC-MS/MS quantification of three anticancer agents in plasma samples”

Center for Transportation Training and Research (CTTR)

Director: Dr. Gwendolyn Goodwin

Date Established: 1983

Office Phone: 713-313-1925 / Fax: 713-313-4821

Institute/Center Description: The Center for Transportation Training and Research (CTTR) is a research arm of Texas Southern University and a companion to the Masters of Science program in Transportation Planning and Management. CTTR began in 1983 under the leadership of Dr. Naomi Lede, with a grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Currently, CTTR staff has amassed more than 150 years of direct transportation experience. The center's focus was on public transit, however, over the last 30 years the research has expanded to include highways, land use, evacuation planning, automated and connected vehicle technologies and other transportation components. Still, public transportation research remains strong and relevant to industry needs. Also, with the University's role as a special institution of higher education for urban programming in mind, CTTR's research continues to expand. In keeping with key aspects of smart growth, public engagement and inclusion of low income and minority persons in the mainstream of transportation planning and decision making will be an integral part of that growth.

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Internal interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: CTTR is collaborating with the School of Pharmacy on several grants and proposals.

External interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: CTTR is current collaborating with Harris County, Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC), North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOGs), Houston METRO, and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA’s) University Transportation Center (UTC) program.

Institute/Center Name: Institute of Drug Discovery and Development (iD3)

Name(s) of Director(s): Dr. Huan Xie: Founding Director, Dr. Dong Liang; Dr. Omonike Olaleye: Co-Directors

Date Established: 10/24/2022-10/24/2027

Office Phone: 713-313-4340

Institute/Center Description: Texas Southern University (TSU) has been selected to participate in the Chemical Biology Consortium (CBC), the discovery engine of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Experimental Therapeutics (NExT) Program, administered through the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR), a federal national laboratory sponsored by the NCI, part of the National Institutes of Health, and currently operated by Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc.

For the next 5 years (2022-2027), TSU will participate in the CBC, which conducts oncology drug discovery in the NExT Program. Dr. Huan Xie, Principal Investigator, a Professor of Pharmaceutics and Director of the Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, leads a team of TSU faculty for this highly competitive, comprehensive, and nationally renowned research engagement. A one-of-a-kind Institute of Drug Discovery and Development (iD3) is built to provide unique, highly translational, and specialized research services to accelerate novel drug discovery and development. The vision of iD3 is to grow to be an independent self-sufficient research entity leading TSU from an R2 Research University to an R1 Research University further increasing cutting-edge research and opportunities at TSU.

The mission of the NExT Program is to advance clinical practice and bring improved therapies to patients with cancer by supporting the most promising new drug discovery and development projects. The CBC within NExT is a highly collaborative drug discovery consortium funded by the NCI that is designed to integrate all aspects of early-stage drug discovery from target validation through candidate selection, leading to the discovery of new molecular entities suitable for entry into clinical development. The participating centers will provide project teams with the technical expertise and the scientific personnel that are needed to navigate scientific roadblocks and advance projects through the NExT pipeline. Centers on multidisciplinary CBC drug discovery teams will enable the translation of basic research findings for the benefit of cancer patients.

Among the 18 selected institutions, 7 are universities, which include Texas Southern University. TSU is the only consortium representative from Texas and the only Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the nation selected for this award.

The TSU iD3 will be built upon two currently funded large centers: the GCC Center for Comprehensive PK/PD and Formulation (CCPF), supported by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), and the Center for Biomedical and Minority Health Research (CBMHR), supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), MPI: Drs. Omonike Olaleye and Huan Xie). The iD3 team includes Dr. Huan Xie, as Founding Director, Drs. Dong Liang and Omonike Olaleye, as Co-Founding Directors, Drs. Song Gao, Yun Zhang, Kehinde Idowu, Anuoluwapo Egebejimi, Alamenu Sundaresan and Daniel Vrinceanu, as faculty experts. The iD3 team will work closely with Intellectual Concepts, LLC (IC) to perform program and contract management.

Dr. Xie and Dr. Olaleye will also participate in CBC Steering Committee Meetings for the next 5 years. TSU will provide highly qualified staffing, technical expertise, and scientific leadership to advance projects that begin as highly ranked concepts and advance through the milestones established by the project teams. Scientific leaders from CBC Centers will participate on the CBC Steering Committee to assist NCI: 1) to evaluate the merits of project proposals and concepts, and 2) to develop the critical milestones, experiments, and resources required to formulate project plans. The CBC centers will respond to Requests for Proposals that define projects objectives resulting from Concept Reviews. In addition to conducting reviews and the development of project plans, the CBC Steering Committee Meetings will provide a forum for feedback and guidance to project teams, discussions of emerging drug discovery technologies, and feedback to NCI regarding operational inefficiencies.

TSU Research Centers & Institutes

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Institute/Center Name: RCMI Center for Biomedical and Minority Health Research (CBMHR)

Name(s) of Director(s): Omonike Arike Olaleye, Ph.D., MPH: PI for RCMI Center of Biomedical and Minority Health Reserach (CBMHR); Dr. Huan Xie: PI of RCMI Center for Biomedical and Minority Health Research (CBMHR)– NIH/ NIMHD; Dr. Dong Liang: Program Director

Date Established: 06/01/2020 to 05/31/2025

Office Phone: 713-313-1986

Website: http://www.tsu.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/research/cbmhr/index.html

Institute/Center Description: Texas Southern University (TSU), one of the nation’s largest HBCU, on September 25, 2020 received a 5-year $8.63 million grant award from the National Institute of Health’s National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, to establish a Center for Biomedical and Minority Health Research (CBMHR). TSU has a long history dating back to the 1986 when the University was awarded its first NIH-supported Research Centers for Minority Institutions (RCMI) grant and this is the 27th year that TSU received RCMI’s generous support. Under the new U54 mechanism and with the purpose of supporting basic biomedical research for diseases that disproportionately impact underrepresented minority (URM) populations (e.g. cancer, infectious diseases), CBMHR will focus on enhancing research infrastructure and fostering scientific advances for early stage investigators. The unique and collective strengths of CBMHR cores, innovative research projects, excellent resources and structured career enhancement program will make it a novel synergistic and first-of-its-kind resource (at TSU and in the Texas Medical Center (TMC)) that will provide comprehensive, integrated and centralized infrastructure and high quality capabilities for advanced biomedical research innovation. With over 709 ethnically diverse faculty members, TSU has gained tremendous momentum under new leadership, and recruited and retained a large talented and diverse pool of faculty, including URMs focused on addressing health disparity concerns within its geographical location. Through this award, TSU will continue to play a key role in using a multi-prong approach in addressing diseases that disproportionately impact racial/ethnic minorities and other health disparity populations..”

Internal interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: The CBMHR has successfully facilitated collaboration with a diverse group of internal investigators at TSU in Year 3. We served 16 internal users, including 5 pilot awardees, and developed strong relationships with 13 of these users who utilized our center regularly. The users, representing a range of disciplines, are from the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (COPHS) and the College of Science, Engineering and Technology (COSET). This interdisciplinary approach reflects the center's commitment to fostering collaboration within the institution and leveraging diverse perspectives to advance research. In addition to serving a diverse group of users, the center has also prioritized collaboration with underrepresented minority (URM) users as five of these internal users belonged to URM user groups.

To facilitate successful collaboration, the center developed 7 standard operating procedures (SOPs) tailored to the needs of our internal users. Additionally, we also provided 11 trainings to our users in Year 3. These trainings covered a range of topics, including laboratory techniques, data analysis, and animal skills. By providing users with access to training and development opportunities, we have not only facilitated collaboration but also supported the professional growth of our users.

Overall, the CBMHR has done a good job in fostering internal collaboration in Year 3. By serving a diverse group of users, prioritizing collaboration with URM users, developing SOPs tailored to users' needs, and providing training opportunities, we have created a collaborative and supportive environment for researchers within the institution.

External interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: In Year 3, the CBMHR successfully collaborated with 27 external users from 15 different institutions, including 2 from the industry. The institutions were located both within and beyond Texas, reflecting the center's commitment to collaboration with a diverse range of partners. The center has demonstrated its willingness to work with interdisciplinary users from academia and industry, and has done a good job in facilitating collaboration in Year 3.

Through these collaborations, we have submitted 23 grant proposals to different agencies, including the NIH, NSF, and NASA. These proposals had a combined budget request of over $72 million for Texas Southern University (TSU). This impressive portfolio of grant proposals reflects the strength of the collaborations facilitated by the center and the commitment of these collaborations to advancing biomedical research in TSU.

In Y3, we received 10 external grants with a total of $2.7 million. These grants were awarded in recognition of the high-quality research being conducted in collaboration with these external users. These awarded grants have enabled us to further strengthen our research goals and make important contributions to the field. Furthermore, we published 15 peer-reviewed papers in collaboration with external investigators in Year 3. These publications showcase the impact of our collaborations and highlight the quality of the research being conducted.

TSU Research Centers & Institutes

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Overall, the CBMHR has demonstrated our ability to successfully collaborate with a diverse range of external users in Year 3. By submitting grant proposals, receiving external funding, and publishing high-quality research papers, the CBMHR has shown that it is committed to advancing biomedical research at TSU and making significant contributions to the field. Looking ahead to future years, the center is well-positioned to continue this work and achieve even greater success in collaboration with our external collaborators.

Earl Carl Institute for Legal & Social Policy, Inc.

Director: Dr. Sarah R. Guidry

Date Established: 1992 Office Phone: 713-313-1139 / Fax: 713-313-1153

Website: http://www.tsulaw.edu/centers/ECI/index.html

Institute/Center Description: The Earl Carl Institute for Legal and Social Policy at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law was established in 1992, as an independent 501(c)(3) organization, to serve as a research and writing think tank to assist Thurgood Marshall School of Law students with their research and writing skills. The Institute was named in honor of Professor Earl Carl, a founding faculty member of the law school.

The Institute seeks to empower underserved and disenfranchised populations by addressing systemic social issues through legal representation, research, education, and advocacy.

The vision of the Institute is to serve as one of the nation’s preeminent think tanks for research and advocacy on legal and social issues affecting underserved communities. We will serve as a leading voice in promoting social justice and be recognized for excellence in our programs and the quality of our community engagement.

Current Legal Services Programs:

) The Opal Mitchell Lee Property Preservation Project – maintaining housing stability and growing generational wealth

) Thurgood Marshall School of Law Innocence Project – exonerating the wrongfully convicted

) ECI Juvenile Justice Project – juvenile criminal defense and representation in school disciplinary actions

) ECI Clean Slate Cooperative - creating a pathway to a better life by clearing criminal records

Policy related Initiatives & Research projects:

) Safe & Supportive Schools Collaboration– reducing disproportionate discipline and criminalization of Black students

) Black Girls Initiative– examining, through a race-gender equity lens, a slate of issues that disproportionately impact Black girls, including overrepresentation in adjudication for juvenile status offenses, exclusionary discipline actions, human trafficking, foster care involvement, education attainment disparities and homelessness

) Race, Gender, and Social Justice Transformation– providing resources and education to support change

) Modal Law Project for non-justice involvement solutions for schools to address drug use or possession sentence cases in K-12.

) ECI Journal – The Bridge: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Legal & Social Policy

) Student Research & Writing Projects which currently includes articles on Mandatory Implicit Bias Training for Law Enforcement, Qualified Immunity and police misconduct, School-to Prison Pipeline, and topics related to the Black Girls Initiative

Internal interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: TSU Center for Justice Research and Thurgood Marshall School of Law Student Bar Association.

External interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022: The Institute has collaborated with the PVAMU Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention Center, Texas Criminal defense Lawyers Association, the NAACP Houston Branch, Lone Star Legal Aid, South Texas College of Law, University of Houston Law Center, Houston Volunteer Lawyers, City of Houston Department of Neighborhoods,

TSU Research Centers & Institutes

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ONE Houston, Texas Appleseed, Disability Rights Texas, Children’s Defense Fund Texas, Texas Civil Rights Project, Center for Civic & Public Policy Improvement, Harris County Juvenile Probation Department, Houston Housing Authority, Texas Women's Foundation and the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association.

Biomolecular Research and Advanced Computing Centre (BioRACC)

Director: Dr. Kehinde Ademola Idowu

Date Established: 2022

Office Phone: 713-313-5643

Institute/Center Description: Biomolecular Research and Advanced Computing Centre (BioRACC) is a computational science laboratory center that employs high-performance computing, applied mathematics, and domain sciences work together to develop, adapt, and optimize advanced scalable algorithms to solve problems in the field of biological research. At the Centre, we employ combinatory computational tools and experimental techniques in the evaluation of the molecular interactions between biological targets (microorganism or human’s macromolecules) and drugs/small molecules. For example, computational evaluation of the molecular interactions between SARS-CoV-2 proteins and human pro-viral proteins (such as receptors) and the effects of mutations on these interactions. In addition, the Centre conducts basic multidisciplinary fundamental research in artificial intelligence (AI) driven computer-aided drug discovery and development. The Centre provides molecular dynamics simulations packages, such as AMBER, GROMACS and VMD that include molecular visualization facilities for drug discovery.

Center for Justice Research

Director: Dr. Howard Henderson

Date Established: 01/2018

Website: www.tsu.edu/justiceresearch

Office Phone: 713-313-6843

Institute/Center Description: The Center for Justice Research at Texas Southern University is a premier interdisciplinary research think tank dedicated to addressing pressing issues within the criminal justice system through innovative research and collaboration. In our ongoing mission to create evidence-based solutions and policy reform, we are excited to present our latest initiatives during University Research Week. These initiatives include trauma-informed gun violence research, prosecutor decision-making, researcher development, and crime-based need assessments in Houston and Chicago:

Trauma-informed gun violence research: Recognizing the profound impact of trauma on individuals and communities affected by gun violence, CJR conducts research that incorporates a trauma-informed lens. This approach helps identify the root causes of gun violence, understand its consequences, and develop effective prevention strategies that address the needs of survivors and affected communities.

Prosecutor decision-making: Prosecutorial discretion plays a critical role in determining case outcomes and contributes to disparities within the criminal justice system. CJR investigates the factors that influence prosecutor decision-making, exploring ways to enhance transparency, fairness, and consistency in prosecutorial practices. Our research informs policy recommendations aimed at reducing biases and promoting equitable outcomes in the justice system.

Researcher development: At CJR, we are dedicated to fostering the growth of the next generation of criminal justice researchers. Our researcher development program provides students and early-career professionals with opportunities for mentorship, training, and hands-on research experience. This initiative helps cultivate a diverse group of researchers who are equipped to address the complex challenges facing the criminal justice system today and in the future.

Chicago Needs Assessment: In collaboration with local stakeholders, CJR conducts a comprehensive needs assessment to identify the most pressing issues related to criminal justice, public safety, and community well-being in Chicago. This initiative aims to better understand the underlying factors contributing to crime and violence and develop targeted interventions to address the specific needs of Chicago residents.

Criminal Justice Research Hub: The Criminal Justice Research Hub is a collaborative platform designed to connect researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and community organizations working to address critical issues in the criminal

TSU Research Centers & Institutes

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justice system. As part of its mission, the Research Hub focuses on conducting a comprehensive violent crime needs assessment in Houston, aiming to identify the most pressing issues related to criminal justice, public safety, and community well-being in the city.

Join us for University Research Week as we present our innovative projects, engage in stimulating discussions, and collaborate towards a more just and effective criminal justice system. Together, we can make a significant impact on the lives of individuals and communities affected by the justice system. Be sure to look for these exciting initiatives on our website by signing up for our newsletter at www.tsu.edu/justiceresearch.

Internal interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022:

• Researcher Development Institute with Jasmine Drake, PhD

• An Examination of First Amendment Rights Infringements through the Utilization of Hip Hop Lyrics in RICO Act Prosecutions: A Collaborative Analysis with Morgan Kirby, PhD from the School of Communication

External interdisciplinary collaboration for FY 2022:

• Cost-benefit Analysis of Prosecutor Diversion Study with Claremont Graduate School, Justice System Partners, and Mental Health Colorado

• Gun Possession Project with Jackson State University, Coppin State University and Delaware State University

• Trauma Informed Approach to understanding Firearm Decision making among Black Adolescents Research with Texas A&M and the University of Missouri

• Chicago Neighborhood Needs Assessment Project with the Black Public Defender Association

• Criminal Justice Research Hub

"As far as 'Jane Pittman', I don't know that I could verbalize, to this day, what I felt once I got into that role. I did a tremendous amount of research. I need to feel as though I am in the person's skin."

-Cicely Tyson

Meet the Speaker

Dr. Victor R. McCrary

"HBCUs: America's National Security Asset"

Dr. Victor R. McCrary is the Vice President for Research and Graduate Programs at the University of the District of Columbia. Prior to this position, he was Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and before that the first Vice President for Research and Economic Development at Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD. He is a change agent and serial innovator responsible for developing a comprehensive research strategy, fostering cross-disciplinary research, expanding research programs via engagement with federal and state agencies ($32M in FY16), increasing the University's intellectual property portfolio, and positioning Morgan State as Maryland's Public, Urban Research University. Previously, he was the Business Area Executive for Science & Technology at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), where he directed investments totaling over $60M for basic and applied research projects targeted for national security and space applications. In 2005, Dr. McCrary was selected to the rank of Principal Professional Staff at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. He is a former national president of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE), and a Fellow of the American Chemical Society.

McCrary has serves on numerous committees including; the Intelligence Science and Technology Experts Group of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine; the advisory board for electrical and computer engineering at The Citadel, and the advisory board of the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State. He served on the subcommittee for the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) the board of the Maryland Innovation Initiative of the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO); and the PubMed Central National Advisory Committee for the National Institutes of Health.

He has authored or co-authored over 60 technical papers and co-edited two books in his career at AT&T Bell Laboratories and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). He is blessed to have received a number of honors and awards during his career including: Most Promising Black Engineer in 1990; co-recipient of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Gold Medal in 2000; the 2002 NOBCChE Percy Julian Award; in 2005, he was featured in Science Spectrum Magazine as one of the Top 50 Minorities in Science, and elected to the 2007 DVD Association's Hall of Fame. In 2011, he was honored as Scientist of the Year by the Annual Black Engineer of the Year Award-STEM Conference. In 2015 he received the Alumni Award for Research Excellence from The Catholic University of America, and Distinguished Alumni Award by Howard University in 2017.

McCrary was appointed by President Barack Obama to the National Science Board, which oversees the National Science Foundation, in October 2016 and reappointed by President Joe Biden in 2022.

Meet the Speaker

Dr. Frances Williams

“Establishing Your Research Publication and Funding Plans”

Dr. Frances Williams is the CEO of S.T.A.R. (Scientific, Technical, and Academic Research) Technologies, LLC, a technical consulting and research firm that provides services to educational, federal, state, and local organizations. Dr. Williams previously served as the Chief Research Officer (CRO)/Associate Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Research in the College of Engineering, and a Full Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Tennessee State University (TSU). As the CRO, she was responsible for leading the research enterprise at TSU, including oversight of research grants, contracts, and technology transfer. She also led initiatives to promote scholarly development of faculty, staff, and student researchers, enhance visibility of TSU research, and establish strategic partnerships. Further, she served as the university’s Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) for external grants and contracts and oversaw the management of two state-funded Centers of Excellence.

Dr. Williams’ professional development and coaching of faculty includes the areas of grant writing and proposal development, research agenda development and scholarly innovations and commercialization/technology transfer. Dr. Williams also mentors and advises students on strategies for pursuing and funding an advanced degree, success in graduate school, technical writing of publications and theses/dissertations, and preparing for the research/academic job search, etc.

Her technical research is in the areas of advanced materials and devices, microfabrication techniques, and nano- and micro-electromechanical systems (NEMS/MEMS) processing and devices. She has published her work on the design and development of micro- and nano-sensors for various applications, including bio-sensing applications. She was awarded a patent for developing a micromachined sensor for monitoring electrochemical deposition. At her previous institution, Norfolk State University (NSU), Dr. Williams was the founding director for a 6,000 square foot state-of-theart cleanroom research facility as well as an 800 square feet educational cleanroom facility.

For her contributions in teaching, scholarship, and service, Dr. Williams has received various awards including the STEM Innovator Award at the 32nd BEYA STEM Global Competitiveness Conference in 2018 and the 2013 State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) Outstanding Faculty Award. Further, in 2010, Dr. Williams was awarded NSU’s top distinguished faculty award, the University Award of Excellence. She was also recognized on the list of "1,000 Inspiring Black Scientists in America" by Cell Mentor (web resource that provides support and resources for emerging scientists) in 2020 and as an “Emerging Scholar” by the Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine in 2012.

