UROP Project | Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement

Housing, Housing Affordability, Housing Choice Vouchers, Impact Fees, Data, Data Analysis, Policy Research, Policy Writing, Economics

Research Mentor: Shane Dabney,
Department, College, Affiliation: DeVoe Moore Center, Social Sciences and Public Policy
Contact Email: smd18j@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Samuel Staley
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: sstaley@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors.
May be of interest to Economics, Public Policy, Public Administration, Urban Planning, Sociology, Philosophy, Statistics, Political Science, and Computer Science, and others.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Recording: https://fsu.zoom.us/rec/share/tsLNsRavw3oxb1WsNo-WVmMAtdJ5DhQAR4xLe_kKDx_E-mEkC6aETTtqKu0MQDmN.n16IuDYRhjXKJJli?startTime=1725553713000

Project Description

This work will contribute to the DeVoe Moore Center Housing Affordability research initiative, which focuses on examining economic and policy literature, collecting and analyzing housing data, and uncovering insights to inform policies aimed at improving housing affordability, particularly in Florida.

The primary focus of this research is on Housing Choice Vouchers. The project aims to determine the national HCV gap—the disparity between the number of eligible households and the number of available vouchers—while also investigating issues specific to Florida's housing market.

The research involves applying a specialized methodology to clean and analyze housing data, expanding from Florida to a nationwide scale.
Additionally, the project will involve collecting data from Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) in Florida and analyzing the mechanisms behind certain phenomena related to HCV allocation. This work is part of a broader effort to understand and address housing affordability challenges.

There may also be an opportunity to collaborate with other team members working on related aspects of housing affordability. For instance, the project may include work related to economic analysis of Impact Fees on housing development in Florida.

Research Tasks: Literature review, data collection, data analysis, data visualization, data cleaning and preparation, policy writing, reading and understanding the economics of housing and housing policy. Depending on student interest and ability, tasks may also include Python algorithm development and custom data processing.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: Ambition and a strong drive to contribute to meaningful research, ability to think creatively and outside the box, strong analytical skills, a commitment to consistently show up and engage fully in assigned tasks, ability to work collaboratively in a research team.

Recommended: Familiarity with or interest in housing policy and the economics of housing, experience with data analysis tools (e.g., Excel, R, Python), knowledge of data visualization techniques, experience with policy writing, proficiency in conducting literature reviews, basic understanding of working with data, basic programming skills (particularly in Python), public speaking, and presenting findings to stakeholders.

If you don’t have these skills but are eager to learn and acquire them, please apply!

Mentoring Philosophy

I aim to help researchers develop ambition, take initiative, and build confidence in their abilities. I focus on teaching practical skills like time management, setting realistic but challenging goals, and guiding them through to the finish line.

Additional Information

See also: https://floridapolicyproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/FPP-REPORT_Elevating_Housing_Vouchers_Final.pdf

Link to Publications

https://www.huduser.gov/portal/periodicals/cityscape/vol26num2/ch19.pdf

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Reproduction, marine biology, ocean

Research Mentor: Melanie Medina, She/Her/Ella
Department, College, Affiliation: Biological Science, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: mrmedina@bio.fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Biology, Environmental science, Biology teaching. I'm open to other majors but students must have some previous knowledge in biology and/or zoology
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

The aim of my project is to examine potential changes of mating behaviors in response to changing conditions in simultaneous hermaphroditic species. Social conditions like partner's recent mating history, environmental conditions like temperature and salinity, and the phenotype of a partner's size will be tested. I'm interested in understanding the effects that these have on reproduction and copulation.

