Life Sciences Commons^™

Exploring Berberine As A Novel Therapeutic Agent Against Staphylococcus Aureus Infections: Targeting Inflammation And Antibiotic Resistance, Daniel Kopulos

NYMC Student Theses and Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus is a versatile Gram-positive bacterium commonly found on human skin. While often harmless, it can cause various infections when the skin is compromised, ranging from minor issues to life-threatening conditions in immunocompromised individuals.

The bacterium’s ability to resist antibiotics, particularly methicillin, underscores its clinical challenge. Staphylococcus aureus can also acquire vancomycin resistance. It evades immune responses through multiple mechanisms, including capsule formation, interference with immune proteins like staphylococcal protein A, and secretion of toxins such as Panton-Valentine Leukocidin. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing effective strategies against Staphylococcus aureus infections.

The immune response to Staphylococcus aureus infections …

Remodeling Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer's Aggressive Profile And Metabolic Signature By Natural Alkaloid Berberine, Tara Elizabeth Jarboe

NYMC Student Theses and Dissertations

Anaplastic thyroid cancer is a rare, fatal cancer with a five-year survival of 4%. Universally diagnosed at stage IV, anaplastic thyroid cancer is characterized by its lack of differentiation, rapid proliferative rate, highly inflammatory tumor microenvironment, and metabolic dysregulation. Refractory to all established therapies, anaplastic thyroid cancer requires a novel therapeutic approach that targets all of these drivers of anaplastic thyroid cancer carcinogenesis. We propose natural alkaloid berberine as a therapeutic with multitarget efficacy to alter mitochondrial metabolism and reprogram anaplastic thyroid cancer’s aggressive phenotype. Our in vitro model uses monocyte cell line U937, anaplastic thyroid cancer cell lines T238 …