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University of Texas at El Paso

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Articles 31 - 60 of 178

Full-Text Articles in Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology

Lipid Rafts, Exosomal Vesicles And Anti-Giardial Therapies, Brian Ivan Grajeda May 2022

Lipid Rafts, Exosomal Vesicles And Anti-Giardial Therapies, Brian Ivan Grajeda

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Giardia lamblia, a protozoan parasite, is a major cause of waterborne infection, worldwide. While the trophozoite form of this parasite induces pathological symptoms in the gut, the cyst forms transmit the infection via contaminated water. Since Giardia is a non-invasive parasite, the actual mechanism by which it causes infection remains elusive. We have previously reported that Giardia assembles cholesterol and GM1 glycolipid-enriched lipid rafts (LRs) that participate in encystation and cyst production. To further delineate the role of LRs in pathogenesis, we isolated LRs from Giardia and subjected them to proteomic analysis. Various cellular proteins including the virulent proteins—e.g., giardins, …


Developing And Applying Computational Algorithms To Reveal Health-Related Biomolecular Interactions, Yixin Xie May 2022

Developing And Applying Computational Algorithms To Reveal Health-Related Biomolecular Interactions, Yixin Xie

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Computational biology is an interdisciplinary area that applies computational approaches in biological big data, including protein amino acid sequences, genetic sequences, etc., which is widely used to analyze protein-protein interactions, make predictions in drug discovery, develop vaccines, etc. Popular methods include mathematical modeling, molecular dynamics simulations, data science mythology, etc. With the help of computational algorithms and applications, drug development is much faster than traditional processes, as it reduces risks early on in a drug discovery process and helps researchers select target candidates that have the highest potential for success. In my doctoral research, I applied multi-scale computational approaches to …


Nanotechnology-Based Approaches To Mitigate Environmental Pollutants -- Induced Neurological Disorders, Jyoti Ahlawat May 2022

Nanotechnology-Based Approaches To Mitigate Environmental Pollutants -- Induced Neurological Disorders, Jyoti Ahlawat

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimerâ??s Disease (AD) and Huntingtonâ??s Disease (HD) have no cure despite intensive research efforts geared towards therapeutics development. In the USA, patients with PD and AD alone cost the nation ~ $200 billion annually in patient care and lost productivity. Therefore, there remains an urgent and unmet need to develop novel drugs and drug carriers with the potential to slow down, halt and ideally reverse the course of neurodegenerative disorders. The dissertation focuses on developing approaches towards targeting PD using multifactorial mechanisms including the targeting of protein aggregation and oxidative stress. This is …


Regulation Of C-C Chemokine Receptor 7 (Ccr7) Ligand-Mediated Internalization And Chemotaxis By G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase Family 4 (Grk-4, 5, 6) In Human Pediatric T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (T-All), Eduardo Elias Chaib May 2022

Regulation Of C-C Chemokine Receptor 7 (Ccr7) Ligand-Mediated Internalization And Chemotaxis By G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase Family 4 (Grk-4, 5, 6) In Human Pediatric T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (T-All), Eduardo Elias Chaib

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background and Significance: The Hispanic population is disproportionally affected by T-ALL (T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia) when compared to other races in the US. C-C Chemokine Receptor 7 (CCR7) in T-ALL is used during disease progression, and may lead to migration of cancerous cells into the Central Nervous System (CNS) of patients. Goals and Objectives: This project aims to find relevant rates and risk factors for T-ALL for the Hispanic population in the US/Mexico border region. The other aim is to assess the effect of the G protein-coupled Receptor Kinase 4 (GRK-4) family proteins on migration and receptor internalization through CCR7 …


Small Heat Shock Protein 27 And Its Role In Human Disease, Bianka Andrea Holguin May 2022

Small Heat Shock Protein 27 And Its Role In Human Disease, Bianka Andrea Holguin

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Small heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) is a ubiquitously expressed molecular chaperone with roles in many physiological processes. As an ATP-independent molecular chaperone, Hsp27 protects substrates from irreversible aggregation and holds them in a folding competent state for later recycling into the proteome. Hsp27 proteins form dimers that are assembled into large oligomeric complexes. Phosphorylation of Hsp27 dissembles the oligomers into chaperone active dimers. Several missense mutations of Hsp27 are causative for the neurodegenerative disorders Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease 2F and distal Hereditary Motor Neuropathy IIB. Here I show that the oligomerization and chaperoning ability of Hsp27 are altered by the Hsp27 …