Dr. Williams received the B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical (NC A&T) State University, Greensboro, NC and the Ph.D. degree in electrical and computer engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA.

Meet the Speaker

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

Dr. BabafemiAdesanya

“Contract Acquisitions and SBIT/STTR”

Dr. Adesanya has over 38 years of experience in environmental monitoring and assessment, pollution prevention, and environmental education. Dr. Adesanya’s experience includes planning, conducting as a principal investigator, and supervising technical and managerial aspects of contracts with EPA, DOE, and NASA on a day-to-day basis. His management experience includes varied projects that cover both research and design projects. He has managed large study projects from concept through to implementation. Such integration offers the creation of a partnership that can create a vision and provide for consensus building. He has developed and implemented a Quality Control/Quality Assurance Program to meet companywide research needs. Dr. Adesanya has knowledge of Transit dynamics, particularly in Metro Atlanta, having participated in most major Transit initiatives studied or built in the past ten years. In the past five years, he has provided outstanding leadership in operations and services growth in the Transit and Roadway arena. These projects have covered various aspects of project delivery, including Design and Build.

In his current position, he provides leadership and day-to-day operation for Intellectual Concepts, driving the strategic direction of Intellectual Concepts’ Mobility and Engineering Services. In this capacity, he leads various areas such as Construction Management, Intelligent Transit Technology, Transit activities such as transit mobility, and environmental impact and health services.

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS

Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, Clemson University

M.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Nebraska

B.Sc. Chemical Engineering, University of Nebraska

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

American Public Transportation Association

American Consulting Engineers Council

American Society of Civil Engineers

ITS Society of Georgia

American Institute of Chemical Engineers

BOARD AND ADVISORY COUNCIL ASSIGNMENTS

Board Member, CDC’s Board of Scientific Counsellors for NIEH/ATSDR

Federal Advisory Committee on Stormwater Phase II Regulation, US EPA

Meet the Speaker

Director

Shannon Buggs

Shannon Buggs is the founding Director of the Mayor’s Office of Complete Communities (MOCC). In this role, Shannon leads the MOCC team in developing strong collaborative relationships with neighborhood residents, City of Houston departments, other government agencies and officials, private donors, and non-profit organizations to fulfill the Complete Communities Action Plans. Mayor Sylvester Turner launched the Complete Communities initiative to demonstrate how public, private, and non-profit partners can revive neighborhoods with the guidance of their residents. The Complete Communities division ensures that projects identified through a public engagement process are implemented, funded, and managed efficiently.

Prior to joining Mayor Turner’s Executive Leadership team, Shannon worked as director of community and public relations at The Woman's Hospital of Texas, director of communication for the University of Houston’s College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, and business columnist and reporter for the Houston Chronicle. She also served as the founding executive director of Culture Source, Inc. (formerly CultureWorks Greater Houston), a fiscal sponsorship and management consulting nonprofit. A Houston native, Buggs is a longtime supporter of the city’s nonprofit sector and has held volunteer leadership positions with the Harvey Arts Recovery Fund, Houston Arts Alliance, Writers in the Schools and other arts and public service organizations. She is a senior fellow of the American Leadership Forum and an alumna and former trustee of Episcopal High School in Bellaire. Shannon earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and American Literature from Harvard University, a Master of Science degree in journalism from Northwestern University, and a certificate in financial planning from the University of Houston.

"Do you know what we call opinion in the absence of evidence? We call it prejudice."

-Michael Crichton

Meet the Speaker

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

Rochell Overstreet

CEO, The Thesis Project LLC

“

How to Become More Competitive as a MSI”

Rochell Overstreet is an energetic and creative visionary with a demonstrated expertise in developing and implementing innovative business solutions that deliver mitigation strategies and efficiencies across business operations. Experienced in leading diverse, cross-functional matrixed teams to drive innovation and generate streamlined processes to align goals for continuous results.

Rochell is a highly analytical change agent with strong business acumen and over 19 years of diverse procurement experience which provides her with an abundance of transferable knowledge and experiences that will help shape the future of any organization.

As an alumnus of Texas Southern University, Rochell’s passion met purpose when she created “The Thesis Project”, a business management consultant company designed to elevate minority serving institutions and other educational institutions by enhancing business operations, acquisition organizational structure, student recruitment and retainment. Rochell currently serves as the Enterprise Pricing Director of the Enterprise Pricing Office, for the Office of Procurement (OP) at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters. In this role, she provides senior leadership across OP as it relates to complex cost/price negotiations, policy and processes and is responsible for evolving the cost/price function by creating a sustainable architecture that promotes an environment of pricing innovation that offers pragmatic pricing solutions that will offer timely and realistic negotiations to ensure the best possible fair and reasonable prices are achieved across NASA’s Enterprise.

Rochelle brings to this leadership role, great enthusiasm, innovative ideas, and over 19 years of government contracting, advising, audit, cost/price analysis, training, and financial management experience which spans the complete contract lifecycle, from pre-award proposal advisement through post award and closeout. Previous to this role, she served as a Senior Procurement Analyst, in which she served as NASA’s Lead Administrative Contracting Officer, Audit Services, and Contract Closeout Program Manager in which she provided strategic leadership and guidance that contributed to the successful development and execution of pioneering business solutions in the areas of Audit Services, Advanced Contract Administration, Contract Closeout, and Pricing across the OP Enterprise. She also served as the Policy/Process Action Officer, Agency Liaison, and Subject Matter Expert (SME) as it relates to external engagement and budget management partnering with agencies such as Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA), and Department of Interior (DOI). Earlier in her career, she served as a Pricing Team Lead at Johnson Space Center (JSC) responsible for providing effective pricing support to all Source Evaluation Boards greater than $25M.

Ms. Overstreet began her Federal Service Career in 2004, as a keystone intern at DCMA. There she served as an Administrative Contracting Officer in which she successfully managed over $350 Billion in contingency DOD services and supply contracts in support of the Iraq War.

Rochelle was recently featured in the September 22’ Edition of ProPricer Magazine as Pricer of the Year. She has received recognition for her superior and outstanding performance as a Senior Procurement Analyst providing valuable contribution and quality closeout and pricing guidance in support the Procurement Management and Policy Division’s mission. She received the following wards/recognition: 2021 NASA Headquarters Honor Award Recipient; 2020 Professional Recognition by NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine for Contract Closeout Initiatives and Successful Outcomes; 20142020 Distinguished Performance, 2016 Outstanding Performance Recognition Award in 2016, and 2015 JSC Center Commendation Award for Mentoring.

She was recently selected to serve as a Board Member for the National Contract Management Association. Rochelle has taken leadership training courses to include the Federal Executive Institute - Leadership for a Democratic Society course. She has a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A), Texas Woman's University, Houston, TX Bachelor of Science – Mathematics, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX in which she was a Ronald E. McNair Scholar and a Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation LSAMP Recipient.

Meet the Speaker

Dr. Teriya Richmond

Chief Medical Officer of the AIDS Foundation Houston;

Primary Care Physician at Your Total Health Clinic and Day Spa

Dr. Teriya Richmond was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She graduated summa cum laude form Mount Saint College in Clinton, Iowa and received her Masters of Public Health and Doctorate of Medicine form University of Illinois School of Public Health and College of Medicine.

Dr. Richmond has experience providing patient care to uninsured/underinsured patients at Acres Home Health Center, MLK Health Center, Ben Taub, and LBJ. She prides herself on providing excellent evidence -based medicine for communities of color.

Nicknamed “Your Total Health Doctor”, Dr. Richmond serves as the Chief Medical Officer of the AIDS Foundation Houston as well as Primary Care Physician at Your Total Health Clinic and Day Spa.

"A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions."

-Oliver Wendell Holmes

Meet the Speaker

Dr. Rodney J. Hunter

Clinical Associate Professor at TSU College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Dr. Rodney J. Hunter is a Clinical Associate Professor at Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Houston, Texas USA. He is a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Breast Medical Oncology at the University of Texas Health Memorial Hermann Cancer Center. He has served as the Program director of the TSU Breast Cancer Screening and Prevention Center funded by Susan G. Komen. He actively works with the Center for Biomedical and Minority Health Research at TSU on research projects and community outreach initiatives. He is also a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Oncology at the University of Texas Health McGovern Medical School in Houston, TX. Dr. Hunter obtained his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in 2007. He went on to complete an Oncology Fellowship at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

"Imagination is the highest form of research."

-Albert Einstein

Meet the Speaker

Dr. Samuel Willis

Co-Medical Director of Harris Health System's Martin Luther King Jr. Health Center; Assistant Professor of Baylor College of Medicine

Dr. Samuel Willis is the Co-Medical Director of Harris Health System's Martin Luther King Jr. Health Center and an Assistant Professor of Baylor College of Medicine. He is a family physician trained to care for children, adults and pregnant women. Currently, he sees adult patients with chronic medical problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease.

Dr. Willis considers himself a servant, delivering quality care and wanting his patients to be as healthy as possible. He likes to understand his patients' needs, partnering with them to create a treatment plan and helping them make better decisions.

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

-Gandhi

Meet the Speaker

Robin Green

State of Texas certified Community Health Worker

Robin Green is a State of Texas certified Community Health Worker with more than 20 years’ experience as a Health Educator specializing in the field of HIV. She holds a master’s degree in Health Education, is a Texas Southern University alumna, and is currently employed as a Health Promotion Specialist for the TSU SHAPE Initiative (TSI) located at Texas Southern University. She has previously worked for a variety of social service agencies to include the NAACP Houston Branch, Bread of Life, the City of Houston, and Escape Family Resource Center. In her current role with TSI, Robin is responsible for administering sexual health, substance use, and mental health assessments with youth, college students, and community members. She is trained in evidence-based practices, crisis management, conducts campus and community outreach, establishes community-based partnerships, and facilitates physical and mental health service linkage and navigation. Robin’s passion is educating, empowering, and enhancing health awareness among all those she serves. She is the proud owner of Wanda Auzenne Wellness Center, a non-profit life enrichment, after school programming, and fine arts organization, serving all Greater Houston youth. Robin is also a minister at End Times Harvesting Church, a wife, mother of four, with ten grandchildren and one great granddaughter, these are her greatest accomplishments.

Intelligence is the effort to the do the best you can at your particular job; the quality that gives dignity to that job, whether it happens to be scrubbing a floor or running a corporation. "

-James C. Penney

Meet the Speaker

Zuri Dale

Director of the TSU COVID Prevention Center;

Executive Director of the Center for Transformative Health

Zuri Dale is an infectious disease epidemiologist and public health scientist, at Texas Southern University whose current scientific work places special emphasis in the epidemiology of infectious diseases. Zuri has worked at the federal, state, academic and private level with research work that spans SARS COV-2, volatile organic compounds, E. coli, and trace minerals in ecosystems at numerous institutions including but not limited to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Centers and for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Zuri received her bachelor’s degree in biology from the TSU College of Science and Technology, two graduate degrees from Texas A&M, and a Biostatistics of Public Health specialization from Johns Hopkins University. She is currently in pursuit of her Doctoral degree from Mercer University. Zuri served as a STEP and Thomas F. Freeman Honors Scholar at TSU, and an LSAMP fellow Texas A&M. Zuri is a member of the American Public Health Association, designated a Moderna Global Medical Expert, serves on the Moderna Advisory Board for COVID-19, and has held teaching assignments at both TSU and Princeton University. Zuri serves as the Director of the TSU COVID Prevention Center and was more recently appointed to Executive Director of the Center for Transformative Health.

"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education. "

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

Meet the Speaker

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

Kedarious Colbert

Director of Real Estate - Land Use and Planning for Providence Health Services

Kedarious Colbert is the Director of Real Estate - Land Use and Planning for Providence Health Services. As a leading land use strategist, Kedarious is responsible for entitlement and development strategies for 51 hospitals throughout the west coast. A 2011 graduate of the Barbara Jordan - Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs, Kedarious received a Bachelor of Science in public affairs and Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Texas Southern University where he served as student body president and a Ronald McNair research scholar. He subsequently completed a dual master’s in city planning and sociology and social anthropology from Cornell University and Central European University in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Outside of work, Kedarious is a lecturer in the Urban Planning and Public Policy department at the University of California - Irvine, active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and CrossFitter.

"What is research but a blind date with knowledge?"

-Will Harvey

Meet the Speaker

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

Jacqueline Goodwater

Academic Student Support Manager

Jacqueline Goodwater has a positive track record of providing strategic vision, direction, and analysis to drive value and objective attainment. Jacqueline joined the College of Pharmacy & Health Science (COPHS) Office of Faculty & Student Academic Support (TEAM Center) in the Spring of 2022 as an Academic Student Support Manager, responsible for developing and overseeing tutoring and student academic support programming for the college. Before joining The College of Pharmacy & Health Science Department, Jacqueline directed & led academic programming at Texas Southern University to serve 7k-10k students each semester to support a diverse learning environment. Under her leadership, Jacqueline designed impactful programs that produced an internal productivity rate increase of 30% and increased program utilization by 60% during the 2018 -2019 academic year. Jacqueline Goodwater led the initiation of new technologies into work territories to enhance partnerships and educational programs at numerous center locations on the campus of Texas Southern University. She was recognized by FOX 26 for designing and implementing a 100% virtual tutor program amid the pandemic in the Spring of 2020. Jacqueline has over ten years of experience working in the non-profit sector and was presented the “Unsung Hero” award by the City of Houston. She is an experienced operational producer and leader in business with extensive experience leading projects to generate revenue growth for multi-million-dollar organizations within the private and non-profit sectors. Jacqueline is active in her community and is a proud member of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Jacqueline Goodwater is an HBCU graduate of Central State University, located in Wilberforce, Ohio. Jacqueline holds a bachelor’s degree in recreation health and business administration and later earned her master’s degree in Human Resources Management. She consults and speaks on mental health disparities in Black and African American communities, strategic planning, and change management.

Meet the Speaker

Dr. Nancy L. Griesinger

Mathematics and Statistics Professor

Dr. Nancy L. Griesinger, is a mathematics and statistics professor. Nancy holds a B.S. in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of South Carolina. Griesinger made history in 2002 when she became the first black woman to earn a Ph.D. in Statistics from Rice University with a Dissertation on the Robust Empirical Likelihood A Statistical Method of Estimating a Quantitative Value. As a passionate statistician, educator, researcher, and mentor, Dr. Griesinger has dedicated her career to educating students in science-related [S.T.E.M.] fields for over 20 years.

As the first African American to receive a Ph. D. in Statistics from Rice University, Dr. Griesinger was honored to be inducted into the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History in Washington, D. C, featured in the HistoryMakers Archive, on the Texas Southern University website, Authority Magazine, Mathematically Gifted and Black, and SheVentures. Dr. Griesinger is also a keynote speaker who discusses breaking glass ceilings and S.T.E.M with youth and women. Griesinger opened Mobile Math, LLC (www.MobileMathLab.com), a full-service tutoring and consulting firm focusing on mathematics, statistics, S.T.E.M. degree consulting, and refresher math courses. The company also offers thesis and dissertation consulting for students who want one-on-one help completing their papers. The instructors have years of experience in mathematics and have completed their Bachelor, Master, or Ph. D. in the subject area they teach. Dr. Griesinger's mission is clear, "We are dedicated to our clients and ensure they understand everything before moving forward with their studies to reach their desired career path." Dr. Nancy L. Griesinger, Ph.D., published the first edition of the only African-American woman-led University-level mathematics book for statistics, Elementary Statistics: A Guide to Data Analysis Using R, now available to Universities worldwide. Please see the reference information below:

Electronic Press Kit link

https://sabrinachildress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Dr-Nancy-L-Griesinger-PhD-EPK-2023-2.pdf

Image links:

Nancy L. Griesinger, Ph.D. & RICE University Degree

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Nancy L. Griesinger, Ph.D. in Cap & Gown

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Nancy L. Griesinger, Ph.D. with the Elementary Statistics Textbook

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Monday, March 27, 2023

Continental Breakfast and Registration

Opening Plenary Session

Speaker: Dr. Victor McCrary

Division of Research & Innovation (DRI) & Research Center for Minority Institutions (RCMI) Minority Health & Health Disparity Symposium/Luncheon

Oral Presentations (Faculty, Staff, Students)

Sterling Student Life Center (SSLC) Tiger Room 3rd Fl.

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

10:00 AM - 12:45 PM

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

DRI Researchers' Recognition and Networking Reception University Museum 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

TSU Leadership, Education, and Advancement in Undergraduate Research Pathways (TSU-LEAP) Symposium

LEAP Luncheon

Poster Presentations

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Community Education, Research Engagement and Outreach Expo

Thursday, March 30, 2023

SSLC President’s Lounge 4th Fl.

10:00 AM - 12:00 Noon

12:00 Noon - 1:00 PM

SSLC Tiger Room 3rd Fl. 1:00 - 4:30 PM

TSU Yard & TigerWalk (Inclement Weather Venue TBD)

AM - 11:30 AM

11:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Faculty Staff and Student Workshop Series - A series of research-specific workshops scheduled to meet the career development needs of researchers across disciplines. Sessions are being held via Zoom and you may select the workshops that best meets your professional goals. 8:00 AM - 11:50 AM

Non-Statistician Researcher's Guide to Using R with the Correct Statistical Procedures

Dissecting a Research Article

How to Become More Competitive as a MSI

Speaker: Ms. Rochell Overstreet (Boxed lunch provided)

Faculty Development Workshops

Establishing Your Research Publication & Funding Plans

AM - 8:50 AM

AM - 11:50 AM

11:15 AM - 12:45 PM

SSLC, Tiger Room, 3rd Fl.

Speaker: Dr. Frances Williams 1:00 PM - 2:15 PM

Contract Acquisitions & SBIR/STTR

Speaker: Dr. Babafemi Adesanya 2:30 PM - 3:45 PM

Friday, March 31, 2023

Awards Program / Closing Luncheon SSLC, Tiger Room, 3rd Fl. 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Monday, March 27, 2023

"TransdisciplinaryResearch&Innovation: ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

OPENING PLENARY SESSION

Monday, March 27, 2023

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Sterling Student Life Center - Tiger Room – 3rd Floor

Facilitator Dr. Linda M. Gardiner, Director, Research Enhancement and Compliance Services

Continental Breakfast/ Registration

Greetings Dr. Omonike A. Olaleye, Senior Associate Vice President Research and Innovation

Opening Remarks

Dr. Michelle Penn-Marshall, Vice President

Research and Innovation

9:10 AM

Introduction of Speaker

Christina Lewis

Texas Southern University Criminal Justice Student

9:15 AM

Dr. Victor McCrary

Vice President for Research and Graduate Programs

University of the District of Columbia Vice Chair, National Science Board

“HBCUs: America’s National Security Asset”

9:55 AM

~Closing Remarks~

Monday, March 27, 2023

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

2023 Texas Southern University Division of Research & Innovation (DRI) & Research Center for Minority Institutions (RCMI) Minority Health & Health Disparity Symposium/Luncheon

TSU Ernest S. Sterling Student Life, Tiger Room, 3rd Floor

10:00 AM – 12:45 PM Monday, March 27, 2023

AGENDA

Presiding: Dr Veronica Ajewole, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Director, Community Engagement Core

10:00-10:10 AM

10:10-10:20 AM

10:20-10:30 AM

Welcome Address

Dr. Dong Liang

PD of CBMHR, Interim Associate Dean for Research at COPHS Professor of Pharmaceutics

CBMHR – RCMI Overview/Keynote address

Dr. Omonike Olaleye, MPH

PI of CBMHR

Senior Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation Professor of Pharmacology

CBMHR Research project overview

Dr. Huan Xie

PI of CBMHR

Professor of Pharmaceutics

Program Director of Graduate Programs, Pharmaceutical Sciences

10:30-10:40 AM

10:40-10:50 AM

10:50-11:20 AM

11:20-11:25 AM

11:25-11:35 AM

11:35-11:50 AM

11:50-12:05 PM

Collaborative TSU Experience and Academic Mentoring in RCMI TEAMRCMI

Dr. China Jenkins

Executive Director, TEAM Center

Research Infrastructure Core overview

Dr. Song Gao

Associate Professor of Pharmaceutics

Presentations of 2022 Pilot Projects

Chair of Session: Investigator Development Core Director, Dr. Ivy Poon

Drs. Guinn, Egbejimi, and Sarkar

Lunch Break

Presentation and launch of BRIGHT Center and BioRACC Center

Dr. Anuoluwapo Egbejimi

Dr. Kehinde Idowu

Presentation and launch of NCI-NEXT – TSU’s Institute for Drug Discovery and Development

Dr. Huan Xie

PI of CBMHR

Professor of Pharmaceutics

Presentation of Community Engagement Core and Launch of Institute for Health Equity Advancement, Research and Training

Dr. Veronica Ajewole

Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice

Director, Community Engagement Core

12:05-12:25 PM

12:25-12:35 PM

12:35-12:40 PM

Greater Houston Community Outreach/Certificate of recognition

Cynthia Ginyard

Fort Bend County Democratic Party Chairwoman

Presentation of Award of recognition to recipient

Dr. Omonike Olaleye, MPH, Senior Associate VP of Research & Innovation

PI of CBMHR

Closing Remarks

Dr. Michelle Penn-Marshall

Vice President for Research and Innovation

Oral Presenters - Students

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

Sekinat Atobiloye

Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Surface Water and Sediment from Galveston Bay

Galveston bay serves as a hub for various shipping and industrial activities that can potentially contaminate the environment, posing a threat to environmental and human health. Contaminants from these activities include heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, and other byproducts of industrial processes. This study determined heavy metal load in the bay, identify sources of heavy metals, and assess the health risks from exposure. Water and sediment samples were collected from 5 locations along the western boundary of Galveston Bay (GAB 1-5). Samples were analyzed using ICP-MS. Result shows concentrations of Cu and Ni in all water samples were above TCEQ criteria for aquatic life protection. Levels of Zn in GAB 1, GAB 2, and GAB 3 were higher than TCEQ-ALP. The concentrations of the heavy metals in sediment samples were below TCEQ criteria. Enrichment factor, pollution load index, and geo -accumulation factor show that human and natural factors contributed to the levels of heavy metals in the bay; therefore, the bay is moderately to highly polluted. The health risk assessment revealed that cancer risks of exposure to heavy metals in the water exceeded EPA allowable range (10-4-10-6). Using EPA risk assessment model and calculations, dermal contact poses higher risks of cancer to individuals, especially children. Hence, caution is advised for individuals using Galveston Bay for recreational activities. Continuous monitoring of pollutants in the bay should be of utmost priority. For protection, providing extra clothing to children while at the bay may reduce extent of direct dermal contact with the sediment and contaminants.

