Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Discipline
- Keyword
-
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Heersink School of Medicine (961)
- Mitochondria (26)
- Master of Science (MS) Heersink School of Medicine (25)
- Cancer (20)
- Epigenetics (18)
-
- Inflammation (17)
- Metastasis (17)
- Glioblastoma (16)
- Autophagy (15)
- Hippocampus (15)
- Metabolism (14)
- Apoptosis (13)
- Breast cancer (12)
- Neurodegeneration (12)
- Transcription (12)
- Glioma (10)
- Macrophage (10)
- Oxidative stress (10)
- Streptococcus pneumoniae (10)
- Aging (9)
- Glutamate (9)
- HIV-1 (9)
- Acute kidney injury (8)
- Atherosclerosis (8)
- Bioenergetics (8)
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) College of Arts and Sciences (8)
- Memory (8)
- Microglia (8)
- Neuroinflammation (8)
- Obesity (8)
- Publication Year
- Publication
Articles 91 - 120 of 1029
Full-Text Articles in Medical Sciences
Uncovering The Role Of Spt5 In Rna Polymerase I Transcription Through Targeted Protein Degradation Via The Auxin Inducible Degron System In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Nathan Bellis
All ETDs from UAB
RNA Polymerases are the molecular machines responsible for the synthesis of RNA from the DNA template. The presence of these machines is an absolute requirement for the function and replication of all cellular organisms. In eukaryotic organisms, there are a minimum of three RNA polymerases (Pols I, II, II). Despite shared subunits and homology, these three protein complexes are functionally distinct, with many unique sub-units and additional trans-acting factors. Pol I is responsible for the synthesis of three of the four ribosomal RNA species which is the first and rate limiting step of ribosome biogenesis. Pol I synthesizes the majority …
Characterizing A Unique Oprm1 Expressing Neuronal Population In The Rat Nucleus Accumbens, Emma Andraka
Characterizing A Unique Oprm1 Expressing Neuronal Population In The Rat Nucleus Accumbens, Emma Andraka
All ETDs from UAB
Opioid-related overdose deaths have increased drastically in the past three decades, and especially since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the addictive, analgesic, and euphoric properties of the drugs. To produce these effects, opioids bind to the mu opioid receptor (MOR) in GABAergic neurons. The MOR is encoded by the Oprm1 gene and is expressed in multiple brain regions that regulate reward and motivation, such as the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Previous studies of Oprm1 knockdown in medium spiny neurons (MSNs) of the mouse NAc have shown that these neuronal populations are involved in reinforcing reward-context pairing as well …
Dact1, The “Super-Crosslinker”: Regulation Of Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling During Vertebrate Convergent Extension By Modulating Dishevelled Oligomerization, Allyson Angermeier
Dact1, The “Super-Crosslinker”: Regulation Of Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling During Vertebrate Convergent Extension By Modulating Dishevelled Oligomerization, Allyson Angermeier
All ETDs from UAB
A broad spectrum of human birth defects arise from the disruption of morphogenesis, the critical process through which tissues and organs acquire their proper shape. Convergent extension (CE) is a universal morphogenetic engine that promotes polarized extension of diverse tissues and organs by regulating directional cell behavior, such as oriented cell intercalation. In vertebrates, CE is regulated by non-canonical Wnt/Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) pathway, an ancient signaling pathway that was originally discovered to coordinate the cellular polarity in the plane of the epithelium. Non-canonical Wnt/PCP signaling shares the Frizzled (Fz) receptor and cytoplasmic signal transducer Dishevelled (Dvl) with the canonical …
Crucial Role Of T Follicular Helper Cell-Derived Ifn-Γ In Lung Resident Memory B Cell Responses, Nicole Michelle Arroyo-Diaz
Crucial Role Of T Follicular Helper Cell-Derived Ifn-Γ In Lung Resident Memory B Cell Responses, Nicole Michelle Arroyo-Diaz
All ETDs from UAB
