Disease Modeling Commons^™

Effects Of Dietary Ω-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (N-3 Pufa) In Light Sensitivity Of Retinas Of Mice Models To Prevent Retinal Damage, Aaron Eugene Rice

Longitudinal Scholar's Project

Light-induced retinal degeneration (LIRD) causes photoreceptor cell death in albino mice after exposure to high intensity light for a set period of time (6-24 hours). This causes retinal photoreceptor cell death through apoptosis. From several previous studies, Dr. Mandal’s lab concluded that de novo biosynthesis of ceramide mediates photoreceptor cell death in a LIRD model. Previous studies in Dr. Mandal’s lab has shown that mouse models with higher endogenous ω-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (n-3 PUFA) generates less ceramide upon neuronal injury and prevent neurodegeneration (Mol Neurobio 2021). There are currently not many available effective therapies for retinal degeneration in humans …

Identifying The Molecular Cause Of Extreme Endoplasmic Reticulum Dilation In Pediatric Osteosarcoma And Its Relationship To The Disease, Rachael Wood

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Pediatric osteosarcoma tumors are characterized by an unusual abundance of grossly dilated endoplasmic reticulum and an immense genomic instability that has complicated identifying new effective molecular therapeutic targets. Here we report a novel molecular signature that encompasses the majority of 108 patient tumor samples, PDXs and osteosarcoma cell lines. These tumors exhibit reduced expression of four critical COPII vesicle proteins that has resulted in the accumulation of procollagen-I protein within ‘hallmark’ dilated ER. Using CRISPR activation technology, increased expression of only SAR1A and SEC24D to physiologically normal levels was sufficient to restore both collagen-I secretion and resolve dilated ER morphology …

Ecology Of Hantaviruses In Rodent Reservoirs And Their Early Innate Immune Responses In Human Model Systems, Evan Peter Williams

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The spillover of zoonotic RNA viruses is responsible for a great deal of the disease outbreaks in human populations. These spillover events are set to continue due to anthropogenic and environmental changes that impact the distribution of these viruses. The viruses in the family Hantaviridae are classified as one of these emerging zoonotic RNA viruses. The spillover of the viruses in this family are responsible for two severe human diseases, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). These viruses are distributed across the globe and are responsible for a large number of human disease cases with …

Advancing Rna Virus Discovery And Biology With Whole Genome Sequencing, Mariah Katherine Taylor

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Two RNA virus families that pose a threat to human and animal health are Hantaviridae and Coronaviridae. These RNA viruses which originate in wildlife continue and will continue to cause disease, and hence, it is critical that scientific research define the mechanisms as to how these viruses spillover and adapt to new hosts to become endemic. One gap in our ability to define these mechanisms is the lack of whole genome sequences for many of these viruses. To address this specific gap, I developed a versatile amplicon-based whole-genome sequencing (WGS) approach to identify viral genomes of hantaviruses and severe acute …

Identification Of Effectors Of Synergistic Lethality In Candida Albicans-Staphylococcus Aureus Polymicrobial Intra-Abdominal Infection, Olivia Adele Todd

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Candida albicans, an opportunistic fungal pathogen, and Staphylococcus aureus, a ubiquitous pathogenic bacterium, are among the most prevalent causes of nosocomial infections and cause severe morbidity and mortality. Moreover, they are frequently coisolated from central venous catheters and deep-seated infections, including intra-abdominal sepsis. Relatively little is known about the complex interactions and signaling events that occur between microbes and even less so how microbial “cross-talk” shapes human health and disease.

Using a murine model of polymicrobial intra-abdominal infection (IAI), we have previously shown that coinfection with C. albicans and S. aureus leads to synergistic lethality whereas monomicrobial infection is nonlethal. …