Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology Commons^™

The Effects Of Prenatal Cannabis Exposure On The Basolateral Amygdala, Karen Kw Wong

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Clinical and preclinical studies indicate prenatal cannabis exposure (PCE) pathologically affects fetal brain development and may increase vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia and mood/anxiety disorders. In review research from our lab suggests that fetal exposure to Δ9-THC sex-selectively impairs mesocorticolimbic (MCL) circuit function. However, there is a distinct lack of focus on PCE models on the BLA. The BLA plays a central role within the MCL where it directly interacts with the VTA, PFC and HIPP. Importantly, our model exhibits significant VTA hyperdopaminergic activity, and sex-specific alterations to PFC/HIPP glutamate firing, alongside region- and sex-specific changes in dopamine (DA), …

Utilizing Rnai Technology To Develop Novel Agricultural Pesticides, Ethan B. Zand

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

A general description of why RNAi based pesticide technology is a breakthrough technology able to target only pests while not harming others. This presentation gives a summary of RNAi technology, the current drawbacks of conventional pesticides, and our research on how RNAi can be used against the two-spotted spidermite; a polyphagic pest that causes significant financial damage to Canadian and worldwide agriculture

The Relationship Between Joint Stiffness And Leg Morphology In Spiders, Lachlan Fisher

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

This poster investigates the relationship between joint stiffness and spider leg morphology, with an interest in collecting data to create more accurate biomechanical models of spiders.

Mistranslating Trnas Alter The Heat Shock Activation By Hsf1, Rebecca Dib

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Translation, or the production of protein from an mRNA blueprint, is among the most fundamental processes to life as we know it. tRNAs are essential to accurate translation, as they decode the codons of mRNA and recruit corresponding amino acids. Variant tRNAs with anticodon mutations can decrease translational fidelity by recruiting the incorrect amino acid, an aberrant process known as mistranslation. When proteins are produced with incorrect amino acid sequences, they may misfold. The heat shock response functions to alleviate cellular stress caused by misfolded proteins, either by refolding or targeting misfolded proteins for degradation. Hsf1 acts as a transcriptional …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Cr-Znga2o4 And Eu-Ca3(Po4)2 Composite, Benjamin Hulme

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

No abstract provided.

Assessing Selective Plasmids For Bradyrhizobium Sp. Doa9 And Mesorhizobium Loti, Aiden J. Wilcox, Rebecca Meaney, Bogumil Karas

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Carbon Monoxide Releasing Molecule 3 (Corm - 3) On Platelet Adhesion To Human Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells, Najat S. El-Farra

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Sepsis is characterized by the widespread inflammation of the body. Systemic inflammation activates and recruits inflammatory cells (e.g., leukocytes) and platelets to the affected organs.

During these inflammatory conditions, human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hBMEC) and platelets both upregulate adhesive molecules rendering platelets to adhere to hBMEC.

Although carbon monoxide is thought of as a toxic molecule to many, previous work shows its anti-inflammatory properties. Evidence has shown carbon monoxide-releasing molecules (e.g., CORM-3; that release small, non-toxic amounts of CO) can combat the effects of severe inflammation in several in vivo animal model.

In this current study, we are looking …

Understanding The Role Of Rhamm In Tumor Load– Mediated Tumor Invasiveness Of Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Ashwin Sritharan, Britney Messam

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

1.Compare the levels of proliferation between RHAMM+/+ and RHAMM -/- MDA-MB-231 spheroids as determined by ki67 and Caspase 3 signaling 2.Compare levels of RHAMM, CD44, Has2, and p-ERK activation between RHAMM+/+ and RHAMM -/- MDA-MB-231 spheroids

Fine-Scale Morphological Divergence Of Wing Trait Variables In Highly Fragmented Populations Of The Bog Copper Butterfly (Lycaena Epixanthe), Jessica L. T. Jeong

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Habitat fragmentation can adversely affect animal and plant species through subdividing their natural habitats into smaller, more isolated patches. Oftentimes, these isolated groups are subject to reduced dispersal and gene flow, leading to genetic divergence and, consequently, morphological divergence among populations. This study aims to quantify the morphological divergence of the bog copper butterfly, Lycaena epixanthe, between nine isolated bog sites in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, via seven quantitative morphological traits in their wing pattern. Statistical analyses demonstrate significant differences in wing trait measurements between populations. As bog coppers are small, weak fliers with a strict host-plant dependency, it …

The Cofactor Specificity Of Nqo2, Shujun Dong

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

NQO1 and NQO2 are closely related quinone reductases, which are FAD-linked enzymes that catalyze the 2-electron reduction of quinones. Whereas NQO1 has a well-defined role in cellular detoxification of quinones, NQO2’s function is less clear; it uses the conventional cofactors NADH/NADPH inefficiently compared to smaller nicotinamide cofactors, which are often present in low cellular amounts. This unique cofactor specificity suggests that NQO2 may have non-enzymatic functions, such as a role in intracellular signalling.

The goals of this research project include: 1) examining whether cofactor specificity is conserved in amniote NQO2 enzymes and 2) re-constructing ancient enzymes along the evolutionary pathway …

Investigating Stop Codon Readthrough In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Amy Kwon

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Stop codon readthrough occurs via genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, resulting in a longer polypeptide chain at the C-terminus. Although these readthroughs may seem like an error made by translational mechanisms, evidence from yeast suggests that stop codon readthrough has an impact on various cellular processes. Readthrough has the potential to create genetic diversity, similar to RNA splicing, mRNA editing, and protein modification. The diversity created by translational readthrough may result in a beneficial change in phenotype, and thus have a role in evolution and adaptability. Translational readthrough is observed in organisms such as yeast and E. coli but may also …

Synthesis Of Nucleotide Prodrugs As Potential Antiviral Agents, Mohammed Attaelmanan

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

No abstract provided.

Investigating Dha Levels In Rat Brain Tissues In Relation To Maternal Thc Exposure Using Maldi-Ims, Aleksandra (Ola) Doktor

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

This research focuses on investigating whether maternal exposure to THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) has an effect on lowering DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) levels in female and male offspring, and if an omega-3 rich diet, containing DHA, is able to recover DHA levels following a THC caused deficiency. To study this, DHA levels in rat brain tissues from 21-Day-Old offspring were compared across four different groups of maternal rats, vehicle rats with a controlled diet (veh/ct), vehicle rats with an omega-3 rich diet (veh/n3), THC treated rats with a controlled diet (thc/ct), and THC treated rats with an omega-3 rich diet (thc/n3) using MALDI-IMS …

Exploring Sensitivity And Resolution For Cell Tracking With Magnetic Particle Imaging: The Effects Of Cell Proliferation And Intracellular Nanoparticle Relaxation, Maryam A. Berih, Olivia C. Sehl, Paula J. Foster

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is an emerging modality that directly detects SPIOs.our first aim is to quantify the dilution of SPIOs in breast cancer cells in vitro using MPI. MPI signal is generated from a combination of Néel (internal rotation of magnetization) and Brownian (physical rotation of nanoparticle) relaxation. Brownian relaxation of SPIO is influenced by the nanoparticle’s surroundings and we hypothesize this may have implications for detecting partially immobilized intracellular SPIOs. A second aim is to determine how MPI signal and resolution change when SPIOs are intracellular (live cells) compared to free SPIOs (lysed cells).

A reduction in MPI …