Sonia Roedersheimer

Copper (Cu) homeostasis is essential for all organisms as it plays a role in redox and oxygen chemistry in many cellular processes. Cu content in the cell can be maintained through regulating its uptake, export, and distribution. Chlamydomonas, a single-celled green alga, is used as a reference organism to understand Cu homeostasis in organisms. Previous work led to the discovery of CRR1, a transcription factor, which turns on genes in Cu deficiency. Among its targets, CRR1 regulates the CTR family of assimilatory copper transporters. In low nutritional Cu, the transporter […]

Hong Joo Ryoo

My research operates at the intersection of computer science and Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics (LQCD), focusing on quantum computations of real-time three-body correlation functions in 1+1 dimensions. Our primary objective is to determine how quantum computing can effectively simulate three-body interactions that evolve over time within physically realistic quantum states. By implementing the finite-volume formalism, integral equation methods, and other computational techniques, we aim to lay the groundwork for future quantum simulations that operate in real-time and can be extended to higher dimensions beyond 1+1D within the LQCD framework.

Nathan Song

Ultracold atomic lattices are a hot platform for quantum information. By addressing neutral atoms with resonant light in an optical cavity we can induce effects like Rabi oscillations, Rydberg blockade, and many-body coherent interactions. Precise control over such effects enables exploration of complex Ising models, exotic spin liquids, and phase transitions. With the lifetime of our atoms being ~500 ms, however, the gate time (effective light modulation time) of our setup remains a key hurdle. Building on work from Thompson’s group, this project will enable sub-25µs gates on a new […]

Sanoja Sridevan

Angiosperms (flowering plants) are the most abundant type of plant on Earth. Their diversification and expansion during the Late Cretaceous greatly benefited insect pollinators, including bees. However, direct paleontological evidence of this important plant-pollinator interaction is scarce. This summer I will analyze an exceptionally preserved underground sweat bee nest (family Halictidae) from the Late Cretaceous Gulf coastal plain. I will perform and analyze micro-CT data to observe the nest morphology and contents in greater detail. Inside the nest, pollen pallets collected by the female bee to feed the developing larvae […]

Casey Herbert

Neuropsychiatric disorders are commonly associated with sleep disturbances and a high percentage of chronic sleep issues. Children with neurodevelopmental genetic conditions have a high likelihood of developing sleep disorders, which consequently leads to an array of neuropsychiatric conditions. Unraveling the relationship between sleep, neurodevelopment, and neuropsychiatric disorders is extremely difficult due to their complexities and interlinking factors. Genomic studies have led to the identification of genes correlated with human sleep disorders. However, unlike previous studies that focus on how genes control sleep behavior, I propose to analyze specific sleep disorder […]

Nicole Khatibi

Turbulent flows are everpresent in engineering and nature. Turbulent flows are characterized by a wide range of flow scales, intense mixing, high rates of heat and momentum transfer, and significant energy dissipation rates. A question of paramount importance in the field is how do turbulent flows achieve these ‘extreme’ properties. The practical and scientific importance of this question can hardly be overstated. A thorough insight into the principal components of turbulence will facilitate the development of better control strategies in engineering and explain the physical mechanism behind the enhanced angular […]

Nicole Klatt

Single-cell RNA sequencing has fundamentally changed our understanding of disease and the methods we utilize to classify cell types and discover new biology. However, some rare cell types can have a disproportionately large impact on overall development and progression for disease. To study these cells, traditional methods for cell classification and purification involve tagging cells with fluorescent antibodies targeting proteins on a cell’s surface. However, some cells cannot be identified based solely on their surface protein profile. In the Clark Lab, we develop new workflows for nucleic acid cytometry to […]

Charlie Kortleven

As atmospheric CO2 concentrations rise, rapid environmental shifts have led to more frequent and severe droughts. Some plants have demonstrated the capacity for rapid acclimation to abiotic stressors; however, the extent to which these responses are retained and transmitted across generations remains unclear. This study aims to explore how parental effects, potentially mediated by epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation, prime offspring to cope with similar stressful environments before experiencing them directly, by altering gene expression—a process often implicated in phenotypic plasticity. To understand the mechanisms underlying transgenerational plasticity in […]

Emma Lalor

As an EMT, I believe it is exceedingly important to try to gain a full-picture perspective of patients and providers in order to work with each in the best way possible. One way that this can be done is through the use of graphic medicine, or the implementation of graphic novel, cartoons, and comics in order to convey stories and lessons from emergency medicine. My research is in tandem with many healthcare providers, patients, and educators through the volunteer group, Graphic Medicine. With this project, we aim to create an […]

Nathan Lin

The increasing threat of devastating wildfires in California has sparked interest in improving forest management, initiating work with indigenous tribes to integrate traditional knowledge with modern practices such as prescribed burning and mechanical fuel reduction. The efficacy of these techniques has previously been studied, but less is known about their effects on invertebrate communities. To address this, the Will lab has an ongoing, 4-year sampling project in the San Vicente Redwoods, studying how ground-dwelling arthropods are affected by different levels of mechanical treatment. I will characterize the beetle community in […]