Although chromatography is a reliable purification method in protein downstream processing, it has several limitations such as loading capacity, scalability and operation costs. These are important drawbacks especially for proteins generated from cell cultures with a high yield. Protein crystallization, which does not suffer these limitations, is regarded as a promising alternative to chromatography for protein purification. However, since protein crystallization is a complex not-well-understood process, protein crystals are often produced at low yield and with poor reproducibility. Thus, its implementation in protein purification protocols remain challenging. In our lab, we designed a new strategy for enhancing protein crystallization from metastable protein-rich droplets generated by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). This strategy is based on the use of two additives; the first additive is needed to induce LLPS in protein aqueous solutions, while the second additive modulates the ability of protein-rich droplets to produce crystals. A protocol for determining yields of LLPS-mediated protein crystallization was also developed. This poster reports our experimental results on yield of lysozyme crystallization in the presence of NaCl (0.15 M) as an LLPS inducer and 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonate (HEPES) as a modulator. Our results show that addition of HEPES (0.10 M) significantly boosts lysozyme crystallization yield from ≈5% (no HEPES) to 92%. The effect of temperature and incubation time on the yield of protein crystallization yield was also investigated. Our results reveals the key role of LLPS in enhancing protein crystallization.

In the United States, instances of heat-related illnesses are increasing in urban areas. Trees help mitigate urban heat and reduce heat-related illnesses by providing cooling effects through evapotranspiration and shade. Research has found that trees cool areas by as much as 2°C. Urban development is a primary driver of urban forest loss. To preserve the urban forest, municipalities often enact tree ordinances. The city of Austin, Texas, adopted a tree preservation ordinance in 1984 to protect trees on private and public property. To remove a protected tree, property owners must apply for a tree removal permit. Austin city staff conduct a site visit and approve or deny the request. The amount of approved tree removals, however, has increased as Austin remains one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of tree removals on urban heat from 2013 to 2023. We created a geographic information system to analyze the impact of over 58,000 tree removals on land surface temperature (LST) across Austin’s city limits. Our results indicate that development-related removals significantly impact the cities changing LST. The impact of these removals on LST also varies by scale with neighborhood areas experiencing the greatest heat increases due to tree loss from development. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on urban forests and microclimates, providing information to support the conservation of urban trees and healthy environments for urban residents.

Urbanization disrupts local climates by replacing natural land cover with impervious surfaces. These surfaces such as concrete and asphalt retain more heat than vegetated cover, therefore, putting these areas at risk for the urban heat island effect. This is when urban areas become significantly hotter than outlying areas and exhibit high temperature anomalies, therefore, putting its residents at risk. Another contributing factor is anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases from industries and automobiles. The purpose of this research is to assess areas vulnerable to the urban heat island effect in Dallas County, Texas by looking at the heat severity index (The Trust for Public Lands) and land cover data (NLCD 2021). This study aims to provide insights for planning and policies that enhance resilience to urban heat island risks in Dallas County.

Environmental education is gaining popularity and recognition as a critical strategy to reduce environmental harm, biodiversity loss, and habitat degradation. Education has been identified as a top factor contributing to people’s willingness to engage in environmentally positive conservation behaviors. Non-formal learning institutions such as zoos and aquariums have the unique ability to create and engage learned in species specific education programming. Species-specific education programs can generate high public appeal and contribute to overall environmental conservation outcomes. Research on nonformal environmental education is limited, but most often reports that short-term or single experiences may not be successful in increasing knowledge or contributing to behavior changes. The purpose of this research is to assess the perceptions of educators at non-formal institutions about the success of their conservation education programs. To do this, we conducted a mixed-methods study with educators at marine conservation centers to report on their perceived strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of education programming as well as on how they define and measure their program success. Our results revealed that educators believe their short-term education programs can be impactful and report on the factors that must be considered to maximize successful program outcomes.

Across the U.S. there are 1335 Superfund sites that range from abandoned mines to old military bases that pose serious risk to the public if not remediated properly. The Tar Creek Superfund site, located in Picher, OK, is one example which could contaminate downstream water supplies via contaminated water and sediment due to the heavy metals, such as Cd and Pb, left behind from the mining activities. This study seeks to determine if the ongoing remediation is effective at Tar Creek which is located within the Tar Creek Superfund site, and whether contaminated sediment is migrating downstream through the watershed.