Cell and Developmental Biology Commons^™

Effect Of Partial Ablation Of Skeletal Dynamin Related Protein 1 On Mitochondrial Health, Inflammation, And Fibrosis In A Mouse Model Of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Tessa L. Duzz

Graduate Masters Theses

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive neuromuscular disorder characterized by muscle weakness, degeneration, fibrosis, and impaired muscle regeneration. Mitochondrial dysfunction is an early pathological feature of DMD and has been linked to excessive mitochondrial fission. Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) is a central regulator of mitochondrial fission, a key process in regulating mitochondrial quality and function. Inhibition of Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission has shown promise as a potential therapeutic target for alleviating pathology and dysfunction in dystrophic muscle. The objective of this study was to determine whether partial skeletal muscle-specific ablation of Drp1 could improve muscle pathology and mitochondrial health in …

Maintaining And Axenizing Live Cyanobacterial Cultures For Bacterial Genome Sequencing, Yufei Wang, Louisa Acquah

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Harmful cyanobacterial blooms are an

increasing concern in western Kansas, yet the

bloom-forming species in this region remain

poorly characterized. In this study, we

established and maintained axenic

cyanobacterial cultures to support future

genomic and ecological investigations. By

ensuring low contamination levels and stable

growth conditions, this work provides a

foundation for downstream analyses of bloom-

forming cyanobacteria. It contributes to a better

understanding of freshwater ecosystem health

in western Kansas.

Cellscout: Visual Analytics For Mining Biomarkers In Cell State Discovery, Rui Sheng, Zelin Zang, Jiachen Wang, Yan Luo, Zixin Chen, Yan Zhou, Shaolun Ruan, Huamin Qu

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Cell state discovery is crucial for understanding biological systems and enhancing medical outcomes. A key aspect of this process is identifying distinct biomarkers that define specific cell states. However, difficulties arise from the co-discovery process of cell states and biomarkers: biologists often use dimensionality reduction to visualize cells in a two-dimensional space. Then they usually interpret visually clustered cells as distinct states, from which they seek to identify unique biomarkers. However, this assumption is often this assumption often fails to hold due to internal inconsistencies in a cluster, making the process trial-and-error and highly uncertain. Therefore, biologists urgently need effective …

Antiestrogens As Bone Protective Therapeutics For Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer In The Presence Of Osteoporosis, Faith E. Parker, Emily K. Zboril, David C. Boyd, Rachel Myrick, J. Chuck Harrell

Undergraduate Research Posters

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most significant causes of mortality among women and the second leading cause of cancer death in women. The estrogen receptor (ER) is a key oncogenic driver in the majority of breast cancer. ER+ BC is the most common molecular subtype of BC. Management of ER+ breast cancer varies depending on menopausal status. For premenopausal women, the goal is to suppress estradiol production from the ovaries with surgical oophorectomy and/or aromatase inhibitors. In postmenopausal women, endocrine therapy (ET) serves to suppress estradiol production from sources other than the ovaries. During the menopausal transition, estradiol …

Determining Genes Involved In Recovery From Chemotherapy In 4t1, Emt6, And Eo771 Breast Cancer Cells, Akash Jagdeesh, Joseph Landry Ph.D.

Undergraduate Research Posters

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, and often has poor prognosis. Traditional treatments for breast cancer include chemotherapy, which involves a chemical attack on all growing cells within the body. However, these treatments are not 100% effective, and patients might experience recurrence in their cancer months or years after achieving remission. Cancer cells can evade chemotherapy through five mechanisms: senescence, quiescence, cytoprotective autophagy, and apoptosis/necroptosis suppression. Prior studies have conducted CRISPR screens and experiments involving inhibition of epigenetic regulators, to alter the regulation of genes that can contribute to breast cancer chemotherapy resistance. This study …

The Myopia Epidemic: Integrating Genetic, Environmental, And Epigenetic Pathways To Define A Critical Window For Intervention, Pranavika Balaji

