AWARDS

Each year, the awards structure of the symposium is determined by the faculty planning committee. Changes do occur from year to year based on faculty preferences and student feedback. The evaluation criteria are available: 2025 Winchell Symposium: Oral Presentation Judge Feedback and 2025 Winchell Symposium: Poster Presentation Judge Feedback.

2025 Judges’ Choice Awards

Oral Presentations

ATRAZINE REDUCES MYOSTATIN EXPRESSION AND INDUCES SEX-SPECIFIC CHANGES IN TNF-ALPHA LEVELS IN THE GASTROCNEMIUS MUSCLE OF Mus musculus
Francis Perroud and Debra Martin (Advisor)
Department of Biology, St. Mary's University of Minnesota, Winona MN

CENTRAL SENSITISATION IN MURINE MODEL OF CHRONIC VULVAR PAIN
Laura M. Neal, Laura Sullivan, Ivy Garrity, Xiu Mei Golden, Devavani Chatterjea and Elena Tonc (Advisor)
Department of Biology, Macalester College, St. Paul MN

CHARACTERIZING PHENOTYPIC DIVERSITY IN YEASTS ISOLATED FROM MINNESOTA MAMMALIAN GASTROINTESTINAL TRACTS
Claire J. Pitrof, Gabe Berken, and Dana A. Davis (Advisor)
College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, St. Paul MN

MONOCYTES AND MACROPHAGES IN CHRONIC VULVAT PAIN: INSIGHTS FROM A MURINE MODEL
Melissa Ballin-Cardona, Alyxis Manuel, Laura M. Neal, Laura Sullivan, Devavani Chatterjea and Elena Tonc (Advisor)
Department of Biology, Macalester College, St. Paul MN

REPURPOSING IVERMECTIN TO REDUCE 4T1 BREAST CANCER CELL VIABILITY
Katherine M. Hafner and Megan Girtman (Advisor)
Department of Biology, St. Mary's University of Minnesota, Winona MN

SYNTHESIS AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF NOVEL OXAZOLIDINONE ANTIBIOTICS AGAINST Mycobacterium abscessus
Joe B. Huisken, Connor M. Winkelhake, Ben A. Thomas and J. Thomas Ippoliti (Advisor)
Department of Chemistry, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul MN

Poster Presentations

ASSESSING THE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF GOAT GRAZING ON THE ABUNDANCE OF Rhamnus cathartica
Isaac W. Stark, Sara A. Wyse (Advisor), and Amy B. Dykstra (Advisor)
Department of Biological Sciences, Bethel University, St. Paul, MN

DIVERSITY OF ADHESIVE MECHANISM IN FISHES
Katherine M. Koehler and Takashi Maie (Advisor)
Department of Biology, St. Olaf College, Northfield MN

EFFECT OF GOAT-GRAZING ON SMALL MAMMAL POPULATIONS
Jordan F. Smith and Jeff L. Port (Advisor)
Department of Biological Sciences, Bethel University, St. Paul MN

THE EFFECTS OF CHRONIC CONSTANT LIGHT ON DEPRESSION-LIKE BEHAVIORS AND SPATIAL MEMORY
Liz K. Ashing and Samantha C. Larimer Bousquet (Advisor)
Department of Biology, Wartburg College, Waverly IA

EXPLORING THE ROLE OF OF MACROPHAGES IN MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY-ASSOCIATED CARDIAC FIBROSIS
Natalia Falgetelli, Kjersten Larsen, Eric Puumala, Callie Knapp, and Jackie Towner (Advisor)
Department of Biology, Bethel University, St. Paul MN

GUAIACOL TARGETS U-87 GLIOBLASTOMA CELLS VIA GLYCOGENESIS INHIBITION
Rachel L. Bender, Bert Cortez, Arthur J. Meyers, Robert I. Wetzler, and Cole D. Davidson (Advisor)
Department of Biology, Wartburg College, Waverly IA

MECHANOCHEMICAL SYNTHESIS OF PHOTOLUMINESCENT COPPER (I) COMPLEXES
Kristen R. Oberle and Daron E. Janzen (Advisor)
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, St. Catherine University, St. Paul MN

MODULATION IN LOCOMOTOR BEHAVIOR DURING CLIMBING WATERFALLS IN AN AMPHIDROMOUS GALAXIID, Galaxias fasciatus
Aneeq I. Mir (Department of Biology, St. Olaf College, Northfield MN), Gerard Closs (Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand and Takashi Maie (Advisor, Department of Biology, St. Olaf College, Northfield MN)

MUSCLE METABOLISM ON THE MOVE:  LDH AND SDH ACTIVITIES IN THE AXIAL MUSCLES OF WALKING CATFISH (Clarias macrocephalus)
Emma G. Copeland, Joy B. Meyers, Anne Walter (Advisor) and Takashi Maie (Advisor)
Department of Biology, St. Olaf College, Northfield MN

PRIORITY EFFECTS OF DUAL INOCULATION IN ROOT NODULES
Caroline Davis and Tami McDonald (Advisor)
Department of Biology, St. Catherine University, St. Paul MN

SOLUTION AND MECHANOCHEMICAL SYNTHESES OF IRON(III) TRIS-ACETYLACETONATE FOR THE GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB CURRICULUM
Naturelle A. Vang and Daron E. Janzen (Advisor)
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, St. Catherine University, St. Paul MN

STANDARDIZING THE Ex ovo CAM PLATFORM:  UNDERSTANDING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PLASTIC SELECTION AND WATER SUPPLEMENTATION
Lauren E. Feddema, Chloé D. Rihon, Ellie L. Sieling and Mong-Lin Yang (Advisor)
Science Department, Concordia University - St. Paul, St. Paul MN

SURFACE MICROSTRUCTURE OF THE PELVIC SUCTION DISC OF WATERFALL-CLIMBING GOBIES (Sicyopterus vs. Rhinogobius):  SPECIALIZATION FOR ADHESION AND CLIMBING
Briella V. Schmidt, Lizzy V. Quist, and Takashi Maie (Advisor)
Department of Biology, St. Olaf College, Northfield MN

UNRAVELING THE ROLE OF FETAL MATERNAL MICROCHIMERISM IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PLACENTAL INSUFFICIENCY
Elizabeth M. Groothausen and Claudia C. Preston (Advisor)
Department of Biology, St. Mary's University of Minnesota, Winona MN

WILL PROLIFERATION ASSAY USING REBASTINIB KILL CHRONIC MYELOID LEUKEMIA CELL LINE KU812
Taylor J. Repinski and Megan Girtman (Advisor)
Department of Biology, St. Mary's University of Minnesota, Winona MN