Cell and Developmental Biology Commons^™

Time Scale Separation In Life-Long Ovarian Follicles Population Dynamics Model, Romain Yvinec, Frédérique Clément, Guillaume Ballif

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Identifiability For Pde Models Of Fluorescence Microscopy Experiments, Veronica Ciocanel

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Statistical Mobility Of Aggregated Microswimmers, Yonatan Ashenafi

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Optimizing Immunotherapies For Improved Cancer Treatment, Anne Talkington, Anthony Kearsley

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Annual Killifish: Eye Development And Retinal Cell Regeneration, Carmen Z. Rodriguez

Student Research Symposium

Vertebrate eye development is highly conserved. Current models have allowed the understanding of gene expression patterns that support eye development, but lack the context of extreme environmental conditions that challenge these fundamental programs. Typical vertebrate life spans can be years, but annual killifish, Austrofundulus limnaeus, are able to complete their entire adult lifespan in only weeks. Thus, A. limnaeus is a strong model for age-related macular degeneration. A. limnaeus also experiences embryonic diapause; a period of developmental dormancy. Developing/diapausing embryos of A. limnaeus are resistant to environmental stresses such as hypoxia/anoxia that would cause irreparable damage to vital organs, such …

Locating Vitamin D Receptors (Vdrs) In Annual Killifish, Austrofundulus Limnaeus, Rosy Tanori

Student Research Symposium

Austrofundulus limnaeus, a species of annual killifish found in unpredictable temporary habitats in South America, has a profound ability to survive long periods without water and oxygen. This tolerance is associated with the ability to enter metabolic dormancy associated with diapause. Entrance into diapause and tolerance of environmental stress is governed by an interplay of genetic and environmental factors. The vitamin D receptor (VDR) is among these factors and plays a crucial role in determining if an embryo will enter diapause or actively develop. My work aims to identify the genomic locations of VDR proteins in the A. limnaeus genome …

Examining The Role Of Rgs2 In The Maintenance Of Diapause After Anoxic Stress In Embryos Of The Annual Killifish Austrofundulus Limnaeus, Patrick Clouser

Student Research Symposium

Austrofundulus limnaeus live in ephemeral ponds of Venezuela. They have evolved a unique life history that includes embryonic diapause, a period of developmental dormancy, metabolic arrest, and reduced protein synthesis. Diapausing embryos are resistant to environmental stress and survive months without oxygen (anoxia). A. limnaeus’ anoxia tolerance is an important survival mechanism as they can be buried in anoxic soil during development. Analysis of RNAseq data from diapausing A. limnaeus embryos show significant down-regulation of RGS2 transcripts in anoxic embryos. RGS2 regulates G-protein receptor signaling by inhibiting associated G_a-proteins and can inhibit protein synthesis. I hypothesis that …

Role Of Atp-Binding Cassette (Abc) Transporters As A Protector Of Testis Stem Cell Niche From Chemotherapy Drugs In Drosophila Melanogaster, Swagata Maity

Master's Theses

In chemotherapy treatments most tumor cells are destroyed by drugs, but some tumor cells are drug resistant, and these are known as cancer stem cells (CSCs). Normal adult stem cells are also chemo resistant. Therefore, investigation of normal stem cells can be useful to provide further knowledge of CSCs. One of the primary ways that CSCs achieve drug resistance is by drug efflux through transmembrane pumps called ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. Many studies on ABC transporters have been performed in vitro using cultured cell lines, but very few studies have been performed on normal stem cell populations in vivo. Drosophila …

Investigating The Antibacterial And Immunomodulatory Effects Of Resolvin D2 On Monocytes And Macrophages, Cristina Maria Padovani

Theses and Dissertations

In the late phase of sepsis, immunosuppression occurs, where the host is unable to clear the pre-existing infection and is susceptible to secondary infections. It is believed that the ideal treatments for sepsis should attenuate immunosuppression so that the host can get back to homeostasis. Specialized Pro-resolving Mediators (SPMs) are endogenously- produced fatty acids that resolve infectious inflammation without being immunosuppressive. We hypothesize that an SPM – Resolvin D2 (RvD2) – can augment exhausted macrophage function during the immunosuppressive phase of sepsis. We developed a two-hit model to establish macrophage exhaustion in vitro, and found that RvD2 increased NF-κB activity, …

