This summer, undergraduates Xuezhu (Stephanie) Hua ’25, Kaniya Ross ’25 and Edward Lu ’26 have been deeply engaged in research.
Presenters and attendees at the 2023 SOURCE Symposium
Hua, a nutrition science major in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, has investigated the effects of fish oil on paternal obesity and its impact on offspring muscle function. Ross, a neuroscience and psychology major in the College of Arts and Sciences, has studied the impact of Cited2 excision and maternal folic acid supplementation among mice on neurodevelopment. And Lu, a music composition major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA), has worked with music ensembles and experienced the premieres of two of his original compositions.
They are among the more than 250 students who have actively participated in research this summer—both in-person and remotely—through initiatives of the Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE) and other programs, including the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP); Chemistry, iSchool, and BioInspired Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs; the SUNY Upstate Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program; the McNair Scholars Program; the psychology SPARC and STAHR programs; Renée Crown University Honors Program; Women in Science and Engineering (WISE)-supported students and others.
As a culmination of their experiences, the SOURCE Summer Symposium—a poster session featuring more than 110 undergraduate research students, will be held Thursday, Aug. 8, from 10 a.m. to noon in the Schine Student Center’s Panasci Lounge. A picnic will follow on the patio of Huntington Beard Crouse Hall. A schedule of presenters is available.
Some of the posters that will be presented include:
“Summer research students make great strides in their research skill-building during these few short months; they explore fascinating topics, engage with existing work, try new methods and techniques and experience deep immersion and focus in their work,” says SOURCE Director Kate Hanson. “We are thrilled to learn about research at the Summer Symposium and grateful to the mentors that have supported them.”
Stephanie Hua
Hua’s research is inspired by the obesity epidemic. “Obesity is a growing concern, with two in five people in the U.S. affected. It not only diminishes quality of life but also has lasting effects on the health of future generations,” Hua says. “In our research explores the potential of fish oil supplementation in mitigating the detrimental, we focus on using fish oil as a dietary intervention for obese fathers.”
Hua and her colleagues have found that a father’s high-fat diet during the preconception period significantly impacts the muscle health of their offspring, potentially decreasing muscle function. Conversely, when the father follows a low-fat diet during the preconception period, the offspring’s muscle health is more influenced by their own diet. “Moving forward, I will employ an analysis of variance test to determine if fish oil supplementation can reverse the adverse effects of a father’s high-fat diet on offspring,” she says.
“I would like to express my gratitude to the SOURCE, Renée Crown University Honors Program and WiSE for sponsoring my research. This invaluable experience has allowed me to ask scientific questions, grapple with challenges and find solutions,” Hua says. “What drives me is the potential impact of my research on people’s lives. To me, research is about serving the community. This experience has been instrumental to me in preparing for my Ph.D. studies in obesity and metabolism.”
Hua’s faculty mentor is Latha Ramalingam, assistant professor of nutrition and food studies in the Falk College.
Lu says his music composition research this summer has provided him with some of the most artistically fulfilling experiences in his career. He attended the Connecticut Summerfest and the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival at the Juilliard School as a part of their Emerging Composers Program.
Edward Lu (photo by Isaac Schwalbe)
“Both of these festivals were incredible, and they each provided a diverse array of insights into the business of composition and chamber music,” Lu says.
He traveled to Connecticut in June for a week of lectures, presentations, rehearsals, concerts and recording sessions. “I was paired with ~Nois, a saxophone quartet based in Chicago, who were an absolute joy to work with,” Lu says. “They premiered my piece, ‘Leaf Litter,’ and we also shot a separate professional video/audio recording with the Kinsmen Sound Studio. I loved how much creative liberty I was given during this process, and how much they valued my artistic input. Additionally, I enjoyed getting to know the other ensembles-in-residence.”
In July, Lu spent 10 days in New York City, attending lectures and masterclasses with Imani Winds and the composer-in-residence, Jessica Meyer, as well as other visiting composition faculty. “I was paired with Nimbus Winds, a student wind quintet, and we spent the week rehearsing and workshopping my piece ‘Cloud Shapes,’ which was premiered at Juilliard’s Morse Recital Hall on Aug. 3.” He also had the opportunity to present “Leaf Litter” in a masterclass and share his work from Connecticut Summerfest, bringing his summer research full circle.
“At both festivals, I met a lot of amazing people and built lasting and meaningful relationships while learning important skills such as outreach and finding my musical voice and message,” Lu says. “Additionally, I now have two new pieces and recordings to add to my portfolio. Most importantly, I’ve made colleagues and friends in the field of chamber music that will last my entire lifetime. I’m eternally grateful to SOURCE for making these experiences possible for me.”
Lu’s faculty mentor is Nicolas Scherzinger, associate professor and chair of music composition, theory and history in VPA’s Setnor School of Music.
Ross’s project is specifically investigating the impact of Cited2 excision and maternal folic acid
Kaniya Ross
supplementation among mice on neurodevelopment. Loss of Cited2 (knockout) has been known to cause disruptions in brain development such as neural tube defects, reduced cortical thickness that can lead to microcephaly, and heart and lung defects.
“Based on preliminary research, prepartum folic acid supplementation has been linked to a reduction in neural tube defects like exencephaly. It has also been linked to rescuing reductions in cortical thickness seen with Cited2 knockout,” says Ross. Her team uses immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis and cell counting to measure whether reduced cortical thickness is due to increased cell density or decreased cells overall following Cited2 knockout and maternal folic acid supplementation. As microcephaly is linked to learning and memory deficits, they also do novel object recognition testing to measure changes in both following maternal folic acid supplementation.
“This project is deeply connected with my future endeavors as a pediatric neurologist who will continue doing research on neurodevelopmental disorders as well as providing affordable care and treatments in my own private practice,” Ross says.
Ross has worked with faculty mentor Jessica MacDonald, associate professor of biology in the College of Arts and Sciences, and graduate student Sara Brigida.
Additional events featuring undergraduate research include the 2024 McNair Summer Research Symposium, which will be held Aug. 9 from 10 a.m.to 3 p.m. in 331 Sims Hall. The Psychology SPARC-STAHR & iSchool REU Program Symposium was held on July 25.