Denise Brown

Examining First-Hand Accounts of Youth Gun Possession

The critical public health concern of gun violence has drawn significant attention, prompting ongoing research into the complex factors that contribute to urban gun violence. Our study takes a multi-disciplinary approach, focusing on 400 young black males between the ages of 15 to 24 and their decision to possess firearms, a crucial yet poorly understood aspect of gun violence prevention. Through a series of rigorous interviews conducted in Houston, Texas, we have identified key themes that shed light on this complex issue. Our presentation will explore these findings, drawing on evidence-based research to present policy recommendations that can effectively address gun violence.

Prevalence and Predictors of Food Insecurity Among College Students at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU)

Background Food insecurity is prevalent among college students. National reports indicate that food insecurity is of more concern and has far-reaching consequences among college students from minority populations. Hence, the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and demographic predictors of food insecurity among students attending Texas Southern University, an HBCU.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in October 2022. Food insecurity was evaluated using the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 10-item Adult food security survey module. Demographic

Temitope Emmanuel Ibiyemi; Makuba Lihono (Ph.D.); Anthony Rodriguez (Ph.D.)

Oral Presenters - Students

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

information was adapted from pre-validated questionnaires. Respondents (n=571) completed the online survey. Chi-square test was used to assess the association between food insecurity and demographic variables. Multivariate binomial regression analysis was conducted to evaluate demographic predictors of food insecurity.

Results: The results showed that 53.1% of students were food insecure. Food security status did not vary significantly by race/ethnicity, work hours, or marital status. Males [OR = 1.59, 95%CI: 1.04 – 2.44] had higher odds of being food insecure. Whereas seniors [OR = 0.41, 95%CI: 0.19 – 0.90] and graduate students [OR = 0.41, 95%CI: 0.19 – 0.89] had lesser odds of being food insecure than first-year students.

Conclusion: Our findings indicate that more than half of the students at this HBCU are food insecure. Graduate and senior students were more food secure than those in a lower grade classification. Innovative strategies to address food insecurity, especially among males and students in lower classifications, should be encouraged.

Billy Rosenberg, Charles Bishop

Critical Sports Studies: The Sporting HBCU Diaspora and the Prime Effect

Deion “Prime-Time” Sanders presence as the head football coach at Jackson State University, sparked a great deal of enthusiasm for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) and their football programs again. As a result, HBCU and SWAC football experienced a revitalization that can be described as the “Prime Effect.” In 2022, the Tigers added several FBS transfers to their roster, including a pair of former top 100 recruits along with a talented freshman class headlined by Travis Hunter, the No. 1 overall prospect in the country (Thompson 2022). The phenomenon of the “Prime Effect” is similar to the “Flutie Effect” phenomenon has described these types of occurrences. Doug Flutie, the quarterback of Boston College in 1984 threw a Hail-Mary touchdown pass for an upset win over University of Miami in the Orange Bowl. In the couple of years following this win, applications to Boston College increased by 30 percent (Chung 2013). This session will extend the “Flutie Effect” as it relates exposure (i.e. broadcast viewers, engagement (social media), and applications (i.e. enrollment), and prominence (i.e. academic quality) for Jackson State University and the SWAC in the context of the “Prime Effect” and the impact that Coach Deion Sanders had on Jackson State University, its football program, the SWAC, and other HBCUs during his tenure. The sporting HBCU diaspora framework creates the perfect backdrop to provide insight to the distinct pattern brought forth with the intersection of HBCU sports culture, athletic aesthetics and pride.

"Research is so unpredictable. There are periods when nothing works and all your experiments are a disaster and all your hypotheses are wrong."

-Francis Collins

Oral Presenters - Staff

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

Zuri Dale

Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Detection Assay in Comparison With Real-Time RT-PCR Assay for Laboratory Diagnosis of COVID-19 in Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Individuals

Given the increase in SARS-CoV-2 infections due to increased transmissibility of Omicron, there is a need for reliable point of care diagnostic tests (POCTs) in addition to the existing gold standard RT-PCR to allow rapid isolation, containment, scalability, and buffer capacity particularly in congregate settings such as universities. While it is preferred, RT-PCR relies on centralized laboratory capacity, complex logistics, and limited scalability if demand increases (Jakobsen et al., 2021). Antigen tests have been shown to have reduced sensitivity in asymptomatic individuals in comparison to RT-PCR molecular tests as the existing evaluations of these tests outline concern of false negatives due to low viral loads. Specifically, recently published work evaluating antigen tests for the virus that causes COVID-19 indicate high levels of specificity (99.5-100%), but wide ranges of sensitivity (30%-93.9%) (Scohy et al., 2020).

With the emergence of Omicron, there is ongoing need to evaluate antigen test performance in relation to RT -PCR tests. Moreover, understanding epidemiologic characteristics of RT-PCR tests is also critical, because while considered the most sensitive for nucleic acid identification, the presence of nucleic acid does not always indicate contagiousness (Ford et al., 2021). The aim of this study is to evaluate an antigen immunoassay for the detection of SARS COV-2 nucleoprotein in NP swabs in comparison with the gold standard RT-PCR. Performance will be assessed in relation to Ct values from RT-PCR assays in symptomatic and asymptomatic participants. Logistic regression models will be used to evaluate characteristics associated with antigen results.

Jack Sevil

Predictive Crime Heat Mapping

Like the weather, crime inadvertently impacts industry. Like the weather, industries map crime to anticipate impacts on revenue. Though, losses may be mitigated or accommodated if crime can be predicted. Using regression modelling, the current study attempts predicting future crime rates by Zip Code and then models this data within heat maps. To do so, key literature was reviewed to first identify variables which may predict crime. Secondly, a convenience dataset was compiled with publicly available data which described these predictors in relation to Zip Code. Subsequently, the current study was able to predict crime rates within a Zip Code via speculating changes in predictors of crime; however, the current study is a proof of concept. That is, the current research evidences a methodology able to predict crime. Future research should focus on specific geographic locations and curtailing predictors of crime to those specific locations. Doing so may allow more specific predictions of crime, and thereafter better accommodations for the impact on revenue.

"We don't ask research to do what it was never meant to do, and that is to get an idea."

-William Bernbach

Oral Presenters -

Staff

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

Jennifer Bourgeois; Jack Sevil

A Determination of Prosecutor Caseload Limits: Examining the Relationship Between Prosecutor Caseloads and Plea Bargains

Purpose: Prosecutors conceivably wield more power than any other criminal justice decision makers, yet they benefit from limited oversight and wide discretion. Though previous research anecdotally examines the impact of prosecutor caseloads, there is limited understanding of the relationship between these caseload standards and plea offerings.

Methods: So as to control for local nuances, using data from a publicly available website pertaining to criminal defendants and sentencing outcomes within a large Texas prosecutors office during 2012-2018, the present study examines this relationship between a prosecutor office’s caseload standards and plea offerings.

Results: Results indicate that exceeding prosecutor caseload limits increase the likelihood of plea offerings.

Conclusion: The implications of our findings are discussed, and recommendations are set forth for future research and policy development.

"Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose."

-Zora Neal Hurston

Oral Presenters - Faculty

Michael Adams, PhD, Professor

Barbara Jordan/Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs

Texas Southern University

Minion K.C. Morrison, PhD, Professor

Joe Biden School of Public Policy and Administration, University of Delaware

False Equivalency and the Enduring Threat to Democracy: An Analysis of the Irony of Voter Fraud, Stolen Elections and Voter Suppression in Texas

The foci of this research are to analyze how a narrative of pervasive voter fraud and stolen elections have contributed to the enactment of procedural changes for voting. These changes lead to voting rules and procedures that have the effect of diminishing voter participation: proscriptions, dilution, and suppression. Invariably these changes have both an intent and effect of limiting the exercise of the vote and limiting representation for racial and ethnic minorities of color. Our research project is designed to both elaborate the theory and content of the suppression narrative; and to document its impacts on the voting power and representation of racial and ethnic minorities of color. First, we examine the prelude to current Black voter suppression in Texas by essaying the history of voter suppression in regards to the poll tax, white primaries, and other discriminatory devices used to suppress Black voting rights. Secondly, we analyze the significance of the 1965 Voting Rights Act in outlawing discriminatory voter suppression devices in Texas and the 2013 Shelby vs. Holder U.S. Supreme Court decision as an antecedent to current Black voter suppression in Texas. The Holder decision opened the floodgates for the passage of restrictive voter identification laws and created significant challenges and hurdles to prove racial discrimination in legislative redistricting plans in Texas.

J. Kenyatta Cavil

Critical Sport Studies: The Celebration Bowl or NCAA FCS Playoffs, A Governance Structure Viewpoint

Escalation of commitment theory describes the potential for at least two organizations and individuals to become engaged in a cycle of failing courses of action (Staw, 1976). In sports, there can be a divergent of an athletic program as a component of an institution and individual fans regardless of the athletics departments’ strategy. Athletics strategy is defined as the specific course of action within an intercollegiate athletics program or athletic conference (Collins, 2012). Athletics strategy is intended to meet the long-term goals and objectives of a university’s athletic department, the institution overall or even that of an athletic conference. Dr. Cavil’s Ten Pillars first provided a framework for creating athletic organizational success and sustainability for HBCU athletic programs (Cooper, Cavil, & Cheeks (2014) in terms of both independent and conference governance operating within or external to the norms of the NCAA. The purpose of this session is to contribute to the literature as evidence of de-escalation of commitment theory by exploring and investigating the non-economic features associated with the CB as opposed aligning with the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoff system. It reviews the cultural framework of two of six conceptual categories from the system for studying African people, places and cultures (Conyers, 2018; Carr, 2020). The two conceptual categories reviewed in this session are the social structure and the governance structure of Black people, particularly fans of HBCU sports culture. This essay reviews the questions pertaining to the cultural empowerment of HBCUs and how is that illustrated by the fans associated with Black conferences and the Celebration Bowl?

Oral Presenters - Faculty

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

Lila Ghemri

Evaluating Multiple Machine Learning Models in Predicting Alzheimer Onset

As stated by the Center of Disease Control, the number of Americans diagnosed with Alzheimer was almost six million in 2020. This number is poised to reach 14 million people by 2060. African Americans beyond the age of 65 represent 14% of the population living with Alzheimer (12% Hispanics and 10% non-Hispanic Whites). The causes of Alzheimer are still not fully understood, age, family history and other factors are suspected to play a role in Alzheimer. In the current work, we analyzed a dataset of 314 subjects, aged 60 –96 years, selected from a larger database collected and obtained from the longitudinal pool of the Washington University Alzheimer Disease Research Center (ADRC). Our analysis consisted of applying five machine learning methods: decision trees, linear discriminant analysis, Support Vector Machine with Radial Basis Function (SVM), k-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) and Random Forest (RF). The models obtained were used to predict the onset of Alzheimer. The results show that Support Vector Machines and Random Forests reached 98% accuracy in predictions and that the most important predictive variables were CDR (Clinical dementia Rating) and MMSE (Mini Mental State Examination).

Nancy Glenn Griesinger

Artificial Intelligence in Cancer Prognosis and Prediction: The Role of a Statistician

“Artificial intelligence, it’s for real!” That statement was on a poster in my department over 40 years ago. While there have been constant advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) over the years, recent research highlights a remarkable resurgence of AI in several areas. One such area is machine learning, a sub-discipline of AI that focuses on computing systems as well as how such systems automatically improve through experience. Machine learning applications are in practically every area from business to biology. This research focuses on a computational biology application - the statistician’s role in machine learning applications in cancer prognosis and prediction. This role is typically to build predictive models including parametric maximum likelihood models. We instead employ nonparametric methodologies such as empirical likelihood, in lieu of parametric methodologies in cancer prognosis and prediction. An advantage of nonparametric approaches is that they are distributionfree methodologies that relax distributional assumptions, such a normality, while maintaining accurate predictions.

Azime Saydam

Factorization Properties in Simple Overrings

A significant area of study in commutative ring theory has been the ascent of various ring-theoretic properties to certain types of overrings of a domain. Factorization properties from unique factorization to atomic property have been studied under localizations and directed unions. In this presentation, we study several factorization properties which are weaker than unique factorization in a simple overring of a domain R, a domain of the form R[f/g] for some f, g conditions which will permit the factorization properties inherit from R.

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

TSU RESEARCH WEEK

TSU-Leadership, Education, & Advancement in Undergraduate Research Pathways For COVID19 & Pandemic Responsiveness

March 28, 2023

10:00 AM – 1:00PM

Program Agenda

Welcome and Introduction

Dr. Omonike Olaleye

Senior Associate Vice-President

Division of Research & Innovation

TSU-LEAP Scholarly Research Presentations

 Effects of Hydrogen Sulfide-Releasing Compounds on Research Track: 3D Pro-Inflammatory Mediators in the Anterior Uvea

 Alexis Amos, Anthonia Okolie, Dr. Ya Fatou Mbye

 Integrative Bioinformatic analysis of p53 and Research Track: 3D pathway alterations in two different lung cancer subtypes

 Faith Shakoor, Jyotsna Godavarthi, Dr. Yun Zhang

 Repurposing FDA-Approved Antiviral Agents: Non-Covalent Research Track: A.I.M. Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and RdRp Enzymes

 Temiloluwa Awoleye, Carenza Johnson, Maxwell Orori, Mmesoma Ezeudu, Stephanie Robles, Stephanie Suniga, Jessica Alagoa

 Dr. Kehinde Idowu & Dr. Omonike Olaleye

 Aggressive Prostate Cancer Study Among African American Males Research Track: H.E.A.L.

 Chidindu Aderibigbe, Ada Oyeka, Laila Sameer,

 Dr. Veronica Ajewole

 p27Kip1 is a Mediator of Cell Migration in Metastatic Breast Cancer Stem Cells Research Track: S.T.E.M

 Nyaia Liddell , Kamryn Watley

 Dr. Erica Cassimere

***LUNCH***

TSU-LEAP Speaker Introduction

TSU – LEAP Guest Speaker, Carol Jacob, MPH, CHES

TSU-LEAP Pinning & Awards Ceremony

Closing Remarks

Ms. Karen Stewart

Albert Schweitzer Fellowship

Ms. Karen Stewart

TSU-LEAP Trainees

TSU-LEAP Staff

Texas Southern University

Leadership, Education, & Advancement in Undergraduate Research Pathways (TSU – LEAP) Program For COVID19 & Pandemic Responsiveness

TSU LEAP Program Administration

TSU Institutional Oversight: Omonike Olaleye, Ph.D. MPH

TSU Program Director: Karen Stewart

LEAP Ambassadors, Graduate Research Assistants and Clinical/Research Fellows

OVERVIEW: The Texas Southern University Leadership, Education, and Advancement in Undergraduate Research Pathways (TSU-LEAP) will provide TSU students with the opportunity to participate in hands-on research experience under the mentorship and supervision by TSU faculty members. Students selected for TSULEAP will participate in cutting-edge research in five different pathways:

1. Business, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics (B.E.A.M.C)

2. HEALTH Disparities & Minority Health (H.E.A.L. MH)

3. Social & Behavioral Sciences, including Social & Environmental Justice, Equity & Policy(S.B.S.)

4. Drug Discovery & Development (3D)

5. Artificial Intelligence & Computational Modeling (A.I.M.)

6. Maternal & Child Health (M.C.H.)

7. Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (S.T.E.M.)

PURPOSE: The goal of the TSU - LEAP for COVID19 & Pandemic Responsiveness program is to foster and enhance undergraduate student research mentoring using a collaborative approach in an innovative and transformative research environmet. The TSU - LEAP is a structured student centered program encompassing: leadership, education, research advancement, and community engagement and outreach. TSU students will work collaboratively with faculty, peer graduate mentors, and postdoctoral fellows/research scientist. TSU - LEAP students will be selected on a competitive basis (GPA, level of research interest and other academic performance metrics).

PROGRAM COMPONENTS

STIPEND: Students selected for TSU-LEAP will be supported with a stipend through funding provided by the Division of Research & Innovation at TSU.

MENTORING: Each TSU - LEAP trainee will be assigned a mentoring team, composed of faculty, postdoctoral fellow/research scientist and graduate student. The mentoring team will offer guidance in navigating through research pathways, career opportunities and graduate/professional school applications.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROJECT: Each TSU-LEAP trainee will participate in a practical community engagement and outreach project throughout the 10 weeks.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Students will receive interprofessional training that consists of journal club/seminar sessions lead by post-doctoral fellows, research scientists, graduate students, and/or faculty to expose them to current/emerging topics within the research pathways. Students will also be trained in research writing, scientific communication, and presentation skills. In addition, these training sessions will allow for interdisciplinary networking opportunities.

TSU - LEAP LEADERSHIP SUMMITS: Students will participate in leadership boot camp(s) consisting of the

following leadership training workshops: entrepreneurship, resume writing, interview skills, team science, DISC personality assessment to help improve teamwork, productivity, team building, and professionalism, cultural sensitivity and branding.

TSU - LEAP UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM: Students will participate in a capstone and collaborative symposium to present a culmination of their research work and community engagement.

TSU – LEAP OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS IN ALL MAJORS

The TSU-LEAP program will target students enrolled in programs in the TSU colleges below:

• College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

• College of Science Engineering and Technology

• College of Education

• Jesse H. Jones School of Business

• School of Communication

• College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences

• Thurgood Marshall School of Law

• Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs

• Thomas F. Freeman Honors College

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

• Must be a TSU student.

• Undergraduate students in any major.

• Priority will be given to racial/ethnic underrepresented minorities that demonstrate academic success, leadership potential, research interest, and plan to pursue graduate/professional studies.

• Minimum of 2.75 GPA on a 4.0 point scale will be required for acceptance into the program.

"Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought."

-Albert Szent-Gyorgyi

Poster Presenters - Students

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

55 - Aein Abedini

Evaluating Readmission Rates and the Risk Factors for Obese Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Purpose: Since the introduction of (antiretroviral therapy) ART therapy, the number of overweight and obese patients with HIV has increased. Obesity itself is a major risk contributor to metabolic syndrome. Moreover, conditions such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia can also be linked to obesity. The purpose of this study is to examine the readmission rates and risk factors for obese patients living with HIV (PLWH) with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia.

