Drug Repurposing Against Giardia Targeting Lipid Rafts, Extracellular Vesicles, And Sphingolipid Synthesis,
2026
University of Texas at El Paso
Drug Repurposing Against Giardia Targeting Lipid Rafts, Extracellular Vesicles, And Sphingolipid Synthesis, Breanna Chantal Pence
Open Access Theses & Dissertations
Giardia lamblia is a protozoan parasite responsible for the intestinal disease giardiasis worldwide. Giardia is one of the major intestinal parasites in the world, with over 500,000 new cases annually. Symptoms of giardiasis include diarrhea, abdominal pain, and nausea. Children are particularly vulnerable to giardiasis, with cases of malnutrition, stunted growth, and cognitive impairment in countries where the disease is endemic. Giardia consists of two morphologic forms: an infective cyst which transmits the disease and a motile trophozoite which attaches to the epithelium of the small intestine during infection. Metronidazole is a common treatment for giardiasis, but cases of toxicity …
Comparative Biomechanics: Blattodea Antennal Morphology And Physiology,
2026
Clemson University
Comparative Biomechanics: Blattodea Antennal Morphology And Physiology, Lucas W. Marsh
All Theses
Equipped with muscle-free antennae, many insects can twist and bend their antennae on demand. We hypothesized that hemolymph circulating through the antennae provides pressure that facilitates twisting and bending and provides a feedback control channel for tactile sensing in insects. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a thorough morphological and physiological analysis of antennae in three Clades of Blattodea. We studied morphology by evaluating the distinguishable features of the body and antenna, as well as the internal structure of the antennal lumen. Then, in a series of experiments on live cockroaches, we measured blood pressure along the antenna. This was …
Understanding The Role Of Toxs As A Bile Sensing Component Of The Toxrs Virulence Regulatory System In Vibrio Spp.,
2026
Dartmouth College
Understanding The Role Of Toxs As A Bile Sensing Component Of The Toxrs Virulence Regulatory System In Vibrio Spp., Minje Kim
Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations
Pathogenic Vibrio bacteria, such as V. cholerae and V. parahaemolyticus, colonize in the human small intestine to cause severe gastrointestinal disease. During the infection, these bacteria encounter bile salts, antimicrobial cholesterol metabolites secreted into the intestine. Pathogenic Vibrio species have evolved to utilize bile salts as signals to regulate virulence. The signaling depends in part on ToxRS, a conserved co-component transmembrane transcription regulator. ToxRS consists of the transcription factor ToxR and its membrane-tethered binding partner ToxS. ToxS is required for ToxR stability and full transcriptional activity. Although bile salts are known to influence ToxRS-dependent virulence gene expression, the molecular …
Mechanisms Of Bacterial Glucokinase Inactivation Through Site-Specific Lysine Modification And Chemical Inhibition,
2026
University of Arkansas-Fayetteville
Mechanisms Of Bacterial Glucokinase Inactivation Through Site-Specific Lysine Modification And Chemical Inhibition, Joseph Robert Will Andrews
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Glycolysis and related metabolic pathways are controlled by various post-translational modifications (PTMs) that affect enzyme activity and metabolic flow. In E. coli, glucokinase (GLK) sits at the crossroads of glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway and carries out the first committed step of glycolysis: ATP-dependent phosphorylation of glucose. While it's known that glucose binding causes GLK to close its domains, how phosphate binding, lysine modification, and small-molecule inhibitors regulate GLK's shape and function is still not fully understood. Here, I combine structural biochemistry and enzymology to figure out how phosphate binding, specific mutations, and chemical inhibitors affect E. coli GLK. …
Characterization Of Snrk1 Signaling In Rice Growth, Reproduction, And Stress Responses Using Phenotypic And Omics Analysis,
2026
University of Arkansas-Fayetteville
Characterization Of Snrk1 Signaling In Rice Growth, Reproduction, And Stress Responses Using Phenotypic And Omics Analysis, Maria Clara Faria-Bates
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
SnRK1 is an evolutionarily conserved protein kinase belonging to the SNF1/AMPK family that is composed of a catalytic subunit (α) and two regulatory subunits (β and βγ), and it has a major role in adjusting growth in response to the energy status. SnRK1 phosphorylates and alters the activities of enzymes involved in metabolism and regulates gene expression by altering the activity of chromatin-remodeling enzymes or transcription factors. Rice contains three functional paralogs of SnRK1α: OsSnRK1αA (Os05g0530500), OsSnRK1αB (Os8g0484600), and OsSnRK1αC (Os03g0289100). Although SnRK1 is known to play a central role in plant growth and stress responses, the functional specialization of …
