WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., July 14, 2023 — TOPPER-SURE (Training Opportunity for Pre-Professionals, Educators, and Researchers Summer Undergraduate Research Experience) is the official name of the summer undergraduate research program at West Liberty University, and the work results in a symposium that showcases posters and data, giving valuable feedback for students.

The 2023 research was displayed on Friday, July 14, in the Academic, Sports and Recreation (ASRC) facility for visitors and the campus community to explore. Seventeen students presented their research and answered questions posed by the audience wanting to know more about the wide variety of biology projects that showcased everything from snakes to antibiotics.

“Our annual summer research program is a popular nine-week program that offers undergraduates needed time to research, share and learn how to problem-solve in science and how to sharpen the research skills that will help them in their future, both in graduate school and professional fields,” said Dr. Deanna Schmitt, Associate Professor of Biology in WLU’s College of Sciences who is in charge of the symposium this year. Schmitt focused on research on the mechanism of action of novel antibiotics.

Besides Schmitt, eight other faculty members acted as advisors guiding the student researchers. These include Dr. Diana Barber (bat biodiversity and behavior), Dr. Stuart Cantlay (morphological differentiation of virulent pathogens), Mr. Jeremiah Dann (earthworms and soil quality), Dr. Nicole Garrison (WV-INBRE bioinformatics boot camp), Dr. Zachary Graham (crayfish ethology and evolution), Mrs. Kinsey Guthrie (evidence-based husbandry), Dr. Zachary Loughman (crayfish diversity), and Dr. Holly Racine (thyroid related mechanisms in craniosynostosis).

“This research experience has opened my eyes to other opportunities in the field of anatomy.  I’m grateful for what I’ve learned and how it may help shape my future path,” said Bailee McNamara of Triadelphia, WV.

The list of the student projects and titles includes:

• Baseline differential expression analysis of RAW 264.7 macrophage cells utilized in an in vitro cell infection assay, Authors: Tina Z. Akondeng-Azise, Stuart Cantlay, and Nicole Garrison
• The role of LpnA in Francisella tularensis LVS resistance to resazurin, Authors: Emma Beatty, Emily Young, Mackenzie Hall, Blaze Oxier, Jordan Gibson, Siena McGovern, Claire Kelly, Kendall Souder, Justin Rice, Ryan J. Percifield, Donald A. Primerano, Nicole Garrison, and Deanna Schmitt
• Natural History Observation of the Appalachian Primary Burrowing Crayfish Cambarus aff. dubious Across the Central Portion of its Range, Authors: Kianna Beckwith, Mary Ranson, and James Hartley
• Allometry and Sexual Dimorphism in Cambarus carinirostris Sensory Structures, Authors: Natalie Burke and Zackary Graham
• Spatial Analysis of Lumbricus Earthworm Distribution in West Liberty University’s Campus Woods, Authors: Elizabeth Burkey, Jason Ake, Loyd Butcher, and Jeremiah Dann
• Life History and Spatial Distribution of an Invasive Earthworm (Amythas) Within West Liberty University’s Campus Woods, Authors: Loyd Butcher, Jason Ake, Elizabeth Burkey, and Jeremiah Dann
• Evaluating Bat Diversity and Activity in Distributed and Undisturbed Locations of West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle, Authors: Katherine Hill and Haeley Shaffer
• Shelter preference of Cambarus robustus, a surrogate species for the federally threatened Cambarus callainus, Authors: Hannah Holbert, Zachary J. Loughman, and Zackary A. Graham
• Transcriptional profiling of starved vs. non-starved Pseudomonas aeruginosa by RNA-Seq using Nanopore Sequencing, Authors: Delano Marcelus, Rachelle Patterson, Stuart Cantlay, Nicole Garrison, and Tesfaye Belay
• Assessing Activity of the WNT Pathway Following Induced Maternal Hyperthyroidism, Authors: Bailee A. McNamara and Holly L. Racine
• Role of katG in the mechanism of action of resazomycins in Francisella tularensis, Authors: Blaze A. Oxier, Emily Young, Rori Schreiber, Emma Beatty, Jordan Gibson, Siena McGovern, Claire Kelly, Kendall Sounder, Justin Rice, Ryan J. Percifield, Donald A. Primerano, Nicole Garrison, and Deanna M. Schmitt
• Correlation Between Habitat Preferences and Mass (g) of Neorodia sipedon sipedon and Regina septemvittata, Authors: Sophia Poludniak, Kianna Beckwith, and Nicoleena Storer
• Efficacy of parallel assessment of host and pathogen RNA-seq from an in vitro cell infection assay, Authors: Natalie E. Underwood, Stuart Cantlay, and Nicole L. Garrison
• Comparing Boldness in Colubris and Pythons via Arena Testing, Authors: Makayla Zoellers and Michelle Chenoweth

In addition to their research, the students benefited from in-person presentations by Mrs. Jennifer Dann, district manager at Washington County Conservation District, about career planning, and Dr. Joseph Horzempa, Professor of Biology at WLU, about developing a strong curriculum vita, as well as Dr. Diana Barber, on creating a professional presentation.

“The TOPPER-SURE program has continued to prepare our students well for their future in the professional field of biology.  Many congratulations to our student researchers on all their hard work, as well,” added Interim Provost Dr. Cathy Monteroso.

Funded by a grant from the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission’s Division of Science and Research under the direction of Dr. Juliana Serafin, the summer research program also rewards students with stipends of $3,000 each. 

West Liberty University is West Virginia’s oldest public university, and it offers more than 70 undergraduate majors, plus a growing number of graduate programs, both online and on campus. For more information, please call 1.866.937.8542 (WESTLIB), visit westliberty.edu, or follow WLU on social media,including

westliberty.edu/youtube.