Research Tasks: Student may need to participate in experiments that evaluate the relation between the environment and copulation in simultaneous hermaphrodites. Most of the work will involve computer work that includes measuring: 1) body length of experimental individuals, 2) record oviposition, 3) counting the number of egg chains and number of eggs laid, and 4) measuring egg sizes after treatment. All measurement will be performed using a stereoscopic microscope and taking images to be later analyzed using ImageJ. If I have live animals in the lab, then the student will work on husbandry, or caring for the animals 3-5 times per week. This includes: food preparation, feeding, aquaria water changes, and general upkeep, student will have to care for their own animals and keeping track of fertilization, egg hatching, and period until hatching. Student may accompany me to the filed once or twice to collect live animals.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: open minded, good communication, desire to learn, must be computer literate, enthusiastic. Felling comfortable working with marine animals, and getting dirty. Open to coming to field site and working outdoors for up to 3 hours.
Recommended: some knowledge of excel, powerpoint.

Mentoring Philosophy

As mentor, I will be involved in my mentee’s development, by being mindful of their future by fostering skill sets that are valuable not only to their present work but also to their future careers. As I work with my mentee, I will encourage their independence while fostering open communication, and following up with them in their progress, and encouraging problem solving conversations, as this is a necessary skill set for their professional development. One way I will do this is by introducing them to resources that can help them thrive on their own or when I’m not around. Another way is by having them present their work at our lab, and potentially at conferences to get them comfortable talking about their research. I like to have regular one-on-one meetings but also allow the mentee to work independently while making sure I am always available.

Additional Information

I really would love to mentor students that are curious about research and that can help me finish experiments left from my last year of research at FSU. So I need people excited to learn and that are self motivated and enthusiastic.

Link to Publications

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psychology; statistics; research; measurement; psychometrics; theory; clinical psychology; therapy; psychotherapy; psychopathology

Research Mentor: Dr. Sean Dougherty,
Department, College, Affiliation: Psychology, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: dougherty@psy.fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Psychology
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 8,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

This project will involve refining the measurement of clinical phenomena, including suicidal phenomena; refining theories relevant to detection, prevention, and treatment of clinical phenomena; and developing/refining a novel therapy (including relevant materials) to improve functioning and address psychological difficulties that people experience.

Research Tasks: Student research assistants will attend workshops to augment their knowledge of research methods, statistics, nosology, diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders, scholarship/fellowship/grant applications, etc. Student research assistants will meet weekly to troubleshoot any difficulties encountered with research during the previous week and to create a plan for research during the coming week. Student responsibilities may involve developing therapy materials, conducting background research, data-cleaning, data analysis, and manuscript-writing.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: strong writing skills; strong problem-solving and abstract thinking skills; eagerness to learn

Mentoring Philosophy

Student research assistants will receive mentoring in all stages of the research process, from conceptualizing and refining ideas to delving into already-published research to collecting and analyzing data to creating therapy materials, manuscripts, and presentations. Each week, progress on the past week’s goals will be reviewed, and concrete, achievable goals for the coming week will be set. Student research assistants will participate in the production of original research and train to become future leaders of the field.

Additional Information

If interested, attach to your email (1) your resume (or CV) with pertinent information, including high school GPA, college GPA, major(s)/minor(s), standardized test scores, and any merit-based awards/scholarships/fellowships/grants you have received and (2) a writing sample (on any topic and of any length) that showcases your writing skills.

Link to Publications

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Environmental sustainability sustainable materials

Research Mentor: Dr. Stephanie Burrs,
Department, College, Affiliation: SSUA, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: sburrs@eng.famu.fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 6
Relevant Majors: Mechanical, Chemical, Biomedical, Civil, Industrial Engineering
Project Location: FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, 2525 Potsdamer Rd.
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

Stochastic multicriteria decision analysis has been used to make design decisions for many applications where decision makers are faced with complex combinations of criteria with diverse data types. Advanced composite materials consisting of various combinations of carbon nanomaterials, smart polymers and biomolecules are being selected for large scale applications where performance data is limited and material characterization is not standard. Decision analysis algorithms to support these decisions require expert data and clearly defined criteria which can be gathered using a variety of advanced techniques.

