Title: Structural and functional diversity of calcium-triggered contractile proteins in ciliates   Abstract: Ciliated protozoa employ conventional ATP-powered cytoskeletal motors, such as myosins, dyneins, and kinesins, for motility and intracellular transport. But ciliates also use novel cytoskeletal motors that do not require ATP to generate force. These calcium-triggered motors drive contractile processes, some of which are…

Title: Genome Organization from the Ground Up -- Deciphering Molecular Mechanisms for Chromatin Organization Abstract: Chromatin structure tightly regulates gene expression and epigenetic processes. The nuclear environment is complex, featuring tension exerted by force-generating proteins and molecular crowding modulated by different ionic concentrations. Understanding the impact of these factors on chromatin structure is crucial for elucidating…

Title: Assessing the Biological Activities of DNA-Templated Silver Nanoclusters Abstract: DNA and RNA are structurally and functionally diverse biopolymers that have shown promise in recent years as a powerful biomedical tool, in the form of nucleic acid nanotechnologies. The applications of these technologies include biosensing, diagnostics, cancer therapeutics, vaccines, and many more. A relatively unexplored…

Title: Photodecomposition in Methylammonium Lead Triiodide Thin Films Abstract: Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites have shown remarkable photovoltaic properties while being solution and low-temperature processable. However, long-term applications are limited by instability arising from the material’s surface and photoexcitation. With above bandgap excitation Raman spectroscopy, the photodegradation process of methylammonium lead triiodide (MAPbI 3 ) was monitored.…

Title: Neural network and genetic basis of acoustic communication behaviors in Drosophila Abstract: Animals use sounds to communicate in a wide range of contexts. In turn, auditory systems must encode relevant sound features to drive appropriate reactions. However, how auditory feature detection emerges in neural networks has been difficult to solve due to challenges in…

Title: PAB-1 granules as a biomarker for aging in C. elegans Abstract: TBD Host: Sharonda LeBlanc

Title: Control of Segmentation Timing in the Zebrafish Notochord Abstract: Many developmental processes require coordination across multiple cells to achieve a common function. One way to achieve this harmony is through control of developmental timing, regulated by genetic species acting as biological timekeepers. In this talk, I will discuss evidence of an oscillatory system in…

Title: Relating the Microscale to the Macroscale in Granular Materials Abstract: Granular materials, like soils and powders, play crucial roles in diverse applications from construction to agriculture to pharmaceuticals. Unlike continuous media, where strength can be determined by bulk material properties, the strength of granular materials is highly dependent on grain connectivity (fabric), force transmission,…