Methods: The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) is a nationwide database that will require purchase and extra training. No funding will be received by the researchers. HCUP contains a 30-day Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD) annually with the most recent from 2019. Under Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), review by an institutional review board (IRB) is not required for use of limited data sets. The application (Split) will be used to divide the 18 million patients into smaller portions. The sample size will be cut into 1 million patients, and from those 1 million patients, 500,000 will be randomly selected using the application Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The readmission rate for HIV patients will be compared with a study from 2010’s The HCUP readmissions to U.S. hospitals by diagnosis. Separately, HIV, obesity (body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above) hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus will be selected. Using the select cases from data selection for HIV positive patients, obese and nonobese patients will be classified. Lastly, a bivariate correlation will be performed to compare the relationships between the selected variables from both groups.

Results: When comparing the readmission rates of 2019, the HCUP Nationwide Readmission Database (0.6 percent, 3024 patients) to the statistical briefs from 2010 (0.2 percent, 9230 patients) readmission rate for HIV patients in 2010 are much lower than 2019. The HIV positive, obese patients from the sample size includes 317 individuals from 500,000. Within the 317 individuals, essential hypertension accounted for 37.22 percent, hypertension with complication or secondary hypertension accounted for 42.59 percent, diabetes mellitus accounted for 40.29 percent, and dyslipidemia engulfed 39.43 percent of the individuals. Contrariwise, the non-obese patients accounted for 2707 individuals from five hundred thousand patients. From the designated population, 26 percent have essential hypertension, 22 percent contain hypertension with complication or secondary hypertension, 18.1 percent of the individuals had diabetes, and 21.87 percent had dyslipidemia. A bivariate correlation confirms a correlation between HIV positive obese in comparison to non-obese individuals for essential hypertension(Pearson Correlation: 0.048; 0.062, significance: 0.013; 0.273), other forms of hypertension (Pearson Correlation: 0.106; 0.069, significance: less than 0.001; 0.220), diabetes without complication (Pearson Correlation: 0.038; -0.059, significance: 0.049; 0.297), diabetes with complication (Pearson Correlation: 0.040; 0.072, significance: 0.037; 0.200), and dyslipidemia (Pearson Correlation: 0.092; 0.037, significance: less than 0.001; 0.507).

Conclusions: Considering the number of 30-day readmitted patients from 2019, HIV patients are three times more likely to be readmitted in comparison to readmission study from 2010. Considering the group of patients with obesity and HIV, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes are presented with higher percentages in that group in comparison to individuals who are non-obese and HIV positive. Limitations of this study include unknown race, BMI of the patients to account for overweight individuals, and the number of patients who are on ART therapy.

Poster Presenters - Students

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

30 - Sandip Acharya

Impact of COVID-19 on Houston’s Traffic Mobility: A Machine Learning Approach

Traffic mobility refers to the movement of vehicles and people on roads and highways. Traffic congestion is the state where the free flow of vehicles gets disrupted due to various reasons and creates an impact in traffic mobility. This can lead to delays, increased travel times, and reduced traffic flow. Traffic Mobility is also a measure of how well a transportation system is functioning and can be impacted by factors such as road conditions, traffic congestion, and the availability of public transportation. Good traffic mobility is essential for ensuring the smooth flow of goods and services, as well as for supporting economic growth and development. Traffic mobility can be improved by investing in infrastructure, implementing traffic management strategies, and promoting alternative modes of transportation. COVID-19 pandemic changed travel and mobility patterns, use of private vehicles and travel behavior all round the world. The change of this travel pattern on mobility before COVID-19, which is termed as pre COVID phase, the time during COVID-19 as COVID phase and after COVID-19 phase termed as new normal condition is necessary to be analyzed. In this study, spatial and temporal analyses along with use of artificial intelligence algorithms such as Cat boosting Support Vector method, Random Forest method and other machine learning algorithms were applied to examine the changes in mobility in Houston urban freeways over the time. Descriptive and analytical methods were used for both validation and calibration of the models. Furthermore, statistical analyses were conducted to choose the most efficient model.

22 - Tolulope Adebusuyi

Evaluation of the Pharmacological Mechanism of OJT009 as a Novel Inhibitor of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2

The emergence of deadly SARS-CoV-2 variants with mutations on the viral genes has made it more imperative to discover therapeutics that target the host receptors for COVID -19 treatment. Therefore, our research has targeted the critical host entry receptor for SARS -CoV-2 entry into the human cells, Angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE 2). The Interaction between ACE 2 and the RBD region of Spike protein is the most crucial step in the viral life cycle. Therefore, the ACE 2- RBD interaction has remained a key target for therapeutics in COVID19 treatment. Although ACE 2 facilitates viral entry, it provides defense against acute lung injury through its physiological function, counterbalancing the effects of ACE 1 in the Renin-Angiotensin pathway. Therefore, the Renin-Angiotensin pathway must be carefully modulated without disrupting the balance of the renin angiotensin system . Our lab discovered a novel compound OJT009 as an inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 infection and investigated it’s effect on ACE2-RBD interaction. OJT009 inhibited the binding of SARS-CoV-2’s S (RBD) protein to rhACE2 receptor at lower concentrations ranging from 100 nM to 10 µM; but enhanced the interaction at higher concentrations. OJT009 inhibited ACE 2 activity in vitro at very high concentrations but does not affect the activity at lower concentrations. The expression levels of both ACE 2 and ACE 1 remained unchanged after treatment with OJT009 invitro Based on our findings, OJT009 represents a promising drug class that could be further evaluated as a lead compound in developing chemotherapeutics for COVID-19 treatment.

"In basic research, intellectual rigor and sentimental freedom necessarily alternate."

-Victor Vasarely

Poster Presenters - Students

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

43 - Adebamike Adekunle

Assessment of Post Intervention of Mental Health on Freshmen Curriculum

Mental health and mental disorders are major public health concerns in today's society especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unrecognized and/or untreated mental disorders can lead to a variety of negative outcomes including poor educational achievement, problematic interpersonal and family functioning, and reduced life expectancy due to associated medical conditions and suicide. This project was designed to benefit freshmen students struggling to effectively persevere through challenges of stress, anxiety, and depression. The physical, mental, emotional, and social demands of academic performance are at an alltime high. Although academic standards and expectations have increased, mental health supports have not. There have been little studies that have specifically looked at positive mental health (PMH) in Black students, thus our knowledge of their potential to succeed in college is limited. As a result, this paper assesses the slight adjustment in the freshmen curriculum. Interventions leading to early identification along with effective treatment increase the possibility of positive outcomes.

This paper recommends that a freshman optional course that introduces students to complicated aspects of mental health in the context of preventive and reactive care to be applied to all freshmen seminar program curriculum. Although students would earn credits toward their graduation requirements by attending the proposed class during regular school hours, the merit of the incorporation of mental health into the curriculum goes way beyond classroom and can ultimately increase the rate of freshmen retention in Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).

58 - Nazmus Asif

Integrated Traffic Management System Using Real-Time Traffic Saturation

Traffic management is an approach with the goal of improving mobility within transportation networks (roadways and intersections). It includes controlling the movement of vehicles and pedestrians and providing them with efficient transportation options from origin to destination. To further reduce congestion and travel time, continuous enhancement of existing traffic management systems are needed. In this study, Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS) is introduced where the traffic saturation is playing a significant role to determine the real-time traffic flow. Traffic sensors and cameras are the main components which channeling the system to achieve promising outcomes. However, it is very important to identify for which types of roads the system can work efficiently as well as to identify whether it can work better alone or tying up within the existing traffic management system. This study focused on evaluating the system and showed promising degrees of effectiveness where the approaches were mostly taken under computational simulation environment. The results along with adoption and practicing the dynamic behavior of traffic signals can help transportation planners and policy makers in planning more advanced traffic management systems, which shape the future of transportation networks particularly in major cities.

"No country in the post-colonial era has thrived without first building its capacity to conduct scientific research."

-Seth Berkley

Poster Presenters - Students

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

27 - Temiloluwa Awoleye; Carenza Johnson; Mmesoma Ezeudu; Jessica Allagoa; Stephanie Suniga

Repurposing FDA-Approved Antiviral Agents: Non-Covalent Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and RdRp Enzymes

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the current and most dangerous pandemic the world has ever experienced. As of November 02, 2022, over 631 million cases and 6.5 million deaths have been confirmed and reported worldwide [1]. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SAR-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the disease [2]. SAR-CoV-2 is a member of a class of enveloped and positive-sense RNA viruses, belonging to the Coronaviridae family [3]. The SAR-CoV-2 are spherical in shape, consisting of four major structural proteins; spike, envelope, nucleocapsid and membrane proteins. Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 non-structural proteins (Main protease (Mpro) and RNA dependent RNA polymerase enzymes (RdRp)) could ultimately result to reduction in the spread of the infection to vulnerable hosts or cells and production of non-infectious virions.

57 - Elizabeth Barnes

Career Immigrant: Comparing Crime Rates to Dispel the Myths Between Migration and Crime

The distortion in the perception of crime and immigration has created popular immigration policies that have led to many people of color being penalized more severely on account of their membership in a protected class of individuals. The review is a necessity as unauthorized and authorized migration increases, policies have developed that reinforces racially charged outcomes in the name of national security. A tremendous amount of time and funds have been focused on reforming other aspects of the criminal justice system, while immigration is allowed to fall through the cracks and be regarded as foreign policy. The result has been institutionalized racial violence embedded in the current immigration system with racial profiling, severe sentencing, hyper-incarceration, and lack of due process.

To determine if immigration status has an effect on crime, a quantitative review of data was conducting using data from the Texas Department of Public Safety, ICE, FBI- Uniform Crime Reports, and Department of State to determine if immigrant receiving populations in Texas experience increases in levels of crime. The data shows that immigrants (regardless of status) commit crime less frequently than native-born Americans. The article also reviews the concept that immigrant heavy communities are less likely to report crime due to punitive reporting that could lead to removal and deportation. Analysis shows that ICE is actively rebuilding trust within immigrant communities by not focusing on minor offenses. Reporting of crime has increased, resulting in the increase of criminal activities from immigrants. However, the amount of criminal activity from immigrants are still substantially less than native-born Americans. The findings of the article are unable to support current policies that target and deport masses of immigrants.

"In much of society, research means to investigate something you do not know or understand."

-Neil Armstrong

Poster Presenters - Students

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

69 - Jerry Breda, Jr.1,2, Anupama Gannavarapu2,3, Fred C. MacKintosh2,3,4,5

1Department of Computer Science, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX

2Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX

3Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX

4Department of Physics & Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX

5Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX

Fracturing in Fiber Networks

Biopolymers are known to tolerate various kinds of deformations during their essential functions, such as blood flowing through the veins and muscular contraction during repetitive movements such as walking. These networks degrade over time due to repetitive strain, which can potentially lead to fracture. Studies have shown that biopolymers display peculiar behaviors under fracture. This behavior often stems from the inherent sub-isostatic connectivity in the network [1]. Here, we focus on the behavior of fiber networks just before and after fracture in varying disordered systems. When the system is close to fracture, its potential energy and physical integrity are at its peak. We simulate randomly generated crosslinked networks and apply stepwise bulk and shear strains in order to study how different kinds of deformation affect fracture. From these simulations, we measured important aspects of the system prior to fracture: the potential energy, the average connectivity, and the stress distributions during fracture. Our results show that shear deformation can withstand higher fracture thresholds compared to bulk deformation and this is due to the greater number of degrees of freedom to rearrange in the shear deformed network.

[1] Zhang, Leyou, et al. "Fiber networks below the isostatic point: Fracture without stress concentration." Physical Review Materials 1.5 (2017): 052602.

*ORBITS funded by NSF-PHY-2019745. National Science Foundation Division of Materials Research (Grant No. DMR-1826623)

17 - Kai Brown, Maya Johnson, Samanda Hickman, Mario Hollomon

Knock Down of Fas-Associated Protein with Death Domain (FADD) Increases Anticancer Drug-Induced Cytotoxicity in Osteosarcoma Cells

Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD) was first identified for its role in apoptosis. Subsequent studies reported non-apoptotic functions for FADD. These reports were initially made in T-cells. These reports indicated a role for FADD in T-cell cell cycle regulation and T-cell activation. Subsequently, FADD has been reported to have prosurvival functions in cancer cells following anti-cancer drug treatment. In this study, the pro -survival function of FADD in osteosarcoma (OS) following anti-cancer drug treatment was investigated. The LM7 OS cell line was used in this investigation. Lentiviral shRNA was used to knock down protein levels of FADD in LM7 cells. Following confirmation of FADD protein knockdown, LM7 cells were treated with various cytotoxic drugs. Camptothecin (CPT)-induced Parp1 cleavage was greater in FADD knockdown cells, indicating increased apoptosis. FADD knockdown increased the sensitivity of LM7 cells to gemcitabine (GCB), suggesting a protective function for FADD following GCB treatment. FADD knockdown also affected LM7 cell division. The results of this study indicate that FADD has a protective function in LM7 cells following anticancer drug treatment.

Poster Presenters - Students

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

32 - Mark Ddamulira; Omokhuwele Umoru

Efficient Object Detection, Segmentation, and Recognition Using OpenCV and Scikit image with Otsu's Method for Image Segmentation and Connected Component Analysis

Computer vision is the branch of Artificial Intelligence that enables computer systems to derive meaningful high-level information from digital images, videos, and other digital input. Our research seeks a new approach that combines image processing methods of image morphology, segmentation, recognition, thresholding as well as connected component analysis to enhance the efficiency of cell detection and counting. The research gives a review of Otsu’s thresholding method which is the selected method for thresholding. Otsu’s method is applied in classifying pixels of microscopic images of Bacillus subtilis bacteria – imaged under phase contrast and epifluorescence – into foreground and background. Upon this thresholding, methods of connected component analysis are applied to identify individual bacteria to count the bacteria and extract some other physical information such as size and possibly the location of the bacteria. This work is funded by the National Science Foundation.

45 - Maricela Deveney

Criminalize or Support: A Case for Changing State Education Code

Exclusionary discipline, or the act of removing a student from the school without services (e.g. out-of-school suspensions and expulsions) remains a common practice, despite mounting evidence that it should be all but eliminated. Students who have been suspended or expelled are more likely to utilize SNAP benefits as an adult, less likely to graduate, and more likely to have contact with the court system. Research shows not only that excessive discipline is disproportionately applied to students of color, it has disparate impacts on them as well. And, contact with the juvenile justice system simply increases the negative impacts. Our study seeks to address one facet of student behavior that frequently results in students missing school or entering the criminal justice system: drug-related incidents. How do states prescribe the school district response to drug-related incidents in school or at a school related function? What is required, and what is left to discretion? We analyze the state education code of the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, and present findings to support the premise that there may be reason for some states to examine their codified law.

67 - Emmanuel Ekezie

Specifications and Equipment Ability for Pavement Markings in Texas

Pavement markings play a significant role in decreasing traffic congestion and promoting safety and mobility through road portioning. This study aims to synthesize different specifications and equipment's ability to enhance the durability and safety of pavement markings. The study investigated the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and other state-level DOT application practices for the material and equipment ability. This study synthesizes literature from state DOTs within the United States and outside the country concerning the marking specifications and equipment ability for pavement markings in Texas and analyzes the relevant engineers'/expert opinions. Based on the investigation and expert views on marking and equipment ability, it is recommended that the agency carefully review pavement marking material specifications and equipment ability from other states that are not anticipated in the current TxDOT specifications. TxDOT could evaluate field practices during the decision-making process

Poster Presenters - Students

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

under a common standard for efficacy and quality if the application of pavement markings cannot be independently guaranteed. The study outcome will help decision-makers within TxDOT and other state-level DOTs to make informed decisions concerning the new marking materials for the longevity of pavement marking in roadways, thereby improving mobility and safety.

7 - Nicholas Ellis, Dr. Flora Estes, Assoc. Professor, Pharmacy Practice, Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

A Meta-Analysis Comparing Potential Pharmacological Treatments for Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD)

The goal of this study is to review therapeutic options available in the treatment of Autosomal Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD). ADKPD is a progressively debilitating and often painful genetic disorder in which fluid-filled noncancerous cysts develop in the kidneys causing your kidneys to enlarge and lose function over time. Approximately 140,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ADKPD, the 4th leading cause of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). The only drug currently approved by the FDA for ADPKD is Tolvaptan (Jynarque®). Recent research has shown that a few other drugs are being studied and potentially repurposed for investigational usage for ADPKD of which our study seeks to explore these potential treatment options. Those drugs include Everolimus, Metformin, Dapagliflozin, and a newer drug in the early stages of trials, Phlorizin.

62 - Joshua Farley

Areas of the Regions Enclosed by Generalized Koch Curves

Koch curves were typical subjects of fractals. Instead of studying the dimensions, this work considers areas of the regions enclosed by Koch curves and their generalizations. The area of the region enclosed by the classical Koch curve is well known. We used five different generalization approaches to obtain five classes of curves and found a universal formula for areas of the regions from each class. Our generalization methods extend those in the literature and our formula for the areas provide interesting context for infinite series occur in Calculus courses.

15 - 1,2JD Fontenot Pharm.D. Candidate, 1Haseeb Malik Pharm.D. Candidate, 1Department of Pharmacy Practice & Clinical Health Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX 77004

2Texas Southern University Breast Cancer Screening and Prevention Center, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Houston, TX 77004

Impact of a Clinical Pharmacist-Led Initiative to Promote Breast Cancer Health Equity Among Underserved Ethnic Minority Women in the Greater Houston Area

Breast cancer accounts for the second most cancer-related deaths and demonstrates differences in mortality among minority populations. Specifically, ethnic women from lower socioeconomic communities are linked to these outcomes through various disadvantages. In this study, we conducted a retrospective data analysis on underserved ethnic minority women who received services from Texas Southern University Breast Cancer Screening and Prevention Center (TSU BCSPC). Using descriptive statistics, outcomes of interest were to determine the impact of no-cost culturally appropriate breast health

Poster Presenters - Students

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

public education, patient navigation, barrier reduction, screening, and diagnostic services as well as evaluate these initiatives as effective foundational interventions to achieve breast health equity. From March to August 2022, a total of 722 women received education, 522 received patient navigation and barrier reduction services, 212 were screened and of those screened 13 were diagnosed with breast cancer. Post-educational surveys reported the direct impact of education displaying over 90 percent of participants agreed to strongly agreed that services were beneficial to their breast health. These results can contribute to a framework of prophylactic strategies in all cancer types; as the ability to reduce death rates depends, in part, on more broadly applying preventative evidence-based interventions currently available. However, a number of women who received education denied additional services, canceled, or did not show. Future research is required to best understand these subgroups. In conclusion, initiatives by a clinical pharmacist-led TSU BCSPC effectively demonstrated that increased access to the studied services may be principal interventions to lower cancer incidence and mortality rates.

51 - Diana Garcia, M.S., Hyun-Min Hwang, Ph.D.

Health Risk Assessment of Trace Metals Found in Indoor Dust

People spend 90% of their time indoors where inadvertent dust ingestion from hand-tomouth and object-to-mouth behavior occurs. Dust ingestion is especially high in children between the ages of 6 months and 12 years – the EPA states children in this age bracket consume 30-50mg of dust per day. Indoor dust may be laden with trace metals and organic contaminants from indoor and outdoor sources. This study conducts a noncancer and cancer health risk assessment for trace metals found in indoor dust. Dust samples were collected from 71 residential houses in urban areas in South Korea and trace metal concentrations were measured using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Concentration data was used to determine the average daily dose (ADD), hazard quotients (HQs) and the hazard index (HI) for each dust sample. As part of this study, the cancer risk for arsenic is also calculated. Because all samples yielded a hazard index <1, non-cancer risk (30 year exposure) is said to be unlikely in regards to trace metals in indoor dust. However, lifetime exposure (70 years) of indoor dust is a cancer risk for 44% of the sites tested. This study does not account for all forms of indoor contaminants and other routes of exposure such as inhalation and dermal contact. Further research is necessary to fully understand the adverse health effects of indoor dust on human health.