Research Tasks: Research assistants will gather data by way of thorough literature searches. Presentation of literature review results will be required weekly and generative ai methods will be applied to some searches.
Weekly Reading Assignment
Develop data summaries
Populate literature search tables
Interact and collaborate with team

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Excel basics recommended

Mentoring Philosophy

My mentoring philosophy is grounded in three key values: trust, respect, and accountability. Trust is cultivated over time and with consistent behavior that reinforces safety, confidence, and freedom of expression. Each interaction with mentees should include intentional focus on creating an environment that is safe from risk of harm, while creating opportunities to increase self-confidence and to have their voices heard. Respect is a two-way street, and modeling respect provides mentees a clear guideline for how to show respect. Respectful communication is one example of how we create a culture of respect for mentees and mentors. A willingness to be vulnerable also encourages mentees to ask for help, share their thoughts/opinions, and open themselves up to correction and constructive criticism. Finally, accountability is key to personal development, as agreements must be clearly communicated and frequently evaluated for compliance. Our ability to follow through on our agreements helps us to grow and to monitor our performance with respect to our own goals. Structured meetings and frequent review of written agreements helps to facilitate the development of a culture of trust, respect and accountability. The goal is to assist the mentee in achieving their self-defined professional and personal development goals.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

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Policy diffusion; Transgender policy; higher education

Research Mentor: Mingxu Li, She/Her
Department, College, Affiliation: Askew School of Public Administration, Social Sciences and Public Policy
Contact Email: ml22a@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Public administration; Higher education
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

The political response to the transgender issue has become polarized within the U.S. (Kline et al., 2023). There is a continuing changing environment of transgender policies at the federal level and the continuing increasing anti-transgender rights policies at the state level (Larson, 2022; Kline et al., 2023). Transgender individuals might experience very differently based on where they live. Putting these geographical differences into the context of higher education. Without specific, explicit, and holistic Federal-level inclusion of transgender students’ rights at the federal level, higher education institutions have the discretion to implement regulations that are against transgender groups’ rights in response to state-level policies and public opinions (Crissman et al., 2020; Coffey, 2022). Using the theory of policy diffusion and innovation, which focuses on learning how a policy or program that is new to an entity gets adopted and what factors influence the adoption decision, this study aims to understand how these policy movements at higher levels (federal and state levels) would influence transgender policy adoptions at higher education institutions (Berry & Berry, 2018).

References:
Berry, F., & Berry, W. (2018). Innovation and Diffusion Models in Policy Research. Theories of the Policy Process (4th ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429494284

Coffey, L. M. (2022). Equity or Discrimination: Addressing Legal Challenges to Transgender Participation in U.S. High School and College Sport. Journal of Global Sport Management, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/24704067.2022.2071321
Crissman, H. P., Czuhajewski, C., Moniz, M. H., Plegue, M., & Chang, T. (2020). Youth Perspectives regarding the Regulating of Bathroom Use by Transgender Individuals. Journal of Homosexuality, 67(14), 2034–2049. https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2019.1618646

Kline, N. S., Webb, N. J., Johnson, K. C., Yording, H. D., Griner, S. B., & Brunell, D. J. (2023). Mapping transgender policies in the US 2017–2021: The role of geography and implications for health equity. Health & Place, 80, 102985–102985. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.102985

Larson, S. J. (2022). Actions for Queering American Public Administration. Administration & Society, 54(1), 145–163. https://doi.org/10.1177/00953997211011937

Research Tasks: Literature Review;
Data collection (collecting data from higher education institutions regards their transgender-related policies and regulations; collecting state-level transgender-related policies)

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Data Collection and Analysis (required);
Critical Thinking (recommended);
Verbal and Written Communication Skills (required)

Mentoring Philosophy

My goal is to provide mentees with the opportunities to develop basic research skills (critical thinking, literature review, etc.) that are necessary for them to work on their own research projects. I will listen to the needs of my mentees, discuss and identify the goals they want to meet, and how to help them meet these goals. As a mentor, I will aim to create an inclusive, respectful, and positive environment for the mentees by actively communicating with them, learning from them, and being open-minded to different opinions. During this mentorship, I will use a phased approach to set up goals and meet weekly with the mentees. I will provide timely feedback on their progress and timely responses to their questions. I aim to establish a positive and easy-to-work relationship with the mentees by paying attention to the way I communicate with the mentees and learning about their thoughts and difficulties.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

