14 UK undergraduates to present at Posters-at-the-Capitol

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 25, 2023) — The 21st annual Posters-at-the-Capitol on March 2, 2023, will feature 14 University of Kentucky undergraduate students whose research addresses topics with important implications for issues in Kentucky, including community health, agricultural sustainability, renewable energy and public health and safety.

Posters-at-the-Capitol is hosted collaboratively by Eastern Kentucky University, Kentucky Community and Technical College System, Kentucky State University, Morehead State University, Murray State University, Northern Kentucky University, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville and Western Kentucky University to showcase the experience of undergraduate students engaged in research through high-quality poster displays at the state legislature. This year’s event will have more than 100 student representatives from across the state displaying the results of their research and scholarly work.

“Posters-at-the-Capitol provides a distinct opportunity for undergraduate research in the Commonwealth to be celebrated and to demonstrate for key stakeholders the importance that these endeavors can have in solving issues that face Kentucky, the nation and our world," said Chad Risko, faculty director of the UK Office of Undergraduate Research. "The students representing the University of Kentucky exemplify very well the impact that our undergraduates have across a broad range of disciplines.”

With unique research projects on display, Posters-at-the-Capitol enables those responsible for higher education funding in Kentucky to see the important role undergraduate research plays in the education of our students. Students learn more about the political process and how to advocate for undergraduate research at the local and state governmental level.

The UK students participating in Posters-at-the-Capitol this year include:

• Darcy Adreon, biochemistry and Lewis Honors senior, and Lexi Nolletti, neuroscience and Lewis Honors senior. Faculty mentor: David Rodgers, Ph.D. Project: “How Does Insulin-Degrading Enzyme (IDE) Gain Access to its Substrates? A Study of IDE-Phosphatidyl Inositol Phosphate (PIP) Lipid Interactions.”

• Lucas Bertucci, chemical engineering and Lewis Honors senior. Faculty mentors: Joshua Werner, Ph.D., and John Groppo, Ph.D. Project: “Solar Panel Sustainability: End-of-Life Recycling.”

• Isha Chauhan, biology and Lewis Honors junior. Faculty mentor: Gregory Graf, Ph.D. Project: “Characterization of novel disease-causing mutations in ABCG5 and ABCG8.”

• Ashley Craig, neuroscience and Lewis Honors senior. Faculty mentor: Mark Prendergast, Ph.D. Project: “Employing a sequential shift paradigm to assess dimensional shift deficits in juvenile rats prenatally exposed to alcohol.”

• Daniel Dailey, chemical engineering and Lewis Honors senior, and S.J. Lycans II, chemical engineering and Lewis Honors freshman. Faculty mentor: Rick Q. Honaker, Ph.D. Project: “Hidden in plain sight: characterization of untapped U.S. rare earth and critical mineral resources.”

• Avery Douglas, human health sciences and Lewis Honors senior. Faculty mentors: Deirdre Dlugonski, PhD; and Johanna Hoch, PhD. Project: “Perceptions of Peer and Parental Support: Assessing the Impact of a Physical Activity Intervention for Adolescent Girls.”

• Chase Eastham, agricultural and medical biotechnology and Lewis Honors junior. Faculty mentor: Peter Nagy, Ph.D. Project: “Defining Domains of a Replication Protein in Tombusviridae Essential for Viral Replication Organelle Formation.”

• Maggie Gillum, agricultural and medical biotechnology junior. Faculty mentor: Dave Van Sanford, Ph.D. Project: “Understanding the Effect of Fusarium Head Blight Resistance on Agronomic Characteristics of Soft Red Winter Wheat.”

• Hunter J. McCormick, public policy and economics senior. Faculty mentor: Cory Curl, Ph.D. Project: “Addressing Money Laundering in the United States Real Estate Sector.”

• Deep Patel, biology and Lewis Honors junior. Faculty mentor: Jakub Famulski, Ph.D. Project: “Tfap2: Role in Anterior Segment Development.”

• Gretchen Ruschman, agricultural and medical biotechnology and Lewis Honors junior. Faculty mentor: Carlos Rodriguez Lopez, Ph.D. Project: “Exogenous alteration of plant DNA methylation affects their ability to assemble soil microbiomes.”

• Caroline Youdes, biology and Lewis Honors junior. Faculty mentors: Zhenheng Guo, Ph.D. and Ming Gong, Ph.D. Project: “Characterization of GLP-1 Receptor in Flox & Knockout Mice.”

View all 2023 Posters-at-the-Capitol projects here.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $501 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.