47 - Rachel

Gilbert

Characterization of Protein Foldon Physical Energy Landscapes

Natural proteins quickly and reliably fold into energetically minimized structures. Foldons, however, are protein segments that can independently fold into stable local structures and appear in folding intermediates. We believe the folding process can be accelerated by protein segments stably folding in parallel while leaving the overall protein minimally frustrated. Diseases like Alzheimer’s stem from protein misfolding, understanding components that assist in the reliability and efficiency of protein folding can give insights for the prevention of such diseases.The following methods were used for protein foldon identification. •Calculate AWSEM energies of protein foldon beginning from the N-terminus to index j and its globular states • Calculate AWSEM energies of remainder of protein beginning from index j to the C-terminus and its globular states • Calculate average of Θ values of

Poster Presenters - Students

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

protein foldon and remaining protein structure • Determine foldon end index j with maximum average Θ value • Identify next foldon (start index=j) using same procedureIn reviewing the results from graphs comparing foldons of different protein families, related proteins Leghemoglobin and Myoglobin show similar conservation in their exon junctions. Furthermore, foldon and exon junctions appear to overlap with one another, though additional foldons in other proteins must be identified to more conclusively determine their relationship. To further this study, the evolutionary pressure experienced by foldons to fold should also be examined by calculating foldons’ DCA energies.

37 - Eriq Glenn

Neighborhood Revitalization: Challenges and Opportunities for Policy Makers

This research paper investigates the efficacy of neighborhood revitalization efforts in addressing the disparities that exist between Houston neighborhoods. The study posits that successful neighborhood revitalization necessitates a multilayered approach and offers specific guidance and recommendations for policymakers and practitioners. The research concentrates on Management Districts, Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZ), and the City of Houston Complete Communities initiative. Five residential neighborhoods were selected to determine the effectiveness of revitalization efforts based on three macro indicators: population growth, household income growth, and change in housing value. This paper also identifies challenges that impede improvement and recommends further research. The findings indicate that layered service districts play a vital role in revitalizing distressed/declining neighborhoods. The study concludes that the most effective strategy for neighborhood revitalization is to create special districts that closely overlap the administrative boundaries of individual communities.

68 - Jyotsna Devi Godavarthi

The Synergistic Antitumor Effect of Irinotecan and Flavonoids on Human Colon Cancer Xenograft Mice

Camptothecin (CPT)-11 (irinotecan) is one of the first-line therapeutic agents in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer, but its efficacy and safety can be compromised because of its severe side effects, such as gastrointestinal injury/ inflammation and severe diarrhea. Previous studies reported that natural flavonoids such as wogonin and chrysin have anticancer and anti-diarrheal activities. This study aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of irinotecan when co-administered with flavonoids in human colon cancer xenograft model.

Xenograft model has been established using human HT-29 cell line. When the tumor volume was around 500600 mm3, the flavonoids mix (wogonin/chrysin) was administered by oral gavage at 100mg/kg/day for three days and then co-administered with CPT-11, intraperitoneally, at two different doses i.e., 50 mg/kg and 75mg/ kg per day for seven consecutive days.

Our study demonstrated that the tumor volume decreased 36 % with the treatment of 50 mg/kg CPT-11 plus 100mg/kg/day wogonin/chrysin and 57 % with 75 mg/kg/day CPT-11 plus 100mg/kg/day wogonin/chrysin compared to conventional irinotecan treated animals with no major impact on body weights. Interestingly, female mice showed a 2-fold decrease in tumor volume compared to monotherapy group, which confirms the previous reports that females mount a more robust cellular and humoral response, resulting in greater antitumor efficacy.

Poster Presenters - Students

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Taken together, our data show that CPT-11 and flavonoids (wogonin and chrysin) exhibit a synergistic antitumor effect and can be safely administered together for metastatic colon cancer treatment. Therefore, this combination therapy could be a promising approach in anti-tumor chemotherapy for better clinical outcomes.

4 - Shandera Haley

Challenges and Issues of Nonemergency Medical Transportation Services in the United States of America

Transportation is essential for people to seek medical services. Research has found that 5.8 million people in the United States (or 1.8 percent of the U.S. population) delayed medical care in 2017 due to transportation barriers. Nonemergency medical transportation (NEMT) is needed to assist persons with challenging demographic characteristics such as age groups, low-income or rural residents, immigrants, and persons with disabilities. NEMT is a service that helps people without other sources of transportation to access medical care, therefore, improving health and healthcare delivery. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of Americans aged 65 and older will be doubled over the next 40 years, reaching 80 million in 2040 and 15 million being aged 85 and older. With the aging of the population, the demand for NEMT will keep increasing. However, there are many issues with the NEMT service such as poor rider experience, inefficiency, and fraud. NEMT riders frequently complain about the service such as long routes, untimely scheduling as well as late or no-show service. Improving the NEMT service not only benefits the riders but also saves the resources of the public and health care system. This research will perform a comprehensive literature review to describe the challenges and issues faced by each demographic group. The objectives of the research are to understand the current state of NEMT services in the United States of America, identify issues for riders to receive quality NEMT service and propose innovative solutions, and recognize research needs to solve the problems of the NEMT service.

74 -

Tierney Harris

Breast Cancer Risk Assessment

Cancer is one of the most common known diseases that effects people around the world. Cancer is the over growth of cells in one’s body, and there are many different types of them, some more common than others. Breast cancer being the second most common type women can contract, and 65% of women who do not have any family history nor contain the genes scientist look for in order to determine one’s chances. Scientist are able to determine one’s chances of contracting cancer and the type now based off of continued research. Research from those who have had it and those who has not. Which leads to the Susan G. Komen Tissue Bank Center.

Dr. Natascia Marino and her assistant Rana German work in the only healthy tissue bank center in the United States. Here women give samples of tissue from their breast for scientist to observe and analyze to find patterns in those who have it. This research has been helpful in assisting labs in finding different treatments as well as finding more areas physicians should test when ruling out cancer.

After analyzing cell samples and assessing risk management tools such as Tyrer-cuzick and GAIL scores, I was able to see which risk management tool is more effective and what increases a women’s chances of contracting breast cancer in her lifetime. Tyrer-cuzick being the more affective in determining chances and causes.

Poster Presenters - Students

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

26 - Cydney Haynes

Comparative Analyses of the Transcriptome of African American and Caucasian Women with Triple Negative Breast Cancers

Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) represents approximately 20% of all breast cancers. The title (TNBC) stems from the lack of three genes: Estrogen Receptor, Progesterone Receptor, and Human Epidermal Growth Receptor. The biology of breast cancer is overwhelmingly convoluted. Based on socioeconomic and genetic factors, data show disparity between the incidence and survival rate of TNBC in African American compared to their Caucasian counterparts, with patients of African descent showing higher incidence and lower survival rates. Our research involves comparative analyses of the transcriptomes of AA compared to Caucasians with focus on identifying genetic factors that lead to the racial disparity. We performed meta-analyses and compared transcriptomes of AA versus Caucasian breast cancer patients based on similarities in subtype. Results of that study are presented here.

70 - Samira Ibrahim

Gender and Sentencing

This study was carried out on gender and sentencing. This paper discusses studies that aim to determine if there are gender variations in sentencing trends. The disparity is an 'issue' because one of the critical concepts of sentencing is equitable treatment, the notion that identical situations should get similar punishment. From a liberal standpoint, the issue with discrepancy is that it is proof of injustice. The goals of the Federal Sentence Guidelines, which the United States Sentencing Commission set, were to reduce unnecessary inequalities in sentencing by imposing considerable constraints on judicial authority. More females get punished for drug crimes under the guidelines than for any other violation more than one-third of those women convicted under the guidelines committed narcotics charges. Women criminals who may have little participation in an offense because of a connection with a male ringleader are liable under the guidelines for a severe sentence since all participants in a conspiracy are fined proportionally to the overall amount of drug involved. Using information collected from earlier research, the hypotheses for the present study indicated that younger offenders, male offenders, and nonwhite offenders would be more likely to be found guilty of their crimes and suffer penalties than their respective offender counterparts.

56 - Kayla Jackson; Yamiley Alphonse; Jayda Gossett

On the Structure of Periodic n-cycles Via the Tent Map n &lt;= 7

In this work, we study period n-cycles on the tent map particularly, the number of ncycles for n≤7. We found there are three 4-cycles, six 5-cycles, nine 6-cycles, and eighteen 7-cycles. We also identify the distribution of points on each cycle.

Poster Presenters - Students

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

12 - Tamir Johnson

Establishing a Baseline Networking Capability with a Temperature Sensor for use in a Compact Radiation

A compact radiation detector has been designed for environmental monitoring and precise measurements of terrestrial radiation. The detector was also modified with a DHT22 Temperature Sensor to monitor the temperature and humidity as a function of time in the environment. The purpose of this study was to setup an array of detectors connected by Wi-Fi around Texas Southern University campus to monitor the radiation in the environment. In addition, the detector will utilize three scintillators: LYSO, which will detect the gamma radiation, BC408, which will detect the muons, and the Lithium glass, which will detect the neutrons in the environment. Also, a program was developed to record radiation, temperature, and humidity values from the detector. On average we found that the results were about 23.3℃ and the humidity was 51.8% on August 3, 2021, at 12:30 PM. Although, we may have these results, these will not be the final verdict as we are still in the process of constructing the device.

35 - Jordyn King, Daniel Vrinceanu, Mark C. Harvey

A Prototype Detector for Monitoring Environmental Radiation and Atmospheric Pollution

Day to day all things living on Earth are exposed to background radiation from both terrestrial radioactive sources and cosmic rays. With technological advancements in medical imaging, nuclear power production and even mobile telecommunications, environmental radiation exposures to human populations has grown considerably in modern times. The purpose of this project is to develop a radiation detector prototype to measure background radiation levels within a given geographical area. The prototype is sensitive to both gamma radiation and muons. Of note, the prototype will collect atmospheric particulate, temperature, and humidity data as well. While previous detection methods have been used to track personal exposures, this prototype detector will be replicated to form a network for collecting data and relaying the measured data to an online databank and webserver. The detectors will be self-powered units with Wi-Fi connectivity and normative functioning programmed to a microcontroller unit. Radiation and atmospheric pollution data history will be used for future comparative studies. The publishing of such data will allow for the public, within a geographic range, to remain informed of the environmental status and note any changes in their personal exposure levels. The project also seeks to be affordable with reputable craftsmanship so detection webs can be manufactured globally.

20 - Olubunmi Lebimoyo

Structure Propagation and CBCT Conversion using Deformable Image Registration for Head and Neck Cancers

In head & neck cancer radiotherapy, deformable image registration (DIR) can track volume changes in structures of interest among multiple CT (Computed Tomography) and CBCT (Cone Beam CT) images. DIR can also convert CBCT images to full view. During treatment, the size and position of the tumor(s) and organs at risk (OARs) changes. Specifically, fraction-to-fraction patients tend to lose weight and their parotid glands tend to shrink. Daily CBCT is already used in the clinic for patient positioning, but provides a

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limited field of view compared to the gold standard of radiotherapy planning, the CT. Correcting CBCT to full view via DIR enables all targets and OARs to be visible in the image and tracked during treatment. Ten head & neck were retrospectively analyzed in a Treatment Planning System over 33 fractions, each with a daily CBCT. Rigid and hybrid deformable image registrations were applied, and structures were propagated to subsequent daily images. The percentage differences between OAR volumes at day one, fifteen, and thirtythree were calculated and the performance of CBCT correction was qualitatively assessed. DIR successfully tracked structures of interests and converted the CBCT to full view.

33 - Nyaia Liddell, Kamryn Watley, Erica Cassimere p27Kip1 is a Mediator of Cell Migration in Metastatic Breast Cancer Stem Cells

Despite advances in treatment, breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among women. Although early detection through mammograms and advances in treatments have shown great promise, tumor relapse still poses a major challenge. Breast cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been recently identified as a small subpopulation of breast cancer cells thought to promote breast cancer progression and drug resistance. Similar to normal stem cells, CSCs have the capacity for selfrenewal, proliferation, and pluripotency. Breast CSCs also display increased cell migration and invasion. Therefore, targeting the growth of breast CSCs will provide novel strategies to combat breast cancer. p27Kip1 (p27), a member of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CIP/KIP) family, mediates nuclear G1 cell cycle arrest with subsequent quiescence. p27 performs cell cycledependent and cell cycle-independent functions based on subcellular localization. Interestingly, cytoplasmic p27 displays CDK-independent functions, including enhanced cell migration and metastasis in a variety of solid tumors. Yet, the role for p27 in migration in breast CSCs has yet to be tested. We hypothesize that p27 increases the metastatic potential of breast cancer stem cells through increasing cell migration. This hypothesis is based on preliminary observations that revealed that p27 protein levels were markedly enhanced in CSCs isolated from metastatic breast cancer cell lines compared to those that were nonmetastatic in nature. Using in vitro mammosphere assays, transwell cell migration assays and gene silencing, we found that p27 increased migratory populations from breast CSCs, suggesting that it could be an attractive target to combat breast cancer.

39 - Janyl Madykova, Hyun-Min Hwang, Ph.D., Department of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Sciences

PM2.5 Concentrations in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan: Impacts of Solid Fuel Combustion for Space Heating

Air pollution is a serious concern in many countries, including Kyrgyzstan. PM2.5 concentrations were monitored at 34 sites for one year (March 2021–February 2022) in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Daily mean (24-hour) PM2.5 concentrations varied from 4.28 to 192 mg/m3 and showed a clear seasonal pattern. The highest and lowest concentrations were observed in winter (82 ± 33.6 mg/m3) and summer (14 ± 2.47 mg/m3), respectively. Temperature inversion and solid fuel combustion for space heating are attributable to the significantly elevated concentrations in winter. The monitoring sites can be grouped based on space heating sources. Concentrations in Group 3 (coal) were 2.4 and 1.6 times higher than in Group 1 (district heating) and Group 2 (gas and/or electricity), respectively. Winter-to-summer concentration ratios were 2.77, 5.25, and

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10.29 for Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3, respectively. The higher ratios indicate a greater contribution from coal combustion in winter. The annual mean PM2.5 concentration (40.5 mg/m3) in Bishkek was much higher than Houston (10 mg/m3) but lower than New Deli, India (85 mg/m3). PM2.5 concentrations in Bishkek exceeded the Kyrgyzstan (25 mg/m3), US EPA (12 mg/m3), and WHO (5 mg/m3) ambient air quality standards by 1.6, 3.4, and 8.2 times, respectively, indicating highly elevated health risks among residents in Bishkek. The results show that the impact of PM2.5 on human health in Bishkek should be investigated and immediate actions (e.g., fuel switch for space heating) should be taken to reduce PM2.5 concentration specifically in winter.

75 - Yen Maroney Lawrence, Mahua Sarkar, Ph.D., Yuan Chen. Ph.D., Huan Xie, Ph.D.* Pharmaceutical Sciences Department

Nanoemulsion Formulation Development and Characterization of PC257, a Novel anti-CRPC Agent

In 2022 the National Cancer Institute reports that prostate cancer accounted for 14 percent of overall new cancer occurrences with a 5.7% death rate. Early detection provides high survival and remission rates; however, there are limited options for castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Current treatment strategies for CRPC exploit the dependence of AR for hormone activation, but the available therapies are ineffective in FKBP52 cochaperone, which is a promising therapeutic target for the disruption of multiple mechanisms in prostate cancer. PC257 was developed as an inhibitor of novel targets such as FKBP52 by Dr. Marc Cox’s group at UT-El Paso.

In this study, we developed a non-hemolytic nanoemulsion formulation of PC257 for parenteral administration. A nanoemulsion would increase the drug's bioavailability while efficiently delivering the drug to the targeted site.

A nanoemulsion formulation of PC257 was prepared using a low energy stirring/heat inversion method to combine an oil phase and water phase for the final nanoemulsion. PC257 is added at various formulation phases to achieve optimal drug concentrations. The nanoemulsion was characterized for particle size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, and drug loading. Zeta Sizer data for unfiltered and filtered emulsions both have mean PDI of 0.289 +/- 0.034, Z-Average of 210.33 +/- 25.53 d.nm, and Zeta potential of -20.02 +/- 5.27 mV. NanoDrop UV-Vis shows an absorbance of the compound between 280 to 300 nm range. Preliminary UPLC data shows a concentration of 190.95 ug/mL with 10% drug loaded. Further development of this nanoemulsion is undergoing in our lab.

60 - Blake Melton*1,2 , Shaun A. Stevenson*1,2, Daniel L. Kiss2,3,4,5,6,7, # 1Texas Southern University, Houston, TX USA., 2Center for RNA Therapeutics, 3Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, 4Houston Methodist Academic Institute, 5Weil Cornell Medical College, 6Houston Methodist Cancer Center, 7Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6670 Bertner Ave, Houston, TX 77030 USA

*These authors contributed equally, #To whom correspondence should be addressed: #Daniel L. Kiss, Ph.D. Email: dlkiss@houstonmethodist.org

Assessing the Link Between Cytoplasmic Capping and Stress Granules

The first study identifying cytoplasmic capping in 2009 demonstrated that cells struggled to recover from arsenite stress when cytoplasmic capping was blocked (Otsuka, Kedersha et al.

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2009). To date, the link between stress and cytoplasmic capping has yet to be studied. To fill this gap in our knowledge we used our inducible dominant negative cytoplasmic capping enzyme (DN-cCE) to block cytoplasmic capping and observe the effects on stress granule formation in response to arsenite stress. Using known stress granule proteins such as G3BP we established the standard measures for stress granule formation in our uninduced DN-cCE cell line and assay the effects of DN-cCE expression on stress granule formation using indirect immunofluorescence.

Otsuka, Y., N. L. Kedersha and D. R. Schoenberg (2009). "Identification of a cytoplasmic complex that adds a cap onto 5'-monophosphate RNA." Mol Cell Biol 29(8): 2155-2167.

54 - Sadith Mosquera

Characteristic of Houston Watershed Soil Bacteria and their Ability to Bio-remediate Lubricant Oil

Lubricating oil (LO) is a worldwide used contaminant. They are manufactured in various formulations and additives for different applications. There are more than one billion motor vehicles worldwide. The Texas Department of Transportation reported 3,424,674 registered cars just in Harris County by 2021. Automotive lubricating oils (LOs) are used in almost all vehicles powered by internal combustion engines. Inappropriate disposal of LOs increases soil contamination and constitutes a major environmental and human health problem. Furthermore, persistent exposure to hydrocarbon components is known to have carcinogenic and neurotoxic effects in humans.

Houston, Texas has been negatively impacted by three flooding events in the last decade. The most devastating, Hurricane Harvey, occurred in 2017 leaving behind widespread devastation. Parts of Houston received more than 50 inches of rainfall and standing flood waters remined in places for several days. During the flood, hydrocarbons may have been distributed in Houston area soils. Released petroleum derivatives in the environment is a major source of water and soil pollution. Several microorganisms can use hydrocarbons as the sole source of carbon and energy. This study aims to identify and evaluate soil bacteria and their ability to degrade LOs in the Houston metropolitan area by comparing soil bacteria populations from the Buffalo Bayou (from a location heavily populated area) against soil bacteria of a rural area. Highly evolved soil bacteria from the Buffalo Bayou will likely be better able to degrade hydrocarbons, and that population dynamics will be different than the rural area derived soil bacteria.

11 - Mustafa Muhammad Wali

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak on Houston Bike-Share Ridership

A bike-share system is a transportation service which bicycles are available for shared use by individuals for a short term at low or no cost. It is affordable to users and a healthy system for both users and the environment. It is a solution for people who do not have a vehicle and to limit the increase of private car usage. The study aimed to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak on bike-share ridership with a case study for the City of Houston. The data used for this study include ridership data for 2019 and 2020, COVID-19 cases of the city of Houston and Harris County residents for the year 2020, and temperature and precipitation data in Houston for the years 2019 and 2020. The methodology includes descriptive analysis as well as using Negative Binomial Regression modeling to derive the relationship between

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the dependent variables and independent variables. According to the descriptive analysis, there was an overall increase in ridership during the COVID-19 period in 2020. The longer duration trips in 2020 are much higher than those in 2019, and most of the trips occurred during off-peak followed by evening and morning peaks. At the end, a list of suggestions based on the findings was provided, which policymakers and planners could utilize to prepare major cities for potentially disruptive events and ensure their resilience.