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Fish, Physiology and behavior, Climate Change

Research Mentor: Dr. Alyssa Andres, She
Department, College, Affiliation: Coastal and Marine Laboratory, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: ama23f@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 6
Relevant Majors: Biological Sciences
Biology
Environmental Science
Exercise Physiology
Biochemistry
Project Location: FSU Coastal and Marine Laboratory: 3618 Coastal Highway, St Teresa, FL 32358
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Friday, September 6th, 3:00-3:30 pm zoom link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/93579032316

Project Description

I am seeking highly-motivated students looking to expand their research in areas related to ecology and physiology. UROP students will assist with physiology-based projects investigating the impact of temperature and hypoxia on energetic demands and performance of the Atlantic stingray (Hypanus sabinus), spotted sea trout (Cynoscion nebulosus), hardhead catfish (Ariopsis felis), and bonnethead shark (Sphyrna tiburo). This project aims to identify the diversity of fish (bony fish, rays, sharks) responses to climate change and identify thermal and hypoxic sensitivity of species in order to better predict their ecology and behavior under climate change. We will measure energetic demands across animal activity, experimental temperature, and across declining environmental oxygen. We will also conduct critical thermal maximum trials to determine species upper thermal limit. In addition, we will investigate the abundance of heat shock proteins, vital in the protection of cell structures and function in the face of environmental stress, and blood stress physiology in relation to temperature change in each species.

Research Tasks: • Assisting with various fishing, animal collection, transport, and acclimation activities
• Assisting with tagging procedures and biometric data collection in the lab/field
• Assisting/running thermal, whole organism energetic (respirometry), and proteomic (heat shock protein) laboratory experiments
• Gear fabrication and equipment assembly
• Daily behavior monitoring and health assessment of captive animals
• Data collection, organization, and entry
• Data processing, QA/QC, analysis
• Daily husbandry activities (i.e., animal feeding, cleaning tanks)
• General laboratory, tank, water system (water chemistry, flow etc), and gear maintenance
• Background literature research/review
• Scientific Writing
• Participation in community and student scientific outreach

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required:
• Commitment to working flexible hours
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills
• Must be highly self-motivated, with the ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Experienced with basic Microsoft office platforms especially excel
• Must be able to lift 50lbs.
• Must be capable of independent transportation to the FSU coastal and marine laboratory on a regular basis.

Mentoring Philosophy

As a mentor my goal is to help students develop into confident, motivated, and capable researchers. I meet with mentees to identify their professional interests, what motivates them, ways they learn best, strengths and areas that can use more development. We will identify skills they want to build, how to best facilitate that through the practical field and lab research students take part in, and how all skills they gain through this research can be applied. I am clear in my expectations of students and together we can identify their expectations of me as their teacher and mentor, and develop a relationship founded on mutual respect. I value great communication and independent curiosity, promoting learning through inquiry. I create an interactive environment for learning, offering many opportunities for observation, discussion, and skill development (guided skills labs, assisting in experimentation). I aim to foster a safe environment in which mentees and all team members feel that it is acceptable to fail and learn from their mistakes; where honesty and free exchange of feedback can occur. I strive to develop students’ intrinsic motivation for research, the confidence to take initiative, as well as ownership of and responsibility for their research duties. As a mentor I work to model positive feedback, provide constructive comments for improvement, encourage growth through challenges and troubleshooting, and often share my own experience with my students. Under my mentorship students will grow both as independent researchers and research team members.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

https://marinelab.fsu.edu/people/faculty/andres/

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social networks, higher education, network analysis

Research Mentor: Dr. Vanessa Dennen, she/her
Department, College, Affiliation: Florida State University, Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Contact Email: vdennen@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Tuesday Sept 3 / 12-12:30
Wednesday Sept 4 / 2:30-3

Apologies - I had to cancel the Friday sessions that I had previously planned BUT I have made a recording:
https://bit.ly/UROP2024

Project Description

In this project we will be working from an existing data set showing relationships among different people in cohorts. We will be using social network analysis to depict and better understand these relationships among individuals as well as between individuals and shared ideas or interests.

