Digital Commons Network^™

How Does Calcium Impact Cardiac Mitochondria?

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

The ability of a cardiac cell to work hard and continuously depends on the energy-producing function of its mitochondria. Calcium is key to proper mitochondrial function—but only in the right amounts. Too much calcium leads to cell death; too little suppresses production of the fuel a cell needs to function.

Research collaborators Shey-Shing Sheu, PhD, professor of medicine, and Gyorgy Csordas, MD, research associate professor of pathology, anatomy and cell biology, are studying the mechanisms by which cardiac mitochondria use calcium and other molecules. And they are shedding light on how dysfunction in those mechanisms contribute to ischemic heart disease, …

Exploring Dna Damage Repair

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

A cell’s ability to repair damaged DNA is key to its maintaining normal biology and protecting against cell death. But the repair process can be a two-sided coin: keeping a normal cell healthy is beneficial; keeping a malignant cell healthy can promote cancer. The mechanisms by which cells recognize and attempt to repair damage are myriad and complex; and individual DNA-repair proteins can be involved in multiple pathways. Jefferson researchers across several fields are working to understand the genomic and molecular processes at work in DNA repair—and the problems created when those processes go awry.

Reinvigorating Immune Response To Advanced Melanoma

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

Melanoma represents a small fraction of skin cancerrelated malignancies, yet accounts for the majority of its mortalities—and the incidence of cutaneous melanoma is rising. While treatments using smalltargeted inhibitors and immune checkpoint antibodies have increased long-term survival in advancedstage cutaneous melanoma, many patients still do not realize any benefit from the treatments. Another group of patients initially have beneficial results but ultimately find their disease progressing, in part due to cancer cells’ acquired resistance to immune response. And still other patients have difficulty with the treatment’s high toxicity.

Emad Alnemri, PhD, Thomas Eakins Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and …

Putting Light To Work

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

Jefferson researchers are using light in new ways: using blue light to drive chemical processes, and creating products that illuminate in ultraviolet light. Their work reflects a convergence of disciplines such as physics, chemistry, textile engineering and nanotechnology that is driving applications with practical benefits for people and the environment.

John Milligan, PhD, assistant professor of chemical and biological sciences, is leading development of environmentally sustainable ways to spur chemical reactions using blue LED light. The work is an example of the “photoredox” subfield of organic chemistry, which has proven to be an increasingly effective method for building organic molecules. …

Architects Of A Sustainable Hemp Industry

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

For centuries, the hemp plant has been recognized as a robust and renewable source of raw material for a host of purposes. However, for decades United States law conflated hemp with marijuana, and it fell out of use. Now, with such restrictions lifted, hemp has a bright future as a sustainable, high-value raw material for consumer and industrial products.

“Realizing that potential will require a lot of fundamental planning and development work, conceiving and establishing systems and platforms essential for building robust agricultural- and manufacturing-focused hemp industries,” says Ronald Kander, PhD, associate provost for applied research and dean of Kanbar …

Fast-Paced, Frontline Research

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

While the clinicians of Jefferson Health were on the front lines of the battle with COVID-19— treating nearly 16,000 COVID patients and testing 35,000+ people—just behind them were the basic science researchers working hard to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms driving the disease and the clinician-scientists working to adapt existing therapeutics to the unique challenges created by SARS-CoV-2.

Since early 2020, Jefferson researchers published more than 260 research studies on the coronavirus’s biology and on treatments

Covid’S Impact On Cancer Diagnosis

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

While there are studies underway to characterize the direct effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the care of patients with cancer, there have been relatively few quantitative reports of the impact that efforts to control the pandemic have had on the normal course of cancer diagnosis and treatment encounters. However, a multicenter research team led by Jack London, PhD, research professor emeritus of cancer biology, and Christopher McNair, PhD, associate director for data science at Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center and assistant professor of cancer biology, is studying that now. They have used encounter data from 20 healthcare institutions to compare …

Cryo-Em At Jefferson: Driving A New Era Of Scientific Discovery

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

Scientific discovery is often the product of a delicate dance between intellectual insight and technological capabilities. It is a synergistic cycle of advancement where the desire to test a research hypothesis may motivate the creation of a new technology, and the new technical capacity yields unanticipated opportunities for wider discovery. And one of the most important drivers of new knowledge is the development of technologies for viewing biology’s fundamental building blocks: the atoms and molecules that comprise living cells.