48 - Fatima Muili

Effect OF Hydrogen Sulfide-Releasing Compounds on Muscarinic Receptor Mediated Contractions in Bovine Isolated Irides

Evidence from our laboratory demonstrates that in the eye, hydrogen sulfide (H2S)releasing compounds can lower intraocular pressure and relax precontracted porcine irises, in vitro [Ohia et al. 2018. J. Ocul Pharmacol. Ther. 34:61-69]. In the present study, we investigated the effects of H2S-releasing compounds on contractions induced by the muscarinic receptor agonist, carbachol in the bovine isolated iris. Isolated bovine iris muscle strips were set up in organ baths and prepared for measurement of isometric contractile tension using a Grass FT03 force-displacement transducer. Contractile tone was induced in muscle strips using concentrations of carbachol (300 nM – 1000 nM) in the absence and presence of H2S-releasing compounds, GYY 4137 [morpholin-4-ium-4-methoxyphenyl (morpholino) phosphinodithioate], S-allyl-cysteine and the substrate for H2S biosynthesis, L-cysteine. When used, an inhibitor of H2S biosynthesis, amino-oxyacetic acid, AOAA (10 µM) was present in the buffer solution before and after treatment of tissues with the H 2Sreleasing compounds. We found that GYY 4137 (10 nM – 300 nM), S allyl-cysteine (10 nM – 300 nM) and Lcysteine (300 nM – 30 µM) produced leftward shifts of concentration-response curves to carbachol. For instance, GYY 4137 (10 nM) decreased the EC50 value for carbachol from 224.3 ± 25.2 nM to 47.1 ± 8.1 nM (n =14). The leftward shifts of the carbachol concentration-response curve induced by L-cysteine (300 nM) was blocked by AOAA (10 µM). In conclusion, the enhancement of muscarinic-mediated contractions by H2Sreleasing compounds in the bovine isolated iris is dependent, at least in part, on the endogenous production of the gas in this muscle.

71 - Ngozi "Lauretta" Nwagu - Ndu1, Ashraf Mozayani2, Bobby Wilson3, Sonya Good3 1Department of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Sciences, 2Department of Administration of Justice, 3Department of Chemistry Texas Southern University, 3100 Cleburne Street, Houston, TX 77004

1,4- Butanediol Solvent in Court Room

1,4-Butanediol (BD), is a production solvent for pharmaceuticals, plastics, pesticide, etc. and easily obtainable. Like Gamma butyrolactone (GBL) it’s an analog of Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), a known drug of abuse if ingested converts to GHB and becomes a central nervous system depressant. The metabolism of 1,4-BD by hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase, produces GHB. 1,4-BD is regarded as “date rape drug” and metabolizes to GHB, hence a public concern. 1,4-BD is sold as supplements and federal law prohibits the public sale, but newer analogs are developed and sold to avoid law enforcement detection.

This systematic review aims to create public awareness of the legalities, associated criminal offense, identify chemical quantification, DUI impairment, and fatality. A PubMed search was conducted on January

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13th, 2023, for experimental and observational studies. Exclusion of non-relevant articles identified, screened 161 and yielded 47 relevant articles, the bases for this observational review. GC-MS/MS-TQD is used to quantify drug concentration and establish toxic dose.

Case studies review: 1) 215 identification samples, quantity of limit 8 mg/L and average blood GHB 91mg/L. 2)

Fatal Intoxication report: femoral blood 1020 mg/L, cardiac blood 3380 mg/L, vitreous humor 570 mg/L, and gastric content 47,280 mg/L. 3) Accidental fatality 13.7 mg/L BD blood serum. 4) 21 U.S.C. § 813 allows persecution of 1,4-BD a schedule I substance illicit use because it’d treated as a controlled substance.

28 - Ruth Obadeyi

Some Dynamics of Parameterized Tent Maps

This work investigates 2-cycles and 3-cycles of a family of parameterized tent maps. The family of tent maps studied can be described by

T!" = {2rx,0 ≤ x ≤ 12

{ 2 r ( 1 − x ) , 12 ≤ x ≤ 1

Where 0 < r ≤ 1. The number r is called a parameter, while the domain of T! is [0,1], the range of T! will be [0, r]

59 - Anthonia Okolie

Effect of Hydrogen Sulfide-Releasing Compounds on Interleukin-6 Production in a Porcine Ocular inflammation Model

In a previous study, we demonstrated that hydrogen sulfide (H2S)-releasing compounds reduced lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced TNF-α production in porcine iris-ciliary body (ICB) explants (Ohia et al. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis Sci., 2022; 63:2123-F0139).

Purpose: To study the pharmacological actions of both fast- and slow-releasing H2S compounds on IL-6 production in LPS-induced inflammation in cultured porcine ICB explants.

Methods: Freshly isolated porcine ICB explants were cut into quadrants and cultured in RPMI 1640 medium containing 1% penicillin-streptomycin. Explants were then exposed to LPS for 20 h. When used, H2S-releasing compounds, NaHS, and GYY4137 were added to media 15 mins and 30 mins, respectively, before the end of the incubation period. Concentrations of IL-6 in culture supernatants were measured using ELISA kits purchased from Sigma-Aldrich.

Results: LPS (5 - 25 ng/ml) increased IL-6 production in cultured ICB explants over basal levels. For instance, LPS 25ng/ml produced up to 12.36 ± 0.3 ng/mg protein (n = 6) increase over basal levels. In the presence of LPS (25 ng/ml), NaHS (0.1 µM - 50 µM), as well as GYY4137 (0.01 µM - 10 µM) caused significant (p < 0.01) decreases in LPS-induced IL-6 production. NaHS (5 µM) caused 45 ± 4.4% (n =12) decrease, while GYY4137 (10 µM) elicited a 50 ± 1.4 % (n = 12) reduction of IL-6 release from the explants.

Conclusions: We conclude that both fast- and slow-releasing H2S compounds can reduce LPS-induced IL-6 production in the ICB explants suggesting an anti-inflammatory action of this gas in the anterior uvea.

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49 - Olajumoke Lizzy Omosebi

Investigating Runway Incursions in The United States Airports

In accordance with the FAA, a runway incursion is "any event at an aerodrome involving the improper presence of an aircraft, vehicle, or person on the protected area of a surface intended for the landing and takeoff of aircraft." These incidents include takeoffs and landings on the incorrect runway (FAA, 2020). According to the FAA runway safety Office, the number of runway incursions at airports in the United States has climbed over the past 20 years, rising from 987 in 2002 to 25,036 in 2020.

Runway incursions pose a serious risk to aviation safety and can cause significant delays, financial hardship for airlines, injury, or even fatalities in the event of crashes with other aircraft. The NTSB has been urging the FAA to take major steps to reduce rates of incursions by including runway safety upgrades on its list of "Most Wanted Transportation Safety Improvements" for several years.

To decrease the frequency of runway incursions, the FAA encourages the adoption of runway safety technologies, infrastructure, procedural approaches, modifying airport layouts, and training practices. So far, 63 US airports have incorporated, installed, and are using the airport surface technologies (ASDE-X, RSWL, and ASSC) that the FAA recommended for reducing runway incursions. These three operational technologies Airport Surface Detection System Model X (ASDE-X), Airport Surface Surveillance Capability (ASSC), and Runway Status Lights (RWSL) are intended to improve situational awareness.

The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that may contribute to the occurrence of runway incursions at large hub airports in the United States, as well as to assess the efficiency of airport surface technologies in reducing runway incursions. This research is to better understand the relationship between airport geometries, mitigating technologies, and runway incursions, to potentially reduce the occurrence of runway incursions.

72 - Timothy Osazuwa

Convective Cloud Urban Boundary

The purpose of this research is to observe the direct and indirect altering interactions between aerosol and clouds. Continuous observation on the fundamental properties of climate in several sites on a regional scale and how it relates to clouds and aerosol will provide a greater understanding on their interactions and association with the Earth’s surface. To incorporated strategies to improve air quality, deploying instruments like QuantAQ MODULAIR which help sense particulate matter concentrations or the SMPS which is a particle sized spectrometer measures aerosol based on size, will assist in reducing pollutants.

When monitoring Sites in the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria Region, data of NO, NO2, Ozone, pm 2.5, Resultant Wind Speed, Temperature, and Humidity were considered when analyzing the cause of these levels sourced from several sites across the region. Likewise, daily weather reports were also measured when observing wind patterns or hot zones.

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10 - Alexis Partee; Roget Ashutabi; Rita Durugbor

Environmental Stress Factors In African American Communities

This presentation is an analysis of how long-term exposure to environmental stress factors are directly correlated to the detriment of physiological and psychological health conditions in underserved populations and examines its contribution to risk factors in various disease states. Chronic stress impacts the normal biological functioning of the body and affects behavior patterns, coping mechanisms, and overall human performance. This presentation will study how environmental stress is both a physical and psychological precursor to mental and physical diseases specifically within African American communities. Environmental stressors like air pollution, crowding, and architectural dysfunction threatens the safety and well-being of humans and perpetuates a negative paradigm of illnesses especially when safety precautions fail or are insubstantial. Adaptation to recurrent stressors eventually leads to exhaustion, and physiological breakdown allows the body to be highly susceptible to infections, mental disorders, and a host of chronic diseases ultimately increasing the mortality and morbidity rates in African American communities. African Americans who are exposed to excessive environmental stress experience higher mutation rates and genetic variations which influence harmful lifestyle modifications in underserved communities. Implementing effective environmental safety precautions and managing environmental stressors can aid in healthy lifestyles promoting health and wellness.

65 - Mai Phan

Evaluation of Rivaroxaban Eligibility for VTE Prophylaxis in Acutely Ill Medical Patients Across a Health-System

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis is recommended in acutely-ill hospitalized patients with risk factors for VTE. Current guidelines recommend anticoagulant thromboprophylaxis with low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH), unfractionated heparin (UFH), or fondaparinux. The MAGELLAN trial found that rivaroxaban is non-inferior to enoxaparin in preventing VTEs in hospitalized patients, making rivaroxaban an alternative oral option for prophylaxis.

Objective: To assess the eligibility for use of rivaroxaban as an alternative to the current standard of care for VTE prophylaxis in hospitalized patients.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients admitted to one of the adult acute care hospitals within the Memorial Hermann Health-Systems who had an active order for enoxaparin or heparin in July 2022. The primary outcome is the percent of patients who would have been eligible to receive rivaroxaban based on inclusion/exclusion criteria from the MAGELLAN trial. Data will be reported as descriptive statistics.

Results: A total of 209 patients with the mean age of 62 years and hospital length of stay of 10 days were analyzed. Approximately 66% (138/209) met at least one exclusion criteria for the MAGELLAN trial, with an additional 15 patients meeting the MAGELLAN subgroup analysis criteria suggesting higher risk of bleeding events with rivaroxaban. Twenty-five percent of patients were eligible to receive rivaroxaban for VTE prophylaxis during their hospitalization.

Conclusion: The data collected illustrates potential rivaroxaban use for VTE prophylaxis in select acutely-ill medical patients. Rivaroxaban may be an alternative for patients who refuse parenteral administration and meet the eligibility requirement for use.

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21 - Deshai Philio

Knockdown of MYBL1 Transcription Factor in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells

Identifies Enrichment of Genes Associated with Chromosome 8q

Triple negative breast cancers represent 15% of breast cancer subtypes. The cancers are recognized as negative for estrogen, progesterone and ErRB2 receptors, genes with transcription and growth factor functions, respectively. Previous data show another transcription factor, MYBL1 gene is overexpressed in some triple negative breast cancers. MYBL1 gene is a strong transcriptional regulator associated with regulation of cell cycle proliferation, a key event in cancer progression. To determine genes either directly or indirectly associating with MYBL1 in these cancers we knocked the gene down, performed microarray analyses and identified a list of genes effected by MYBL1 knockdown (some upregulated and others downregulated). Bioinformatic analyses show an enrichment of genes on chromosome 8q effected by knockdown of MYBL1. MYBL1 is on chromosome 8q also. For this study, more than 20 genes localized to chromosome 8q were initially identified. Using PCR transcript analyses of cell line preparations, 4 candidate genes were chosen, including the MYC transcription factor. The cell line data was supported by cBioPortal analyses which showed dysregulation of MYBL1 and our candidate genes in >3000 breast cancer patient samples of all types. Data presented here summarizes our results and outline our future research plans.

79 - Sania Pirouzi

Modeling and Analyzing Safety of Urban Public Places

As more than half of the world's population lives in cities, urban safety has become a crucial public policy issue. Urban Safety is not only a personal state and safety for the population, it is a built environment which ensures safe life of the population on the basis of a combination of factors including urbanization, architectural and ecological ones, which create favorable and safe living environment. It is a complex notion, defined on the basis of the factors and formed in a given territory of the inhabited area. This study uses a case study to describe the application of Space Syntax in consultancy for urban planning design and practice. Space Syntax is a suite of modeling tools and simulation techniques used to analyze pedestrian movement and to predict pedestrian volume. The model analyzes layout and connectivity of urban street grids to generate “movement potentials,” which it compares with sampled pedestrian counts at key locations and land-use indicators. The results of the study provide a useful and effective instrument for designers, planners, and decision makers to evaluate and assess public places in major cities.

24 - Aniya Powell; Haley King; Joshua Farley

The Dynamics of Half Tent Maps

The tent Map T is defined by:

and a parameterized family of tent maps given by:

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have been studied greatly in discrete dynamical system theory because the iterations of and form discrete dynamical systems. This work will center on half-tent maps defined as:

Where 0 < b ≤ 1 and Hb is continuous.

63 - Raymond Rhodes

Health Risk Assessment on Groundwater Contamination in Texas

Texas has long been concerned about the quality of its groundwater due to high concentrations of natural and anthropogenic contaminants, such as nitrate, arsenic and trace metals. The main source of drinking water in many communities is groundwater. This study assessed the health risks associated with exposure to contaminants, including nitrate, antimony, arsenic, fluoride, selenium, and uranium, through ingestion of groundwater in both urban and rural communities. Concentrations of these chemicals in groundwater in ten urban and rural counties were converted to cancer and non-cancer risks using a health risk assessment model developed by USEPA. In a few counties, hazardous index values are greater than one and potential cancer incidence are greater than 1.0 × 10E-6, indicating that long-term (e.g., 30 years for non-cancer risk and 70 years for cancer risk) groundwater use for drinking purposes may result in unwanted health problems. These contaminants in groundwater can be traced back to agricultural runoffs, mining, human activities, etc. as their primary sources. Since Texas' mining industry is expanding, uranium is anticipated to be a bigger threat to residents relying on groundwater for drinking water. This study suggests that groundwater in Texas needs to be systematically managed and assessed to minimize health problems.

64 - Stephanie Robles1,2; Emma McCollum2; Dr. Kristy Brock2

1Texas Southern University; 2MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston

Manual Contouring of Pelvic CBCTs for Prostate Cancer Radiotherapy

This study assesses the accuracy of manual structure contours on cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of prostate cancer patients. During radiotherapy to the pelvic region, organs at risk (OARs) such as the bladder and rectum shift in size and position daily. To drive structure-based DIR for dose accumulation applications to adaptive radiotherapy, manual contours on daily CBCT images are required. Prostate carcinoma patients with CBCT images for every fraction of treatment were analyzed retrospectively. The limited field-of-view CBCT images were converted to full-view using a DIR-based conversion algorithm that pads the CBCT image with an earlier CT image of the patient. The bladder, rectum, and prostate were contoured manually informed by relative image intensities. Seven patients were examined with a total of 89 images. Daily variations in the volume of the bladder were calculated. Manual contours were compared to an automatic segmentation algorithm. Results show that manual contouring better represents daily variations of OARs, especially in the transition area between CBCT and prior CT.

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77 - Renata Roy

Experimental Analysis of MYBL1 via VCPIP1 and Corresponding Genes in Triple Negative Breast Cell

The impact of MYBL1 gene expression in TNBC is a topic of research in our lab. The strong transcriptional regulator MYBL1 has been linked to a number of characteristics that are connected to the development of cancer. Using knockdown experiments, microarrays, and bioinformatics as our experimental strategy, our goal was to identify genes that are controlled either directly or indirectly by the MYBL1 transcription factor (TF). Our hypothesis is that genes reliably identified from our studies collaborate with MYBL1 in particular cytoplasmic mitotic signaling events since preliminary findings reveal that MYBL1 affects the VCPIP1 gene. Our preliminary results indicate that VCPIP1 and related genes may be consistent with Golgi mitotic processes.

9 - Nyma Siddiqui, Ting Du, Huan Xie, Dong Liang, Song Gao

Impact of Host Physiological and Pathological Conditions on the Activity of Gut Microbial Beta-Glucuronidases Towards Hydrolysis of Flavonoid-Glucuronides

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of host physiological and pathological conditions on the activity of gut microbial beta-glucuronidases towards hydrolysis of flavonoid-glucuronides.

Method: Fecal S9 fractions were prepared using feces collected from different types of rats at different ages with different genders. Also, Fecal S9 prepared from F344 rats at three different ages (i.e., 5, 9, and 16 weeks) and different inflammatory conditions treated with DSS or anti-inflammatory agent XCHT. Additionally, fecal S9 from genetically modified PRIC rats, which spontaneously have inflammation in the colon, was also tested. Baicalin, wogonoside, and luteolin-glucuronide were used as the substrates. A Waters Acquity Ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) system was used to quantify the metabolite baicalein to analyze the rate of the reaction of the enzymes. The rates were compared by obtaining enzymes through S9 fractions to confirm microbiota ability to hydrolyze the glucuronide and release of the parent compounds.

Results: The data shows that microbial GUS activity was higher at elder age. Fecal S9 from Pirc rats has lower activity and anti-inflammatory agent XCHT can increase microbial GUS activity. The results depicted that age had an impact on hydrolysis of the compound baicalin into its parent compound and this method was best suited to determine the rate of hydrolysis. The p<0.05 making the results statistically significant. The wild type enzymes had a clear increase in Km and Vmax. While PRIC enzymes and enzymes treated with DSS and XCHT had a clear difference in rates, but the Km and Vmax did not increase significantly.

Conclusion: The data shows that microbial GUS activity was higher at elder age. Fecal S9 from Pirc rats has lower activity and anti-inflammatory agent XCHT can increase microbial GUS activity.

"Investing in science education and curiositydriven research is investing in the future."

-Ahmed Zewail

Poster Presenters - Students

40 - Amira Smith

How the Game of Basketball Has Become Over Commodified

It has taken a while; 38 years to be exact for NBA goliaths and their analysts, as well as journalists counterparts, to admit that the steps traditionally taken to become giants in basketball are now tainted by greed, individualism, and, ultimately, the commodification of young athletes dreams and by extension the game of basketball as we know it. Media has undeniably and exponentially moved the game of basketball forward but overall, is it for the better or worse, and is its progression making its access more or less equitable? This study aims to explore the role the business of media has played in young players' path to professional basketball and how access to the resources associated with media and basketball can determine the actualization of these young athletes' dreams. By way of secondary data analysis and archival study, then content and thematic analysis to identify trends in the research, the gradual yet inevitable conclusion was drawn that over the last 38 years, media has moved the game of basketball and its participants forward at a continuous exponential rate and that aspects of the game are for sale; thus only available to those in the position to purchase it. From the American Basketball Association being just as much an entertainment league as it was a league for professionalized basketball to the genesis of Nike's boundless involvement in basketball at every level, the buy-in price for basketball is higher now than it has ever been, and it is only climbing.

1 - Tanuke Smith

Cost-of-Living (COLA- 2023) The Adverse Affect on Texas' Economically Disadvantage

Over 100 thousand individuals here in Harris County will experience the adjusted effect of the Cost–of–Living Adjustment (COLA 2023) Come March 1, 2023. The Social Security Administration sent out notices to Social Security Income / Social Security Disability Insurance recipients across the United States informing them of the $92.00 COLA for 2023.

The 2023 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) is the highest raise in the history of the social security administration. Due to the rise of inflation, purchasing power has dwindled for some and come to a halt for others.

The fundamental need for human security is to have the ability to purchase milk, eggs, bread, toilet paper, toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, and sanitary goods, along with hair combs, hair brushes, and underwear.

All of us were once making the decision on rather or not we were going to purchase toilet paper for a dozen of eggs. Houstonians wouldn’t have imagined that the cost of eggs would be at the same rate as the Federal Minimum Wage which is $7.25 or pay $2.00 a roll of toilet paper which comes out to $8.00 for a 4-pack.

Those items including over-the-counter medicines and prescription medicines are the least to mention.

During our research, we learned that various Houstonians would face an adverse effect come March 1, 2023. Individuals and families that receive Social Security Insurance and Social Security Disability Insurance will also receive a cut in their ancillary benefits such as food stamps and housing.

Poster Presenters - Students

73 - Keyona Stubbs

Smart Watches on the Forensic World

The aim of this research is to study the use of smartwatches in clinical and forensic sciences by researching literature and exposing a few uses of smartwatches in health and justice. Google Scholar, a website that allows a broad search of scholarly literature, was used. Google Scholar has many sources, such as articles, theses, books, and abstracts from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, and universities. Not only in this study was google Scholar used, but the public library database and the school library at Texas Southern University. We searched the database using the keywords "forensic science and smartwatches”.

