Students are gaining experience with state-of-the-art biomarker analysis techniques including protein quantification, data analysis workflows, and laboratory safety protocols. The research involves working with clinical samples, learning advanced instrumentation, and participating in the scientific process from hypothesis development through data interpretation. Students contribute to literature reviews, assist with experimental design, and learn to present research findings at scientific meetings. This project provides invaluable training in biomedical research methodology while addressing one of the most critical health challenges of our time, giving students direct experience in federally-funded translational research that bridges laboratory science with clinical applications.

Research Focus

Students are working on designing a comprehensive research protocol that would compare different types of companion interventions including robotic pets, traditional comfort items, and control conditions. The planned research would examine sleep patterns, stress levels, and daily caregiving experiences.

Student involvement includes:

• Developing assessment protocols and measurement tools
• Creating data collection frameworks for sleep and stress monitoring
• Designing intervention protocols for robotic pet therapy
• Planning recruitment and participant engagement strategies

Project Goals

This research project aims to build the foundation for understanding how technology-based interventions like robotic pets could support dementia caregivers. Students are gaining experience in study design, protocol development, and research methodology while addressing real-world challenges faced by families affected by dementia.

This project involves multiple phases of student-led research. Students begin by transfecting mammalian cells with cancer-related receptors like EGFR, then use phage libraries containing millions of different peptide sequences to screen for molecules that bind to these targets. Selected phages are tested for their ability to inhibit cancer cell growth and migration using established laboratory assays. Students gain experience with cell culture, fluorescent microscopy, molecular cloning, and biochemical analysis while working toward the ultimate goal of identifying peptides with potential anti-cancer properties.

Students are working with M13KE phage vectors to create custom oligonucleotide sequences encoding MaSp2 spider silk analogs with engineered furin cleavage sites for controlled monomer release. The project involves primer design, phage library construction, protein expression validation, and polymerization assays using turbidity measurements and spectrophotometry. Students gain experience in molecular cloning, phage display methodology, protein purification, and materials characterization while working toward the ultimate goal of developing extrusion systems that mimic spider spinnerets. This research provides valuable training in biotechnology applications, biomimetic engineering, and the translation of biological processes into scalable manufacturing approaches for next-generation biomaterials.

Students are engaged in comprehensive survey development and validation processes, including question format testing, content validity assessment, and psychometric analysis. The project involves designing multiple question versions for each neuroplasticity component, conducting expert reviews, and analyzing response patterns to identify optimal assessment formats. Students gain experience in research design, statistical analysis, questionnaire development, and working with vulnerable populations while creating validated instruments that ALF administrators can use to enhance their activity programming. This work bridges academic research with practical applications in senior care, providing students with valuable experience in translational health research and program evaluation methodology.

Students work with individual microtubule-binding domain repeats from tau protein, including the PHF6 and PHF6* aggregation-prone sequences. The project involves designing phage libraries, conducting biopanning selections against in vitro tau aggregates, and validating anti-aggregation activity using thioflavin T fluorescence assays, turbidity measurements, and microscopy techniques. Students gain hands-on experience in molecular cloning, phage display methodology, protein purification, aggregation kinetics, and therapeutic target validation. This research addresses a critical unmet need in Alzheimer's therapeutics by targeting toxic oligomeric species rather than late-stage tangles, providing valuable training in drug discovery approaches while contributing to development of disease-modifying treatments.

Students work with recombinant alpha-synuclein protein to generate pathological aggregates, then screen phage-displayed peptide libraries to identify binders that inhibit or reverse aggregation. The research involves sophisticated biophysical techniques including thioflavin T fluorescence assays to monitor fibril formation, dynamic light scattering to characterize aggregate size, and transmission electron microscopy to visualize structural changes. Students gain experience in bacterial expression systems, protein purification, aggregation protocols, and therapeutic validation assays. This work addresses a critical need in Parkinson's disease research by targeting the earliest stages of alpha-synuclein pathology, providing training in translational neuroscience research while contributing to development of disease-modifying therapies for synucleinopathies.

Students participate in all aspects of program development including designing laboratory safety protocols for minors, creating research modules adapted for high school learners, developing mentor training materials, and building evaluation frameworks to assess program outcomes. The work involves reviewing pedagogical literature on adolescent learning, consulting with education specialists, and pilot-testing materials with target populations. Students gain experience in grant writing, program administration, educational assessment, and science outreach while contributing to creation of sustainable pathways for early STEM career exploration. This initiative directly addresses national priorities for workforce diversity by engaging students from underrepresented backgrounds in authentic research experiences, providing our university students with valuable leadership experience in science education and community engagement.

Students work on multiple aspects of program development including designing gerontology foundation courses, creating practicum placement frameworks, developing facility partnership agreements, and building assessment tools to measure student learning and resident outcomes. The work involves conducting literature reviews on effective geriatric training models, interviewing facility administrators and healthcare workers, analyzing workforce data, and creating program materials. Students gain experience in grant writing (targeting HRSA GWEP and other federal funding sources), healthcare administration, community needs assessment, and program evaluation methodology. This initiative addresses critical regional workforce shortages while providing university students with meaningful career exploration opportunities and hands-on experience in healthcare delivery systems, public health program design, and aging services.

