Biological Phenomena, Cell Phenomena, and Immunity Commons^™

Surgical Outcomes Of Hidradenitis Suppurativa Excision: Factors Impacting Wound Healing Time, Christina Huang, Scott H. Koeneman, Sherry Yang, Sami Tannour

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) can be treated surgically to excise recurrent and recalcitrant regions of disease activity. However, surgical outcomes are highly variable depending on closure method, concomitant medical management and area of excision. In this study, we aim to characterise the healing courses from HS excision in a case series. To reduce operator variability, we opted to conduct a case series from a single surgeon. Surgeries conducted from June 2024-December 2025 by surgeon S.T. were included, and the postoperative course was followed until February 2026. Surgical details and postoperative course for 34 sites of HS across 20 patients were analysed. …

Kmt2d As An Epigenetic Target In Cervical Cancer: A Literature Review On Polyclonal Antibody Therapeutics And Translational Prospects, Farsya Hidayah Septiananda, Taurisma Aulia Nanda Wibisono, Rajendra Aulya Gilardino, Andreas Budi Wijaya

Preventia: The Indonesian Journal of Public Health

Cervical cancer remains a significant global health burden, particularly in regions with limited access to advanced therapeutics. Beyond viral oncogenesis, accumulating evidence highlights the crucial role of epigenetic dysregulation, particularly KMT2D, in tumor initiation and progression. This literature review aimed to critically synthesize current evidence regarding the biological role of KMT2D in cervical cancer and to explore the opportunities and limitations of antibody-based approaches for future epigenetic intervention. A structured narrative literature review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to identify relevant studies published between January 2020 and May 2025. Literature selection was guided by a modified …

Developing Antibodies Against Galectin-3 And Galectin-9 To Target Endometriosis, Ashleigh Burger, Noah Farnsworth, Jared J. Reisnouer, Cheyenne Vue

2026 Symposium

Endometriosis is a disease characterized by pelvic pain and the formation of endometrial-like tissue on the outside of the uterine lining. This condition affects nearly 10% of women across the globe and confirming whether someone has endometriosis requires visualization in surgery. While the specific causes of this disease remain unclear, the over-expression of the Galectins 3 and 9 in ectopic endometrial tissues suggests a role in the development and maintenance of the condition. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are highly specific proteins with potential as diagnostic or treatment tools. The goal of this study is to generate antibodies against Gal3 and Gal9. …

Novel Biomarker Discovery In Multiple Sclerosis, Manisha Gangasani

Honors Theses

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neuroinflammatory disorder affecting the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerve. Patients experience cognitive, motor, autonomic, and emotional symptoms that often overlap with other neurological conditions, making early diagnosis challenging. Current diagnostic criteria require evidence of lesions with dissemination in time and space. Racial disparities in MS outcomes are well documented, with Black individuals often exhibiting greater disease severity, higher relapse rates, and increased disability compared to White individuals. These differences likely reflect a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and healthcare access factors, underscoring the need to improve early diagnosis and reduce inequities in care. …

Developing A Protocol For Non-Cellular Transplantation Of Donor Mitochondria Into Recipient Cells, Andrew Parton

Honors Theses

Tumor innervation has emerged as a critical feature of cancer progression, with increased nerve density correlating with enhanced aggressiveness, metastatic dissemination, and poor clinical outcome. However, the functional contribution of neurons to tumor biology remains incompletely defined. We recently identified the intercellular transfer of mitochondria from neurons to cancer cells as a mechanism that promotes tumor progression. We therefore hypothesized that disruption of this transfer could attenuate tumor aggressivity. To directly investigate this process, we developed an approach to isolate mitochondria from donor cells and transplant them into recipient cancer cells independently of canonical cell-cell interactions. Transferred mitochondria were tracked …

Car-T Cell Therapy – A Revolutionizing Cancer Treatment Through Precision Immunotherapy, Mackenzie R. Epperson

ATU Scholars Symposium

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy has emerged as a great advancement in the field of oncology, offering a targeted and adaptable cancer treatment. Traditional therapies, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation often have limitations, such as relapse and resistance, highlighting the need for more precise therapeutic options. CAR-T therapy addresses many of these challenges through engineering a patient’s own T-cells to recognize and destroy cancerous cells with specificity and long-lasting immune activity. Since being approved by the FDA in 2017, CAR-T therapy has shown success in treating hematologic malignancies, demonstrating high remission rates in patients with previously limited options. Despite …

