Immunology and Infectious Disease Commons^™

Effects Of Kiwifruit Extract On Apoptosis And Cytokine Production In Inflamed Thp-1-Derived Macrophages, Adrian Cruz, Isbella Brigman

Posters - 2026

White blood cells are essential components of the immune system involved in helping defend the body against infections. Macrophages are a type of white blood cell that play a major role in stimulating and regulating the inflammatory response. Inflammation is a natural response of the immune system to infection, injury, or harmful stimuli. Scientific research commonly studies inflammation by exposing immune cells to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Macrophages stimulated with LPS undergo changes in cell processes such as apoptosis which is programmed cell death. Apoptosis is crucial for the immune system that helps eliminate infected or damaged cells to prevent the spread …

The Effects Of Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Cards Toxin On M2 Macrophage Polarization And Formation, Ria Modi

Posters - 2026

Macrophages are key cells of the innate immune system, playing essential roles in host defense, tissue homeostasis, and inflammation. Depending on stimuli, macrophages can polarize into distinct functional phenotypes, characterized as classically activated (M1) or alternatively activated (M2) macrophages. M2 macrophages are associated specifically with anti-inflammatory responses, tissue repair, and immune regulation. They contribute to wound healing and can regulate host responses during infection. Community-acquired respiratory distress syndrome (CARDS) toxin, a key virulence factor of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, plays a role in altering host immune responses, but its impact on M2 macrophage function and polarization remains unclear.

Impact Of Ashwagandha Treatment On Cytokine Production And Macrophage Differentiation Into Thp-1 Cells, Betsi Diaz Chavarin, Aditi Kumar

Posters - 2026

Inflammation is a critical biological response that enables the immune system to react to infections, injuries, or stressful situations. However, chronic or excessive inflammation can lead to tissue damage and contribute to a wide range of diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic syndromes, and immune dysregulation. 3,4 Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) is a key pro-inflammatory cytokine that plays a central role in initiating and amplifying the immune response. 1,2 It is primarily produced by activated monocytes and macrophages in response to stimuli such as pathogens or stress signals. In addition, IL-1β acts on the hypothalamus to induce fever, which creates an environment …

Increased Backbone Rigidity Of Artificial Transcription Factors, Jasmine Glover, Emma Otey, Joanna K. Kwao, Nicholas Truex

Senior Theses

Programming DNA-binding proteins is an effective strategy for developing therapeutics that regulate gene expression. These proteins can directly bind to DNA to activate or repress transcription of specific genes. Zinc finger proteins are a class of DNA-binding proteins commonly found in eukaryotic organisms. Their DNA-binding function is derived from unique amino acid sequences within each domain that recognizes specific nucleotides, allowing each finger to selectively recognize three DNA base pairs. Adjoining of multiple domains in tandem allows recognition of a specific DNA sequence. Artificial transcription factors can be made of multiple zinc finger domains arranged in tandem and engineered to …

Analyzing The Effect Of Melatonin On B Cells' Expression Of Cd36, Caitlyn Pinaga, Gabriella Galdeano, Nayi Gonzalez, Emma Welsch

Posters - 2026

• B cells specifically target pathogens and proliferate to make a plasma cell and secrete antibodies when stimulated. They use glucose as a main energy source but can also use fatty acids. • CD36 is a glycoprotein involved in the transportation and metabolism of fatty acids. • B cells express CD36 in unusually high levels in autoimmune patients. It is unknown as to how this occurs. • Melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland, commonly known for its function in regulating the circadian rhythm. • Melatonin is also known as a master cell regulator and is believed to …

"I Need Help!": Can Ashwagandha Reduce Inflammation-Driven Oxidative Stress Without Inducing Cytotoxicity In Macrophages?, Caitlyn Pinaga

Posters - 2026

Ashwagandha has been shown to reduce inflammation in humans by lowering pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress markers, helping regulate immune responses. It is commonly used to support conditions linked to chronic inflammation, such as stress-related disorders, arthritis, and metabolic imbalance. THP-1 macrophages are a part of the body's immune response to inflammation. While they produce a lot of different responses to inflammation, one of them is the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is established to be a powerful antioxidant and is used as a positive control. My study aims to understand how ashwagandha, a popular supplement, affects …