Since late 2020, Jefferson researchers have been using one of the most powerful devices for “seeing” molecular structures at the atomic …

The Power Of Human Connection: Autism And The Suicide Risk, Rachel Barton

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

As researchers continue to understand autism spectrum disorder (ASD), one outstanding factor is causing concern within the psychological community: those with ASD are at a much higher risk of suicidal tendencies. These tendencies include suicidal ideation, attempting suicide, and death by suicide. Possible contributing factors to this increased risk include high levels of loneliness, pressure to conform to societal norms, as well as depression and anxiety. To decrease suicidality among the ASD population, further research is needed to fully understand why this behavior occurs at such a high percentage. Research is also needed to find appropriate and effective solutions to …

Reducing College Student Burnout: Predictive Factors, Harmful Effects, And Preventative Strategies, Eden Semu

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Academic burnout is defined as experiencing emotional exhaustion, having cynical attitudes toward other people and one’s studies, and feeling unable to achieve one’s academic goals (Schaufeli et al., 2002b). Academic burnout has been observed among college student populations, and its prevalence is increasing as college students are more susceptible to psychological illness, are experiencing peak levels of life stress between ages 18 and 33, and are learning to handle novel demands associated with emerging adulthood (APA, 2012; NAMI , 2019). Internal factors, such as motivational style, attitude, and coping mechanisms, have been shown to mediate the relationship between demands and …

Infant Language Development: The Consequences Of Trauma, Janna Pickett

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Infants between 0 and 36 months who experience physical and emotional trauma are at risk for severe social, emotional, cognitive, and physiological developmental deficits (Carpenter & Stacks, 2009; Jacobsen et al., 2013). As researchers search for protective factors against these deficits, productive language acquisition (the words an infant can verbally produce) has emerged as a potential predictor of resilience (Bellagamba et al., 2014; McCabe & Meller, 2004). This review proposes that infants who have acquired more advanced language, such as emotion descriptors, are able to define their experiences, learn how to respond to those experiences, and feel in control of …

The Double-Edged Sword: Unsuccessful Versus Successful Religious Parenting And Transmission, Avanlee Peterson

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Religious participation can have many positive effects on children and adolescents, including improved health, academic, and social capabilities. Therefore, many parents are concerned by the decrease in religiosity in American society today. In response to this common concern, this literature review discusses how various types of religious parenting can improve parent-child religious transmission while maintaining good parent-child relationships and promoting healthy child development. Much of the research on parenting styles suggests that religious parenting is most successful when using an authoritative style of parenting (high structure, high warmth, high autonomy) rather than an authoritarian style (high structure, low warmth, low …

Powering Research On Mitochondrial Disease

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

Mitochondria are specialized structures that exist in all cells except red blood cells. Generally known as the cell’s energy factory, mitochondria play a much broader role: from helping in the processes of making hemoglobin, detoxifying ammonia in the liver, metabolizing cholesterol and neurotransmitters and synthesizing estrogen and testosterone. Each year, thousands of children (and, increasingly, adults) are diagnosed with genetic mitochondrial conditions that range from skeletal muscle weakness and exercise intolerance to neurodegenerative diseases, heart disease and liver failure. In addition, mitochondria are increasingly recognized as playing a role in the pathology of diseases such as diabetes and cancer.

MitoCare …

The Joan & Joel Rosenbloom Center For Fibrotic Diseases

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

Like cancer, fibrotic diseases are the result of complex biological processes that are similar in their final outcome, but diverse in the molecular mechanisms underlying those processes. Thus, identifying treatment targets and developing effective therapies is extremely difficult. It requires a continuous dialogue between basic scientists, translational researchers and clinical investigators across a range of disciplines.

The Joan & Joel Rosenbloom Center for Fibrotic Diseases, established in 2013, is an interdepartmental research program focusing on diagnosis, disease mechanisms, prevention and treatment of fibrotic diseases. It acts as a bridge: both to translate basic findings into drug therapies and to bring …

A Distinguished Career Honored - And The Work Continues

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

The most prestigious award in international dermatology - the World Congress of Dermatology’s Alfred Marchionini Medal in Gold—is bestowed every four years, and in 2019, Jouni Uitto, MD, professor and chair of dermatology and cutaneous biology, was the humble recipient. The award is a recognition of Dr. Uitto’s long and distinguished career, in which he has published nearly 900 peerreviewed articles, textbook chapters and reviews— including 30 new publications over the past year.