Design And Optimization Of Peptide Inhibitors Targeting Kinesin: Molecular Modeling Studies And Virtual Screening For Therapeutic Candidate Development,
2026
University of Texas at El Paso
Design And Optimization Of Peptide Inhibitors Targeting Kinesin: Molecular Modeling Studies And Virtual Screening For Therapeutic Candidate Development, Maraf Mbah Bake
Open Access Theses & Dissertations
Kinesins are ATP-driven molecular motors essential for intracellular transport and mitotic spindle assembly, and their mechanochemical behavior has been extensively characterized through computational tools. The first project reviews decades of advances in molecular dynamic simulations, including all-atom and coarse-grained molecular dynamics, Markov state models, Brownian dynamics, and free-energy approaches, which have collectively deepened our understanding of conformational transitions, microtubule-binding interfaces, and ligand interactions, especially for the mitotic motor Eg5. The second review examines the rapid emergence of quantum computing as a transformative technology for drug discovery, highlighting key historical milestones, recent progress in hybrid quantum-classical algorithms, quantum-enhanced docking, and quantum …
Nonenzymatic Glycation Of Human Serum Albumin Affects Its Structure, Properties, And Binding Interactions With Silver Nanoparticles,
2026
College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University
Nonenzymatic Glycation Of Human Serum Albumin Affects Its Structure, Properties, And Binding Interactions With Silver Nanoparticles, Monica Fairchild, Megan Kirk, Collin Kray
Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)
Most nanoparticles (1-100 nm), upon contact with proteins, form a “protein corona” which can alter the structure and function of proteins. Human serum albumin (HSA) is the most abundant protein in blood plasma and acts as a major transport protein for numerous endogenous and exogenous compounds. In healthy individuals, 1-10% HSA is found in a glycated state, but significantly higher levels of glycated HSA (30% or more) are found in Diabetic individuals. This project investigates the effects of glycation on the structure, enzymatic activity, and antioxidant capacity of HSA and its binding interactions with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using a variety …
Mechanistic Insights Into Enterolactone-Mediated Glut4-Dependent Glucose Uptake,
2026
Liberty University
Mechanistic Insights Into Enterolactone-Mediated Glut4-Dependent Glucose Uptake, Merritt Smith
Senior Honors Theses
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States, with approximately 25% of healthcare expenditures directed toward its management and associated metabolic complications. In response to the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies, recent research has focused on bioactive compounds derived from dietary sources. In light of that, we identified the plant lignan matairesinol (MA) and its gut-derived metabolite, enterolactone (ENL), as agents capable of enhancing glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 differentiated adipocytes. These results suggest that enterolactone may represent a promising dietary supplement for improving glycemic control in patients with …
Beyond The Brain: Environmental Forces Driving Α-Synuclein Misfolding And Toxic Aggregation In Parkinson's Disease,
2026
College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University
Beyond The Brain: Environmental Forces Driving Α-Synuclein Misfolding And Toxic Aggregation In Parkinson's Disease, Emily Mccarthy
Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)
Parkinson's disease (PD) is an advanced neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and the proliferation of protein aggregates within the brain. This capstone thesis investigates the unique biochemical environment of the gastrointestinal tract and whether it contributes to the formation of distinctive α-Synuclein (αSyn) aggregates affecting PD. Key promoters of αSyn aggregation include genetic mutations, oxidative stress, post-translational modifications, interactions with metal ions, and dopamine (DA) oxidation. These factors result in diverse structures such as oligomers, protofibrils, and fibrils, which result in unique functional outcomes, with oligomeric conformations leading to the highest level of neuronal toxicity. Evidence …
Cleft Palate And The Coordination Of Wnt Signaling And Pax9 In Murine Palatogenesis,
2026
Harding University
Cleft Palate And The Coordination Of Wnt Signaling And Pax9 In Murine Palatogenesis, Landon Wyatt
Honors Theses
