Maryville College Senior Study

Department of Biology

 

Students in Biology conduct a two-semester project involving independent research under the guidance of a faculty advisor. The project culminates in a formal thesis, and the projects of Dr. Crain's students are linked below. Also, many exceptional senior study projects are linked to the Maryville College Undergraduate Research Website.

2017

Chloe Kilpatrick.  Effects of 17-alpha-ethinyl estradiol on Danio rerio hepatosomatic index and liver composition.  January 2017-present.

Rachel Taylor.  Exposure to retinoic acid influences the development and structure of planarian eyes.  January 2017-present.

Kristen Rolston.  The effects of organic and harsh cleaners on Anolis carolinensis integument.  January 2017-present.

Lauren Wilson.  Comparing basil (Ocimum basilicum) production in hydroponic and aquaponic systems. Poster.

2016

Amelia Brumbaugh.  Influence of dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (DOSS) on non-mammalian adipogenesis. 

Brooke Cummings.  Cryopreservation of Danio rerio: Determining the embryonic stage of development and cryoprotectant that yields the highest hatching rate. 

2015

Madison Coker.  The effects of thyroxine monotherapy treatment versus thyroxine/triiodothyronine combination therapy: evidence from Xenopus laevis tadpoles.

Hannah Cummings. Tagetes patula as a companion plant in east Tennessee Phaseolus vulgaris cultivation. 

Arielle Dolan.  The effects of aquarium size and temperature on color vibrancy, size, and physical activity in Betta splendens.

2014

Lauren Evans.  Quantification of firefly luciferase using SDS-PAGE followed by densitometry. YouTube video of technique.

2013

Brittany Neff. The effects of equine-assisted psychotherapy on stress of the horse: Measuring cortisol, pulse, respiration, and behaviors before and after clinical sessions.

Mallory Kirkland.  Effects of the antiepileptic medication valproic acid sodium salt (VPA) on the histological bone structure in Xenopus laevis.

2012

Courtney Phillips. The effects of enrofloxacin (Baytril) on development of articular cartilage in Xenopus laevis.

Nicole McNabb. Effects of the antibiotic enrofloxacin on the gastrointestinal tract in metamorphosing Xenopus laevis tadpoles. 

Shelby O'Brien. The effects of salinity on behaviors and gill epithelium of Betta splendens.

 

2011

Steven Giblock. Fiddler crabs (Uca Pugilator) as bioindicators of environmental health in coastal estuarine communities of Beaufort, South Carolina.  Featured YouTube video.

Jason Johnson. Comorbidity factors correlated with readmission after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, Tennessee.

Adam Patterson. Effects of a small-scale clear-cut on terrestrial vertebrate populations in the Maryville College woods, Maryville, Tennessee.

 

2010

Hillary Brown. Investigation of altered bone development caused by anticonvulsant drug therapy in Rana sylvatica tadpoles.

Shelley Clark. The role of body mass index (BMI) on total knee replacement rehabilitation.

Hope Marlow. The effects of acute ultraviolet irradiation on zebrafish (Danio rerio) eye structures and lens protein composition.

 

2009

Chewning, Kyle. Teaching taxonomy, thermoregulatory behavior, and photoperiod using laboratory observations of Anolis carolinensis. 

McRee, Anna. The comparison of the effect of dietary changes or dirlotapide treatment on canine obesity in a small animal veterinary practice.

Moore, Rebekah. Water contaminant prevalence and filter system effectiveness for homes in the Eagon/Buffalo Creek community.

 

2007

Castle, Angie. The effect and dependency of L-thyroxine treatment on basal metabolic rate of post-metamorphic Xenopus laevis.

French, Erin. Response of White's treefrog (Litoria caerule) to common household captivity stressors.

Hill, Lindsey. Genistein effects on reproductive and thyroid hormones. 

Taylor, Charlotte. Effects of thyroxine on liver structure in Xenopus laevis. 

 

2006

Foust, Rhiannon. The effects of feeding on zebrafish Danio rerio circadian-dependent activity patterns. 

Kitchens, Jessica. The effects of blood storage time on the accuracy of comprehensive metabolic panel results. 

McCurdy, William. The Influence of Staggered Exposure to Fluoxetine on Aggressive Behaviors in Siamese Fighting Fish (Betta splendens). 

 

2005

Groth, Travis. Effects of atrazine on testes in Xenopus laevis tadpoles and juveniles. 

Lehman, Chris. Analysis of IDEXX C6 ELISA for the detection of lyme disease and ehrlichiosis in a non-endemic area. 

Lovingood, Ginger. The effects of atrazine on the laryngeal tissue in Xenopus laevis. 

Mackens, Austin. Effects of atrazine on Xenopus laevis ovarian development. 

Parsons, Ivy. The effects of fluoxetine on aggressive behaviors in Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens). 

 

2004

Butz, Lauren. The effects of temperature and short-term exposure to 17a-ethinylestradiol on the growth and physiology of juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus my kiss). 

Johnson, Eric. Effects of magnetic field stimulation on the action potential of a frog sciatic nerve. 

Rushworth, Elizabeth. Variables that affect the incidence of bilateral anterior cruciate ligament injuries. 

Wilson, Jennifer.  Effects of ethinylestradiol and atrazine on Xenopus laevis gonadal development.

 

2003

Webb, Catherine. The effects of malathion on growth and development of Xenopus laevis tadpoles.

 

2002

Robinson, Brent. The effects of in vitro hemolysis on the comprehensive metabolic panel. 

Thomas, Corrie. The influence of gender and athleticism on rehabilitation from anterior cruciate ligament surgery. 

Verhofstadt, Erin. Enhancement of cognitive development in ND4 Swiss Webster mice by music therapy. 

 

2001

Brown, Jessi. The effects of organophosphate pesticides on tadpole growth, development, and fitness. 

 

2000

Hewitt, Elizabeth. Thyroid status in juvenile alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) from contaminated and reference sites on Lake Okeechobee, Florida, USA. 

Lloyd, Jodi. The efficacy and macroscopic effects of antihelminthics on the tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta. 

 

Journals:

Bios

Tennessee Academy of Science Journal

 

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