Neuroinflammation Levels Measured By Microglial Cell Activation, Emma G. Whitlock, Linda S. Yasui

Honors Capstones

Neuroinflammation is an inflammatory response in the brain that can be caused by different stressors such as diseases and/or external factors such as traumatic brain injuries. It is important to note duration and intensity of neuroinflammation levels when determining the impacts of these stressors to the brain environment. During neuroinflammation, a type of immune cell that becomes activated in the brain is called microglial cells. Microglial cells play a role in progression of the pathophysiological effects from the brain stressor. Studying changes in microglial cell shape provides evidence of the degree of neuroinflammation in the brain. Researchers can quantify neuroinflammation …

The Effect Of Yamanaka Factors On The Metastatic Potential Of Breast Cancer Cells, Riley Mendonca

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The mortality associated with cancer is most commonly a result of it spreading to other tissues and organs in a process known as metastasis. For carcinomas to do this they must first break through the basement membrane containing them to interact with the stroma. This is known as an epithelial-mesenchymal transition and occurs when carcinomas suppress their original epithelial qualities in order to adopt more mesenchymal ones. This involves cancers dedifferentiating from their original cell type to lose the specialized features that distinguished them and where they came from. As cancers become more invasive, this dedifferentiation becomes more pronounced. Recent …

Investigating The Therapeutic Potential Of Soursop In Treating Hematologic Malignancies, Sabrina Marie Paparo, Rebeca Mendoza, Robert Chitren, Omar Al-Odat, Emily Nelson, Subash Jonnalagadda, Roger Strair, Manoj Pandey

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Multiple Myeloma (MM) are hematologic malignancies that originate in the bone marrow and account for approximately 1.3% and 2% of cancer cases, respectively. AML is characterized by an accumulation of myeloblasts, or immature myeloid cells, that have the potential to spread to the peripheral blood. There is an uncontrolled proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow in MM. While the current treatment options for both AML and MM show promise in achieving initial remission, it is unfortunately common for patients to experience relapse and develop drug resistance. There is a theory that relapse and …

Comparative Analyses Of Adeno-Associated Viral Vector Serotypes 1, 2 And 9 In The Sod Mouse Model Of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Talia Hartman, Jeremy Francis, Paola Leone

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

6–7-week-old G93A SOD mice were given 1x1010 vector genomes of three different self-complimentary (sc) AAV capsid serotypes (AAV1, 2, and 9) all containing an identical CBh-driven GFP reporter expression cassette. Each serotype was delivered via either the intrathecal (IT) or intra cisterna magna (ICM) route of administration (ROA). Transduction by each serotype, via each of the two ROA was compared for the cortex and each of the lumbar, thoracic, and cervical regions of the spinal cord, with percent neuronal tropism calculated in each region. AAV2 was effective at transducing spinal cord neurons but disappointingly ineffective at transducing cortical neurons by …

Efficacy Of Mcl-1 Inhibitors In Multiple Myeloma Cells Resistant To Bortezomib, Emily Nelson, Omar S. Al-Odat, Sabrina M. Paparo, Daniel A. Guirguis, Gabriella Yao, Manoj Pandey, Subash Jonnalagadda, Tulin Budak-Alpdogan

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a type of cancer that affects plasma B cells. Patients with MM often experience frequent relapses and can develop resistance to drugs. As a medical researcher, it is important to understand the role of Mcl-1 in preventing intrinsic apoptosis and drug resistance. Mcl-1 belongs to the anti-apoptotic subgroup of Bcl-2 family proteins and plays a crucial role in these processes. Mcl-1 plays a crucial role in driving disease progression and contributing to drug resistance in MM. It has been observed that there is an increased expression of Mcl-1 in 52% of patients with MM during diagnosis, …

Intra-Accumbens Microinfusion Of The Dopamine D3 Receptor Partial Agonist (±)Vk4-40 Does Not Affect Basal Locomotion In Mice, Yeonwoo Sim, Nicole M. Hinds, Amy Hauck Newman, Daniel F. Manvich