Cleft palate is a common craniofacial birth defect that arises when the molecular and morphogenetic events guiding secondary palate formation lose coordination during a narrow developmental window. In mice, successful palatogenesis requires the paired palatal shelves to grow vertically, elevate above the tongue, and fuse at the midline; disruption of any of these steps can result in clefting. Two important regulators of this process are canonical Wnt signaling and the transcription factor Pax9, both of which contribute to normal palatal mesenchymal growth and patterning during early development. This paper first examines whether altered Dkk1/Wnt signaling contributes to the Pax9-null palate …
Elucidating The Role Of The Gastrointestinal Microbiome And Diet In Dopamine Release In Relation To Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.,
2026
College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University
Elucidating The Role Of The Gastrointestinal Microbiome And Diet In Dopamine Release In Relation To Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder., Meaghan Mcdonald
Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)
Currently affecting 340-580 million people worldwide, ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects how the brain controls attention, behaviour and impulses often beginning in childhood and continuing into adulthood. ADHD is known to be associated with monoamine neurotransmitters including dopamine. This work aims to uncover the ways in which metabolism of monoamine precursors in the gastrointestinal microbiome influences dopamine release in the brain. Previous studies have indicated that children with ADHD display distinct gut bacteria profiles with unique microbiota species that result in the disruption of monoamine precursor pathways of phenylalanine and tyrosine metabolism. Emphasis on our western diet and …
The Impact Of Hybrid Insulin Peptides On The Two-Phase Decline Of C-Peptide In Type 1 Diabetes,
2026
College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University
The Impact Of Hybrid Insulin Peptides On The Two-Phase Decline Of C-Peptide In Type 1 Diabetes, Ashley Mehl
Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)
This research aims to determine how the formation of hybrid insulin peptides (HIPs) contributes to the two-phase decline of C-peptide production in type 1 diabetes (T1D). C-peptide is used to determine the level of insulin production within human pancreatic beta-cells because it is secreted in equimolar amounts with mature insulin peptide. The two-phase decline is characterized by an initial rapid and exponential loss of beta-cell function, followed by a prolonged plateau phase of residual insulin secretion. During this plateau phase, residual beta-cells continue to generate HIPs through both enzymatic transpeptidation and spontaneous formation via anhydride intermediates. These processes are problematic …
Mapping Mgmt Methylation Sites That May Predict Chemotherapy Success In Glioblastoma,
2026
College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University
Mapping Mgmt Methylation Sites That May Predict Chemotherapy Success In Glioblastoma, Kennedy Bueno
Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)
Glioblastoma is the most common malignant primary brain tumor in adults, with a median survival of 15 months post-diagnosis. Resistance to standard temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy is common and is strongly influenced by O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), a DNA repair enzyme that reverses TMZ induced DNA damage. Reduced MGMT expression is associated with greater TMZ sensitivity and improved survival. Although MGMT promoter cytosine-phosphate-guanine dinucleotide (CpG) methylation is linked to treatment response, the individual CpG sites responsible for MGMT silencing remain unclear. This research aims to identify which sites are necessary to suppress MGMT expression and increase TMZ sensitivity. This project will map …
Creating A Unique Hemoglobin-Based Oxygen Carrier,
2026
College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University
Creating A Unique Hemoglobin-Based Oxygen Carrier, Clayton Fuller
Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)
The purpose of this thesis is to explain the current state of alternative oxygen carriers and propose a new hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier (HBOC) as a blood substitute/ blood therapeutic. Blood donation has drawbacks: risk of spread of infection, short storage time, and blood typing, and the current shortage. There are several possible modifications for hemoglobin to create a carrier (HBOC) which address specific issues related to allowing free hemoglobin to exist extra cellularly. One issue to address is vasoconstriction caused by nitric oxide scavenging, which has been solved by increasing the molecular weight of the HBOC via (co)polymerization, or by …
Analysis Of Bacterial Virulence And Resistance In A Model Of Recurrent Uti,
2026
Binghamton University--SUNY
Analysis Of Bacterial Virulence And Resistance In A Model Of Recurrent Uti, Rachel L. Proper