The Path Forward For T Cell Engagers In Patients With Prostate Cancer, Sumit K. Subudhi, Bilal A. Siddiqui, Kevin K. Zarrabi, William K. Kelly, Charles G. Drake

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

T cell engagers (TCEs) recruit T cells to the tumor microenvironment (TME) to induce antitumor immune responses. TCEs have demonstrated promising clinical responses in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and have advanced into phase 3 clinical trials. Here we provide an overview of the mechanisms of action of TCEs, including both CD3-targeted and CD28-targeted agents, and review the clinical development of these agents for prostate cancer. We propose a path forward for TCEs in prostate cancer, in which innovative clinical trials will facilitate a biological understanding of mechanisms of efficacy and toxicity to inform: (1) development of predictive biomarkers …

Kdm4a Promotes Nepc Progression Through Regulation Of Myc Expression, Celia Sze Ling Mak, Ming Zhu, Jie Fu, Xin Liang, Xiaoxuan Wang, Fei Yuan, Feng Wang, Anh G Hoang, Xingzhi Song, Peter Shepherd, Derek Liang, Jessica Suh, Jordan Contreras, Thisawin Dang, Cindy Yan, Brandon Figueroa, Mathias Mazzocco, Athena Luo, Bijeta Pradhan, Jiwon Park, Mirrah Bashir, Miao Zhang, Eric Metzger, Roland Schüle, Abhinav K Jain, Ellen Karasik, Daniel Frigo, Barbara A Foster, Min Gyu Lee, Paul Corn, Christopher J Logothetis, Ana Aparicio, Nora Navone, Patricia Troncoso, Zhi Tan, Jianhua Zhang, Sue-Hwa Lin, Guocan Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is a highly aggressive and lethal subtype of prostate cancer (PCa) that often emerges in response to androgen receptor pathway inhibitors (ARPIs), which are widely used in treating metastatic castration-resistant and hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. The incidence of NEPC is increasing, yet effective therapeutic strategies remain limited due to an incomplete understanding of its molecular drivers. Through transcriptomic analyses of human prostate tumor samples, we identified the histone lysine demethylase KDM4A as uniquely overexpressed in human and mouse NEPC compared to prostate adenocarcinoma. Functional validation demonstrated that KDM4A is a key regulator of NEPC progression and a …

Sexually Dimorphic Effects Of Gpnmb Modulation On Vertebral Bone Mass Regulation And Intravertebral Disc Health, Hakem Altawil, Fayez Safadi

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Osteoporosis and vertebral degeneration are major contributors to musculoskeletal morbidity, yet the molecular mechanisms regulating vertebral bone and intervertebral disc (IVD) homeostasis remain incompletely understood. GPNMB (osteoactivin) has been identified as a regulator of bone remodeling, though its role in spine health is unclear. This study evaluated the effects of GPNMB deficiency on lumbar vertebral bone microarchitecture and IVD integrity in a sex-dependent context.

Six-month-old male and female wild-type (WT) and GPNMB knockout (KO) mice were analyzed using micro–computed tomography (µCT) of lumbar vertebrae (L4–L6) and histological assessment of the L5–L6 IVD. KO males exhibited increased bone volume fraction, bone …

The Impact Of Gastric Sleeve And Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass On Chief Cell Function And Protein Digestion In Obese Patients, Garikoitz Mikel Gainza

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Obesity has become one of the largest global health concerns of the 21^st century, correlating with numerous associated diseases. To help address the growing prevalence and burden of obesity, sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass have become two commonly performed surgical procedures done to promote weight loss by altering the anatomical structure of the stomach and surrounding organs of the gastrointestinal system. Although the benefits of improved metabolism linked to these surgical procedures are well studied, their impact on the physiology of gastric cells, and more specifically chief cells as they relate to protein digestion post-surgery, is yet to …

Gut Microbiome Metagenomics In Clinical Practice: Bridging The Gap Between Research And Precision Medicine, Henok Ayalew Tegegne, Tor C Savidge

