April 24, 2025 Indian River State College
Fort Pierce, FL (April 24, 2025) – Indian River State College celebrated the achievements of its student scientists during the School of Science Spring 2025 Undergraduate Research Symposium held at the Research Coast Auditorium in the William and Helen Thomas STEM Center on the Pruitt Campus on April 18, 2025. The event featured groundbreaking research conducted by Indian River State College students in partnership with prominent research institutions throughout Florida’s Research Coast. Dr. Kerryane T. Monahan moderated the symposium, with Dr. Anthony B. Dribben, Dean of Science, delivering opening remarks highlighting the importance of undergraduate research opportunities.
An Indian River State College student presents innovative research findings at the College’s Spring 2025 Undergraduate Research Symposium.
“The quality of research presented at the Symposium demonstrates the exceptional scientific talent we are developing at Indian River State College,” said Indian River State College President Timothy E. Moore, Ph.D. “These students are tackling complex scientific questions and contributing meaningful data to their areas of study. We congratulate them, Dean Dribben, and their advisors on their wonderful research and contributions to science—their success exemplifies Indian River State College’s commitment to robust, cutting-edge scientific programming that prepares students for leadership in tomorrow’s scientific community.”
Five oral presentations showcased diverse scientific investigations:
- Nayomie Duran and Claudia Martinez presented their work on phage discovery at Indian River State College, contributing to the SEA-PHAGES program, which has isolated 102 bacteriophages since 2014, with 36 fully sequenced.
- Mathieu Zamy discussed his assessment of Trimethoprim (TMP) on the life history of Anopheles Stephensi mosquitoes, finding that 0.1 mM is the optimal TMP concentration for genetic population suppression strategies.
- Christopher Pantano shared findings on seed clam growth and survival in response to temperature and pCO2-driven pH variability, noting that clams from low pH environments were unexpectedly larger than those in control conditions.
- Olivia Frankfurth presented research on Enterococci bacteria in the Loxahatchee River in relation to rainfall, revealing that 85% of rainfall events were associated with poor bacterial results, particularly at upstream sites.
- Michael Futo discussed conditional sterility in transgenic Aedes aegypti males, demonstrating that transgenic males reduced female fertility by 48-78% across multiple crosses, supporting their potential use in mosquito population control.
The symposium also featured 14 poster presentations covering topics including:
- Tyler Addington’s study on casein concentration in dairy cattle milk across different age groups
- AnJanette Bruss and Yamilex Lopez’s isolation of novel Actinobacteriophages and phylogenetic analysis of their genes
- Dominic Caruso’s update on SEA-PHAGES genomics data for cluster EK2 bacteriophages
- Calvin Frizzle’s isolation and genomic analysis of a novel microbacteriophage from Fort Pierce
- Bethany Johnson’s “A Day in the Life” overview of Indian River Lagoon water quality impacts on organism populations
- Teresa Lacan and Daniel Lancifort’s analysis of alignment patterns from post-mortem damaged eDNA
- Omar Mercado’s discovery of hypertension in ultramarathon runners, finding that 45.6% had hypertensive blood pressure readings before races
- Angela Paternoster’s evaluation of bacteriophage and antibiotic combinations on bacterial growth
- Jaime Patino’s investigation of pain sensitivity and cortisol levels in runners, showing significant increases in cortisol with race distance
- Bryana Rodgers’ work on restoration of native Florida flora, calculating that 8,343 square feet at Jones Hammock would require $7,531 in native plants for restoration
“The caliber of student research we’re witnessing today exemplifies Indian River State College’s commitment to scientific excellence,” said Dr. Anthony Dribben, Dean of the School of Science at Indian River State College. “Our students are conducting meaningful investigations that address real challenges while developing the analytical skills employers and graduate programs seek. Through our comprehensive science curriculum, state-of-the-art facilities, and dedicated faculty mentorship, we’re cultivating the next generation of scientific leaders who will make significant contributions to their fields and our community.”
For more information about Indian River State College’s School of Science and upcoming events, please contact Merle Litvack, Math and Science Student Success Coordinator, at 772-462-7503.
###
About Indian River State College: Indian River State College, serving Florida’s Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Okeechobee counties, offers high-quality, affordable education to 23,000 students annually through traditional and online courses. The College provides more than 120 programs leading to bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, technical certificates, and applied technology diplomas. For more information, visit irsc.edu.
Media Contact: Kathleen Walter, Public Information Officer, kwalter1@irsc.edu