Role Of Listeria Adhesion Protein In Monocyte-Associated And Extracellular Translocation Of Listeria Monocytogenes Across The In Vitro Placental Barrier Co-Culture Model, Ayesha Atique

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Listeria monocytogenes is a facultative intracellular foodborne pathogen capable of crossing the placental barrier, leading to miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal sepsis, and has a fetal/neonatal fatality rate of ~20–30%. Although the importance of canonical virulence factors such as Internalin A (InlA) and Internalin B (InlB) in L. monocytogenes crossing of the placental barrier has been demonstrated, clinical strains lacking functional canonical internalins have been reported to cause severe neonatal disease, suggesting additional mechanisms of placental translocation.

To investigate these virulence mechanisms, we adapted a physiologically relevant co-culture human placental barrier Transwell model composed of BeWo trophoblasts and primary human placental …

Mitochondria Dynamics In Microglia During Health, Inflammation, And Aging, Alicia Nicole Pietramale

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Microglia continually surveil the brain, allowing for rapid detection of tissue damage or infection. Microglial metabolism is linked to tissue homeostasis, yet how mitochondria are subcellularly partitioned in microglia and dynamically reorganize during surveillance, injury responses, and phagocytic engulfment in the intact brain has remained unclear. In this dissertation, I combine intravital imaging, ultrastructural analyses, and metabolic and cytoskeletal markers to investigate how mitochondrial organization relates to microglial function across health, inflammation, and aging.

I first show that microglial processes diverge in their mitochondrial content, with some containing multiple mitochondria while others are completely void. This heterogeneous partitioning is conserved …

Analyzing Antibody Immune Response In Α1,3galt-Ko Mice After Intranasal Vaccination Of Α-Gal Virus-Like Particle, Faith Brown

Honors Theses

In this study, we evaluated the immunogenicity of intranasal immunization with α-Gal-conjugated virus-like particles (VLPs) in an α1,3-galactosyltransferase-knockout (α1,3GalT-KO) mouse model that mimics the human immune response to the α-Gal epitope. The carbohydrate epitope galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-Gal) is expressed on the cell surface of several pathogens, including Leishmania species. This molecule is absent in humans and has emerged as a promising immunogenic vaccine target. α1,3GalT-KO mice were intranasally immunized with 10 μg either Qβ-α-Gal or Qβ per nostril and boosted twice prior to sample collection. Blood and lung lavage samples were used to evaluate the antibody response. The Qβ-α-Gal group developed …

Optimal Control Strategies For Infectious Diseases: A Numerical Simulation Approach, M. Abu Salek, Jannatun Nayeem, Romana Yesmin, M. Haider Ali Biswas, M. Humayun Kabir

Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Simulation with Applications

Various infectious diseases, such as Tuberculosis and Hepatitis B virus (HBV), caused by Mycobacterium bacteria and hepatitis B virus, respectively, pose serious threats worldwide. This paper examines the spread of these diseases using a mathematical model that incorporates control measures, including vaccination and awareness programs. We use a system of differential equations with control variables and apply Pontryagin's principle to determine optimal control strategies. The stability of the Disease Free Equilibrium (DFE) has been analysed and demonstrated to be both locally and globally asymptotically stable when the basic reproduction number remains below unity, thereby ensuring disease elimination. Furthermore, the Endemic …

Effects Of Alk2 Deficiency On T Cell Fate And Regulatory T Cell Populations, Jalyn Reeves, Afia Salsabil Alam

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are central to immune tolerance, and their lineage stability is established during thymic development and maintained in the periphery through tightly regulated signaling networks. Members of the BMP receptor family have been implicated in T-cell differentiation, yet the specific role of the type I receptor ALK2 in shaping cell fate and sustaining the regulatory program remains unclear. To examine how ALK2 contributes to T-cell development, we generated ALK2-knockout murine chimeras and analyzed lymphoid populations from the thymus, spleen, and peripheral tissues. Thymocytes and lymphocytes were isolated and stained with antibody panels to identify developmental subsets and …