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Gut microbiome metagenomics is emerging as a cornerstone of precision medicine, offering exceptional opportunities for improved diagnostics, risk stratification, and therapeutic development. Advances in high-throughput sequencing have uncovered robust microbial signatures linked to infectious, inflammatory, metabolic, and neoplastic diseases. Clinical applications now include pathogen detection, antimicrobial resistance profiling, microbiota-based therapies, and enterotype-guided patient stratification. However, translation into routine care is hindered by significant barriers including methodological variability, limited functional annotation, lack of bioinformatics standardization, and underrepresentation of global populations. This review synthesizes current translational strategies, emphasizing the need for hypothesis-driven designs, multi-omic integration, longitudinal and multi-center cohorts, and mechanistic validation. …

Osteoprogenitor Cells From Non-Regenerative Bone Show Greater Resistance To Cellular Stress Than Those From Regenerative Bone, Joshua Broussard, Sylvia Culpepper, Tyrel Long, Alexander J. Trostle, Robert J. Tower, Mimi C. Sammarco, Jennifer Simkin

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Bone regeneration following injury depends on osteoprogenitor cells derived predominantly from the periosteum. Incomplete regeneration has been attributed to both cell-extrinsic factors (e.g., environment, inflammation, mechanical instability) and cell-intrinsic factors (e.g., impaired proliferation or differentiation of stem cells). In the digit amputation mouse model, amputation through the third phalanx (P3) supports complete regeneration, while amputation through the second phalanx (P2) results in callus formation and scarring. Periosteal cells are known to be the major contributing cell source for repair and regeneration. Yet the healing outcomes of P2 and P3 amputations are significantly different. This study tests whether P2 and …

Patient-Derived Ovarian Cancer Models Provide Insight Into Cancer Cell-Intrinsic And Immune Cell-Dependent Effects On Therapeutic Response, Parisa Nikeghbal

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy, largely due to late diagnosis and resistance to chemotherapy. This dissertation applies patient-derived organoids (PDOs), xenograft-derived organoids (PDXOs), and humanized xenografts (huPDX) to investigate therapeutic responses and immune interactions. Organoids were shown to retain critical features of the original malignancy. Across platinum-sensitive, -resistant, and -refractory cases, both PDOs and PDXOs exhibited drug sensitivities that aligned with patients’ clinical classifications. Building on this foundation, a drug screen revealed novel strategies. Auranofin restored platinum sensitivity in Notch3-active models, afatinib broadly reduced viability, and adavosertib–gemcitabine and sorafenib–topotecan combinations produced synergy. Extending this work, immune interactions …

Tgfbr2 Coordinates The Endometrial Response To Estrogen, Regulating Endometrial Hyperplasia And Fertility, Sydney E Parks, Suni Tang, Anna Catherine Unser, Ananya L Bhonsley, Eunbi M Chung, Peixin Jiang, Audrey Savolainen, Vanessa J Joseph, Dominique I Cope, Ramya P Masand, Renata Prunskaite-Hyyryläinen, Diana Monsivais

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Proper endometrial function is critical for establishing and maintaining healthy pregnancies, as well as preventing the pathogenesis of conditions such as endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer. The TGFβ signaling pathway regulates key aspects of endometrial biology, although the direct effects of many individual receptors remain unstudied. In this study, we characterize the role of TGFβR2 within the endometrium using a progesterone receptor-cre conditional knock-out mouse model (Tgfbr2flox/flox;Pgrcre/+; “Tgfbr2 cKO”). We found that conditional deletion of TGFβR2 resulted in female infertility, endometrial hyperplasia, altered estrogen and progesterone response, and, only in bred females, reproductive tract …

International Consensus Guidelines For The Conduct And Reporting Of Car T-Cell Clinical Trials In Aml, Swati Naik, Richard Aplenc, Susanne H C Baumeister, Marco Becilli, Anand S Bhagwat, Challice L Bonifant, Lihua E Budde, Christopher D Chien, Kevin J Curran, Anthony F Daniyan, Alexandra Dreyzin, Rebecca A Gardner, Sara Ghorashian, Stephen Gottschalk, Laquisa C Hill, M Eric Kohler, Adam Lamble, Franco Locatelli, Maksim Mamonkin, Bilal Omer, Jae H Park, Concetta Quintarelli, Benedetta Rambaldi, Rebecca M Richards, David A Sallman, Tim Sauer, Nirali N Shah, Marion Subklewe, Corinne Summers, Sarah K Tasian, Naomi Taylor, Sarah Tettamanti, Michael R Verneris, M Paulina Velasquez, Saar I Gill