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a major women’s health issue, affecting approximately 40% of women during their lifetime. Formation of a biofilm by UTI-causing bacteria poses a major challenge in treatment, as the protection provided by the biofilm hinders both host defenses and antibiotic treatment. Failure to eradicate these infections causes them to become recurrent (rUTI). Previous research indicates that rUTI may be comorbid with a mutation in the SERPINE1 gene, which causes fibrin to accumulate within the body. Literature also indicates that fibrin provides a better scaffold for bacterial attachment and, subsequently, biofilm formation. In this work it was …
Spin-Label Probing Of Gp28 Elucidates Interactions With Lipid Vesicles Using Cw-Epr,
2026
Ohio Northern University
Spin-Label Probing Of Gp28 Elucidates Interactions With Lipid Vesicles Using Cw-Epr, Maxwell Sutherland, Binaya Baral, Gary Lorigan
ONU Student Research Colloquium
The phage protein gp28 is a bacterial membrane lysis protein that functions outside of currently understood canonical pathways for bacterial lysis. Primarily, lysis is done in conjunction with proteins called spanins, however about 15% of gram negative bacteria infecting phages have coding for spanins. This led to the discovery of the disruptins, a class of non-spanin outer membrane disrupting proteins which includes gp28 from the φKT phage. To understand the mechanism in which gp28 disrupts the outer membrane, we employ spin labeling of the protein in its synthesis and create samples of artificial membranes. Using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), we …
Role Of Rpm-1 In A C. Elegans Apoe4 Alzheimer’S Disease Model,
2026
Florida Institute of Technology
Role Of Rpm-1 In A C. Elegans Apoe4 Alzheimer’S Disease Model, Lucille Mcdonald
Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Student Publications
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is characterized by the aggregation of β-amyloid plaques. The ε4 allele of APOE (APOE4) is linked to increased plaque formation in AD. Therefore, identifying genetic modifiers of APOE4 could present novel drug targets for AD treatment.
Assessing Developmental Neurotoxicity Due To Pyrethroid Insecticide Exposure In C. Elegans,
2026
Florida Institute of Technology
Assessing Developmental Neurotoxicity Due To Pyrethroid Insecticide Exposure In C. Elegans, Katharine Boyd, Timothy A. Crombie
Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Student Publications
Pyrethroids are a type of insecticide widely used in agriculture and public health programs. These insecticides disrupt neuronal signaling in target insects through voltage-gated sodium channels and have been linked to cardiovascular and neurological disease in humans.The nervous system of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is fully mapped, and specific behavioral circuits can be tested, making it a powerful model for studying neurotoxicity. Because the primary target of pyrethroids is not conserved in C. elegans, secondary mechanisms of pyrethroid neurotoxicity can be identified by testing whether specific behavioral circuits are affected.
The Pam-1 Aminopeptidase Does Not Protect Against Ptl-1 Mediated Neurodegeneration In C. Elegans.,
2026
Murray State University
The Pam-1 Aminopeptidase Does Not Protect Against Ptl-1 Mediated Neurodegeneration In C. Elegans., Ethan E. Schuff
Honors College Theses
Debilitating neurodegenerative conditions are increasingly prevalent in our aging population, yet treatment options remain limited. Though neurodegenerative diseases vary in pathophysiology and clinical manifestations, these diseases are related to one another in that many involve misfolded proteins. Tau is a member of the microtubule-stabilizing MAPT/MAP2/MAP4 family, and misfolded tau proteins form the neurotoxic aggregates called neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Designing a study to elucidate the neurotoxic role of tau is difficult because other MAPs may have compensatory mechanisms which confound study data. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) …
Phenotype Variations Among Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii Under Quorum-Sensing Conditions,
2026
Florida Institute of Technology
Phenotype Variations Among Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii Under Quorum-Sensing Conditions, Marcel Pedrosa
Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Student Publications
Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell-to-cell communication system that allows unicellular microorganisms like the eukaryote C. reinhardtii to regulate phenotypic switching as a function of cell density due to the accumulation of signaling molecules. The goal of this study is to evaluate whether QS in C. reinhardtii is regulated by nutrient availability. We propose that in a nutrient-limited environment (low nitrogen TAP (N-TAP)), cells of C. reinhardtii (cc124) would adjust their motility-driven dispersion of cells and upregulate chlorophyll and carotenoid production per cell.
