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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Combating Obesity Through Gut Microbiome Targeted Bacteriophage Therapy, Gongze Zhao, Dr. Laura Bridgewater
Combating Obesity Through Gut Microbiome Targeted Bacteriophage Therapy, Gongze Zhao, Dr. Laura Bridgewater
Journal of Undergraduate Research
The human gut consists of approximately 1.5 kg of bacteria, and 50% of the biomass in our fecal matter is bacterial cells (Nicholson, 2005). Diet is a major factor in shaping the composition of the gut microbiota, (Zhang, 2010) which in turn influences the body by producing metabolites that enter the circulation through different pathways. In 2013, by using Koch’s postulates, scientists were able to demonstrate that the gram-negative opportunistic pathogen E. cloacae B29 can cause obesity and chronic inflammation in its host (Fei & Zhao, 2013). Bacteriophage (phage) are viruses that infect bacteria. Phages bind to their bacterial host …
Eccentric Vs. Concentric Exercise Intervention During Extreme Post-Surgery Weight Loss, Joshua Kelley, Lance Davidson
Eccentric Vs. Concentric Exercise Intervention During Extreme Post-Surgery Weight Loss, Joshua Kelley, Lance Davidson
Journal of Undergraduate Research
In the past decade severe obesity (body mass index of greater than 35 kg/m²) has increased by 70 percent and is considered the fastest growing BMI category in the United States. Severe obesity has been linked with a low quality of life and a variety of comorbidities. As a result, the amount of various weight loss surgeries have dramatically increased, enabling individuals to lose large amounts of weight in a short period of time. Following Roux-en-Y-Gastric-Bypass surgery, 30-35 percent of the total weight lost is considered muscle mass or fat free mass (FFM) and a 20-40 percent decrease in muscular …
Examining The Relative Contributions Of Genes, Diet, And The Gut Microbiome To The Development Of Obesity And Diabetes, Laura C. Bridgewater
Examining The Relative Contributions Of Genes, Diet, And The Gut Microbiome To The Development Of Obesity And Diabetes, Laura C. Bridgewater
Journal of Undergraduate Research
This project began as a collaboration with Dr. Julianne Grose in MMBIO to study the effect of PAS kinase on diabetes and obesity in a mouse model system. Due to our initial findings, the study has grown to include Dr. Ben Bickman in PDBIO (an expert in metabolism) and Dr. Scott Weber in MMBIO (an immunologist). We have found that PAS kinase knockout mice have an increased metabolic rate—not only in their overall system but also specifically in skeletal muscle. Metabolic rate can have a profound influence on the immune system, so we began working with Dr. Weber to measure …