Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Discipline
- Publication Year
Articles 31 - 36 of 36
Full-Text Articles in Engineering
Protein Engineering Of Luciferase To Enhance Bioluminescent Properties, Charles Schwab, Peter Wittig
Protein Engineering Of Luciferase To Enhance Bioluminescent Properties, Charles Schwab, Peter Wittig
Bioengineering Senior Theses
Bioluminescence is the ability of naturally occurring organisms to emit light. Many instances of bioluminescence have been identified ranging from fireflies to bacteria. The protein responsible for bioluminescence in all of these organisms is luciferase. The exact function and structure of this protein are still unknown to this day. This project aims at better understanding luciferase as well as enhancing its bioluminescent properties. In order to work with luciferase, we had to isolate all of the genes necessary for bioluminescence. The six genes necessary for bioluminescence are Lux A,B,C,D,E,G. We isolated each of these genes from original bacterial DNA. We …
Designing A Biomimetic Primary Cell-Based 3d Culture System For Neurotoxicity Screening, Teresa Cauvel, Jessca Kosit, Nicolo Mendoza
Designing A Biomimetic Primary Cell-Based 3d Culture System For Neurotoxicity Screening, Teresa Cauvel, Jessca Kosit, Nicolo Mendoza
Bioengineering Senior Theses
Culturing neurons in vitro is a challenging task because they are a highly specialized cell type that reside in a complex and unique environment in the body. The aim of the research presented in the following thesis was to design a biomimetic, three-dimensional scaffold capable of (1) promoting primary neuron maturation and axonal outgrowth and (2) serving as a system for toxicology screening. In the system presented here, neurons were cultured in three-dimensional hydrogels, simulating the physiological environment that these cells experience within the body. In doing so, a biologically relevant response was elicited upon their exposure to acrylamide, a …
The Trm2h : Detecting Protein-Protein Interactions By Engineering The Cell As A Biosensor, Elyse Shimomura, Paulina Perezalonso
The Trm2h : Detecting Protein-Protein Interactions By Engineering The Cell As A Biosensor, Elyse Shimomura, Paulina Perezalonso
Bioengineering Senior Theses
Protein-protein interactions regulate key cellular functions and cell signaling pathways in the body; biological systems can be disrupted by protein interactions or lack of interactions that cause cell dysfunction and can lead to disease or illness. However, studying these interactions is complex and difficult to quantify. In this project, we examine the interaction of two putative cancer biomarkers, Bax and PDCDS, using the tetracycline repressor-based mammalian two-hybrid system (trM2H). This in vivo system engineers the cell as a biosensor using methods of DNA cloning and mammalian cell transfections that easily detects and quantities the interaction of two proteins by the …
Analyzing Surface Protein Expression And Internalization, William Truong, Josergio Zaragoza
Analyzing Surface Protein Expression And Internalization, William Truong, Josergio Zaragoza
Bioengineering Senior Theses
G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are currently the largest class of membrane receptors and are targeted by a majority of the modern drug therapeutics. In addition, they partake in many physiological and pathological processes such as inflammation, growth, and hormone responses. Most importantly, GPCRs are targets of many disease-specific pathways such as Alzheimers, hypertension, leukemia, and depression. As a result, there is an immense interest in studying GPCRs as this area provides further knowledge into the specific disease pathways and allows the discovery of novel therapeutics. In order to have a better understanding of pathways, scientists have studied GPCR activation. The …
Amperometric Detection Of Bioamines In Cancer Borealis Using Microchip Capillary Electrophoresis Integrated With Micellar Chromatography, Ajay Fernandez, Jason Howard, Christina Shuh
Amperometric Detection Of Bioamines In Cancer Borealis Using Microchip Capillary Electrophoresis Integrated With Micellar Chromatography, Ajay Fernandez, Jason Howard, Christina Shuh
Bioengineering Senior Theses
In order to study neuromodulation in Cancer borealis, commonly known as the Jonah crab, we designed a microchip capillary electrophoretic (CE) device with micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) to separate bioamines and detect their concentrations using amperometric detection (AD). The analysis will be used to characterize the bioamines: dopamine, octopamine, tyramine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and gammaaminobutyric acid (GABA). The device measures the concentration of bioamines in microdialysate samples taken directly from the pericardial cavity of the crab. The research on Jonah crabs will be applied to enhance our understanding of the crab neurology. Since the structure and in some instances, the function …
Microfluidic Detection Of Arsenic Contamination In Groundwater, Mary Reynolds, Kyle Perricone
Microfluidic Detection Of Arsenic Contamination In Groundwater, Mary Reynolds, Kyle Perricone
Bioengineering Senior Theses
The difficulty of detecting small quantities of arsenic in water currently threatens the health of millions of people worldwide, as long-term exposure to arsenic has been associated with both cancerous and noncancerous health risks. Existing technologies make it possible to very accurately quantify arsenic levels in water; however the expense, extensive training, and off-site analysis required by these methods impede wide scale use. Here, we report on research to develop an affordable and point-of-use microfluidic platform capable of detecting trace amounts of arsenic in groundwater samples. We intend this device to meet the World Health Organization's (WHO's) ASSURED criteria for …