T follicular helper (Tfh) cells constitute a distinct subset of CD4 T cells that reside within B cell follicles, playing an indispensable role in orchestrating the Germinal Center (GC) response. In response to polarizing environments, such as Influenza A virus infection (IAV), Tfh cells secrete effector cytokines, including IFN-γ and IL-4. Nevertheless, the specific functions of cytokine-producing Tfh cell subsets, beyond their involvement in driving class switch recombination (CSR), remain largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that, following IAV infection, Tfh cell cytokine production undergoes a dynamic shift, transitioning from early IFN-γ dominance to later predominance of IL-4. The initial IFN-γ …
Chronic Circadian Disruption Increases Risk For Cardiovascular Disease, Jazmine Benjamin
Chronic Circadian Disruption Increases Risk For Cardiovascular Disease, Jazmine Benjamin
All ETDs from UAB
Circadian disruption is a disturbance in biological timing which can occur within or between different organizational levels, ranging from molecular rhythms within specific cells to misalignment of behavioral and environmental cycles. Previous work has shown that changing the timing of food availability is sufficient to lower blood pressure and improve insulin sensitivity in prediabetic males, demonstrating the importance of timing of food intake for cardiovascular health. Findings from our group demonstrated that less than one week of mistimed feeding is sufficient to invert diurnal blood pressure rhythms, although kidney excretory rhythms and kidney function remained aligned with the light-dark cycle. …
Novel Role For St6gal1 Sialyltransferase As A Tumor Driver In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Nikita Umakant Bhalerao
Novel Role For St6gal1 Sialyltransferase As A Tumor Driver In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Nikita Umakant Bhalerao
All ETDs from UAB
ST6Gal1 sialyltransferase adds negatively charged sialic acid in an α2,6 linkage to N-glycans on glycoproteins bound for the cell surface/secretion thus altering receptor structure, function and downstream signaling pathways. ST6Gal1 is upregulated in multiple cancers, including pancreatic, and imparts cancer stem cell-like phenotype. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal malignancy with a survival rate of ~10%. Acinar to ductal metaplasia (ADM), the tumor initiation stage of PDAC, occurs in response to insults like pancreatitis, when acinar cells dedifferentiate and form ductal-like cells with stem and ductal gene upregulation. These cells, on acquiring mutations such as in KRAS gene, can …
Regulatory Elements Of Polyphosphate Biosynthesis, Marvin Qortez Bowlin
Regulatory Elements Of Polyphosphate Biosynthesis, Marvin Qortez Bowlin
All ETDs from UAB
Polyphosphate (polyP) is an ancient, conserved, inorganic biomolecule. Biological systems have adapted many functions for this high-energy molecule, ranging from immune regulation in mammals to gene regulation in prokaryotes. Of particular interest is its use in bacterial stress responses. Bacteria use polyP to resist hazardous environmental elements like toxic molecules or nutrient starvation. In many bacterial species, polyP is synthesized by polyphosphate kinases (PPKs). PPK – discovered in Escherica coli (E. coli) – hydrolyzes adenosine-5’-triphosphate (ATP) to synthesize polyP. Species that use PPK develop multiple pathogenic defects when PPK activity is impaired, including, among others, antibiotic susceptibility. There is no …
Role Of Proteoglycan Forms Of The Type Iii Tgf-Β Receptor/Betaglycan In Tgf-Β Signaling In Ovarian Cancer Models, Alex Kwon-Bowers Choi
Role Of Proteoglycan Forms Of The Type Iii Tgf-Β Receptor/Betaglycan In Tgf-Β Signaling In Ovarian Cancer Models, Alex Kwon-Bowers Choi
All ETDs from UAB
Proteoglycans (PG) are defined as proteins with one or more covalently bound polysaccharides called glycosaminoglycan chains (GAG). PGs can either be present on the cell surface or in the extracellular matrix to mediate cellular homeostasis in normal physiology as well as exert profound roles in diseases such as cancer. PGs can interact with a host of proteins such as growth factors through their core protein and/or their GAG chains, serving as an accessory receptor to mediate signaling by binding to the ligands and altering ligand-signaling receptor binding, defined as a co-receptor function. Developmentally and in pathologies like cancer, TGF-β signaling …
Challenges And Opportunities In Glioblastoma And Immunovirotherapy With Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1, Dagoberto Estevez-Ordonez
Challenges And Opportunities In Glioblastoma And Immunovirotherapy With Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1, Dagoberto Estevez-Ordonez
