Biotechnology Commons^™

The Pharmaceutical Industry: A Pharmacy Student's Guide, Christian Egly, Yaman Kaakeh

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Christian Egly is a fourth-year (P4) pharmacy student in the Purdue University College of Pharmacy. During his years at Purdue, he worked in labs performing bench research in clinical pharmacology and biochemistry. He plans to work in the pharmaceutical industry after graduation. During his fourth year, he completed rotations in business development at Kashiv Pharma, LLC, and was hired there for an internship in 2017. In the article, Christian describes his personal experiences at Kashiv Pharma, LLC, and how industry can positively affect patient communities.

Fractionation And Characterization Of Lignin Streams From Unique High-Lignin Content Endocarp Feedstocks, Wenqi Li, Kirtley Amos, Mi Li, Yunqiao Pu, Seth Debolt, Arthur J. Ragauskas, Jian Shi

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Background: Lignin is a promising source of building blocks for upgrading to valuable aromatic chemicals and materials. Endocarp biomass represents a non-edible crop residue in an existing agricultural setting which cannot be used as animal feed nor soil amendment. With significantly higher lignin content and bulk energy density, endo-carps have significant advantages to be converted into both biofuel and bioproducts as compared to other biomass resources. Deep eutectic solvent (DES) is highly effective in fractionating lignin from a variety of biomass feedstocks with high yield and purity while at lower cost comparing to certain ionic liquids.

Results: In the present …

Combining Mass Spectrometry And Nmr Improves Metabolite Detection And Annotation, Fatema Bhinderwala, Nishikant Wase, Concetta Dirusso, Robert Powers

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Despite inherent complementarity, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS) are routinely separately employed to characterize metabolomics samples. More troubling is the erroneous view that metabolomics is better served by exclusively utilizing MS. Instead, we demonstrate the importance of combining NMR and MS for metabolomics by using small chemical compound-treatments of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as an illustrative example. A total of 102 metabolites were detected (82 by GC-MS, 20 by NMR and 22 by both techniques). Out of these 47 metabolites of interest were identified, where 14 metabolites were uniquely identified by NMR and 16 metabolites were uniquely identified …

In Vivo Assessment Of Safranal’S Novel Therapeutic Effects On Chemically Induced Hepatic Neoplasia, Ameera Ali M. Almansoori

Biology Theses

Chronic liver insult leads to fibrosis, which often ends up causing cirrhosis and most of the time that progresses into hepatic neoplasms (early Hepatocellular carcinoma; HCC). HCC is the fifth most common cancer, and the third cause of cancerrelated deaths. Chemotherapy is the most common treatment of cancer patients. HCC is however, chemo-resistant, and the side-effects of chemotherapy are typically exhausting to the patient. Sorafenib is the only anti-HCC drug approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration. It is a multikinase inhibitor that blocks tumor cells proliferation and angiogenesis. Although sorafenib is successful treating early and mid HCC lesions, …

Transcriptional Profiling Identifies Potential Genes Associated With Multiple Biotic Stresses In Arabidopsis, Hibatullah Mustafa Al Ashram

Biology Theses

Plants are exposed to many environmental stresses that affect their growth and development. These stresses include biotic stresses (organisms) and abiotic stresses (drought and salinity). Plants respond to these stresses by transcriptional reprogramming and different signaling pathways. Arabidopsis thaliana had shown great sensitivity to the biotic stress: Botrytis cinerea, Alternaria brassicicola, Pseudomonas syringae and the herbivore insect Pieris rapae. The overall goal is to identify common regulated genes that respond to all these biotic stresses to ultimately improve plant stress tolerance in Arabidopsis. The specific aims are to: (1) determine the regulated genes in response to an …

Identification Of Pathogens Associated With Mango Dieback Disease On Mango In The United Arab Emirates, Fatima Ali Hassan Kamil

Biology Theses

Dieback caused by the fungus Lasiodiplodia theobromae is an important disease on mango plantations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In this study, 53 actinobacterial isolates were obtained from mango rhizosphere soil in the UAE, of which 35 (66%) were classified as streptomycetes (SA) and 18 (34%) as non-streptomycetes (NSA). Among these isolates, 19 (12 SA and 7 NSA) showed antagonistic activities against L. theobromae associated with either the production of diffusible antifungal metabolites, extracellular cell-wall-degrading enzymes (CWDEs), or both. Using a “novel” mango fruit bioassay, all isolates were screened in vivo for their abilities to reduce lesion severity on …

Mouse Genome-Wide Association Studies And Systems Genetics Uncover The Genetic Architecture Associated With Hepatic Pharmacokinetic And Pharmacodynamic Properties Of A Constrained Ethyl Antisense Oligonucleotide Targeting Malat1, Elaine Pirie, Shayoni Ray, Calvin Pan, Wuxia Fu, Andrew F. Powers, Danielle Polikoff, Colton M. Miller, Katrina M. Kudrna, Edward N. Harris, Aldons J. Lusis, Rosanne M. Crooke, Richard G. Lee