Fisheries Occasional Publication No. 151 - Response To 2025 External Review Of Integrated Stock Assessments For Key Wa Demersal Indicator Stocks, Brett Crisafulli, Emily A. Fisher, Matias Braccini, Rubie Evans-Powell, Fabian I. Trinnie, Ainslie Denham, S. A. Hesp

Fisheries Occasional Publications

Consistent with national trends, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is transitioning to the globally recognised Stock Synthesis (SS) platform to support more robust, transparent, and internationally aligned assessments. To ensure this transition remains scientifically sound, DPIRD commissioned an independent expert review in 2025, following a previous review in 2024. The 2025 review was conducted by Professor André Punt and focused on integrated models for three key WA fish stocks: red emperor in the Kimberley, WA dhufish in the southern West Coast Bioregion, and sandbar shark at the statewide level. This publication summarises the findings and recommendations …

Mitochondrial Transfer And Induced Ros As A Therapeutic Strategy In Idh2-Mutant Chondrosarcoma, Vegas R. Bedder, Caleb Wyckoff, Chris Osgood, Gavin A. Vasquez, Michael Stacey

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Chondrosarcoma (CS) are common bone cancers that produce cartilaginous tumors and are extremely refractive to chemo-and-radiation therapies, leaving very limited treatment options. They contain mutations in the isocitrate dehydrogenase genes, IDH1 or IDH2. Either IDH1 or IDH2 mutations are present in individual tumors, but not both. They both convert alphaketoglutarate (αKG) into the potent oncometabolite D-2-hydroxyglutarate (D2HG). D2HG can be transported from the tumors to cells of the tumor microenvironment (TME) where it can alter metabolic and epigenetic profiles in recipient cells. The process of α-KG to D2HG conversion occurs in the cytoplasm of IDH1 mutant cells, and in the …

Tlr3 Mediated Type I Interferon Response In Mammalian Cell Defense Against Cryptosporidium Parvum Infection., Anjelica Matias

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Cryptosporidium parvum is a major cause of a diarrheal disease which affects many children in the USA as well as the rest of the world, yet the contribution of its double stranded RNA (dsRNA) viral symbiont, Cryspovirus (CSpV1) to host innate immunity remains unclear. This study investigated whether CSpV1 activates Toll Like Receptor 3 (TLR3) signaling pathways and downstream Interferon type I (IFN I) responses in mammalian intestinal epithelial cells. Confluent Human Ileocecal Colorectal Adenocarcinoma cells (HCT8) were exposed to CSpV1, and the expression levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-Associated Factor 3 (TRAF3), Nuclear Factor-𝜅-light chain enhancer of activated B-cells …

Successful Treatment Of Juvenile Sterile Granulomatous Dermatitis And Lymphadenitis In A Pomeranian Aged 5 Months Using Topical Hydrocortisone Aceponate And Systemic Antibiotic, Nutjira Sawatmongkol, Sirada Tayayouth, Suttiwee Chermprapai

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

A 5-month-old intact male Pomeranian puppy was presented with a 2-week history of acutely swollen face, eyelids, lips, and muzzle. A physical examination revealed focal alopecia, folliculitis, and erythema on the muzzle, periocular, and perianal areas; crusts were also found around the muzzle. The puppy received monthly oral afoxolaner and milbemycin oxime. No ectoparasite was observed based on a trichogram test. Skin cytology revealed intracellular cocci and neutrophils. A skin biopsy taken from the muzzle revealed pyogranulomatous perifollicular dermatitis with epidermal spongiosis, intraepidermal pustules, and a superficial crust. This condition was diagnosed as juvenile cellulitis on the basis of age, …

Filifactor Alocis Disrupts Efferocytosis To Sustain Inflammation In Periodontitis, Ella Dye, Silvia Uriarte, Ruth Idowu