All ETDs from UAB
This dissertation covers data from published and pre-published studies exploring challenges and opportunities in the treatment of malignant glioma with emphasis in glioblastoma and oncolytic immunovirotherapy with an oncolytic herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) designed to induce expression of IL-12, M002 (murine IL-12) and M032 (human IL-12).It starts with the report of a study that uncovered important racial and socioeconomic disparities experienced by patients with glioblastoma treated in Alabama. Notable results also include the unexpected finding of increased survival in African American patients with glioblastoma even after controlling for factors associated with survival and socioeconomic disparities. The implications of …
Impact Of Exercise On Antioxidative-Stress Induced Endoplasmic Reticulum Dysfunction And Cardiac Remodelling, Arun Jyothidasan
Impact Of Exercise On Antioxidative-Stress Induced Endoplasmic Reticulum Dysfunction And Cardiac Remodelling, Arun Jyothidasan
All ETDs from UAB
The gain of function of nuclear factor erythroid 2 like 2 (Nrf2), in the absence of oxidative stress (or toxic insults), its pathophysiology arising from the endoplasmic reticulum and exercise intervention to mitigate the pathology are the focal point of this dissertation. Nrf2, when constitutively expressed, has been previously associated with cardiomyopathy. Chapter II investigated the hypothesis that cardiac-specific expression of Nrf2 (mNrf2-TG) would establish a pro-reductive state and trigger adaptive cardiac remodeling by enhancing the basal antioxidant defense. Through RNA profiling and imaging techniques, the study underscored that while acute preconditioning might prove advantageous against oxidative stress, prolonged pro-reductive …
The Critical Period Of Long-Term Plasticity In Adult-Born Granule Cells Is Mediated By T-Type Calcium Channels, William Michael Kennedy
The Critical Period Of Long-Term Plasticity In Adult-Born Granule Cells Is Mediated By T-Type Calcium Channels, William Michael Kennedy
All ETDs from UAB
Neurogenesis occurs in the dentate gyrus of adult rodents leading to a heterogeneous population of dentate granule cells (GCs) in the granule cell layer. Adult-born granule cells (abGCs) exhibit a transient period of elevated synaptic plasticity that contributes to their role in dentate gyrus function. Various mechanisms have been proposed to underlie the critical period of plasticity, including minimal GABAergic synaptic inhibition, robust NMDAR2B currents, and high intrinsic excitability conferred by T-type Ca2+ channels. In this collection of work, we investigate the critical period for long-term potentiation (LTP) in 4–6-week-old abGCs. We conclude that GABAergic inhibition regulates LTP in 4-week-old …
Characterizing The Role Of Mapk Phosphatases In Age-Dependent Macrophage Dysfucntion And Increased Suceptiblity To Pneumonia In A Tnf-Dependent Manner, Katherine Lauren Kruckow
Characterizing The Role Of Mapk Phosphatases In Age-Dependent Macrophage Dysfucntion And Increased Suceptiblity To Pneumonia In A Tnf-Dependent Manner, Katherine Lauren Kruckow
All ETDs from UAB
Lower respiratory infections are the primary cause of infectious death among the elderly. One reason for this is ‘inflamm-aging,’ a chronic low-grade inflammatory state that develops with advanced age. Pertinently, our group has shown increases in TNF levels to be responsible for age-dependent macrophage dysfunction (ADMD) and, in turn, enhanced susceptibility to Streptococcus pneumoniae, the leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia. The underlying molecular mechanisms responsible, however, remain unclear. Following adoptive transfer of alveolar macrophages (AM) from aged (18+ months) or young (3-6 month) mice into young mice, followed by infection with S. pneumoniae, we found that aged AM were sufficient …
Time-Restricted Feeding Attenuates Obesity-Induced Muscle Dysfunction Through Energy Metabolism And Microbiota Modulation, Christopher Livelo
Time-Restricted Feeding Attenuates Obesity-Induced Muscle Dysfunction Through Energy Metabolism And Microbiota Modulation, Christopher Livelo
All ETDs from UAB