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) have demonstrated variation of efficacy in patient populations. This has prompted our investigation into the contribution of genetic architecture to ASO pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD). Genome wide association (GWA) and transcriptomic analysis in a hybrid mouse diversity panel (HMDP) were used to identify and validate novel genes involved in the uptake and efficacy of a single dose of a Malat1 constrained ethyl (cEt) modified ASO. The GWA of the HMDP identified two significant associations on chromosomes 4 and 10 with hepatic Malat1 ASO concentrations. Stabilin 2 (Stab2) and vesicle associated membrane protein 3 ( …

A Review On Bioconversion Of Agro-Industrial Wastes To Industrially Important Enzymes, Rajeev Ravindran, Shady S. Hassan, Gwilym A. Williams, Amit K, Jaiswal

Articles

Agro-industrial waste is highly nutritious in nature and facilitates microbial growth. Most agricultural wastes are lignocellulosic in nature; a large fraction of it is composed of carbohydrates. Agricultural residues can thus be used for the production of various value-added products, such as industrially important enzymes. Agro-industrial wastes, such as sugar cane bagasse, corn cob and rice bran, have been widely investigated via different fermentation strategies for the production of enzymes. Solid-state fermentation holds much potential compared with submerged fermentation methods for the utilization of agro-based wastes for enzyme production. This is because the physical–chemical nature of many lignocellulosic substrates naturally …

Effect Of Heat Stress On Bovine Follicular Development And Epigenetic Changes, Fabian Andres Diaz

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Climate is one of the most important limiting factors in animal production. Cattle under the effect of heat stress have reduced fertility. Negative effects during gamete maturation and embryo development have been observed at the morphological, biochemical, transcriptional and developmental levels. Epigenetic mechanisms play a fundamental role in the regulation of gamete and embryo development. Several genes activated during gamete maturation and early embryo development are controlled by epigenetic mechanisms. There are no studies evaluating the effect of heat-stress on the epigenetic profile of bovine oocytes and embryos. Similarly, there is no information on the effect of heat stress on …

Adapting Cell-Free Protein Synthesis As A Platform Technology For Education, Grace W. Chu, Max Z. Levine, Nicole E. Gregorio, Javin P. Oza

STAR Program Research Presentations

Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) has emerged as an enabling biotechnology for research and biomanufacturing as it allows for the production of protein without the need for a living cell. Applications of CFPS include the construction of libraries for functional genomics and structural biology, the production of personalized medicine, and the expression of virus-like particles. The absence of a cell wall provides an open platform for direct manipulation of the reaction conditions and biological machinery. This project focuses on adapting the CFPS biotechnology to the classroom, making a hands-on bioengineering approach to learning protein synthesis accessible to students grades K-16 through …

Theobromine And Related Methylxanthines As Inhibitors Of Primary Amine Oxidase, Padraig Shanahan, Jeffrey O’Sullivan, Keith Tipton, Gemma Kinsella, Barry Ryan, Gary Henehan

Articles

Methylxanthines are the most widely consumed drugs in the world and evidence of their health benefits has been growing in recent years. Primary Amine Oxidase (PrAO) has been recognised as a therapeutic target for amelioration of inflammatory, vascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Previous work in our laboratories showed that caffeine inhibited Bovine PrAO with a Ki of 1.0mM using benzylamine as substrate.

This study aimed to extend our previous work and explore the possibility that related methylxanthines might influence PrAO activity. While paraxanthine, theophylline and 7-methylxanthine had little effect on PrAO, theobromine was a noncompetitive inhibitor with a Ki of 276±44µM. …

Consistent And Reproducible Cultures Of Large-Scale 3d Mammary Epithelial Structures Using An Accessible Bioprinting Platform, John A. Reid, Peter M. Mollica, Robert D. Bruno, Patrick C. Sachs

School of Medical Diagnostics & Translational Sciences Publications

Background: Standard three-dimensional (3D) in vitro culture techniques, such as those used for mammary epithelial cells, rely on random distribution of cells within hydrogels. Although these systems offer advantages over traditional 2D models, limitations persist owing to the lack of control over cellular placement within the hydrogel. This results in experimental inconsistencies and random organoid morphology. Robust, high-throughput experimentation requires greater standardization of 3D epithelial culture techniques.

Methods: Here, we detail the use of a 3D bioprinting platform as an investigative tool to control the 3D formation of organoids through the "self-assembly" of human mammary epithelial cells. Experimental bioprinting procedures …

Nanoparticles As Multimodal Photon Transducers Of Ionizing Radiation, Edwin C. Pratt, Travis M. Shaffer, Qize Zhang, Charles Michael Drain, Jan Grimm

Publications and Research

In biomedical imaging, nanoparticles combined with radionuclides that generate Cerenkov luminescence are used in diagnostic imaging, photon-induced therapies, and as activatable probes. In these applications, the nanoparticle is often viewed as a carrier inert to ionizing radiation from the radionuclide. However, certain phenomena such as enhanced nanoparticle luminescence and generation of reactive oxygen species cannot be explained by only Cerenkov luminescence interactions with nanoparticles. Herein, we report methods to examine the mechanisms of nanoparticle excitation by radionuclides, including interactions with Cerenkov luminescence, β particles, and γ radiation. We demonstrate that β scintillation contributes appreciably to excitation and reactivity in certain …