The results of these reviews suggest the following: a- Smartwatches can notify law enforcement officers in realtime of stress, b- Smartwatches can record information from the phones such as messages, calls, and personal data like age, weight, and height of the user of the device;3- Smartwatches can record in real-time significant clinical information such as heart rate, sleep, exercise. This research indicates that smartwatches have advantages such as synchronizing with smartphones to display notifications, track footsteps and record voice messages, and track heart rate, sleep, exercise, and personal data like age, weight, and height. In certain cases, it has also reduced the time taken to get to the inference. Data collected by these devices that can be utilized for forensics cases when Geo-location information, Physical and health information of the user, Account details of Social Media Interaction, Calendar details, Media files, Key Generation Mechanism and Key-Gen logs are assisting the investigation.

76 - Stephanie Suniga1, Mark C. Harvey1*, Vivek Mann2, Victor Migenes1, Daniel Vrinceanu2, Omonike Olaleye3, Kehinde Idowu3, Alamelu Sundaresan2*

1Department of Physics, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX 77004

2Department of Biology, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX 77004

3Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX 77004

Effects of Low Dose X-rays on Human Lymphocytes

Lymphocytes are the second most common WBCs and make up 25 – 33% of all circulating white blood cells. Their numbers rise in diverse infections and immune responses. B lymphocytes are immune cells that aid in the production of antibodies to protect the body, while T lymphocytes combat viruses and cancer cells. Human body cells and tissues have varying radiosensitivity; some of them are radiosensitive while others are radioresistant. Blood formed elements are one of the most radiosensitive to radiation. The purpose of this study is to investigate effects of low dose X-rays on the human lymphocyte, alterations in cell count and morphology of lymphocytes. In this investigation, we will be using B and T lymphocytes after growing these cells in controlled conditions. Our objectives are to understand how X-ray exposure affects white blood cells and impacts cell proliferation at low doses.

"The more diverse a research group of a business, the more robust it is, the more flexible it is, and the better it succeeds."

-Jocelyn Bell Burnell

Poster Presenters - Students

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

61 - Jaelyn Sykes, Texas Southern University; Cormac Toher, University of Texas at Dallas, TX

Predicting the EFA of Alloys using Machine Learning

Through machine learning with the Python based sci-kit learn libraries, we worked to predict the ability of multi-component compositions to form a high entropy single phase. This can be predicted using the Entropy Forming Ability (EFA) descriptor which is based on the energy distribution of different decorations of the parent lattice. Since there are a great number of different possible combinations, we used previously generated data for two-component and multi-component systems to train these models. We started with a previously trained model that used a set of 56 carbides with a specific set of features. Following that, we successfully extended it to include new features which were found to have a higher importance than the original set. We applied the new features to different systems such as perovskites and silicates, as well as the original carbides. These materials have applications in aerospace and energy-generation technologies, including in high-temperature components of gas turbine energies and in solar cells. We also tested various different machine learning algorithms, and were able to compare various results to identify the best model. This project used the five fold cross validation method to measure the size of the errors. Further research would involve testing these machine learning methods with the hyper-optimizations on materials other than carbides, perovskites, and silicates.

66 - Amanda Williams; Mallory May

Examining the Impact of Social Determinants on Health in Houston

Health disparities refer to the discrepancies in health outcomes between different populations, often correlated to socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, and other social determinants of health. These disparities have received extensive attention and pose as a serious threat to the public’s health, as they contribute to increased morbidity and mortality rates in certain populations. Health disparities are caused by multiple factors, but research has shown that the root cause lies in the social determinants of health.

Our research will begin by looking at harris county zip codes and addressing differences of income. Once zip codes are categorized into regions based on income, we will then identify specifically nutritionist approved food sources and quality healthcare facilities that can benefit those who live in the area (Quality includes recommendations, reviews, and also access for those without insurance/low-income base programs and staff ). These factors will then be compared to discuss the zip codes with the best access and zip codes with the lowest access. These groups will then be compared to public health information on health outcomes to determine if there is correlation. The results will then prove or disprove our hypothesis.

In conclusion, health disparities, which have their roots in social determinants of health, are a serious public health issue. According to research, tackling the socioeconomic determinants of health is essential for lowering health disparities. This covers initiatives including expanding healthcare access, enhancing access to nutritious meals, and tackling environmental issues that lead to subpar health outcomes.

Poster

Presenters - Students

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

14 - Abie Williams-Villalobo; Faith Shakoor

Integrative Bioinformatic Analysis of p53 and Pathway Alterations in Two Different Lung Cancer Subtypes

Whether p53, either wild type (WT) or mutant, plays cell-specific or uniform role remains controversial. Using The Cancer Genome Atlas, we examined p53 in the lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), two lung cancers with different cellular origins and frequent p53 mutation. Mutant p53 more strongly correlates with different genomic alteration and protein expression profiles in LUAD than in LUSC. p53 mutation in LUAD and LUSC is associated with multiple exacerbated clinical outcomes. Although the presence of p53 mutation does not change the survival of LUAD patients, LUSC patients containing p53 mutation exhibit surprisingly prolonged survivals. Genes differentially expressed between cancers with mutant and WT p53 for both LUAD and LUSC were subjected to Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, resulting in different pathway fashions for these two cancers. Pathway analyses with genes co-expressed with WT or mutant p53 in both LUAD and LUSC show that mutant p53 in these two cancers are correlated with different signaling. Furthermore, WT p53 in LUAD are largely associated with activation of tumor suppressive pathways and suppression of the tumor promotive ones, a pattern opposite to what is observed for WT p53 in LUSC. Our study indicates that both WT and mutant p53 may have cell-specific functions, which needs to be validated with future experimental investigations.

31 - Adebola Olade

Extraction of Lithium using Bacteria: An Untapped Gold

The importance of lithium and other rare metals like cobalt, nickel in our world today cannot be over emphasized. Due to its unique electrochemical properties, lithium has become a vital tool in powering the next decade. For these reasons, the demand for lithium has increased tremendously especially in aerospace, transportation (electric vehicles), rechargeable batteries, and fuel cell industries. However, with this sharp increase in demand comes the uncertainty in the supply and extraction of these rare metals.

The conventional method of extracting lithium by hard rock mining is said to be highly demanding and unfriendly to the environment resulting in water shortage and damage to the ecosystem. With these problems posing a big threat to the environment, researchers are working on developing clean technologies to extract lithium. This new approach is expected to work better for the environment, human rights, and the climate. One of the new technologies involves using microorganisms like fungi, chemolithotroph and acidophilic bacteria to extract lithium from wastewater particularly wastewater generated from oil and gas production. Although this process may not yield huge amount of lithium at once as compared to the conventional mining method but will be worthwhile and sustainable cause it’s eco-friendly, cost effective and consumes less energy.

The aim of this research is to explore new ways of extracting lithium ion using bacteria strains. Bacteria strains will be sub cultured and strains the mixed with lithium powder. Lithium recovery will be determined by analyzing the filtrate using ICP quantometer. This same process will be repeated for other metal ion like cobalt and nickel. The result is expected to determine the amount of metal ion that can be extracted using bacteria strains.

Poster Presenters - Staff

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

50 - Deliah Brown

For Us, By Us: Intrusive Advising Integrated into Freshmen Seminar as a Retention Strategy

The researcher will investigate whether intrusive advising integrated into the Freshmen Seminar course will impact African American freshmen students’ retention, and persistence, as it relates to academics at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the South. The goal of this project is to identify the nature and extent of intrusive advising, a pro-active intervention, integrated into the Freshmen Seminar course will have on African American student’s retention and persistence. The researcher will utilize Tinto’s integration model theory (1975) as an analytic framework, because it focuses on retention and persistence within the actions of the individual to persist or not and the institution’s ability to retain students. For years, student retention theories have been outlined through the vision of institutional action and how they can retain students enrolled (Tinto, 2017). Many HBCU students are first-generation students coming from lowincome households, and they are more likely to be academically unprepared. HBCUs have historically been highly successful in providing access to college education for minority students who otherwise would not have such access. Gasmen and Nguyen’s, (2015) and Chen, Ingram, and Davis’s (2014) studies found that supportive campus climates increase student satisfaction, which was connected to student persistence. Thus, HBCUs must continually examine their progress in increasing retention efforts and student engagement on their campuses (Hinton & Woods, 2018). The investigation of intrusive advising integrated into the freshmen seminar course will shed light on whether the pro-active intervention will impact low-performing freshmen students’ retention, and persistence.

Chen, P. D., Ingram, T. N., & Davis, L. K. (2014). Bridging student engagement and satisfaction: A comparison between historically Black colleges and universities and predominantly White institutions. Journal of Negro Education, 83(4), 565-579.

Gasman, M., & Nguyen, T. (2015). Myths dispelled: A historical account of diversity and inclusion at HBCUs. New Directions for Higher Education, 2015(170), 5–15.

Hinton, S. L., & Woods, A. D. (Eds.). (2018). Examining student retention and engagement strategies at historically Black colleges and universities. IGI Global.

Tinto, V. (2017). Through the eyes of students. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 19(3), 254-269.

Tinto, V. (1975). Dropout from higher education: A theoretical synthesis of recent research. Review of Educational Research, 45, 89-125.

38 - Anuoluwapo

Identification of OJT003 as a Novel Zinc Dependent Inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 RNA Dependent RNA Polymerase and Replication

COVID-19 disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection remains a significant global health challenge despite development of vaccines. SARS-CoV-2 variants which evade vaccines make it imperative to discover safe therapeutics which target key viral-host interactions. Previously, our lab showed clinically approved drug, OJT003, displayed

A. Egbejimi, Tolulope Adebusuyi, Kehinde Idowu, Cbrionne Hendrix, Ildabrando Garcia, Aireona Armagon, Omonike A. Olaleye

Poster Presenters - Staff

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

potent activity against SARS-CoV-2 reference strain infection induced cytopathic effect (CPE) and inhibited a critical viral-host interaction. Here, we discovered that OJT003 and analogues display similar activity against SARS-CoV-2 omicron strain infection induced CPE, suggesting OJT003 pharmacophore is resistant to viral mutations and may have multiple novel targets. OJT003 is a zinc chelator and ionophore which modulates molecular and physiologic machinery required for zinc homeostasis. OJT003 and other zinc ionophores are known to inhibit RNA-dependent polymerases (RdRp) activity in some RNA viruses. SARS-CoV-2 RdRp, a zinc dependent enzyme, is crucial for replication and can be inhibited by zinc ionophores. We uncovered OJT003 mode of inhibition in SARS-CoV-2 infection. We observed additive and synergistic interaction of OJT003 and zinc combination treatment in SARS-CoV-2 infection using nano-luciferase reporter virus assay. OJT003 exhibited lower IC50 in the presence of zinc, suggesting antiviral activity may be related to zinc chelation or coordination in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, computational analysis revealed inhibitory potential of OJT003 class with SARS-CoV-2 RdRp. In SARS-CoV-2 RdRp enzymatic assay, OJT003 inhibited RdRp activity in a dose dependent manner with greater inhibition in the presence of zinc. Our findings suggest that OJT003 acts as a zinc ionophore and inhibits SARS-CoV-2 RdRp, thereby disrupting viral replication resulting in antiviral activity.

Funding: This project is supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under award number 2 U54 MD007605-27A1. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.

53 - Kehinde Idowu*, Anu Egbejimi, Manvir Kaur, Collins Onyenaka, Tolulope Adebusuyi, Omonike A. Olaleye

Inhibitory Mechanism of OJT009 and OJT0010 as Potent Blockers of Molecular Interaction Between SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein and Human Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme-2

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infects the host through interaction of its spike protein (S(RBD)) with human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (rhACE-2). Thus, disruption of this molecular interaction will lead to reduction in viral infectivity. This study aimed to analyze the inhibitory potentials of two mucolytic drugs; OJT009 and OJT0010, to serve as potent blockers of these interactions and alters the binding affinity between the proteins employing in vitro and computational techniques. The in vitro data showed OJT0010 displayed the highest inhibition of S(RBD)-rhACE2 protein interaction at lower micromolar concentrations (100nM to 10µM); compared to higher concentrations of OJT009 from 50 µM. Interestingly, we found that OJT009 inhibited the binding of S(RBD) protein to rhACE2 receptor at lower concentrations (100 nM to 10 µM). Computational data revealed that the binding of the two drugs at the S(RBD)-rhACE-2 site does not alter the binding affinity and interaction between the proteins. However, the binding of OJT0010 (-56.931 Kcal/mol) and OJT009 (-46.354 Kcal/mol) at the exopeptidase site of rhACE-2, significantly reduced the binding affinities between the proteins compared to the unbound, S(RBD)-rhACE2 complex (-64.856 Kcal/mol). The result further showed the two drugs have good affinity at the hACE-2 site, inferring they might be potent inhibitors of rhACE2. Residue interaction networks analysis further revealed the binding of the drugs resulted in loss of interactions between the proteins. This study suggests the binding of the two drugs at the exopeptidase site reduces the binding affinity of the proteins, and consequently might inhibit viral entry.

Poster Presenters - Staff

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

18 - Ilnaz Raeisi, Zivar Yousefipour

Photocatalytic Oxidation of H2S Over Magnetic CoMoNi/TiO2/MWCNTs/Fe3O4 Catalyst and Optimization of Operating Conditions with Central Composite Design

Objective: One of the factors contributing to health disparities among disadvantage population is exposure to contaminant in the environment. It has been well documented that SOx is a major source of air pollution and acid rain.

In this project, we proposed synthesizing a novel and highly efficient photocatalyst capable of removing SOx from different mediums to improve the health of biological organism including human.

Design and method: Cobalt/molybdenum and nickel (Co/Mo/Ni) doped on titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) were loaded on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) were loaded on top of these particles. This catalyst was characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM/EDS, DRS, BET/BJH and VSM techniques. A batch reactor was designed and the photocatalytic activity of the catalyst was investigated in hydrogen sulfide (H2S) oxidation under visible light irradiation.

Results: Magnetic CoMoNi/TiO2/MWCNTs/Fe3O4 catalyst showed a better performance for oxidation H2S compared TiO2. Based on our analysis, the reason for this improvement can be attributed to the synergistic effects between metals and TiO2 NPs, the increase of the specific surface area and the existence of groups and the volume of TiO2 NPs holes. To evaluate the effective parameters in oxidation, including catalyst mass (g), time (min) and H2S concentration (mg/liter), the central composite design (CCD) method was used.

Conclusion: Based on our data we are concluding that highest oxidation efficiency obtained in optimal conditions was 99.48% for the magnetic CoMoNi/TiO2/MWCNTs/Fe3O4 catalyst. The result of this study has potential use for future environmental remediation and improvement of health.

2 - Mahua Sarkar, Ph.D.; Huan Xie, Ph.D.

Preclinical Development and Characterization of GT-14,a Novel Giɑ2 Inhibitor for Prostate Cancer

Introduction

Giɑi2 (heterotrimeric G-protein subunit alphai2) protein plays a critical role in cell migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells. Using a structure-based approach, several small molecule inhibitors were synthesized synthesized by Dr. Adegboyega Oyelere at George Tech and characterized by Dr. Shafiq Khan at Clark Atlanta University. Those compounds could specifically prevent the activation of the Gαi2 subunit. One of the lead molecules is GT-14 which showed significant inhibition of the migratory behavior of the PC3 and DU145 prostate cancer cell lines at a concentration of 10 µM. We further conducted the preclinical development of GT-14 at TSU.

Methods

Physicochemical properties (pKa, log P and solubility) of GT-14 were determined and a cosolvent formulation was developed. A pharmacokinetic study of GT 14 with intravenous dosing (5 mg/kg in cosolvent formulation) was performed in male SD rats. PK parameters were derived using Phoenix WinNonlin.

Poster Presenters - Staff

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

Results and Discussion

GT-14 is a weakly basic compound with very poor water solubility and high lipophilicity (log P> 3). It has a pKa of 3.46 and 10.53. It is freely soluble in DMSO and DMA and shows high solubility in organic solvents. A cosolvent formulation consisting of PEG 300: PEG 400: Propylene glycol in a ratio of 3:2:2 was developed for Intravenous administration and solubility of GT-14 is 8mg/ml. The cosolvent formulation was well tolerated by rats. The concentration- time profile of GT 14 fits a 2-compartment model . GT-14 shows a distribution and elimination half-life of approx. 12 min and 4 hours, respectively.

"Creativity requires input, and that's what research is. You're gathering material with which to build."

-Gene Luen Yang

Poster Presenters - Faculty

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

46 - Abayomi Ajofoyinbo, Graham Thomas

Performance Improvement of Battery Storage System for Renewable Energy

The output of renewable energy sources (solar, wind) generally fluctuates on daily (or seasonal) basis and must be stored in an energy storage system for use later as needed. Battery energy storage system (BESS) is a technology developed for storing electric charges. The performance of BESS depends mostly on key system parameters such as state of charge (SoC), state of discharge (SoD),

useable battery capacity, temperature sensitivity, and sensitivity of the batteries to electrical transients (electrical surges). Failure of battery management system can lead to overcharging and an inability to monitor the operating environments such as temperature and cell voltage. In the existing literature, researchers have made useful contributions on BESS for renewable energy sources. However, there is a need for protection and control scheme to handle the fundamental problem of failure of the battery management system. This current research investigates a new technique for improving performance of BESS for renewable energy by integrating an embedded design as part of the charge controller of the BESS. This approach involves Fuzzy logic control system which uses key battery system parameters as inputs, and yields output Fuzzy subsets. The effectiveness of this new method was implemented using MATLAB, Fuzzy logic toolbox, and LabView software. Results obtained show that this new technique can improve performance of BESS. This research contributes to knowledge as it presents a new method for handling failure of battery management system, thereby improving performance of BESS in terms of capacity and longevity.

Funding support: This research is supported by the TSU Seed Grant. (Budget FOP: 3443-81000-20; Activity Code: 1576)

16

- Carla Brailey; Maryjean Ochada

Saving Black Maternal Lives: A Black Feminist Study of Structural Racism and Maternal Health Disparities in Houston, TX

The Saving Black Mothers’ Lives Project is a transdisciplinary research initiative that aims to address the Black maternal mortality and morbidity crisis by utilizing a Black feminist approach to center Black mothers’ care experiences. This project specifically focuses on understanding the challenges that Black women face with health providers, in the context of structural racism and environmental stressors, which have led to disproportionate increases in maternal deaths, especially among Black women in the Third and Fifth Ward areas of Houston, TX. The project utilizes focus groups to explore Black mothers’ birth stories, identifying the extent to which structural racism impacted their quality of care during and post-pregnancy. The project also aims to develop and implement initiatives that improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities, highlighting the development of policies and practices that prioritize the health of Black mothers and their children. This research initiative examines the ways in which Black women are impacted by policies and practices related to maternal health, and the implications of these practices for their health and well-being. Overall, the Saving Black Mothers’ Lives Project seeks to identify strategies for developing and implementing culturally responsive, evidence-based interventions that can be utilized to save the lives of Black mothers.

Poster Presenters - Faculty

36 - Flora Estes

Exploring the Genetic Component of Chronic Kidney Disease: Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD)

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) affects an estimated 10% to 15% of individuals in the U.S. with two-thirds attributed to diabetes (40%) and hypertension (28%). Little is discussed regarding the genetic component of CKD. Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) is a progressively debilitating and often painful genetic disorder in which fluid-filled cysts develop in the kidneys over time. These cysts enlarge the kidneys and impair their ability to function normally, leading to kidney failure in most patients. ADPKD can impact quality of life and is also associated with cardiovascular complications that can cause death. Approximately 140,000 people in the U.S. is diagnosed with ADPKD which is the 4th leading cause of ESRD.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this population-based study is to examine the use of genomic information to improve care and outcomes, particularly among African American who are disproportionately impacted by CKD and ESRD as it relates to ADPKD.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted utilizing data sources such as PubMed and MEDLINE. Further data will be obtained using the All of Us Research Database.

RESULTS

Although there is currently no cure for ADPKD, disease progression can be slowed with both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, in addition to lifestyle modifications.

CONCLUSION

Advancements have been made in the treatment of ADPKD In May 2020, the FDA approved the use of tolvaptan as the first treatment to slow kidney function decline in adults at risk of rapidly progressing ADPKD. Even with the progress that has been made, disparities in the treatment of ADPKD must be recognized and addressed.