Obesity is a global epidemic that affects countless numbers of people caused by genetic and environmental factors including circadian disruption, which poses significant health risks to skeletal muscle physiology and other tissues. While a feeding fasting intervention known as time-restricted feeding (TRF) has been shown to mitigate obesity-related muscle dysfunction, the underlying mechanisms remain a subject of investigation. In this study, we delve into potential mechanisms underlying TRF's protective effects on muscle physiology in the context of diet- and genetic-induced obesity using Drosophila models. Our findings reveal that TRF triggers the upregulation of key genes involved in glycine production (Sardh …
Time-Restricted Feeding Modulates Dgat2 Expression In Cardiac And Skeletal Muscle, Yiming Guo Livelo
Time-Restricted Feeding Modulates Dgat2 Expression In Cardiac And Skeletal Muscle, Yiming Guo Livelo
All ETDs from UAB
Circadian disruption caused by aging, genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors can lead to compromised cardiac and skeletal muscle function and potentially accelerate the progression of metabolic diseases. Time-restricted feeding/eating (TRF/TRE, referred to as TRF hereafter), a dietary intervention that confines food intake within a consistent window of the day, has pleiotropic benefits from flies and mice to humans. However, the effectiveness of TRF on heart and muscle in the context of various metabolic challenges such as circadian disruption and obesity is largely unknown. Current insights into the mechanisms of TRF are primarily based on multi-omics approaches, particularly transcriptomes; however, limited …
Molecular Imaging To Evaluate Tumor Heterogeneity And Guide Treatment Of Breast Cancer, Yun Lu
Molecular Imaging To Evaluate Tumor Heterogeneity And Guide Treatment Of Breast Cancer, Yun Lu
All ETDs from UAB
Molecular imaging plays an important role in predicting and evaluating treatment response and revealing the underlying biological mechanisms in the cancer field. Especially, PET imaging serves as a valuable tool for comprehending the tumor microenvironment (TME), allowing us to track tumor metabolism, proliferation, receptor expression, and immune infiltration. In this comprehensive study, three distinct aspects of cancer research were explored using molecular imaging techniques.The first study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the fluorescence ubiquitination cell cycle indicator (FUCCI) system with fluorescence in vivo imaging compared to 3'-Deoxy-3'-[18F]fluorothymidine ([18F]-FLT) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in assessing cancer cell proliferation. …
Cd151+ T Cell Frequencies As An Immunological Clock That Identifies Premature Immunological Aging In People With Hiv, Mildred Perez
Cd151+ T Cell Frequencies As An Immunological Clock That Identifies Premature Immunological Aging In People With Hiv, Mildred Perez
All ETDs from UAB
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has greatly improved the life expectancy of People With HIV (PWH), but despite ART, PWH show signs of chronic immune hyperactivation (CIH), which results in the development of early-onset comorbidities, such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cardiovascular complications, neurodegenerative impairment, and can-cer. The underlying causes of CIH are, at best, incompletely understood, with suggested roles of microbial translocation, viral coinfections, T cell imbalances, and persistent HIV replication. Given that the CD4+ T cell population is most affected during acute HIV infec-tion, it is surprising that no T cell populations have been identified as drivers of CIH. Herein, we …
Exercise-Driven Epigenetic And Transcriptomic Changes In An Experimental Model Of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, Silvienne C. Sint Jago
Exercise-Driven Epigenetic And Transcriptomic Changes In An Experimental Model Of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, Silvienne C. Sint Jago
All ETDs from UAB
Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a neurological disease marked by recurring unprovoked seizures originating from temporal lobe structures and is frequently associated with cognitive deficits. Exercise holds promise as a therapeutic approach to alleviate seizures and cognitive impairments in TLE. However, the exact cellular and molecular mechanisms by which exercise influences pathways related to seizure activity and cognition in the context of TLE still need to be understood. Neuronal network formation relies on the regulation of gene expression, which can lead to either an increase or a decrease in the production of essential proteins involved in neuronal signaling. Genes are …