Marine Macroalgae: Prospective Hitchhikers Of Ship Ballast, Imchen Temjensangba

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Invasive alien species, on successful establishment, can displace native species. The threat of invasive species arises in view of their ability to outcompete and destabilize native biodiversity. Invasive species are found across all taxonomic groups of plants, animals and microorganisms. The green macroalga Ulva flexuosa has a potential to become invasive and this species was investigated for its hitchhiking potential under laboratory conditions. Zoospores of U. flexuosa were maintained at 4°C for nearly 10 months in the dark. Recruitment potential of zoospores after dark stress was tested in a modified Provasoli medium under optimal laboratoryconditions. The success rate of zoospore …

Composition Of Ballast Water From Ships Arriving At Kertih Port, Malaysia With Observations On Port And Offshore Waters, And Notes On Settlement Patterns Of Fouling Organisms, Hing Lee Siang, Bhubalan Kesaven, Tan Peck Ying, Husain Rohaida Mat

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

We investigated plankton composition and water quality of ballast water from seven international ships docked at Kertih Port, Malaysia. Coscinodiscophyceae and cyanobacteria were the dominant phytoplankton found in ballast water samples, whereas copepod nauplii, Oithona sp., Microstella sp. and Paracalanus sp. were the dominant zooplankton. The densities for both phytoplankton and zooplankton in ships’ ballast and port waters were higher than those of offshore samples. All water quality parameters (except Cr) of port samples were within the safety levels prescribed for ports, oil and gas fields (Class 3) by the Malaysia Marine Water Quality Criteria Standard. The study of fouling …

Ballast Water Control And Management In Brunei Darussalam, Jolkifli Hjh Zuliza Hj, Wahab Ranimah H.A

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The ongoing transfer of non-indigenous organisms through shipping, especially via ballast water transport, is placing marine and coastal resources under increased threat. The transport of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) is a critical issue which may cause irreversible consequences to receiving environments and economies needing particular attention. The main objective of this paper is to highlight the importance for implementation of ballast water management measures in Brunei Darussalam. This paper recognised IAS intrusion via ballast water has high probability to have direct effects on the economic value of fisheries sector, thus the need for an effective ballast water management strategy. Management …

Biofouling Community Structure In A Tropical Estuary Of Goa On The West Coast Of India, Desai Dattesh V, Krishnamurthy Venkat, Anil Arga Chandrashekar

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Biofouling community structure was studied in a tropical monsoon-influenced Mandovi estuary in Goa, west coast of India. Monthly, seasonal and yearly observations on biofouling on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) panels immersed at subsurface water level were recorded and photographed from May 2012 to September 2013. The barnacle Balanus amphitrite was the dominant fouling organism followed by calcareous polychaetes. The settlement and recruitment of barnacles took place year-round, with the exception of July 2012 and June 2013 (monsoon months). However, their peak abundance was observed during the later months of monsoon (August and September). Polychaetes were dominant during late post-monsoon and pre-monsoon …

Ballast Water Risk Assessment: The Indian Experience, Krishnamrthy Venkat, Sawant Subhash, Chandrashekar Anil Arga

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The Ballast Water Risk Assessment serves as a “Decision Support System” for any given port to take appropriate ballast water management actions. Risk assessment involves collation of data from the ballast water reporting forms to identify the source of ballast water. The environmental characteristics of the source and recipient ports are utilized to evaluate the similarities. This is then combined with other risk factors, including voyage duration and risk species to gain a preliminary indication of the overall risk posed by each source port. The results will help in evaluating the risk posed by ballast water introductions, and decide whether …

Role Of Reporting In Compliance Monitoring And Enforcement Of Ballast Water Management, Mapari Kaushal E., Krishnamurty Venkat, Anil Arga Chandrashekar

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The Decision Support System (DSS) for ballast water management in any given port is dependent on the availability of information on ballast water carried by a ship in advance. Collation of information through Ballast Water Reporting Forms (BWRF) has been adopted by several countries. This paper provides a comparison of the reporting forms adopted by some of the countries and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) recommended BWRF. The manually submitted reporting forms have several limitations and India has developed a self-validating Electronic Ballast Water Reporting Form (e-BWRF) to overcome such issues. In addition, the possible direction for reporting in the …

Numerical Modelling Of Ballast Water Dispersion In Different Bioregions Along The Coast Of India, Babu M.T., Sudheesh K, Vethamony P, Anuvindha S

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Aquatic organisms and pathogens may become major threats to the coastal and marine environment when introduced into a region beyond their natural distributions through ballast water (BW). Coastal currents induced by tides and winds, especially ebb currents, may facilitate the spread of these marine organisms along nearshore and inshore areas. Numerical modelling of hydrodynamics is an effective tool to track the dispersion of these organisms in the receiving water body through BW release. Particle transport models can be used to track the advection and dispersion of these organisms. Alternatively, the difference in salinity of the BW and coastal waters can …