The Electrostatic Features Of Dengue Virus Capsid Assembly, Alan Eduardo Lopez Hernandez May 2022

The Electrostatic Features Of Dengue Virus Capsid Assembly, Alan Eduardo Lopez Hernandez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Dengue virus causes serious diseases and considerable deaths each year all around the globe. Dengue virus undergoes assembly in a capsid, matures and becomes viral. Revealing mechanisms of the viral capsid protein may lead to the discovery of novel drugs that prevent this assembly to happen and stop the virus from spreading. Here I present a computational work which is focused on the stability and assembly of the dengue viral capsid. The E and M proteins conform a heterotetramer, which consists of two copies of E and M proteins. The heterotetramers form a highly ordered capsid. In the electrostatic analysis …


Structural And Biochemical Studies On Disease Associated Proteins: Heat Shock Protein 60 And Hiv Capsid, Alejandro Rodriguez Apr 2022

Structural And Biochemical Studies On Disease Associated Proteins: Heat Shock Protein 60 And Hiv Capsid, Alejandro Rodriguez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Structural studies on proteins provide valuable knowledge, from information about their fundamental nature, to laying a foundation for rational drug design. Here, we study two proteins, a human mitochondrial chaperonin heat shock protein 60 (Hsp60) and the main structural HIV-1 protein capsid (CA). We focus on the structural nature of both proteins to try to understand their role in disease and elucidate the mechanism of potential drug treatments. Hsp60 is a chaperonin found in human mitochondria that is responsible for assisting client proteins reach their native, functional, state. The mechanism by which it catalyzes protein folding, however, has not been …


In Vitro Investigation Of Tumor Selective Piperidones As Therapeutic Agents Against Leukemia Cancer Cells, Lisett Contreras Dec 2021

In Vitro Investigation Of Tumor Selective Piperidones As Therapeutic Agents Against Leukemia Cancer Cells, Lisett Contreras

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Cancer is a continuous global health issue. It is the second leading cause of death behind heart disease. Disparities across the emergence of cancer and resulting fatalities raise the importance of researching the disease. Treatments are available for certain types of cancers. However, these are typically accompanied by residual problems including side effects and the possibility for relapse. Some treatments attack all cells, leading to unwarranted side effects that make the possibility of living a comfortable life nearly impossible. Other treatments are specific to certain genetic alterations, making them only useful for a small percentage of patients. Not one treatment …


Utilizing Computational Approaches To Study Tubulin- Tubulin Electrostatic Interactions, Tolulope Ayodeji Ale Dec 2021

Utilizing Computational Approaches To Study Tubulin- Tubulin Electrostatic Interactions, Tolulope Ayodeji Ale

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Microtubules play significant roles in transporting cargos within the cell, as well as the cell cycle. They are essentially the highway for the transportation of cell organelles. Understanding the interactions among microtubule components is crucial for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. In this study, we utilize a series of computational approaches to study the electrostatic interactions at the binding interfaces of interacting tubulin monomers. Our study revealed that the electrostatic attractive interactions in the αβ tubulin dimer is the strongest while the interaction between two αβ tubulin dimers in the longitude direction is the weakest. The result identified …


Molecular Mechanism Of Dna Bisintercalator Antibiotic Resistance, Priyanka Rajendra Gade Dec 2021

Molecular Mechanism Of Dna Bisintercalator Antibiotic Resistance, Priyanka Rajendra Gade

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Class II UvrA is an ATP-binding cassette protein and a homolog of class I UvrA, the DNA lesion detection component of the universal prokaryotic nucleotide excision repair system. We show that Ecm16, a class II UvrA protein from Streptomyces lasalocidi, specifically recognizes DNA duplex that contains the DNA bisintercalator antibiotic echinomycin. Heterologous expression of Ecm16 in Escherichia coli renders host cells resistant to echinomycin. Interestingly, Ecm16’s antibiotic resistance activity does not require the DNA repair proteins UvrA/B/C/D, indicating that it operates independently of the cell’s nucleotide excision repair pathway. Unlike UvrA, Ecm16 uses the insertion domain to regulate its ATPase …