The Influence Of Proximity On Patient Outcomes For Differently Structured Ambulatory Surgery Centers, Wendy Michelle Smith
The Influence Of Proximity On Patient Outcomes For Differently Structured Ambulatory Surgery Centers, Wendy Michelle Smith
All ETDs from UAB
THE INFLUENCE OF PROXIMITY ON PATIENT OUTCOMES FOR DIFFERENTLY STRUCTURED AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTERSWENDY SMITH HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACT This study examines the complication rates and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for total hip and knee replacement surgeries conducted in one of two differently structured ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) with varying interprofessional surgical teams. There is an ongoing shift from in-hospital total joint replacement surgeries to ASCs. Additionally, there is specialization occurring within ASCs. In this study, we compare single specialty ASCs designed to perform solely TJR surgeries with one orthopedic group and interprofessional team, with multi-specialty ASCs that perform an array …
Neuropeptide Y Overexpression In The Presence Of P23h Rhodopsin Mutation, Jean Sun
Neuropeptide Y Overexpression In The Presence Of P23h Rhodopsin Mutation, Jean Sun
All ETDs from UAB
Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a 36-amino acid peptide, has been found to be the most abundant neuropeptide in the central nervous system, and it is widespread across mammalian species. NPY plays a dual role as a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator in the nervous system. NPY functions as a multifaceted neuromodulator through binding NPY receptors (NPYRs). NYP interacts with NPYRs and regulates various activities, such as cell growth, neurogenesis, neuroprotection, mitochondrial behaviors, food intake, anxiety, and addiction formation. In terms of NPY’s neuroprotective potential, NPY inhibits neuronal death signaling, thus preventing apoptosis, and displays anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects. Additionally, it influences metabolism by …
Select Lipid Signaling. Derived From T-Cells Is An Important Contributor To Type 1 Diabetes Development, Tayleur White
Select Lipid Signaling. Derived From T-Cells Is An Important Contributor To Type 1 Diabetes Development, Tayleur White
All ETDs from UAB
We reported that Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2β (iPLA2) contributes to type 1 diabetes (T1D) development; however, the impact of lipid signaling from T-cells is unknown. To address this, we first administered splenocytes from NOD, NOD.iPLA2+/- (NOD.HET), or NOD.iPLA2-/- (NOD.KO) mice to 4-week-old NOD.scid recipients. As expected, T1D onset was rapid in NOD cell recipients and 100% by 12 weeks. However, onset was delayed by 1-3 weeks in NOD.HET or NOD.KO cell recipients and only 60% became diabetic, suggesting a role for T-cell iPLA2. Next, to establish importance of iPLA2 in CD4 or CD8 cells, purified cells were administered to NOD.scid mice. …
The Role Of Tissue- And Cell-Type-Specific Expression And Regulation In Setbp1-Associated Diseases, Jordan Hailey Whitlock
The Role Of Tissue- And Cell-Type-Specific Expression And Regulation In Setbp1-Associated Diseases, Jordan Hailey Whitlock
All ETDs from UAB
SET binding protein 1 (SETBP1) encodes a transcription factor (TF) participating in diverse cellular processes. SETBP1 is an epigenetic hub associated with variants linked to three distinct diseases. Germline variants cause rare pediatric Schinzel Giedion Syndrome (SGS) and SETBP1 haploinsufficiency disorder (SETBP1-HD), featuring multisystemic abnormalities and neurodegeneration or milder brain issues with hypotonia, respectively. On the other hand, somatic variants contribute to hematological malignancies and adult cancer. To understand tissue-specific SETBP1 mechanisms, public RNA-sequencing data from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project were analyzed. SETBP1 and targets were broadly expressed across 31 adult human tissues, revealing three distinct expression patterns: transcription …
Nox2-Derived Superoxide And Mda5-Dependant Responses Contribute To Autoimmune Diabetes, Samuel Isaac Blum
Nox2-Derived Superoxide And Mda5-Dependant Responses Contribute To Autoimmune Diabetes, Samuel Isaac Blum
All ETDs from UAB
NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2)-derived superoxide, a precursor for many reactive oxygen species (ROS), regulates cell signaling, cellular trafficking, melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5) responses, and Type 1 diabetes (T1D). Previously, we demonstrated that NOX2-derived superoxide promotes chemokine synthesis, spontaneous and virus-accelerated T1D, and MDA5 responses to coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3), an associated environmental trigger for T1D. Yet, it remains unknown if ROS is necessary for diabetogenic T cell trafficking into islets or how MDA5 responses affect T1D. First, using non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice that contain an in-frame deletion within the helicase 1 domain of MDA5 (ΔHel1) or lack MDA5 expression (KO), …
The Role Of The Bone Marrow Microenvironment In Flt3-Itd Acute Myeloid Leukemia Stem Cell Resistance To Flt3 Inhibition, Nicholas R. Anderson
The Role Of The Bone Marrow Microenvironment In Flt3-Itd Acute Myeloid Leukemia Stem Cell Resistance To Flt3 Inhibition, Nicholas R. Anderson
All ETDs from UAB
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive, complex hematological malignancy. AML cases with constitutively-activating internal tandem duplications in the Flt3 receptor (Flt3-ITD) represent a distinct subtype of disease with poor prognosis, but unique opportunities for targeted therapy. Flt3-specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) have entered clinical practice due to their ability to induce remissions in a large proportion of Flt3-mutant AML patients, but their long-term efficacy remains limited due to the persistence of leukemia stem cells (LSC) in the bone marrow (BM). Herein, we outline the importance of the bone marrow microenvironment (BMM) in harboring LSC through AML development and drug …
Analysing The Structural Dynamics Of Retinoid X Receptor Using Hydrogen Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry, Nathalia Melo
Analysing The Structural Dynamics Of Retinoid X Receptor Using Hydrogen Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry, Nathalia Melo
All ETDs from UAB
Nuclear receptors (NR) are ligand-activated transcription factors that are targets for drug discovery due to their ability to directly modulate gene expression. There are 48 NRs and approximately half of them require heterodimerization with retinoid X receptor (RXR) to function. Targretin (bexarotene) is an FDA-approved RXR specific (rexinoid) currently used to treat Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma (CTCL); however, it causes hyperlipidemia toxicities. A functionally similar rexinoid developed at UAB, 9-cis-UAB30 (UAB30), is non-toxic and weak agonist in the liver. While UAB30 shows promise as a low toxicity chemopreventative drug, the mechanism of UAB30 action at the molecular level is poorly understood. …
Elucidating The Role Of Stat4 In Cd4 T Cell Mediated Pathogenicity, Ashlyn E. Anderson
Elucidating The Role Of Stat4 In Cd4 T Cell Mediated Pathogenicity, Ashlyn E. Anderson
All ETDs from UAB
While the exact cause of many autoimmune diseases is currently unknown, many genetic factors are associated with increased disease susceptibility such as single nucleotide polymorphisms in the STAT4 gene locus. Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 4 (STAT4) is critical for the development and function of Th1 cells; however, many Th1 associated molecules are dispensable for CD4 mediated inflammation such as IFNγ, T-bet, and IL-12Rβ2, suggesting that STAT4 may function outside of the Th1 cell lineage. Importantly, Stat4 has recently been correlated with an inflammatory Th17 cell phenotype. Using a murine model of neuroinflammation, we illustrate that Th17 intrinsic STAT4 …
Targeting The Frataxin Transcriptional Defect As A Therapeutic Approach For Friedreich's Ataxia, Anna Maria Schreiber
Targeting The Frataxin Transcriptional Defect As A Therapeutic Approach For Friedreich's Ataxia, Anna Maria Schreiber
All ETDs from UAB
Friedreich’s ataxia (FRDA) is the most common inherited ataxia worldwide. This autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder manifests in the central and peripheral nervous system but also affects the cardiovascular and endocrine systems. No effective treatment is available. FRDA is caused by expansion of GAA repeat tracts in intron 1 of the frataxin (FXN) gene on both alleles. An inverse correlation between FXN levels and GAA repeat length exists. Frataxin is a mitochondrial protein participating in iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster formation. Frataxin deficiency results in reduced activity of Fe-S-containing enzymes involved in critical biological processes, such as cellular respiration and DNA repair. Expansion …