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The opioid epidemic remains a pressing public health crisis, prompting the search for alternative pharmacotherapies for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). This study explores the potential of the dopamine D3 receptor (D3R) partial agonist, (±)VK4-40, as a novel treatment option. We investigated the impact of intra-nucleus accumbens (NAc) microinfusion of VK4-40 on basal locomotion in mice. Results indicate that VK4-40 did not significantly alter basal locomotion, suggesting that its therapeutic effects may not be mediated through disruptions in generalized motor function. Future research will focus on elucidating the neuropharmacological mechanisms underlying VK4-40's therapeutic actions and exploring its effects on psychostimulant-induced hyperlocomotion. …

Towards Understanding The Function Of An Ets-Like Gene In Nematostella Vectensis: Generation Of A Knockout Mutant Line And A Transgenic Reporter Line, Emily Bullock

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Due to their unique phylogenic position as sister to Bilateria, Cnidaria are often credited with the utility of allowing for reconstruction of ancestral biology based on characteristics shared with bilaterians and other animals. This factor makes investigation into the nervous systems of cnidarians critical in understanding early neural evolution. Wamides, a class of neuropeptides, have been shown to play a regulatory role in life cycle transitions across many different species. The cnidarian specific Wamide neuropeptide, GLWamide, has previously been identified to play an accelerator role in the metamorphic timing of a specific species of sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis. However, …

Exploring The Role Of Il-1Β/Il-1r In The Pathogenesis Of K-Ras Mutant Lung Cancer, Avantika Krishna

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

As the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, the development of targeted therapeutics to treat lung cancer remains crucial. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common histological subtype predominantly comprises lung adenocarcinoma with driver mutations in the K-ras oncogene (KM-LUAD). KM-LUAD progression partly occurs through activation of the NF-κB pathway initiating an inflammatory response and creating a pro-tumor microenvironment. Notably, the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β a potent activator and product of the NF-κB pathway is elevated in the lungs and sera of KM-LUAD patients. We have shown that IL-1β blockade promotes an anti-tumor immune phenotype in a mouse model of …

Importance Of Specific Nk Cell Subsets For Antitumor Immunity In Hpv+ Cancers, Madison O'Hara

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

High-risk type human papillomaviruses (HPV) are associated with genital and oral cancers, and the incidence of HPV+ head and neck squamous cell cancers is fast increasing worldwide. Survival rates for patients with locally advanced disease are poor and variable after standard of care (SOC) treatment. Identifying the antitumor host immune mediators important for treatment response and designing strategies to promote them are essential for improving clinical outcome. The natural killer (NK) cells are a critical component for antitumor innate effector immunity. Among the multitude of activation and inhibitory receptors on immune cells, HLA-DR is recognized as an important activation marker …

Biophysical Model Of Retraction Motor Neurons And Their Modification By Operant Conditioning, Maria Rasheed

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Operant conditioning (OC) is a form of associative learning in which an animal modifies its behavior based on the consequences that follow that behavior. Despite its ubiquity, the underlying mechanisms of OC are poorly understood. Insights into the mechanisms of OC can be obtained by studying Aplysia feeding behavior as it can be modified by OC. This behavior is mediated by a central pattern generator (CPG) network in the buccal ganglia that contains a relatively small number of neurons. This CPG generates rhythmic motor patterns (BMPs) that move food into the gut by closing a tongue-like structure (i.e., radula) during …

Syntaxin-3 Mediates Baseline And Stimulated Mucin Secretion, Brianne Wharton

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

There are two rates at which airway epithelial cells secrete mucin. The low baseline rate accounts for ciliary clearance, and the high stimulated rate obstructs airways in protection from helminths or in obstructive pulmonary diseases. The exocytosis of mucins occurs via the four-helix SNARE complex. The SNARE proteins contributing helices are the vesicle-SNARE VAMP, and the target-SNAREs SNAP and Syntaxin. Coiling of the complex fuses the granule and plasma membranes to release mucins into the extracellular space. The VAMP and SNAP isoforms mediating baseline and stimulated secretion are known, but the Syntaxin (Stx) isoform remains unknown.

Three candidate exocytic Stx, …