Modeling The Systems Of Life

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

Rajanikanth Vadigepalli, PhD, professor of pathology, anatomy and cell biology, is a chemical engineer and systems biologist who views the body as a series of systems nested within systems, interacting in dynamic ways. He and his colleagues use high-powered computers to create complex models of how tissues and organs function, which they compare to observations of in vitro and in vivo lab models. The iterative process enables them to find minute, molecular

Computational Medicine Center Uncovers New Rna Categories

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

The interdisciplinary experts of Jefferson's Computational Medicine Center combine high-performance computing, data-driven hypothesis generation and wet laboratory work to unravel the biology and role of short RNA molecules with powerful regulatory roles. The Center’s research is led by Isidore Rigoutsos, PhD, Richard H. Hevner Professor of Computational Medicine; Yohei Kirino, associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology; and Eric Londin, PhD, assistant professor of pathology, anatomy and cell biology.

The group has uncovered new RNA categories and many previously unsuspected molecules that act as regulators. They have also demonstrated that the identity and abundance of these newly discovered regulators depend …

Pursuing The Potential For Rna Biology

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

RNA is essential for the process of turning genes' DNA instructions into the proteins that actually drive cellular functions. The field of RNA biology is dynamic and growing, as researchers discover the functions of a dizzying array of types of RNA. Jefferson’s RNA biology program is multifaceted and rich with potential for both understanding human biology and developing ways to treat or prevent disease.

For example, Ya-Ming Hou, PhD, professor of biochemistry, guides a basic science research program addressing RNA’s roles in a range of biomedical challenges, from cancer to antibiotic resistance. Recently, she may have identified an RNA-based vulnerability …

Stem Cells As A Pathway To Neuro Regeneration

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

Bioscientists' ability to create induced pluripotent stem cells—which can be differentiated into many kinds of cells has opened new pathways for research and treatment of many medical conditions. One of the most notable areas of advancement by stem cell researchers at Jefferson is in treatment for conditions affecting the central nervous system.

For more than 20 years, Lorraine Iacovitti, PhD, professor of neuroscience, neurology and neurological surgery, has been making major research contributions in stem cell biology and the use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to pursue therapies for stroke and neurodegenerative disease. Her breakthrough discovery for prompting stem …

Jefferson Institute For Bioprocessing: Advancing Biologies R&D

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

Biologics represent about 40 percent of drugs in the therapeutics development pipeline, and currently account for more than $200 billion in annual global revenue. It is an area primed for extraordinary growth. But research and development by pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers— and academic research centers—are limited by the lack of trained professionals in this field.

To meet these critical workforce needs, Jefferson established Jefferson Institute for Bioprocessing (JIB). It is the first—and only—specialized education and training institute for biopharmaceutical processing in North America that combines commercial single-use processing equipment with a curriculum created in collaboration with the Ireland-based National Institute …

A New Look At Cancer Care Disparities

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

The death rate from cancer is notably higher for African Americans than Caucasians, which derives from disparities in screening, diagnosis, engagement in clinical trials and therapeutic efficacy and less use of hospice and palliative care among African Americans.

“The causes of these complex disparities reflect social, cultural and economic inequalities more than biological differences,” says Lisa Whitfield- Harris, PhD, MSN, MBA, assistant professor of nursing. “Addressing them effectively will require interventions that are developed in full partnership with the African American community.”

She and two Jefferson colleagues—Clara Granda- Cameron, DrNP, MSN, assistant professor of nursing, and Jeannette Kates, PhD, CRNP, …

Can A Primrose Compoud Fight Uveal Melanoma?

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

Uveal melanoma is the most common eye cancer in adults. It metastasizes to the liver in 50 percent of patients, and there are no effective therapies to treat those metastases. Yet.

Jeffrey L. Benovic, PhD, Thomas Eakins Endowed Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, is globally recognized for research uncovering the mechanisms of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling and how GPCR dysregulation contributes to disease. GPCRs regulate a variety of biological functions—from neurotransmission and sensory perception to the movement of cells in response to chemical stimuli. They have also been implicated in diseases ranging from cancer to neurological disorders.