Undergraduate Research Posters

Myopia, or nearsightedness, has increased rapidly worldwide and is now a major public health concern caused by both genetic and environmental factors. Current understanding shows that too much near work, limited time spent outdoors, and prolonged screen use contribute to abnormal eye growth in individuals who may already have a genetic predisposition. At the molecular level, epigenetic changes and shifts in DNA activity, often influenced by environmental conditions, affect the signaling pathways that regulate eye development and may help explain why myopia is increasingly common among children. This paper synthesizes recent environmental, genetic, and epigenetic research to explain how these …

Application Of The Method Cell Biology, Terry Shackleford

San Jose - Lonergan Chair in Catholic Philosophy

Summer 2024, Application of the Method Cell Biology

Students in the Fall 2023 semester "Mechanisms of Disease Course" were given a practical assignment that in turn allowed for discussion on gathering data on orphan diseases and covering what the disease is, how the disease progresses, who is affected by the disease, and what is the effect of the disease on their life.

The Impact Of Mutations In The Arabidopsis Apetela (Ap3) Gene, Hazel R. Frans, Tara Phelps-Durr

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The purpose of this research is to understand the molecular functioning of the Arabidopsis thaliana Apetela (Ap3) gene. We created mutations in two sites of the gene, AP3-3 and AP3-5. These are predicted to change AP3 protein structure, which may result in a mutated flower. Analyzing the effects of new mutations allows an understanding of protein formation both in plants and humans.

Making The Connection: How Membrane Contact Sites Have Changed Our View Of Organelle Biology, G. Voeltz, E. Sawyer, G. Hajnóczky, W. Prinz

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

The view of organelles and how they operate together has changed dramatically over the last two decades. The textbook view of organelles was that they operated largely independently and were connected by vesicular trafficking and the diffusion of signals through the cytoplasm. We now know that all organelles make functional close contacts with one another, often called membrane contact sites. The study of these sites has moved to center stage in cell biology as it has become clear that they play critical roles in healthy and developing cells and during cell stress and disease states. Contact sites have important roles …

A Comparison Of Three Dna Extraction Methods On 45-Year-Old Pupae Cases, Ananya Udyaver, Casey Flint, Jeffery Tomberlin, Baneshwar Singh

Undergraduate Research Posters

Blow flies are the primary colonizers of human cadavers. In many death investigations, insect evidence can help in prediction of minimum post-mortem interval (PMImin) but to do that, the first step is to identify collected insect evidence. For immature stages, morphological keys are either limited or incomplete and hence DNA based identification is used. For DNA based ID, DNA extraction is the first and the most important step, especially when collected evidence is highly degraded. The main aim of this study was to compare three DNA extraction methods (QIAgen Blood and Tissue Kit, organic, and QIAgen DNA Investigator Kit) to …

Deep Learning Image Analysis To Isolate And Characterize Different Stages Of S-Phase In Human Cells, Kevin A. Boyd, Rudranil Mitra, John Santerre, Christopher L. Sansam

SMU Data Science Review

Abstract. This research used deep learning for image analysis by isolating and characterizing distinct DNA replication patterns in human cells. By leveraging high-resolution microscopy images of multiple cells stained with 5-Ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU), a replication marker, this analysis utilized Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to perform image segmentation and to provide robust and reliable classification results. First multiple cells in a field of focus were identified using a pretrained CNN called Cellpose. After identifying the location of each cell in the image a python script was created to crop out each cell into individual .tif files. After careful annotation, a CNN was …

Understanding The Expression And Role Of Pros-1 In The Male Gonad Of C. Elegans, Jack Bozik

Undergraduate Theses

The gene pros-1 is a transcription factor that is highly expressed within neuronal sheath cells, glial cells, and excretory canal cells. pros-1 plays a role in cell determination of those cell types in the nematode C. elegans, which promotes organismal development. But the degree to which pros-1 presence is important is still not fully understood, because there are many genes involved in development that when mutated or damaged can result in unexpected phenotypes or even total loss of function to a certain developmental mechanism. What makes pros-1 valuable to research is that it is a functional homologue to a …