Research Tasks: The research team will be engaged in literature review, data transformation and analysis using social network analysis (SNA), and data visualization. SNA is a useful approach for researchers in the social sciences and professional fields who are interested in how people and ideas are connected.
There may be an opportunity for engaging in a new data collection effort in the spring semester.

All necessary skills and software will be taught.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Attention to detail is important.

All necessary skills and software will be taught.

Mentoring Philosophy

UROP offers a great opportunity for students to have early research experiences. I apply the cognitive apprenticeship model in my research teams, in which my UROP mentees are full members of the research team. As cognitive apprentices, you get to see all parts of the research process, contribute your own insights along the way, and gradually gain responsibilities as you learn how to perform different research tasks. I have high expectations for our research outcomes, and will train and support you to meet them. I will also seek ways to help you work toward your long-term educational and professional goals.

Above all else, I believe in kindness, respect, and lifelong learning, and aim to foster a research environment that supports these ideals.

I have worked with many UROP students over the years. Several have become collaborators on presentations at national conferences and some have published with me. The opportunity is there for you if you seek it. :)

Additional Information

Link to Publications

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Foster care, aging, social work, caregiving, health

Research Mentor: Dr. Kasey Longley,
Department, College, Affiliation: Florida Institute for Child Welfare, Social Work
Contact Email: klongley@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators: Dr. Qiuchang (Katy) Cao
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: September 3rd- 12:30-1:00pm- https://fsu.zoom.us/j/91855716149
September 3rd- 2:30-3:00pm- https://fsu.zoom.us/j/91855716149

Project Description

This survey study examines the support needs of older adult kinship caregivers, the findings of which can inform the development of interventions and outreach efforts aimed at older adults who may have specific stressors that impact their caregiving (e.g., chronic health conditions). In addition, the project aims to explore how age at the time of caregiving impacts the mental and physical health of older adult kinship caregivers, and how formal and informal support influences that relationship.

Research Tasks: literature review, participant recruitment, data cleaning, low level data analysis (demographics etc.)

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Recommend:
Familiarity with SPSS
Ability to conduct literature reviews on relevant topics

Required:
Experience with excel
Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Ability to complete CITI human subjects training (this is a free online training through FSU)

Mentoring Philosophy

My mentoring philosophy is closely aligned with my teaching philosophy, guided by the "Why, How, What" framework introduced by Simon Sinek. This approach helps me reflect deeply on my mentoring goals and practices.

Why I Mentor:
I mentor because I believe in the profound responsibility of scholars to pass on knowledge and foster the next generation of thinkers. Just as in teaching, mentoring is about guiding mentees to acquire critical thinking tools and empowering them to make meaningful contributions to their fields. I aim to inspire my mentees to explore what kind of life is worth living and to ignite their passion for lifelong learning. Mentorship provides an opportunity to nurture curiosity, protect it from being diminished, and help mentees navigate their professional and personal growth.

How I Mentor:
My mentoring approach mirrors my teaching methods. I strive to create an environment where mentees are both supported and challenged. I encourage active learning by prompting mentees to engage in self-directed exploration before our discussions, similar to how I prepare students for class. I believe in creating a space where mentees can articulate their ideas, reflect on feedback, and refine their perspectives.