In The Search For Novel Treatments For Chagas' Disease Using Cutting-Edge Imaging Technology, Karsten Dieter Amezcua Winter Aug 2021

In The Search For Novel Treatments For Chagas' Disease Using Cutting-Edge Imaging Technology, Karsten Dieter Amezcua Winter

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Chagas disease (ChD) is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), an intracellular protozoan parasite. ChD has a global mortality of 15,000 annual deaths, and approximately, 8-10 million people are infected. There is growing concern in the United States as autochthonous cases of ChD have been reported in the southern region. The two available treatments are only partially effective and highly toxic. N-aroyl derivatives and α, β-unsaturated ketones have been previously tested against Leishmania, a closely related parasite, demonstrating selective toxicity towards the microorganism. The objective of this study is to evaluate a drug library consisting of 21 α, β-unsaturated ketones …


Molecular And Cellular Characterizations Of Glucosylceramide Transferase (Synthase) In Giardia Lamblia, Vanessa Enriquez Aug 2021

Molecular And Cellular Characterizations Of Glucosylceramide Transferase (Synthase) In Giardia Lamblia, Vanessa Enriquez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Giardiasis, caused by an intestinal protozoan, Giardia lamblia, is a major public health problem worldwide. Giardia infection is spread through the fecal-oral route via contaminated water and food. It is estimated that over 280 million people are infected with Giardia across the globe. Giardia is a non-invasive parasite and consists of a two-stage life cycle: trophozoites and cysts. Ingested cysts undergo excystation in the proximal small intestine, releasing two trophozoites (excyzoites). Upon reaching the distal small intestine and colonizing there, trophozoites transform into cysts by encystation. It has been reported earlier that the process of encystation induced the synThesis of …


Pacific Black Duck Ecology And Habitat Assessment In Aunu'u, American Samoa, And Their Relationship To Other Mallard-Like Ducks Of Oceania, Greater Indonesia, And The Philippines, Marissa Kaminski Aug 2021

Pacific Black Duck Ecology And Habitat Assessment In Aunu'u, American Samoa, And Their Relationship To Other Mallard-Like Ducks Of Oceania, Greater Indonesia, And The Philippines, Marissa Kaminski

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Determining a species’ ecological needs, assessing the quality of their habitat, and determining genetic differentiation and connectivity among populations is essential to their conservation. My dissertation focuses on obtaining such a holistic view for a population of Pacific Black Ducks recently established on the Island of Aunu’u, American Samoa. Specifically, I present the first evaluation of the ecology and habitat of a recently established population of Pacific Black Ducks on the Island of Aunu’u, American Samoa, in Chapter 1, while I assess the genetic connectivity and relationship of this population to other Mallard-like ducks found in Greater Indonesia, Oceania, and …


The Role Of Calcium Ions In Signaling And Regulation Of Efflux Pump Genes In Staphylococcus Aureus, Amy Rebecca Nava Aug 2021

The Role Of Calcium Ions In Signaling And Regulation Of Efflux Pump Genes In Staphylococcus Aureus, Amy Rebecca Nava

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Calcium ions (Ca2+) play an important role in eukaryote cell signaling and regulation of physiological functions. Although evidence of a similar role for Ca2+ in prokaryotes has been difficult to demonstrate, there is mounting evidence that Ca2+ acts as a cell regulator in bacteria. The purpose of this study was to investigate Ca2+ signaling and the effect of Ca2+ on gene expression of various multidrug resistant (MDR) efflux pumps and their regulator MgrA in Staphylococcus aureus and clinically isolated MRSA. We hypothesized that the presence of Ca2+ increased gene expression of multidrug resistance pumps, LmrS, NorA, and the regulator, MgrA. …


A Genomic Approach To Assessing The Fkbp52-Regulated Androgen Receptor Cistrome And Transcriptome, Nina Raquelle Ortiz May 2021

A Genomic Approach To Assessing The Fkbp52-Regulated Androgen Receptor Cistrome And Transcriptome, Nina Raquelle Ortiz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Androgen receptor (AR)-regulated genes contribute to the initiation and progression of prostate cancer. Receptor signaling persists and plays a pivotal role in late-stages of the disease, for which there is currently no treatment. Thus, there is a need to understand the mechanisms regulating AR function as a means to identify drug targets for potential therapeutics. The FKBP52 cochaperone has emerged in recent years as a regulator of AR activity that is functionally linked in the AR signaling pathway. FKBP52 is a known positive regulator of AR and believed to interact with AR at its binding function 3 surface (BF3), a …