23 - Dominique Guinn;

Shirlette G. Milton; Ifeoma Nwora; Kristen Asprer; Andrew Doan

The Roots Study: Understanding Young Adult Barriers to Biomedical Prevention

This study examined cultural and psychosocial factors underlying younger African Americans’ reluctance to engage in established biomedical preventive measures-namely, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), report 1,070,947 COVID-19-related deaths in the United States. In the first two years of the pandemic, COVID-19 was identified as the third leading cause of death in the United States, trailing only heart disease and cancer. Although COVID-19–related deaths are rare in young adults, mortality occurred most among unvaccinated individuals. Racial and ethnic health disparities

Poster Presenters - Faculty

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

continue to exist in COVID-19 treatment and mortality. Data originated from in- depth qualitative analysis focus groups and individual interviews to elicit information on the health locus of control, demographic covariates, COVID-19 vaccination status, knowledge of biomedical prevention, sources of trusted health information and beliefs of college students, 18 and older. Data were collected from April – June 2022. In total, 76 adult college students responded, and seven themes were identified: knowledge about biomedical prevention, barriers and facilitators to uptake, what informed vaccination decision, opinions on different vaccines, sources of trusted health information, trust in health professionals, and reasons healthcare was deferred. Information gleaned will be used to develop a quantitative survey to further understand overarching themes from the qualitative analysis.

3 - Bai Li*, Tolulope Adebusuyi; Ivy Poon; Elizabeth Donnachie; Alexandria Harris; Christina Alley; Angela Meshack

A Pilot Study to Understand the Community’s Perception of COVID-19 and Flu-Combined Testing Strategy in an Underserved Minority Community

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on communities worldwide. Testing is a crucial tool in the fight against the spread of the virus. However, each community is affected disproportionally by the pandemic. While the pandemic has increased the awareness of diagnostic testing in the community, little is known about how medically underserved minority communities like East Harris County perceive and experience COVID-19 testing. We conducted questionnaires in a diverse sample of 125 individuals living in the East Harris County area. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes that emerged from the data in the open-ended responses. Our findings suggest that while participants recognized the role of COVID-19 testing, there were significant barriers to access and uptake of testing, including concerns about fear of painful sampling, inconvenience, and a lack of trust in the healthcare system. Participants also expressed a desire for clearer information about testing and more accessible testing sites. On the other hand, with Flu testing, our participants have less experience and many of whom were never tested. Our study highlights the need for targeted community education and outreach efforts to increase testing uptake of COVID-19 and Flu.

8 - Tomiko Meeks, MA; Kayro Gonzalez; Lauryn Bracken; Alexis Ramirez

Emancipation National Trail Feasibility Study

On January 1, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, yet the enslavement of African Americans in Texas did not effectively end until June 19, 1865 when General Gordon Granger and Union troops enforced emancipation with General Order no. 3. Freedom held various meanings for African Americans, not least among them was the opportunity to create a new life for themselves free from the oppressive bonds of slavery. In 2020 Congress passed HR 434 to establish the Emancipation National Historic Trail Study Act, extending approximately 51 miles from the Osterman Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston, Texas, along Texas State Highway 3 and Interstate Highway 45 North, to Freedmen's Town, then to Independence Heights and Emancipation Park in

Poster Presenters - Faculty

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

Houston, Texas, following the migration route taken by newly freed slaves and other persons of African descent from the major 19th century seaport town of Galveston to the burgeoning community of Freedmen's Town, located in the 4th Ward of Houston, Texas. Using census records, slave schedules, maps, prison records, cemetery records, and other available primary sources we are working to uncover the names and histories of those aforementioned people who established a rich legacy of African American history in Houston, TX.

44 - Shirlette G. Milton

Historical Leaders in the Legacy of TSU College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

For the past half century, the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (COPHS) distinguished itself by graduating almost one third of Black pharmacists practicing nationwide. TSU has also been a leading producer of Black medical technologists and respiratory therapists, meeting local, state and national health care needs. Pharmacy’s legacy began with the founding dean and continued throughout challenging times. This is indeed a time of college discovery and innovation - A time to discover for some and rediscover for others legends and leaders of the college and a time to innovate, continuing the legacy, as The Joan M. Lafleur COPHS. This study examined leadership of the college’s founding dean, beginning in the 1940s and longest-serving dean, between the 1970s-1990s. Use of historical documents and personal interviews were used to examine leadership style, status of the profession during leadership, programs established and noteworthy external support. Results indicate innovative programs that advanced the practice of pharmacy, as well as high accreditation standards and a studentcentered focus were established during the leadership of the founding dean and continued during challenging times of the longest-serving dean. External support and student professional development were also noteworthy. As the college approaches its 75th Anniversary, it continues to uphold the legacy of playing a major role for producing ethnically diverse pharmacists for the state and the nation. Historiography that includes college leadership builds appreciation for the “shoulders” on which we now stand, enhancing pride, contributing to resilience and leading to innovation for discovery of new advancements sustaining the legacy

41 - Tuan Phan

Research Projects to Train MS Chemistry Students and Improve Undergraduate Chemistry Research Experience

This presentation describes extensive research initiatives that cater to students' various research interests and educational levels. Research projects for MS chemistry students focus on the development of new organic ligands and novel metal-based coordination complexes. Graduate students can learn research skills and procedures in chemical synthesis and characterization. To improve undergraduate chemistry students' learning experiences, plant chemistry research projects will be introduced to undergraduate researchers, who will have the opportunity to explore plant nutrients under regulated growth conditions. Students at both levels have the opportunity to work with advanced research instruments such as NMR, MALDI-TOF MS, LC-MS, GC-MS, HPLC, FT-IR, and UV-vis. These research initiatives help students prepare for graduate school and careers in the chemical industry.

Poster Presenters - Faculty

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

19 - Qun Zhaoa, Yi Qia* and Mustafa M.Walia Department of Transportation Studies, Texas Southern University, 3100 Cleburne Street, Houston, Texas, 77004-9986 USA

*Correspondence: yi.qi@tsu.edu

A Method for Assessing the COVID-19 Infection Risk of Riding Public Transit

During the pandemic, to prevent the spread of the virus, countries all adopted various safety measures, including masking, social distancing, and vaccination. However, there is a lack of methods that can quantitively evaluate the effectiveness of these countermeasures. This research first develops a model to quantitively evaluate the infection risk of riding public transit. By utilizing the developed model, the effectiveness of different countermeasures could be evaluated and compared. For demonstration purposes, the developed model is applied to a particular bus route in the City of Houston, Texas. The modeling results show that masking, social distancing, and vaccination can all reduce the infection risk for passengers. And among all these countermeasures, face masking is the most effective one. In addition, model results approve that the COVID-19 infection risk is highly related to the exposure time and the risk can be controlled by reducing the exposure time. Thus, a new strategy named the “split route strategy” is proposed and compared with the “capacity reduction strategy” using the model developed. In addition, a cost-benefit analysis is performed to assess the feasibility of the proposed “split route strategy”. Furthermore, two interviews were conducted with practitioners at Houston Metro. Both interviewees believe that face masking could significantly prevent the spread of the virus, which validated the model results.

52 - Fengxiang Qiao

Non-TSU participants: Qing Li, Ana Ramirez Huerta, and Andrew Mao, Texas Department of Transportation

Estimating Mode Shift to Bus Rapid Transit Using Random Undersampling Boosting Classifier

This study proposed a machine learning-based classification method to accurately predict mode choices in response to potential strategies for transit promotion in a sprawling region. The method consists of a machine learning classifier, a genetic feature selection process, and statistical analyses. The Random Undersampling Boosting Algorithm is adopted for imbalanced datasets in sampling. The genetic algorithm is applied to optimize the combination of independent variables grounded on the principle of maximum relevance and minimum redundancy. The 2017 National Household Travel Surveys and the add-on samples data for the Houston metropolitan statistical area in Texas, USA, were utilized to build the mode choice classifier, which shows 99.22% classification accuracy for auto mode and 98.90% for transit mode. Based on a comprehensive study of commuters’ trip characteristics and socio-demographics of the study region, bus transit network expansion and bus rapid transit strategies were proposed to stimulate the predominant single occupancy vehicle mode to be shifted to public transit. Results show that the walking distance to the nearest transit access is linearly associated with the mode shift to transit; up to 2.4% of current auto trips shifted to transit mode for those within a 5-minute walking distance in the urban area. The bus rapid transit, providing higher trip speeds for medium- and long-distance commuters, can significantly increase transit mode share by 8.24% and 8.95%, respectively. When the bus rapid transit is available to all the mediumand long- distance commuters, the total mode shift can increase to 15.96% in the study region.

Poster Presenters - Faculty

78 - Haiqing Sun

Strategic Planning of Transdisciplinary International Study

In response to TSU’s recent plan for expansion of transdisciplinary studies, with support from TSU Office of International Programs, this presentation focuses on strategies in socio -cultural studies, multi-discipline coordination and academic approaches, development of teaching methodology, student advising, and study of social settings and risk management, in one of the important channels for TSU students to study international cultures.

The research from faculty is associated with the plan to expand the TSU Summer Study program in Europe and South America for students in general and for students in departments such as business, pharmacy, psychology, public affairs and Spanish, to help students enrich their experience in different social and cultural contexts. The successful study abroad projects with transdisciplinary organization prove to people that our students will benefit not only from the course work but also from experiences that build up maturity, self-promotion, academic progress and social communication skills.

5 - Dominic Thomas

The Impact of Mentoring Relationships on the Success of College Students

This poster presentation will provide an overview based on a review of literature of the impact mentors have on undergraduate and graduate students. More specifically, this presentation will discuss the importance of mentoring relationships and how they can contribute to the lives of students academically, professionally, personally, and holistically by cultivating their minds leading to the complete development of students. This study will raise awareness and allow the higher education community to gain valuable knowledge on the importance and correlation of mentoring relationships on overall student success. Furthermore, this investigation will reveal various mentoring practices, and strategic methods used to positively impact student performance behaviors.

13 - Hongmei Wang; Du Ting; Dong Liang

Development of UPLC-MS/MS Method for Simultaneous Quantification of Eighteen Antiretroviral and Antifungal Drugs in Human Plasma

Purpose: HIV treatment has been revolutionized due to highly active antiretroviral treatment. However, in clinical practice, there is lack of therapeutic drug monitoring tools for antiretroviral drugs. The purpose of this study is developing and validating a novel LC-MS/MS assay that simultaneously quantitate plasma concentrations of 15 common antiretroviral drugs and 3 antifungal drugs.

Methods: We purchased the purified substances of all 18 analytes from Sigma Co. Stable isotopes of corresponding analytes was purchased if available to be used as internal standard (I.S.). We performed the assay on a 6500+ Triple Quad L.C.–MS/MS System equipped with an ExionLC UHPLC unit (AB SCIEX LLC, CA) and an ACE Excel 2 Super C18 Column (50 × 2.1 mm, 2 µm). The separation of the analytes was achieved on a Waters BEH C18 column. The flow rate was 0.45 mL/min with a gradient of two mobile phase: solution A (Water

Poster Presenters - Faculty

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

with 0.1% formic acid) and solution B (acetonitrile). Compounds were detected on AB SCIEX QTRAP 6500 System. The parameters were optimized to maximize sensitivity.

Results: We established the UPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneous monitoring antiretroviral and antifungal drugs. Mean regression coefficient (R2) of the standard curves for all drugs ranged from 0.980 to 0.999, which indicates the calibration curve and dilution integrity. The assay did not show any interference with other concomitant drugs.

Conclusions: The UPLC-MS/MS method could be used routinely to monitor plasma concentrations of antiretroviral and antifungal drugs.

25 - Pong Yuen1,2, Cheng Man Diana Lau2

1Department of Chemistry, Texas Southern University

2Macau Chemical Society

Teaching and Learning Redox Reaction by Using the H-atom Method

Balancing chemical equation, stoichiometry, and redox reactions are some of the basic contents found in pure and applied chemistry curriculum. Redox reaction plays an important role in natural sciences, engineering, and industrial applications. Some examples of redox reaction include photosynthesis, cellular respiration, battery usage, and combustion. A redox reaction is composed of two half reactions, which occur simultaneously. One half is oxidation and one half is reduction. The core of redox reaction is the gain and loss of electrons, or the decrease and increase of oxidation numbers. To study redox reactions, the knowledge of assigning oxidation number and counting the number of transferred electrons is crucial. However, there are multiple rules for executing these two tasks. This is particularly true when working with organic and biological molecules. In these cases, learners are easily confused. In this article, the H-atom method is explored as a path, which facilitates the process of teaching and learning redox reactions. The H-atom is used instead of oxidation number as a tool to classify, balance, and define redox reactions more effectively. The significance is that standard operating procedures are used, and ambiguity can be avoided.

"The heart and soul of good writing is research; you should write not what you know but what you can find out about."

-Robert J. Sawyer

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

Inaugural TSU Research and Innovation Week 2023

Community Education, Outreach, and Research Engagement EXPO

Wednesday March 29th, 2023

Purpose: Inform and engage Tiger Nation, community members, funding agencies, sponsors, government officials, and stakeholders about the transdisciplinary TSU Research activities

Session 1: TSU Research program/center overview 8:30 am-11:00 am

• Location: Zoom with livestream on YouTube

 Zoom preregistration https://bit.ly/TSUDRIWeek2023Expo or scan QR code

• Sessions:

 8:30-9:15 am: 5 centers, 1 moderator, 30 mins presentation with 15 mins Q/A

1. TSU SHAPE Initiative: Dr Dominique Guinn

2. CBMHR Community Engagement Core (CEC): Dr Grace Loudd

3. Biomolecular Research and Advanced Computing Center (BIORACC): Dr Kehinde Idowu

4. Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice Dr. Denae King

5. Center for Research on Complex Networks: Dr Wei Wayne Li

 9:15-10:00 am: 5 centers, 1 moderator, 30 mins presentation with 15 mins Q/A

1. Test-It-All: Dr Bai Li

2. Center for Transportation Training and Research: Dr Gwendolyn Goodwin

3. TSU Forensic Science Learning Laboratory: Dr Jasmine Drake

4. Center for Justice Research: Dr Howard Henderson

5. Center of Excellence for Housing and Community Development Policy Research: Dr Jeffrey Lowe

 10:00-10:45 am: 5 centers, 1 moderator, 30 mins presentation with 15 mins Q/A

1. Innovative Transportation Research Institute: Dr Fengxiang Qiao

2. Advanced Health Equity Program (AHEP): Dr Ivy Poon

3. TSU Breast Cancer Screening and Prevention Center and TSU aggressive Prostate Cancer study: Dr Veronica Ajewole

4. Earl Carl Institute for Legal & Social Policy Inc: Dr Jodi Moon

5. Center for Transformative Health: ED Zuri Dale

Session 2: Community Education, Engagement, and Outreach: 11:30 am-4:30 pm

• Location: Tiger walk, Sawyer Plaza, and Zoom with livestream on YouTube

 See floor map on next page

 Zoom preregistration https://bit.ly/TSUDRIWeek2023Expo or scan QR code

• Health Education series: on zoom and LED Screen in Swayer Plaza

 11:30-12 pm: Opening announcement + Music by DJ

 12-12:20 pm: Sexual Health education by Dr. Teriya Richmond

 12:20-12:40 pm: Open session + Music by DJ

 12:40-1:00 pm: Structural Racism as a Social Determinant of Health by Kedarious Colbert

 1-1:20 pm: Open session + Music by DJ

 1:20-1:30 pm: Elected officials

 1:30-1:50 pm: Long COVID-19 and impact on minority population Health education by ED Zuri Dale

 1:50-2:10 pm: Open session + Music by DJ

 2:10-2:30 pm: Cardiovascular Health education by Dr. Samuel Willis

 2:30-2:50 pm: Open session + Music by DJ

 2:50-3:10 pm: Breast and Prostate Cancer Health education by Dr. Rodney Hunter

 3:10-3:30 pm: Open session + Music by DJ

 3:30-3:50 pm: Mental Health education by Ms. Robin Green

 3:50-4:10 pm: Open session + Music by DJ

 4:10-4:30 pm Close out

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Inaugural Research and Innovation Week 2023

Community Education, Outreach, and Research Engagement EXPO

Thursday, March 30, 2023

Faculty, Staff & Student Workshop Series

Thursday, March 30, 2023

8:00 AM – 11:50 AM

Facilitator: Ms. Zuri Dale

8:00 AM - 8:50 AM

9:00 AM - 9:50 AM

10:00 AM - 10:50 AM

11:00 AM - 11:50 AM

11:15 AM - 12:45 PM

1:00 PM - 2:15 PM

2:30 PM - 3:45 PM

Non-Statistician Researcher's Guide to Using R with the Correct Statistical Procedures

Attendees: Undergraduate and Graduate Students

Program Evaluation

Attendees: Principal Investigators, Executive/Center Directors, Program Coordinators

Manuscript Writing for Undergraduate Students

Attendees: Undergraduate Students

Dissecting a Research Article

Attendees: Undergraduate and Graduate Students

Faculty Development Workshops

Location: SSLC, Tiger Room, 3rd Fl.

How to Become More Competitive as a MSI

Speaker: Ms. Rochell Overstreet Boxed lunch provided

Establishing Your Research Publication and Funding Plans

Speaker: Dr. Frances Williams

Contract Acquisitions and SBIR/STTR Dr. Femi Adesanya

"What I've found in my research is that realism and self-honesty are the antidote to ego, hubris, and delusion."

-Ryan Holiday

Friday, March 31, 2023

Awards Program ~ Luncheon

Friday, March 31, 2023

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Sterling Student Life Center - Tiger Room – 3rd Floor

Facilitator Dr. Linda M. Gardiner, Director Research Enhancement and Compliance Services

Opening Remarks Dr. Michelle Penn-Marshall, Vice President Research and Innovation

Greetings

Dr. Lesia Crumpton-Young, President Texas Southern University

11:10 AM

Introduction of Speaker Shayla Nelson

Texas Southern University Student Athletic Training

11:15 AM

Director Shannon Buggs

Founding Director, Office of Complete Communities Mayor's Office, City of Houston

11:45 AM

LUNCH SERVED

12:10 PM

Special Presentations and Awards

12:55 PM

Closing Remarks Dr. Omonike Olaleye, Senior Associate Vice President Research and Innovation

External Grant Recipients (FY '22)

Mr. LaRence

Dr. Omonike Olaleye/Dr. Dong Liang/Dr. Huan Xie

and Health Sciences

Dr. Victor Migenes, Dr. Alamelu Sundaresan, Dr. Mark Harvey: Co-Is: Dr. Omonike Olaleye and Dr. Daniel Vrinceanu

Dr. Ismet Sahin/Dr. Xuemin Chen/Dr. Daniel Vrinceanu

Dr. Robert Bullard

Dr. Carol Lewis, Dr. Gwendolyn Goodwin and Dr. Bum Chun

Mr. Khosro Godazi

Dr. Audrey Player Science, Engineering and Technology

and Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells

National

External Grant

(FY '22)

"Every problem can be solved as long as they use common sense and apply the right research and techniques."

-Daymond John

External Grant Recipients (FY '23)

Dr.

External Grant Recipients (FY '23)

External Grant Recipients (FY '23)

Mr.

Dwight

External Grant Recipients (FY '23)

Mr. Khosro Godazi Science, Engineering,

Mr.

Developing Crash Modification U. S. Department of TransportationNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration/Texas A&M Transportation Institute

for: $ 2,290

Left Turn

Curves, and

TSU Foundation Grant Recipients 2023

"If you don't invest in basic research at some stage, you start losing the basis of applied research."

-Rolf-Dieter Heuer

Notes

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

Notes

ACrucialDriverforDiscovery&DevelopmentTowardsTier1Status"

Attend-and-Win

Visit the vendors, have the vendor mark your visit; send a picture of your list to officeofresearch@tsu.edu to be entered for a prize.

Please print clearly. Illegible submissions cannot be entered for prizes.

1-DAWN Center

2-Texas Immunization Partnership

3

4

5

6

7

8-Harris County Public Health

9-Floodplain Management

10-Innovation Transportation Institute

Attend-and-Win

Surveys will be active after each event, but only for a limited time. Scan the QR code to complete and submit.

The Fine Print

All winners must be present at the Closing Awards Ceremony to receive their prizes.

If the winner is absent at the time the name is called, another winner will be chosen.

Monday - Opening Session

Monday - RCMI Symposium

Tuesday - L.E.A.P. Program

Monday - Oral Presentations

Tuesday - Poster Presentations Faculty Research Survey