This Research Pack Abroad summer research opportunity will provide students the opportunity to sharpen their research skills working with faculty at Universidad de Cuenca.

The four research opportunities for Summer 2025 include:

Laboratory: Crop Science

Analysis of transpiration dynamics in field crops 

We are going to investigate the environmental response of stomatal dynamics and water use characteristics in field-grown rice, maize, and soybean using a portable gas-exchange measurement system and a microcontroller-based sap flow sensor.

Laboratory: Animal Integrative Physiology

Understanding the mechanisms of circadian clock and its molecular control
Animals have various biological clocks such as circadian clock, lunar clock, and seasonal clock.  Although these phenomena attract tremendous general interest, their mechanisms are one of the great mysteries in biology.  The uniqueness of our research lies in the use of various vertebrae species such as fish, birds, and mammals. By applying systems biology approach, we are trying to uncover the mystery of biological clocks.

FILLED POSITIONS

Laboratory: Plant Pathology  

Analysis of phytoalexins production in Solanaceae plants

Solanaceous plants produce sesquiterpenoid phytoalexins (antimicrobial substances) against pathogenic fungi, but their biosynthetic mechanisms are largely unknown. Analysis of varietal differences in phytoalexins produced by potato, tomato and petunia by GC/MS and RNAseq data will be used to identify novel phytoalexins and biosynthetic enzyme genes.

Laboratory: Genome and Epigenome Dynamics

Epigenetic mechanisms underlying the sex determination of insects
Planococcus kraunhiae, a mealybug, has no sex chromosome. The male is determined by epigenetic silencing of all the paternally derived chromosomes, while all chromosomes remain active in the female. We have determined the genome sequence of this insect and studied how chromosome silencing is initiated and how the parental origin of chromosomes is distinguished in males.

Laboratory: Animal Reproduction

Analysis of neural circuits controlling the activity of kisspeptin neurons

Kisspeptin neurons are the master regulator for animal reproduction to govern the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis in mammals. We are going to identify upstream neural signals that control the activity of kisspeptin neurons in the hypothalamus and analyze their roles in rats.

Information

Courses: Independent Study (3 credits)

Program Dates: 2 months during the summer – anytime between Mid-May to August

Deadlines

• Scholarships Application Deadline: Apply by November 15, 2024
• Application Deadline: Rolling admissions through March 1, 2025

Cost

• Students cover the cost of their airfare, housing in Japan and food directly
• Nagoya University will help the students find housing on campus or close to campus
• Students register their participation through Study Abroad Independent Study/Research Abroad
  • $75 non-refundable application fee
  • $150 Study Abroad Fee

How to Apply

Contact Dr. Adrienne Tucker directly at adrienne_tucker@ncsu.edu for application inquiry.