The Hybridizing Ions Treatment (Hit) Method Development And Computational Study On Sars-Cov-2 E Protein., Shengjie Sun May 2021

The Hybridizing Ions Treatment (Hit) Method Development And Computational Study On Sars-Cov-2 E Protein., Shengjie Sun

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Fast and accurate calculations of the electrostatic features for highly charged biomolecules such as DNA, RNA, highly charged proteins, are crucial but challenging tasks. Traditional implicit solvent methods calculate the electrostatic features fast, but they are not able to balance the high net charges in the biomolecules effectively. Explicit solvent methods add unbalanced ions to neutralize the highly charged biomolecules in molecular dynamic simulations, which require more expensive computing resources. Here we developed a novel method, the Hybridizing Ions Treatment (HIT) method, which hybridizes the implicit solvent method with the explicit method to realistically calculate the electrostatic potential for highly …


Applying Computational Methods To Study The Interactions Between Sars-Cov-2 And Hace2, Yixin Xie May 2021

Applying Computational Methods To Study The Interactions Between Sars-Cov-2 And Hace2, Yixin Xie

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The ongoing outbreak of COVID-19 has been a serious threat to human health worldwide. The virus SARS-CoV-2 initiates its infection to the human body via the interaction of its spike (S) protein with the human Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) of the host cells. Here we implemented multi-scale computational approaches to study the binding mechanisms of human ACE2 and S proteins of both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. Electrostatic features, including electrostatic potential, electric field lines and electrostatic forces of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 were calculated and compared in detail. The results demonstrate that SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 S proteins are both attractive to ACE2 …


Structural Characterization Of Two Large Icosahedral Dna Viruses And Their Capsid Assembly Mechanisms, Yuejiao Xian Dec 2020

Structural Characterization Of Two Large Icosahedral Dna Viruses And Their Capsid Assembly Mechanisms, Yuejiao Xian

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In the last three decades, many large DNA viruses were discovered and grouped into a loosely defined clade of Nucleocytoplasmic Large DNA Viruses (NCLDVs). NCLDVs infect a wide range of hosts from single cellular protists to large animals. Recently, these viruses were classified as a new phylum of Nucleocytoviricota under the kingdom of Bamfordvirae. The genomes of these Nucleocytoviricota viruses (NCVs) are remarkedly large and complicated, containing many cellular genes from all three domains of life, which raised intensive debates on their evolutionary origins. Despite being classified in the same phylum, their physical structures vary and can be roughly classified …


Molecular And Functional Characterization Of Α-Galactosyl Epitopes In Trypanosoma Cruzi, Uriel Ortega Rodriguez Jan 2020

Molecular And Functional Characterization Of Α-Galactosyl Epitopes In Trypanosoma Cruzi, Uriel Ortega Rodriguez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease (CD) currently affects 6-7 million people across the world. Currently, only two drugs, benznidazole and nifurtimox, are available for treatment of CD and they are highly toxic and less effective in the chronic stage of the disease. Specific biomarkers for diagnosis and follow-up of treatment do not exist in the clinical settings. following chemotherapy, patients take approximately 10-20 years to exhibit negative seroconversion with the conventional serology assays. Moreover, there is no vaccine available to prevent or treat CD. T. cruzi contains a complex cell surface consisting of several classes of glycoconjugates …


A Role For Mek3 In The Oncogenesis Of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia: Inactivation Of Mapk P38 Promotes Cell Proliferation Through Enhanced Degradation Of Mutant Mek3, Yoshira Marie Ayala-Marin Jan 2020

A Role For Mek3 In The Oncogenesis Of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia: Inactivation Of Mapk P38 Promotes Cell Proliferation Through Enhanced Degradation Of Mutant Mek3, Yoshira Marie Ayala-Marin

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In the United States, pediatric leukemia has the second-highest cancer mortality rate in Hispanic children, especially Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). While treatment of ALL has improved overall the five-year survival rate of ~90 %, not everyone has benefited. Twenty percent of them will experience relapse, and from these, 30 - 50 % will die. Unfortunately, the cause behind these dreadful statistics is poorly understood due to the complex etiology of this disease. Thereby, it is essential to identify potential oncogenic proteins that promote ALL so that new strategies can be developed to diagnose and treat this cancer. Whole Exome Sequencing …