Transcriptional Silencing Of Cdk18 And Its Role In Lung Carcinogenesis Of Brg1-Mutant Lung Cancers, Loryn M. Phillips

Biology ETDs

BRG1 is mutated in 10% of lung cancers, making this mutation clinically relevant. The downstream effects of BRG1 included significantly affecting the cell cycle control and chromosomal replication pathway. CDK18, a cyclin-dependent kinase, was determined to be the gene with significantly decreased expression (p < 0.0001) in the cell cycle control and chromosomal replication pathway. CDK18 is active during the S-phase of the cell cycle and required for genomic stability. Studies were conducted to determine the epigenetic mechanisms that contributed to the repression of CDK18. Histone methylation contributes to the repression of CDK18, and histone deacetylation globally regulates expression of CDK18, while cytosine methylation was found to not contribute to CDK18 expression. Studies were performed to elucidate CDK18 functional role lung carcinogenesis and the genome-wide impact of CDK18 repression. Repression of CDK18 affects cell migration, proliferation, cell-cell signaling, and anchorage-independent growth that contribute to cancer initiation and progression.

Local Translation And Focal Adhesions Are Dysregulated In Down Syndrome, Ashlyn Gotberg, Nikita Kirkise M.S., Kristy Welshhans Ph.D.

Senior Theses

During cellular migration, fibroblasts sense extracellular cues through membrane complexes at their leading edge and can respond to these cues via local translation. Local translation is the process in which mRNAs are transported to subcellular regions and translated in response to specific cues. There is evidence that local translation may be dysregulated in the neurodevelopmental disorder, Down syndrome, which is caused by the triplication of chromosome 21 and results in genome-wide dysregulation of protein expression. To determine if dysregulated local translation contributes to Down syndrome, we used three sets of primary fibroblasts from individuals with Down syndrome and apparently healthy …

Ros And Sfk Signaling Is Required For Development Of Hematopoietic Stem Cells In Zebrafish, Bradley Williams, Erich Damm

Undergraduate Research Posters

ROS and SFK signaling is required for development of hematopoietic stem cells in zebrafish

Bradley Williams and Erich Damm

Background

Hematopoiesis is the process in which the myriad of mature blood cell types, including erythrocytes and leukocytes, develop from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) throughout the life of an organism. In vertebrates, HSCs originate from endothelial cells lining the floor of the dorsal aorta. This process is referred to as the endothelial to hematopoietic transition and is likely controlled in part by molecular signals from neighboring cells. Investigation into the molecular signaling mechanisms controlling the development of HSCs is critical to …

Proposing An Rna Interference (Rnai)-Based Treatment For Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Hiv) By Analyzing The Post-Transcriptional Gene Targeting Of Sars-Cov-2, Hepatitis C Virus, And A549 Lung Cancer Cells, Arjun Jagdeesh

Undergraduate Research Posters

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that infects CD4+ T cell lymphocytes in humans, leading to the development of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) if left untreated. While current treatment methods, including antiretroviral combination treatments, effectively limit HIV replication, HIV can evade these treatments due to its high mutation rate. Long-term antiretroviral treatment can also be toxic to patients, meaning patients would benefit from a new mechanism of HIV treatment. RNA interference (RNAi) is an antiviral pathway found in mammals, plants, and insects that involves a small-interfering RNA that is incorporated into a protein complex called the RNA-induced Silencing Complex …

The Genetics Of Skin Cancer: What Genes Drive The Development Of Basal Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, And Melanoma?, Cassandra Poole, Abagail Pack, Elizabeth Whitehead, Virginia Marshall

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer worldwide. The American Academy of Dermatology estimates that 9500 people in the United States are diagnosed with skin cancer every day, and that 1 in 5 Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer by age 70. With such a high prevalence of disease, understanding how skin cancer develops and how it can be treated is extremely important. This project aims to analyze the genes involved in the development of the three most common forms of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.