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Early clinical experience with the use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has been beset by high rates of toxicities and low rates of response. We convened an international workshop with the goal of bringing investigators in the field of AML-directed CAR T-cell therapy together to facilitate discussion of challenges and to brainstorm potential solutions. Based on discussions at the workshop, it was evident that (1) treating and targeting AML with CAR T cells is associated with unique clinical challenges, and (2) variability in clinical trial design, definitions of toxicities, correlative data …

A Mouse Model Of Lipoatrophy Reveals Relationships Between Beige Fat Appearance And Female Fertility, Elizabeth S Anaya, William Dion, Pradip K Saha, Aaron R Cox, Evelyn De Groot, Avery A Ahmed, Jessica B Felix, Bokai Zhu, Stephanie A Pangas, Sean M Hartig

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

White adipose tissue (WAT) performs vital metabolic and endocrine functions, but roles in female reproduction remain understudied and poorly understood. Here, we report that female mice experiencing progressive lipoatrophy after knockout of Ubc9 in adipocytes (Ubc9fKO) displayed disrupted estrous cycles, reduced ovarian reserve, and subfertility. During aging, female Ubc9fKO mice lose subcutaneous WAT more quickly than their male counterparts and weigh less than littermate controls. Subcutaneous WAT excised from female Ubc9fKO mice strongly enriched for thermogenesis genes generally associated with metabolic benefits. Female Ubc9fKO mice exhibited hypermetabolism and accumulated thermogenic, Uncoupling Protein 1-expressing beige fat cells in residual subcutaneous WAT …

Dinaciclib Improves Treatment Response In Chemoresistant Hepatoblastoma, Brian T Hickner, Andres F Espinoza, Rohit K Srivastava, Roma H Patel, Priyanka Rao, Nicholas A O'Brien, Kalyani R Patel, Andrew A Badachhape, Abhishek Kona, Dolores H López-Terrada, Sarah E Woodfield, Sanjeev A Vasudevan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Chemoresistant hepatoblastoma (HB) is associated with poor outcomes. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are potential therapeutic targets because of their critical role in cell growth and chemoresistance. To evaluate the efficacy of CDK inhibition, HB cell lines were treated with dinaciclib and evaluated with cytotoxic, cell-death reversal, and immunoblotting assays. A HB patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model was treated with placebo, vincristine + irinotecan (VI), dinaciclib, or VI + dinaciclib to evaluate tumor growth and response to therapy. We found that dinaciclib had a marked effect on HB cell viability, induced PARP cleavage, and decreased CDK9 protein expression in vitro. Overexpression of CDK9 …

Education Research: Eeg Instruction: Findings From A Scoping Review, Andres Fernandez, Maryam Asoodar, Gregory Laynor, Alexis Peedin, Jeffrey B Ratliff, Urvashi Vaid, Swati A Karmarkar, Moushumi Sur, Vivianne Van Kranen-Mastenbroek, Dimitrios Papanagnou, Marian H J M Majoie, Dorene F Balmer, Satid Thammasitboon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and objectives: Although EEG interpretation is a key skill in neurology, EEG instruction is variable and its landscape remains underexplored. Thus, we conducted a scoping review to expand the literature by providing a structured mapping of the EEG instruction literature and a foundation for future research in EEG instruction.

Methods: We followed a structured methodological framework for scoping reviews and report the findings in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. Research questions explored theoretical frameworks, methodologies, learner populations, instructional methods, and assessment approaches. Eligibility criteria were iteratively modified to focus …

Fibroblasts Are The Primary Contributors To A Disrupted Micro-Environment In End-Stage Pediatric Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, Hanna J Tadros, Diwakar Turaga, Yi Zhao, Chang-Ru Tsai, Iki A Adachi, Xiao Li, James F Martin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a relatively rare but debilitating diagnosis in the pediatric population, and patients with end-stage HCM require heart transplantation. Here, we have examined the transcriptome in ventricular tissue from this patient group to identify cell states and underlying cellular processes unique to pediatric HCM.

Methods: We performed single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) on explanted hearts at transplant in 3 pediatric patients with end-stage HCM and compared findings to pediatric control and adult HCM.

Results: We identified distinct underlying cellular processes in cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and myeloid cells compared with controls. Pediatric HCM was enriched in cardiomyocytes …

Insights From A Survey Of School Nurses: Assessing The Challenges Of Constipation In Schools, Andrew S Chu, Eric H Chiou

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: School nurses are key responders to students with constipation, yet their experiences are underreported. This study surveyed their observations regarding constipation, identified barriers to student restroom access, and assessed educational needs.