Expression, Purification, And Characterization Of Recombinant Human Npas2, Brenda Moreno Jan 2020

Expression, Purification, And Characterization Of Recombinant Human Npas2, Brenda Moreno

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Many living organisms have biological clocks known as circadian rhythms that control various physiological and behavioral processes, tailored with the day and night. At the cellular level, the circadian clock drives daily rhythms with a transcriptional-translational feedback loop (TTFL) established by multiple transcription factors and genes under their regulation. Circadian Locomotor Output Cycles Kaput (CLOCK) and Brain and Muscle ARNT-like protein 1 (BMAL1) are two of those transcription factors, initiating the TTFL by forming a heterodimeric complex that bind to DNA promoters. Neuronal PAS domain protein 2 (NPAS2) is a functional analog to CLOCK. Less knowledge about NPAS2, in contrast …


Antioxidant Intervention In Radical-Induced Protein Damage, Emmanuel Zubia Jan 2020

Antioxidant Intervention In Radical-Induced Protein Damage, Emmanuel Zubia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Many environmental toxicants are known to increase free-radical production, which can create cellular havoc and lead to a myriad of ailments. Antioxidants can be used to ameliorate the prevalence of free radicals, potentially serving as prophylactics against radical-induced disorders. Many exogenous antioxidants are phytochemicals in origin, such as ascorbic acid, gallic acid, and ellagic acid. Some of these antioxidants can be found in traditional medicine, like tanshinone and brazilin, which have been studied and are known to have low cytotoxicity. Here we test the radical rescue capacity of a selected group of phytochemical antioxidants on protein rescue models. Specifically, our …


Insights Into The Structure, Pharmacology, And Evolution Of The Glycine Transporter 2, Ashley Bryan Lopez Jan 2020

Insights Into The Structure, Pharmacology, And Evolution Of The Glycine Transporter 2, Ashley Bryan Lopez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The balance between neuronal excitation and inhibition in the central nervous system is vital for survival. Overexcitation can be toxic and lead to certain manias or even death. On the other hand, extremely low levels of inhibition cause hyperekplexia, pain, and even forms of autism. Neuronal inhibition is, for the most part, achieved by two neurotransmitters, GABA and glycine. Levels of both neurotransmitters in the synaptic cleft are meticulously regulated by the GABA and glycine transporters, respectively, which belong to the solute carrier 6 (SLC6) family of neurotransmitter transporters and share structural similarities with other family members. In Chapter 1, …


Structural Basis For The Stereoselective Epoxidation Reaction In Polyether Natural Product Biosynthesis, Qian Wang Jan 2020

Structural Basis For The Stereoselective Epoxidation Reaction In Polyether Natural Product Biosynthesis, Qian Wang

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Polycyclic polyether natural products have received much attention due to their diverse biological activities, ranging from extreme toxicity to therapeutic properties, including antimicrobial, antifungal, and anticancer activities. They are featured by multiple cyclic ether groups that vary in the number, size, and arrangement. Ionophore polyethers contain multiple tetrahydrofuran and tetrahydropyran rings connected by either spiroketal systems or carbon-carbon single bonds. Over the past 40 years, significant progress has been made in deciphering polyether biosynThesis pathways. Remarkably, all members of the polycyclic polyether family are thought to be generated via a common biosynthetic scheme. In 1983, Cane, Celmer, and Westly proposed …


Computational Study Of Disease Related Proteins Form Electrostatic Point Of View, Chitra Bahadur Karki Jan 2019

Computational Study Of Disease Related Proteins Form Electrostatic Point Of View, Chitra Bahadur Karki

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In the last three decades, many giant DNA viruses have been discovered. The giant viruses present a unique and essential research frontier for the study of self-assembly and regulation of supramolecular assemblies. The question on how these giant DNA viruses assemble thousands of proteins so accurately to form their protein shell, the capsids, remains largely unanswered. Revealing the mechanisms of giant virus assembly will help to discover the mysteries of many self-assembly biology problems. Paramecium Bursaria Chlorella Virus 1 (PBCV-1) is one of the most intensively studied giant viruses. Based on the high-resolution structure of PBCV-1, we implemented a multi-scale …