The Cardinal Edge

Background: Filifactor alocis is a Gram-positive, obligate anaerobe that has emerged as a diagnostic marker of periodontitis. Neutrophils and macrophages are key players in oral immune homeostasis. Neutrophils are short-lived cells and constitutively undergo apoptosis. This apoptotic program can be accelerated or delayed by bacterial interactions. Macrophages clear apoptotic neutrophils via “efferocytosis,” a crucial mechanism for resolving inflammation and preventing tissue damage. The efferocytic process downregulates the expression and release of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-23 while promoting anti-inflammatory responses. Our previous findings demonstrated that F. alocis delays neutrophil apoptosis, with fewer apoptotic cells observed after 18 …

Ifnγ-Induced Antigen Loss In Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T Cell Therapy, Miao Cao, Jasmine Alvarez, Ramkrishna Mitra, Michael Xu, Trevor R. Baybutt, Zhengyang Sun, Oluwatobiloba Taylor, Allison Doermann, Ross E Staudt, Scott A. Waldman, Adam E. Snook

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: FDA-approved chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-expressing T cell therapies (CARTs) have revolutionized the treatment of blood cancers. Yet none have been successful for "solid" tumors, such as colorectal cancer (CRC), the 2nd leading cause of cancer deaths. Guanylyl cyclase C (GUCY2C) has emerged as a clinical-stage target for CART and bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE) therapies in CRC. IFNγ has been canonically recognized as beneficial for the effector functions of T cells by enhancing antigen processing and HLA presentation and is essential for CART targeting of solid malignancies by inducing adhesion molecule expression for synapse stabilization.

METHODS: Using

RESULTS: We identified …

Targeting Il-1 Signaling In Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa: Improved Survival And Pathogenesis In Rdeb Mouse Model, Rahim Hirani

NYMC Student Theses and Dissertations

Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) is a devastating inherited blistering disorder caused by biallelic mutations in COL7A1, resulting in deficiency of type VII collagen (C7) and loss of dermal–epidermal adhesion. Beyond mechanical fragility, RDEB is characterized by chronic inflammation, progressive fibrosis, impaired wound healing, severe pain, and an exceptionally high risk of aggressive cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Emerging transcriptomic and cytokine profiling studies have identified interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1α) as a dominant and temporally upstream inflammatory mediator in RDEB skin. The central hypothesis of this dissertation is that IL-1α signaling functions as a key initiator and amplifier of inflammation-driven pathology …

Breaking Into Hiv-1'S Epigenetic Vault: Cure Strategies To Eliminate The Viral Reservoir, Joanna Jones, Chelsea Gunderson, Brian Wigdahl, Michael Nonnemacher

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is a retrovirus that integrates into the host cell's DNA as a provirus. Transcription from the provirus is regulated in large part by cellular proteins and epigenetic factors. These may be repressive or permissive to productive infection. The host factors that regulate this balance are therefore attractive targets for HIV-1 therapeutics. Indeed, proviral chromatin is the focus of two of the current HIV-1 cure strategies. "Shock and Kill" uses latency reversal agents to open the provirus's chromatin, promoting high levels of gene expression that induce the killing of infected cells. "Block and Lock" uses …

A Survey-Based Exploratory Study Of Factors Influencing Women's Intentions To Utilise Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis In The Eastern Cape Province, South Africa: Sociodemographic Characteristics, Hiv Risk Behaviours And Transactional Sex, Rosemary Kalenga, Gary Sharp, Anne M. Teitelman, Monde Makiwane, Larry D. Icard, John B. Jemmott

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

BACKGROUND: South Africa has the third-highest adult prevalence rate globally, with women comprising 64% of cases. Despite the accessibility of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), its adoption among women, particularly young women, remains alarmingly low.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this initial investigation is to explore factors influencing the intentions of South African women to use PrEP, focusing on sociodemographic factors, HIV sexual risk behaviours and involvement in transactional sex.

DESIGN: The research utilised an exploratory design employing surveys.

METHODS: Surveys were conducted in 2015 with 64 women aged 19-49 residing in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The data were analysed …