Beta Psi Omega at UIUC

Beta Psi Omega at UIUC We are a new organization on campus providing a supportive community for students pursuing the biological sciences professionally.

Congratulations to our graduating seniors 🎓💚💛 Thank you for everything you’ve done for our Chapter and our members we wi...
05/08/2025

Congratulations to our graduating seniors 🎓💚💛 Thank you for everything you’ve done for our Chapter and our members we wish you luck in your next steps!

A couple weeks ago, a few of our members participated in the Undergraduate Research Symposium and shared their research ...
05/07/2025

A couple weeks ago, a few of our members participated in the Undergraduate Research Symposium and shared their research with fellow peers and faculty! Congratulations on this huge accomplishment!

Congratulations and welcome to our Nu Pledge Class! We are so proud of all of you on your initiation and excited to see ...
05/04/2025

Congratulations and welcome to our Nu Pledge Class! We are so proud of all of you on your initiation and excited to see what you all accomplish as brothers and sisters of Beta Psi Omega💚💛

This past weekend, BPsiO brothers and pledges went on a camping trip to Moraine View State Rec🏕️🌭☀️🌲
04/30/2025

This past weekend, BPsiO brothers and pledges went on a camping trip to Moraine View State Rec🏕️🌭☀️🌲

.nicole ‘s research spotlight highlights an exciting summer of research ahead of her! Learn more about her project below...
04/13/2025

.nicole ‘s research spotlight highlights an exciting summer of research ahead of her! Learn more about her project below:

“Climate change, global warming in the case, continues to increasingly jeopardize the environment and its inhabitants. This is especially true for insects, who are particularly sensitive to changes in temperature and whose life cycle can be heavily dependent on temperature. One aspect of global warming that is generally overlooked: heatwaves. Heatwaves can disrupt insect development, compromise immune systems, cause delays or mistiming of crucial life cycle events, and even decrease survival. To get a better understanding of this, my research focuses on Black Swallowtail Butterflies and how heatwaves affect their physiology. Having a better insight here can help predict what effect global warming will have on various populations of Lepidoptera.

My sample size is 198 insects. Black Swallowtails will be caught in their natural environment and brought back to the lab for mating. Eggs will then be placed in 24oz deli cups with filter paper lining, a popsicle stick, and parsley for food. Once individuals reach life stage 2, individuals in the experimental group will be subjected to various heatwaves that differ in temperature and duration. Control group will be left in normal temperature incubation chamber. Once experimental treatments have concluded, all insects will be placed back in the normal incubation chamber to pupate and eclose. After this, adult measurements will be taken (weight, wing area, and fat body measurements).

This will be a summer project through the internship I was accepted to through SIB!”

Happy Earth Month🌱 Our members had a great time spending time on Saturday tabling at Sustainapalooza and fundraising for...
04/13/2025

Happy Earth Month🌱 Our members had a great time spending time on Saturday tabling at Sustainapalooza and fundraising for the National Park Foundation!

Come stop by our table at Sustainapalooza on the Quad today from 1-6pm to buy stickers to support our National Parks! Al...
04/12/2025

Come stop by our table at Sustainapalooza on the Quad today from 1-6pm to buy stickers to support our National Parks! All proceeds go to the National Park Service🌱

With the semester back on track, we’re really reminiscing about our time off a couple weeks ago. See what some of our me...
04/02/2025

With the semester back on track, we’re really reminiscing about our time off a couple weeks ago. See what some of our members were up to over spring break!

Welcoming our Spring 25 Executive Board (pt 2)!
03/28/2025

Welcoming our Spring 25 Executive Board (pt 2)!

Welcoming our Spring 25 Executive Board (pt 1)!
03/28/2025

Welcoming our Spring 25 Executive Board (pt 1)!

Next up in our Research Spotlight, .palmer showed us the amazing work she’s done in helping to identify the location of ...
03/06/2025

Next up in our Research Spotlight, .palmer showed us the amazing work she’s done in helping to identify the location of two endangered species in Illinois! Here’s what she has to say about her work:

“My work has identified the location of two endangered species, the Salamander Mussel and the Mudpuppy, with the use of environmental DNA, with the goal of directing conservation efforts for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. As a result of my independent project, live Salamander Mussels were found for the first time in nearly 120 years in Illinois.

Detecting rare species with conventional survey methods has become increasingly difficult, often depleting time and resources. Instead, researchers have developed a novel method for species detection with environmental DNA (eDNA). eDNA is a method by which samples are collected from the target environment, then through DNA extraction and sequence analysis, it can be derived if the species is present or not.

The two species which I observe are the Mudpuppy and the Salamander Mussel. These fully-aquatic species have a unique symbiotic relationship through which the mussel must carry out their larval stage within the external gills of the Mudpuppy. Without Mudpuppies, Salamander Mussels cannot survive. In Illinois, both species populations are declining. The Mudpuppy population, which is more steady, yet state-endangered, is facing decline due to lampricide use and water pollution. Whereas, the mussel is highly endangered in Illinois and has not been visually detected in decades. Both species live under rocks and are most active in winter months.

To determine if eDNA can be used to detect the Mudpuppy and the Salamander Mussel, my methodology consisted of sample collection, filtration, DNA extraction, and qPCR. ”

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