Methods: In this descriptive, cross-sectional survey study, an anonymous online survey was distributed to school nurses participating in a virtual education series. The survey assessed nurse demographics, frequency of encounters with constipation and encopresis, school restroom policies, barriers to restroom use, accommodation requests, and training in constipation management.

Findings: Of 125 respondents, 95% encountered students with constipation at least monthly and 55% reported ≥ 6 encounters monthly. Commonly …

The Neonatal Gut Microbiome In Health And Disease, Geoffrey A Preidis

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Hes V20 Surpasses Galad For Hcc Detection: A Review Of Multi-Dimensional Biomarker Scores And Studies, Fouad Jaber, Hashem B El-Serag

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This was a narrative review of select studies published through September of 2024. We review the shift toward multi-dimensional scores such as HCC early detection screening (HES), GALAD, ASAP, and mt-HBT represents a significant advancement in biomarker research for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) detection. Unlike single biomarker approaches, these scores integrate various clinical and biochemical factors to enhance predictive accuracy by reflecting different complementary aspects of disease progression and HCC oncogenesis. Proper testing and validation of biomarker scores in phase 3 biomarker studies is essential before wide use can be recommended. We also review the comparative performance of biomarker scores in …

Soluble C5b-9 (Sc5b-9) In Pediatrics-A Clinical Assessment, Ridwan B Ibrahim, Radwa Almamoun, Sarah E Sartain, Sridevi Devaraj

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The soluble C5b-9 (sC5b-9) is a soluble form of the Terminal Complement Complex (TCC) that is released into the circulation with elevated levels, associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with complement-mediated inflammatory conditions. With the advent of eculizumab and ravulizumab, proper testing for diagnoses and therapeutic monitoring is warranted.

Methods: We evaluated both the analytical and clinical performance of the Quidel Microvue sC5b-9 Plus enzyme immunoassay. Analytical performance was evaluated with precision, linearity, interference studies, and correlation with a reference laboratory. Reference intervals were established using control donor samples [n = 26; median age 18.5 years (range …

Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis In A Pediatric Lung Transplant Recipient, Sunil Chickmagalur, Anna Schrader, Dallas Parrish, David Moreno Mcneill, Maria C Gazzaneo, Ernestina Melicoff-Portillo, Nahir Cortes-Santiago

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare complication of solid organ transplantation and is a syndrome of systemic hyperinflammation secondary to dysregulation of the inflammatory response, primarily involving lymphocytes and macrophages. It is often fatal and therefore early recognition and treatment are crucial. Among 11 adult cases of HLH in post-lung transplant cases found in the literature, only one patient survived.

Case: We report the first known pediatric case of HLH following lung transplantation. The patient, a previously healthy adolescent, developed end-stage bullous lung disease secondary to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and underwent bilateral lung transplantation. Two months posttransplant, …

Cerebellar Purkinje Cell Stripe Patterns Reveal A Differential Vulnerability And Resistance To Cell Loss During Normal Aging In Mice, Sarah G Donofrio, Cheryl Brandenburg, Amanda M Brown, Tao Lin, Hsiang-Chih Lu, Roy V Sillitoe

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Age-related neurodegenerative diseases involve reduced cell numbers and impaired behavioral capacity. Neurodegeneration and behavioral deficits also occur during aging, and notably in the absence of disease. The cerebellum, which modulates movement and cognition, is susceptible to cell loss in both aging and disease. Here, we demonstrate that cerebellar Purkinje cell loss in aged mice is not spatially random but rather occurs in a pattern of parasagittal stripes. We also find that aged mice exhibit impaired motor coordination and more severe tremor compared to younger mice. However, the relationship between patterned Purkinje cell loss and motor dysfunction is not straightforward. Examination …