Students contribute to development of laboratory modules exploring aging hallmarks including telomere shortening, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cellular senescence using accessible model organisms and techniques. The work involves creating lesson plans, developing assessment rubrics, designing hands-on experiments suitable for high school laboratories, and building mentorship frameworks. Students gain experience in pedagogical research, grant writing for educational programs, science outreach, and evaluation of learning outcomes. The program specifically targets concepts in healthspan extension, age-related disease prevention, and translational gerontology research, providing high school students with exposure to an emerging field while giving university students valuable experience in science education and workforce development initiatives.

Students work on multiple aspects of R25 grant development including conducting literature reviews on effective research training models, mapping research expertise across UWF and regional partner institutions (hospitals, physical therapy clinics, orthopedic practices), designing research modules in areas including sarcopenia, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, exercise physiology, and rehabilitation science, and creating assessment frameworks to measure trainee outcomes. The project involves identifying potential faculty mentors, developing partnerships with clinical sites, designing hands-on laboratory and clinical research experiences, and building recruitment strategies to attract diverse cohorts of undergraduate trainees. Students gain experience in NIH grant writing, program administration, curriculum design, partnership development, and research training best practices. This initiative addresses national priorities for workforce development in aging research while creating sustainable pathways for undergraduate students to gain authentic research experiences in musculoskeletal health, providing valuable training in educational program design and collaborative research infrastructure development.

Students work on all aspects of directed evolution including library generation through random mutagenesis and targeted approaches, designing screening assays to identify improved enzyme variants, characterizing kinetic parameters using spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods, and validating functional improvements in enzyme performance. The research involves bacterial expression systems, protein purification techniques, enzyme kinetics analysis, and structure-function relationship studies. Students gain experience in molecular cloning, mutagenesis strategies, high-throughput screening workflows, and characterization of enzyme properties including substrate specificity, catalytic efficiency, and stability under various conditions. This work provides comprehensive training in modern enzyme engineering methodology while exploring how directed evolution can create novel biocatalysts with potential applications in food processing, metabolic health interventions, and industrial biotechnology. The project emphasizes both fundamental protein science and translational applications, giving students exposure to the complete pipeline from basic enzyme engineering through potential commercialization pathways.

Students participated in all aspects of clinical trial operations including participant recruitment and screening, baseline and follow-up assessments, medication dispensing and accountability, and comprehensive documentation according to FDA regulations. The work involved coordinating with sponsors, institutional review boards, and principal investigators while maintaining strict adherence to protocol requirements and patient safety standards. Students gained experience with electronic data capture systems, source document verification, monitoring visits, and the ethical considerations involved in dementia research. This hands-on training in clinical research operations provided students with direct exposure to the pharmaceutical industry and prepared them for careers in clinical research, regulatory affairs, and healthcare.

Students are conducting comprehensive enzyme kinetic analyses using synthetic fluorogenic substrates and dose-response curves to characterize inhibitor specificity and mechanism of action. The project involves protein purification techniques, fluorometric enzyme assays, and sophisticated statistical modeling using GraphPad Prism for Michaelis-Menten analysis. Students gain experience in experimental reproducibility, data interpretation, and scientific writing while working to resolve discrepancies in published literature. This research contributes to understanding allosteric versus competitive inhibition mechanisms and provides valuable training in biochemical research methodology and peer review processes.

Students developed comprehensive experimental designs involving population genetics, behavioral assays, and genomic analysis across multiple Drosophila generations. The project integrated survival curve analysis, cognitive testing protocols (T-maze, courtship conditioning, heat-maze), and statistical modeling using Kaplan-Meier methods. Students gained experience in experimental evolution methodology, mutagenesis techniques, behavioral neuroscience, and comparative genomics while working to identify dominant mutations that confer cognitive protection. This research resulted in peer-reviewed publication in Research Ideas and Outcomes, providing students with valuable experience in scientific writing, theoretical framework development, and contributing novel methodological approaches to the field of cognitive reserve research.

Students engaged in multi-faceted research including pharmacokinetic modeling, literature analysis, and ethical evaluation of marketing practices targeting older adults. The project involved calculating bioavailability parameters, analyzing protein stability in digestive environments, and evaluating blood-brain barrier penetration mechanisms for large hydrophilic proteins. Students gained experience in scientific manuscript preparation, peer review publication processes, and translating complex biochemical concepts for public understanding. This work resulted in peer-reviewed publication in Inquiries Journal, providing students with valuable experience in academic writing, critical thinking, and science communication while contributing to consumer education and public health discourse.

Students engaged in comprehensive database searches, critical analysis of clinical trials, and evaluation of proposed biochemical mechanisms including ketogenesis, autophagy, and amyloid beta reduction. The project involved synthesizing complex biochemical pathways, analyzing conflicting research findings, and developing evidence-based conclusions about therapeutic efficacy. Students gained experience in scientific writing, literature synthesis, and creating visual summaries of complex metabolic processes while learning to distinguish between anecdotal evidence and peer-reviewed research. This work resulted in peer-reviewed publication in the Journal of Student Research, providing valuable experience in academic publishing and contributing to public understanding of evidence-based approaches to neurodegenerative disease treatment.

Students are working with AI assistance to create comprehensive health information platforms featuring interactive resource mapping, searchable databases, and accessibility-compliant design. The development process includes researching caregiver needs, curating content from medical literature and local service directories, and collaborating with AI tools to implement user-friendly features and navigation systems. Students gain experience in health information architecture, AI-assisted content development, digital accessibility principles, and iterative design processes while creating practical resources that serve the local healthcare community.