What I Mentor:
I focus on teaching mentees how to learn and think critically, equipping them with the skills to become independent researchers and thinkers. My goal is to help mentees identify their "why," develop their "how," and refine their "what" in their academic and professional journeys.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

https://ficw.fsu.edu/home

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AI, machine learning, semantic segmentation, image processing

Research Mentor: Dr. Christopher Solís , Him/his
Department, College, Affiliation: Health, Nutrition, and Food Sciences, Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Contact Email: csolis@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Quantitative Biology.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

My mentoring philosophy is simple: you can reach the stars if you are in a supportive environment. My goal as a mentor is to provide the right conditions for my mentees to thrive. Examples of how I achieve this are by first and foremost, being available for my mentees to ask questions and get help at the earliest possible. Second, I provide the motivation and the key information for trainees to understand what is the main problem and why it must be solved. Third, I provide my trainees with the career advice they need to that from day one they can start getting feedback of where they can go with their careers. I am cognizant that motivation is an important driver of success because without the right catalyst the smallest challenge ahead will become daunting.

Research Tasks: 1) Select the appropriate compiles (MATLAB, PyLab/Python, CellProfiler) to build the algorithm. 2) "Label videos" using techniques such as semantic segmentation to train algorithm
3) Train algorithm to identify objects
3) Estimate the e!iciency of the algorithm

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Experience in coding (e.g MATLAB, Python, R, JavaScript). Some experience in biochemistry is nice to have but not required.

Mentoring Philosophy

Additional Information

Link to Publications

https://solislab.create.fsu.edu

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Protein engineering, plasmid, cDNA

Research Mentor: Christopher Solis, PhD, MBA, Him/his
Department, College, Affiliation: Health, Nutrition, and Food Sciences, Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Contact Email: csolis@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Biology/biological sciences, computer and information sciences, Exercise physiology, Information technology, Health services/allied health/health sciences, Mechanical engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, Chemical engineering, Neuroscience, Biochemistry, Electrical and electronics engineering, Computer engineering, Clinical nutrition/nutritionist, Chemistry, Physics, Bioengineering and biomedical engineering, Computational science, Computational biology.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

The heart is able to grow in response to exercise. This healthy growth stems from the enlargement of eve heart muscle cell in the heart. Heart muscle cells grow by assembling more and more cytoskeleton, know as sarcomere in muscle cells. In the lab, we can force this growth by making cells work harder and their natural response is to build more sarcomeres. One of the proteins that is a structural member of these sarcomeres is alpha-actinin, which acts as a cross-linker to anchor other structural proteins like actin. We recently published a paper demonstrating that the protein alpha-actinin gets phosphorylated during this growth phase of the heart muscle cells (https://febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/febs.16925). Given that we found this phosphorylation sites, our aim is to provide causal evidence that these modifications indeed a!ect the assembly of alpha-actinin. To test this we will take the alpha-actinin plasmid and we will mutate this plasmid by introducing Serine --> Aspartic/Glutamic Acid substitutions (a.k.a. pseudophosphorylation). Likewise, we can introduce Serine --> Alanine susbstitutions to disable th changes of the Serine to be phosphorylated inside cardiac muscle cells. The synthesized proteins will be tested subsequently by biochemical assays such as co-precipiation assays with F-actin.

Research Tasks: 1) Sequence the plasmid for quality control purposes using the Molecular Cloning Facili at the Department of Biological Sciences.
2) Identify the optimal ORF plasmid substitutions using software such as Serial Cloner
3) Design the primers using online tools (https://www.agilent.com/store/primerDesignProgram.jsp).
4) Find most cost-e!ective vendor for primer synthesis.
5) Once the primers are received, work with the Molecular Cloning Facility at the Department of Biologic Sciences to produce the plasmids.
6) Once the plasmids are made, perform the the quality control from necessary from the data provided by the Molecular Cloning Facility
7) Afterwards, amplify the alpha-actinin protein by molecular cloning techniques in E. coli cells.
8) Once enough plasmid is made, express the alpha-actinin protein in HEK293 or HeLa cells.
9) Purify the alpha-actinin protein using chromatography techniques.
10) Once the alpha-actinin protein is purified, conduct co-precipitation assays with F-actin to estimate th extent of interactions of alpha-actinin with F-actin

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Molecular biology, biochemistry.