If you are currently a UWM undergraduate and are interested in getting involved in a faculty-led research experience, you can start by looking through this database of over 600 projects that represent the kind of mentored work students are involved in all across campus. You can search research projects by school or college, major, or key word. You may add up to seven projects to your list and submit them with our simple form.
Please note, this is not an application or Handshake, it is an interest form notifying us that you are ready to get connected to research. The purpose of this database is to help you find people doing things you are interested in. We will follow up with you shortly via email with next steps!
Faculty and academic staff can post a project by filling out this form.
Prior work in the lab demonstrated that algal toxins commonly found in freshwater lakes can lead to hyper stimulation of immune cells. A key question is if this effect is mediated by phosphatase inhibition following transport across the cell membrane. Thus, the student will test the hypothesis that algal toxin immunosuppression is mediated by phosphatase inhibition following transport into the cytoplasm by the OATP transporters.
Previous work done in the lab demonstrated that algal toxins commonly detected in Wisconsin’s freshwater lakes lead to hyperstimulation of a type of immune cell called a B cell. These studies have been done using a murine cell line. We would like to extend these studies to primary mouse splenic B cells. The methodology involves tissue culture, basic immunological assays and flow cytometry. The study design will be for the student to culture WEHI B cells in the presence or absence of two freshwater algal toxins, anaebaenopeptin and microcyctin. Cells are then stimulated through their Bcell antigen receptor, followed by analysis of phosphorylation of an intracellular kinase using a fluorescently labeled monoclonal antibody and detected by flow cytometry. Will also include not just the cell line, but also B cells obtained from mouse spleen.
We have been collecting surveys from health students and practicing health professionals. We are using validated tools to measure empathy and showing videos and getting feedback on self-reported levels of empathy toward immigrant clients. We are also collecting suggestions for how to use the videos in class. Last spring getting participation was very challenging but we did get about half of what we need and we learned a lot of new strategies to get participation.
The primary objective of the research is to understand the hydrological and ecological complexity of Germany’s Ruhr Valley region and to propose design interventions that forward the Emschergenossenschaft (EGLV) goals, the water authority responsible for the restoration of the Emscher River, of using the restored river as an economic redevelopment driver. The student’s goal will be to conduct internet based background research on a variety of topics on the restoration and future of the Emscher watershed. The source material that they will locate will typically be available only in German. Together we will select pieces to have translated by an online service (currently considering DeepL, which comes recommended). I will evaluate it for relevancy, and the student will produce summaries that assist me in my own research.