How To Re-Stress Pancreatic Cancer

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

What is the molecular basis for pancreatic cancer's aggressive nature and resistance to treatment? Elda Grabocka, PhD, assistant professor of cancer biology and surgery, is working to find out. Last year, she received both a Margaret Q. Landenberger Research Foundation grant—which supports promising early-stage medical researchers—and her first NIH/NCI R01 grant. She has also received a V Foundation Scholar Research Award and a W.W. Smith Charitable Foundation grant. Her research investigates pancreatic cancer’s ability to hijack the mechanisms by which normal cells adapt stressors. Ratcheting up that mechanism allows tumors to grow under adverse conditions and it enhances their resistance …

Advancing Cellular And Immune-Based Cancer Therapies

Thomas Jefferson University Research Magazine

The NCI-designated Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center (SKCC) is the heart of Jefferson’s broad-based cancer research program. SKCC investigators are currently pursuing hundreds of basic science, translational and clinical studies on cancer cell biology and signaling, molecular biology and genetics, and specific diseases ranging from brain cancer to uveal melanoma. Among the most exciting efforts are partnerships between SKCC basic scientists and clinician-researchers to both advance new immune-based therapies and continuously improve current approaches.

Bio-Membrane Internalization Mechanisms Of Arginine-Rich Cell-Penetrating Peptides In Various Species, Betty Revon Liu, Shiow Her Chiou, Yue-Wern Huang, Han Jung Lee

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Recently, membrane-active peptides or proteins that include antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), cytolytic proteins, and cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) have attracted attention due to their potential applications in the biomedical field. Among them, CPPs have been regarded as a potent drug/molecules delivery system. Various cargoes, such as DNAs, RNAs, bioactive proteins/peptides, nanoparticles and drugs, can be carried by CPPs and delivered into cells in either covalent or non-covalent manners. Here, we focused on four arginine-rich CPPs and reviewed the mechanisms that these CPPs used for intracellular uptake across cellular plasma membranes. The varying trans-duction efficiencies of them alone or with cargoes were discussed, …

Exploring Old Data With New Tricks: Long-Term Monitoring Indicates Spatial And Temporal Changes In Populations Of Sympatric Prairie Grouse In The Nebraska Sandhills, Danielle J. Berger, Jeffrey J. Lusk, Larkin A. Powell, John P. Carroll

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The contiguous grasslands of the Sandhills region in Nebraska, USA, provide habitat for two sympatric, grassland-obligate species of grouse, the greater prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus) and the plains sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus jamesi). Collectively referred to as prairie grouse, these birds are monitored and managed jointly by wildlife practitioners who face the novel challenge of conserving historically allopatric species in shared range. We reconstructed region-wide and route-specific prairie grouse population trends in the Sandhills, using a 63-year timeseries of breeding ground counts aggregated from old reports and paper archives. Our objective was to repurpose historical data …

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - January 13, 2022, Lindsey Lyle

Watercooler Newsletter

This is the January 13, 2022 edition of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine's newsletter - Watercooler.

Contents include:

• Alumni couples: Keep sending us your stories
• Faculty, staff and alumni named to Mobile Bay's 40 Under 40
• Meet a Med Student: Renee Ivy
• USA scientists find novel mechanism underlying castration-resistant prostate cancer

Characterization Of Effective Diffusion Within Viscoelastic Fluids With Elastic Instabilities, Valerie Hietsch, Phillip Ligrani, Mengying Su

PRC-Affiliated Research

We considered effective diffusion, characterized by magnitudes of effective diffusion coefficients, in order to quantify mass transport due to the onset and development of elastic instabilities. Effective diffusion coefficient magnitudes were determined using different analytic approaches, as they were applied to tracked visualizations of fluorescein dye front variations, as circumferential advection was imposed upon a flow environment produced using a rotating Couette flow arrangement. Effective diffusion coefficient results were provided for a range of flow shear rates, which were produced using different Couette flow rotation speeds and two different flow environment fluid depths. To visualize the flow behavior within the …

The Indiana Statesman, January 13, 2022, Indiana State University

Student Newspaper

Graduate honors: Students awarded with Hines Memorial Medal; Dr. Olsen now Provost & VP of Academic Affairs; Bones of extinct whale headed to Smithsonian Institute

Chemistry Student Among Five Winning Awards In Three Minute Thesis® Competition, Ohio University College Of Arts & Sciences

All Forum Articles

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