Kelli
Steineman
Sponsor: Christopher Simmons, Ph.D. Food Science & Technology While the usage of conventional plastic in the agricultural industry has been on the rise, these plastics often fragment and pose a microplastics issue. As an alternative, biodegradable plastics (bioplastics) can be used. However, because bioplastics are tilled into the soil after use, it is important to study the long-term degradation and compatibility with crops, especially during seasons where partially degraded bioplastics still remain in the soil. While studies demonstrate that bioplastic residues have a generally negative impact on plant growth, the impact of biosolarization, a tarp-based biocontrol technique utilizing organic amendments with bioplastic, has yet to be explored. We hypothesize that the soil benefits conferred by biosolarization may still result in a net yield increase despite possible negative impacts from the bioplastic residue. An 8-day biosolarization trial was conducted with a bioplastic mulch film. The treated bioplastic film was tilled in and left to degrade under ambient conditions for 6 months. Napa cabbage (Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis) was then planted on each subplot. Once matured, the cabbage will be harvested biomass (fresh weight and moisture content) will be measured to determine the effects of different treatments on yield. Multiomic Analysis of Inflammatory Signatures in IBD using MALDI MSI
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Authors:
Kelli Steineman
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Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a type of autoimmune disorder that affects a growing 3 million people in the United States. Despite its prevalence, the underlying causes of IBD remain unclear. To answer these questions, I plan to examine the changes in gene expression and metabolite composition between healthy and inflamed intestinal tissue, specifically in the small intestine. This is accomplished through the use of matrix- assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI MSI) to observe biomolecules within a tissue section without disturbing their native spatial content. MALDI MSI combined with in-situ hybridization enables spatial analysis of the regulation of inflammatory genes from interleukin-1 (IL-1) and Th2- type families using synthesized mRNA probes. Furthermore, MALDI MSI allows for analysis of phospholipids that often contain the precursor for inflammatory signaling, like arachidonic acid. Comparative analysis, like t-tests and receiver operating characteristics, will be performed to observe significant changes between disease states, while descriptive analyses, like principle component analysis (PCA), will help unveil changes along the central dogma between the healthy and inflamed tissue. This research will help identify a wide range of biomolecules that directly contribute to the autoimmune dysfunction found in IBD. Comparison of the Effects of Palm Oil-Based and Tallow-Based Lipid Supplements on Milk Fatty Acid Composition in Lactating Dairy Goats Riley Stelz
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UC Davis / Chemistry / 2025
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Kelli Steineman