Novel Methods For The Inactivation Of Cruzain For The Prevention And Treatment Of Chagas Disease, Veronica Gonzalez Jan 2019

Novel Methods For The Inactivation Of Cruzain For The Prevention And Treatment Of Chagas Disease, Veronica Gonzalez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Chagas Disease, also known as American Trypanosomiasis, is endemic to Latin American and is gradually making its way to other countries. The disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a protozoan parasite that causes lesions and inflammation of organs including the heart, esophagus, and colon. Over 30% of people infected will develop heart disease which can be fatal if untreated. While no vaccine is yet available, research is currently being conducted in finding new treatments for the disease. One target is an enzyme that is believed to help the progression of the disease. Cruzain, a cysteine protease expressed as a pro-enzyme, …


Potential Of Nanoscale Elements To Control Fusarium Wilt Disease In Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum), Enhance Macronutrient Use Efficiency, And Increase Its Yield, Ishaq Olarewaju Adisa Jan 2019

Potential Of Nanoscale Elements To Control Fusarium Wilt Disease In Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum), Enhance Macronutrient Use Efficiency, And Increase Its Yield, Ishaq Olarewaju Adisa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Nanotechnology has a great potential in ensuring food production, security and safety globally. Over the past decade, research on the use of nanomaterials to supply nutrient elements and protect plants from pest and diseases has significantly increased. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is one of the most consumed vegetables in the world and United State is one of its largest producers globally generating billions of dollars annually in revenue.. Tomato plants are affected worldwide by Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Lycopersici. There is growing concern about excessive use of conventional pesticides in controlling Fusarium and other diseases in tomato …


Naturally Derived Compounds As Preventatives Of Proteinopathies, Lois Mendez Jan 2019

Naturally Derived Compounds As Preventatives Of Proteinopathies, Lois Mendez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), afflict millions worldwide. Of greater concern is the fact that a main risk factor this disease is aging and the baby boomer population is now reaching a geriatric age. Despite the active research in this area, little progress has been made in the development of therapeutic strategies and furthering of our understanding in pinpointing the causal events that onset these disease processes. Our lab has focused on studying the protein homeostasis of key biomarkers in neurodegenerative diseases and examining whether natural compounds can act as neuro-protectants and, thus, attenuate the pathology that ensues …


Non Linear Optics For Materials Fabrication And Medical Instrumentation, Aurelio Paez Jan 2019

Non Linear Optics For Materials Fabrication And Medical Instrumentation, Aurelio Paez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Two-photon absorption is a nonlinear optical process where two photons are absorbed by a molecule simultaneously. The probability of this quantum phenomenon is proportional to the quadratic excitation of light intensity. It has many applications in biomedical and materials research, such as two-photon fluorescence microcopy. The first project is to apply two-photon absorption induced bond cleavage in photoreactive materials for engineering 3D tissue scaffolds. The major challenge for growing thick 3D tissues is the lack of vasculature, where nutrients and oxygen can be delivered to the growing cells. Our collaborators have synthesized a novel polypeptide that is composed of 34-mer …


Mapping Molecular Datasets Back To The Brain Regions They Are Extracted From: Remembering The Native Countries Of Hypothalamic Expatriates And Refugees, Arshad Khan, Alice Grant, Anais Martinez, Gully Burns, Brendan Thatcher, Vishwanath Anekonda, Benjamin Thompson, Zachary Roberts, Daniel Moralejo, James Blevins Jun 2018

Mapping Molecular Datasets Back To The Brain Regions They Are Extracted From: Remembering The Native Countries Of Hypothalamic Expatriates And Refugees, Arshad Khan, Alice Grant, Anais Martinez, Gully Burns, Brendan Thatcher, Vishwanath Anekonda, Benjamin Thompson, Zachary Roberts, Daniel Moralejo, James Blevins

Selected Works Temporary Series

This article, which includes novel unpublished data along with commentary and analysis,focuses on approaches to link transcriptomic, proteomic, and peptidomic datasets mined frombrain tissue to the original locations within the brain that they are derived from using digital atlasmapping techniques. We use, as an example, the transcriptomic, proteomic and peptidomicanalyses conducted in the mammalian hypothalamus. Following a brief historical overview, wehighlight studies that have mined biochemical and molecular information from the hypothalamusand then lay out a strategy for how these data can be linked spatially to the mapped locations in acanonical brain atlas where the data come from, thereby allowing …