Transcriptional Coregulator Zmiz1 Modulates Estrogen Responses That Are Essential For Healthy Endometrial Function, Sylvia C Hewitt, Frank Orellana, Ryan M Marquardt, Myeongjin Yi, Cynthia J Willson, Mark Y Chiang, Yong Song, Goutham Venkata Naga Davuluri, Christopher Day, Ramakrishna Kommagani, Joseph Rodriguez, Asgerally T Fazleabas, John P Lydon, Francesco J Demayo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Estrogen is a critical regulator of endometrial health. Aberrant estrogen stimulation can result in infertility, endometrial cancer, and endometriosis. Here, we identified Zinc Finger MIZ-Type Containing 1 (Zmiz1) as a coregulator of uterine estrogen signaling. ZMIZ1 is colocalized with an estrogen receptor α–binding (ESR1-binding) super enhancer. ZMIZ1 mutations are found in endometrial cancer and its RNA levels trend toward reduction in endometrium of patients with endometriosis. ZMIZ1 is dynamically expressed in human endometrial tissues during the menstrual cycle. Disrupting ZMIZ1 in cultured human endometrial stromal cells resulted in impaired cell proliferation and decidual differentiation. Ablation of Zmiz1 using …

Mucosal Melanoma: Mechanisms Of Its Etiology, Progression, Resistance And Therapy, Sofie-Yasmin Hassan, Thomas W. Flanagan, Sarah-Lilly Hassan, Sybille Facca, Youssef Haikel, Mohamed Hassan

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Mucosal melanoma (MM) is a rare, aggressive cancer whose incidence has increased continuously over the years. This subtype of melanoma arises from melanocytes on hairless surfaces, typically in the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and urogenital tract. The most common sites of occurrence include the head and neck, the anorectal region, and the vulvovaginal region, while the rare sites of MM are the urinary tract and the upper and lower GI tract, including the esophagus, duodenum and the gallbladder. MM arises in melanocytes of the ectodermal mucosa that originate from neural crest cells and migrate through embryonic mesenchyme to their …

Multimodal Cardiac Imaging Of Immune-Mediated Complications Post Heart Transplantation: A Contemporary Review, Bruno Bezerra Lima, Tam T Doan, Atilla Feher, James C Wilkinson, Marvin W Kronenberg, Chloe Carr, Malek Nayfeh, Tania Ruiz, Luke L Laws, Melissa Lou Silva, John A Wells, Leandro Slipczuk, Emily T Lippincott, John J Carr, Kaushik Amancherla, Cameron Henry, David Parra, Kelly Schlendorf, Quinn S Wells, Sean G Hughes, Jonathan Soslow

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Heart transplantation significantly enhances survival and quality of life for patients with end-stage heart failure. Despite advances in surgical and postoperative care, immune-mediated complications, acute graft rejection and cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV), remain major barriers to long-term success. Acute rejection predominantly affects early posttransplant survival, whereas CAV becomes a leading cause of mortality in later years. The gold standards for diagnosis, endomyocardial biopsy for rejection and coronary angiography for CAV, are invasive and imperfect. Noninvasive multimodality imaging is increasingly used to complement or, in selected scenarios, defer invasive testing. Echocardiography with strain detects early myocardial dysfunction when ejection fraction is …

Hemolysis Detection Using The Gem 7000 At The Point Of Care In A Pediatric Hospital Setting: Does It Affect Outcomes?, Ridwan B Ibrahim, Nazmin Bithi, Charlene Hernandez, Hanna Uhrova, Brandy D Recio, Sridevi Devaraj

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Diras3-Derived Cyclic Peptides Disrupt Kras-Raf Interaction And Kras Nanoclustering, Suppressing Kras-Driven Pancreatic And Ovarian Tumors, Joshua P Gray, Gamze Bildik, Ha-Neul Kim, Margie N Sutton, Jing Wang, Amarachi O Osuji, Nefeli Batistatou, Hailing Yang, Weiqun Mao, Zhi Tan, Geneviève M C Gasmi-Seabrook, Junchen Liu, John F Hancock, Christopher B Marshall, Joshua A Kritzer, Mitsuhiko Ikura, Robert C Bast, Steven W Millward, Zhen Lu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Mutations in KRAS drive 88% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC) and up to 40% of low-grade serous ovarian cancers (LGSOC), making KRAS a long-standing therapeutic target. We previously showed that DIRAS3 binds RAS, forming heterodimers that disrupt RAS clustering and downstream MAPK signaling. Building on this, we developed conformationally constrained DIRAS3-derived peptides using two cyclization strategies and characterized them by NMR and biolayer interferometry. These cyclic peptides attenuate the interaction between KRAS and the BRAF RAS-binding domain, penetrate cells efficiently, and inhibit KRAS nanoclustering on the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane. Functionally, they reduce cell viability and suppress PDAC …