The Proteomics Core Facility hosted an international Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Jose Bonilla, from June to September 2023. As a result of his visit, the core facility submitted a paper to a peer-reviewed publication and presented 3 abstracts at scientific meetings in the United States and Argentina. Dr. Eduardo Callegari, Proteomics Core Facility Director, was invited by Dr. Bonilla to be co-advisor of his presentation to be accepted in the scientific career competition at the National Council on Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET).

On Saturday, September 9, 2023, the Sioux Valley Local Section of the American Chemistry Society hosted it's annual student poster competition at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, SD. Dakota Wesleyan University student Hunter Birozy, along with his research partner Bodie Miller of Augustana University, presented a poster on work that they had done during last summer's BRIN research project with Dr. George Mwangi of the University of Sioux Falls. They and their poster, "Investigating optimal crosslinkers fo dopamine molecularly imprinted chemical sensors," took home one of the three undergraduate prizes. Thanks to the win, the two have a $400 travel award to present their work at a regional or national American Chemistry Society conference.

The 2023 Central IDeA States Regional Meeting was held Wednesday, June 7 through Friday, June 9 in Kansas City, Kansas at the Intercontinental Hotel on the Plaza. While at the meeting, SD BRIN students and faculty attended poster sessions and breakout sessions that covered many topics, including; undergraduate career development, translational research, entrepreneurship, collaborative research, and more.

SD BRIN faculty met in Vermillion, SD on Thursday, August 3 to discuss future plans of the program. They also attended the undergraduate oral presentations and the student poster session. The faculty also attended research presentations by the following faculty fellows:

• Steven Matzner (AU) - Got Milkweed?: How patterns of drought mortality, herbivory, and hybridization determine range limits for Asclepias speciosa and Asclepias syriaca

• Yun Choi (BHSU) - A design strategy to quantify unconjugated Nedd8 using genetically encoded censors

• Ashley Pfeiffer (BHSU) - Effects of Sleep Hygiene Education on Community-Dwelling Older Adults

The SD BRIN Undergraduate Research Fellows attend the annual convocation on Thursday, August 3 in Vermillion, SD. The fellows attended a student panel of graduate and medical students, a presentation entitled "Professional Skills in Presenting Research", and a student poster session. The following students were selected to give oral presentations of their research to faculty and students:

• Ellie Moore (BHSU) - The Biotoxin BMAA Promotes Mesenchymal Transition in Neuroblastoma cells

• Elizabeth Theobald (AU) - Development of Chitosan/Hyaluronic Acid Microcapsules Coupled to Biopolymers for Incorporation into Modified Contact Lenses

• Britain Smith (DWU) - DNA Extraction from Lithic Tools

• Kylee McDaniel (MMU) - Ash1l Haploinsufficiency Induces Autism-associated Behavioral Deficits in a Mouse Model

• Rachel Hahn (AU) & Katie Ihrke (AU) - Inhibition of S. aureus biofilm formation by placental proteins

• Isabella Veffredo (DWU) - Developing a Luminescent Sensor to Detect Ubiquitin in Bodily Fluids

• Arrayna Dandanell (USF) & Megan Finstrom (BHSU) - Synthesis and Characterization of Thiazolium and Isoxazolium-Based Ionic Liquids

• Madison Kovar (MMU) - AK72019: A Molecular Inhibitor of MRSA Acetate Kinase Exhibiting Cellular-Level Efficacy Against Staphylococcus aureus

• Owen Growney (BHSU) - Investigation of the SpoV Peptide and Its Effects on the Bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes

• Noah Puetz (USF) & Thomas Scholten (AU) - Investigating Ischemic Preconditioning (IPC) Methodologies

The 2023 Lawrence Brothers Science Camp was held as a two-day camp this summer. The camp was held on June 27 & 28, 2023 on the campus of the University of South Dakota in Vermillion. The theme of the camp was Crime Scene Investigation. The 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th grade students participated in many fun sessions while at camp:

• Hair Follicles - Dr. Barb Goodman

• DNA - Dr. Grigoriy Sereda

• Britain Smith (DWU) - DNA Extraction from Lithic Tools

• Fingerprinting - Vermillion Police Department

• Physics of Floating - Dr. John Williams

• Physics of Walking - Dr. James Tracy

The 2024 Lawrence Brothers Science Camp will be Sunday, June 23 through Wednesday, June 26, 2024.

On Saturday, January 21, SD BRIN students and faculty gathered at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, SD. The students attended sessions on applying to the SD BRIN Undergraduate Fellows program, selecting a mentor, a panel session with previous SD BRIN fellows, and a faculty poster session. While the students learned about the Undergaduate Fellows program, the faculty met to discuss the grant and research. Faculty then shared their research with the students at a poster session.