Investigating Roles Of 2 Novel Eklf Targets Involved In Erythropoiesis, Rose M. Gott

ETD Archive

Erythrocytes are primarily comprised of the oxygen carrying protein hemoglobin. Genetic mutations causing defects in the proper synthesis of hemoglobin result in various anemias. It is during the last phases of terminal erythroid differentiation that hemoglobin levels rise, making it a focus for therapeutic research. Fetal hemoglobin is comprised of ⍺-globin and gamma globin, then after a change in gene expression called hemoglobin switching which takes place after birth, adult hemoglobin is comprised of ⍺-globin and beta globin. We investigated hemoglobin switching and erythroid terminal differentiation by focusing on the master erythroid transcription factor Erythroid Krüppel-like Factor (EKLF). Data led …

A Patient-Derived Ipsc Model To Study Glutamate Deficiency By Shank-3 Mutation In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Tiffany Berry, Courtney Caccia

Biology Student Scholarship

Tiffany Berry ’22, Majors: Biology and Psychology

Courtney Caccia ’22, Majors: Biology and Psychology

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Charles Toth, Biology

The use of human stem cell lines derived from persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) provides a unique opportunity to model brain growth and potential to regain brain activity for treatment. Our lab has previously used stem cells to derive 3D cardiomyocytes to examine cardiovascular disease as well as kidney organoids and macrophages to study kidney disease. Using techniques our lab has learned using these stem cell models have prepared us to examine cell communication in mutated neurons. We will …

Aeromonas Phage Research And The Public Health Impact Of Antibiotics In Aquaculture Workers, Madelyn Merchant

Honors Projects

One of the most common fish diseases in aquaculture is Aeromonas infection. The most common way to treat this infection is through antibiotics. The bacteria in the fish can become antibiotic-resistant and perpetuate the disease. The diseases in fish create a huge financial loss and the industry loses $6 billion per year due to diseases in fish. An alternative to antibiotics is bacteriophage which causes less environmental degradation and is better for human gut flora. In aquaculture there have been examples of aquaculture workers becoming sick from the water in aquaculture ponds as well as from people eating the fish. …

Predicting Gene Function Of Unknown Yeast Orfs Through Phylogenetic Comparative Analysis, Lewis Barr

Graduate Research Showcase

Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) has been an instrumental model system for an extraordinary diverse array of research applications for over a century now. The S. cerevisiae genome was fully sequenced in 1996, and, as a result, 6,753 potential proteins were identified. These putative proteins were established by investigating likely open reading frames within the genome. Over the past few decades, nearly 5,000 open reading frames (ORFs) and their expressed proteins have been described, and the remaining undefined open reading frames are labeled as open reading frames of unknown function (ORFans). To better understand the remaining gaps within the S. …

The Transcription Factor Nfe2l2a Is Required For Development Of Hematopoietic Stem Cells In The Zebrafish Embryo, Sivam Bhatt, Teerth Patel, Madeleine Seputro, Anubhav Thapaliya, Erich Damm

Undergraduate Research Posters

Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs) are the self-renewing population of cells that generate all erythrocytes and leukocytes over the lifetime of a vertebrate organism. HSCs are also the therapeutic units of curative bone marrow transplants used in the treatment of blood malignancies and in gene therapy for genetic blood disorders. In all vertebrate embryos, HSCs originate from the floor of the embryonic dorsal aorta during the endothelial to hematopoietic transition. Nascent HSCs will bud into the blood vessel and be carried to maturation sites by the embryonic blood flow. Despite the curative potential of HSC transplants in blood disorders, this approach …

Anatomy And Physiology Preparatory Course Textbook (2nd Edition), Carlos Liachovitzky

Open Educational Resources

The goal of this preparatory textbook is to give students a chance to become familiar with some terms and some basic concepts they will find later on in the Anatomy and Physiology course, especially during the first few weeks of the course.