Molecular Mechanism And Impact Of Sox2 Regulation By The Transforming Growth Factor-Ss Members In Ovarian Cancer Survival And Metastasis, Zainab Shonibare
Molecular Mechanism And Impact Of Sox2 Regulation By The Transforming Growth Factor-Ss Members In Ovarian Cancer Survival And Metastasis, Zainab Shonibare
All ETDs from UAB
Ovarian cancer is the second most common and deadliest cancer of the female reproductive system affecting women in the United States and worldwide. The poor survival outcome seen in ovarian cancer is attributed to the subtleness of its early-stage symptoms, resulting in a majority of patients at initial diagnosis presenting with an advanced-stage disease with metastasis to other parts of the body. Hence, there is an urgent need to better understand the molecular etiology of metastasis to help develop effective therapeutic options and improve clinical outcomes in ovarian cancer patients. Ovarian cancer, an intra-abdominal cancer, most preferably undergoes metastasis via …
The Role Of Nitric Oxide And Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate Signaling In Arteriovenous Fistula Maturation, Maheshika S. Somarathna
The Role Of Nitric Oxide And Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate Signaling In Arteriovenous Fistula Maturation, Maheshika S. Somarathna
All ETDs from UAB
Vascular access is the single most important component of the hemodialysis procedure and the arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the most preferred type. However, 60% of AVFs created fail to mature successfully for dialysis use (AVF maturation failure). AVF maturation failure is primarily the result of 1) intimal hyperplasia formation (IH) and 2) poor vascular outward remodeling. Currently, a major unmet clinical need in the field is the lack of effective therapies to treat/prevent AVF maturation failure due to the poor understanding of molecular mechanisms. This proposal is designed to: 1) elucidate the pathologic significance of nitric oxide (NO) and cyclic …
Characterization Of The Phenotype And Functional Properties Of Myeloid Subpopulations In Chronic Inflammatory Conditions, Krystle Leandra Ong
Characterization Of The Phenotype And Functional Properties Of Myeloid Subpopulations In Chronic Inflammatory Conditions, Krystle Leandra Ong
All ETDs from UAB
Myeloid cells represent a subset of leukocytes traditionally recognized as first responders to acute inflammatory stimuli. In recent years, there has been a growing appreciation of the role of myeloid cells as critical regulators of the immune system in disease pathogenesis and progression. Chronic inflammatory diseases including viral infections, autoimmune diseases, and malignancies are frequently associated with altered myelopoiesis characterized by a profound shift in the myeloid cell phenotype and function. The work presented in this dissertation provides an insight into dysregulated myelopoiesis and myeloid heterogeneity in multiple myeloma (MM), human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1), and coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). We identify …
Applying Pet Imaging To Cancer Immunotherapy To Improve Clinical Outcomes, Kirsten M. Reeves
Applying Pet Imaging To Cancer Immunotherapy To Improve Clinical Outcomes, Kirsten M. Reeves
All ETDs from UAB
The use of biomarkers has significantly enhanced patient outcome by improving diagnosis, personalizing therapy, and monitoring therapeutic response yet most cancers remain non-responsive. Thus, there is a need to better understand the underlying biological mechanisms and tumor microenvironment to enhance therapeutic efficacy. Molecular imaging, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and positron emission tomography (PET) are used to assess response during oncology therapy. Molecular imaging can also provide a noninvasive approach to accurately quantify biomarkers correlated with the tumor microenvironment, including glucose metabolism and hypoxia. 18F-Fluoromisonidazole (18F-FMISO) hypoxia targeted cellular uptake has been shown to correlate with negative …