Organization and functioning of the human organism are generally presented starting from the simplest building blocks, and then moving into levels of increasing complexity. This textbook follows the same presentation. It begins introducing the concept of homeostasis, then covers the chemical level, and later on a basic introduction to cellular level, organ level, and organ system level. This …

Examining The Mechanistic Roles Of Integrin Alpha-6 In Cancer Metastasis., Chase T. Clark

Honors College Theses

Metastasis- the spread of cancer cells from the primary tumor to the surrounding tissues- is responsible for 90% of cancer deaths. Integrin alpha-6 (ITGA6) is a specific transmembrane cell surface protein that functions in cell surface adhesion and signaling. ITGA6 is upregulated in many types of cancers and promotes the migration and invasion of cancer cells to surrounding tissues. It is my objective to determine the mechanism through which ITGA6 facilitates the migration of cancer cells through the extracellular matrix (ECM). These experiments helped to establish the role of ITGA6 in tumor development and provide focus for possible chemotherapeutic treatment. …

10th Annual Postdoctoral Science Symposium, University Of Texas Md Anderson Cancer Center Postdoctoral Association

Annual Postdoctoral Science Symposium Abstracts

The Annual Postdoctoral Science Symposium (APSS) was initiated on August 4, 2011, by the MD Anderson Postdoctoral Association to provide a platform for talented postdoctoral fellows throughout the Texas Medical Center to present their work to a wider audience.

APSS is a scientific symposium organized by postdoctoral fellows from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center that welcomes submissions and presentations from postdoctoral fellows from all Texas Medical Center affiliated institutions and other Houston area institutions. The APSS provides a professional venue for postdoctoral scientists to develop, clarify and refine their research as result of formal reviews and critiques …

The Bioethical Significance Of “The Origin Of Man’S Ethical Behavior” (October 1941, Unpublished) By Ernest Everett Just And Hedwig Anna Schnetzler Just, Theodore Walker Jr.

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Abstract –

E. E. Just (1883-1941) is an acknowledged “pioneer” in cell biology, and he is perhaps the pioneer in study of egg cell fertilization. Here we discover that Just also made pioneering contributions to general biology and evolutionary bioethics.

Within Just’s published contributions to observational cell biology, there are substantial fragments of his theory of ethical behavior, a theory with roots in cell biology. In addition to such previously available fragments, Just’s fully developed theory is now available. This recently discovered unpublished book-length manuscript argues for the biological origins of ethical behavior (evolving from cells to humans, within a …

9th Annual Postdoctoral Science Symposium, University Of Texas Md Anderson Cancer Center Postdoctoral Association

Annual Postdoctoral Science Symposium Abstracts

The mission of the Annual Postdoctoral Science Symposium (APSS) is to provide a platform for talented postdoctoral fellows throughout the Texas Medical Center to present their work to a wider audience. The MD Anderson Postdoctoral Association convened its inaugural Annual Postdoctoral Science Symposium (APSS) on August 4, 2011.

The APSS provides a professional venue for postdoctoral scientists to develop, clarify, and refine their research as a result of formal reviews and critiques of faculty and other postdoctoral scientists. Additionally, attendees discuss current research on a broad range of subjects while promoting academic interactions and enrichment and developing new collaborations.

Investigating The Role Of Free Radicals In Huntington's Disease Using Drosophila Melanogaster, Jennifer Libov

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

During normal cell metabolism, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced as a byproduct of oxidative phosphorylation. ROS are utilized in the cell as a signaling molecule and can be maintained at healthy levels by cellular antioxidants. However, when the cell experiences oxidative stress due to environmental or genetic conditions, levels of ROS can exceed healthy levels and inhibit necessary life functions by damaging biomolecules and cellular structures. This loss of function can lead to physiological decline and neurodegeneration, such as in diseases like Alzheimer’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and, potentially, Huntington’s disease. The following experiments use the model genetic organism …

Histology For Cytotechnologists Ii Mls 568, Joanna Burkhardt

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.

Ms In Cytology, Joanna Burkhardt

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.