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Siddharth Damania
(class of 2008) continued research into a second year,
working in the laboratory of Dr. Keli Hippen at Cancer Center of the University
of Minnesota.Siddharth studied the role of cord-blood derived T-regulatory
(T-reg) cells in reducing inflammation due to graft-versus-host-disease
(GVHD). Nearly two in six bone-marrow transplants result in rejection,
which can cause GVHD. Siddharth used T-reg cells derived from human umbilical
cord blood and cultured them for use in GVHD-infected mice models. He
then analyzed lung, liver, gut, and spleen tissues from mice with GVHD
that had been injected with T-reg cells. In this analysis, he examined
inflammation of the tissues as well as presence of human cells. Results
show that T-reg cells were effective in reducing inflammation in infected
mice. Siddharth's
paper,
PowerPoint,
and
poster can
be accessed here. |
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Nick Derrico (class
of 2008) worked at the New Jersey Center for Biomaterials at Rutgers University
in the laboratory of Dr. Joachim Kohn under the supervision of Larisa Sheihe.
The goal of Nick's project was to synthesize biodegradable nanospheres that
would hold the toxic, anti-cancer drug called camptothecin and deliver the
drug to cancerous tumors. To do this, Nick synthesized four different copolymers,
mixing different percentages of each in eight different combinations to
determine which combinations were capable of holding the most drug. He determined
that adding Vitamin D3 enhanced the nanosphere’s ability to contain
the camptothecin.Nick's paper,
PowerPoint,
and poster can
be accessed here. |
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Xin Li (class
of 2009) worked at the Department of Plant Biology in the laboratory of
Dr. Susan Gibson at the University of Minnesota. Xin investigated effects
of high sucrose and glucose concentration on Arabidopsis plants. Her goal
was to find a DNA line of Arabidopsis mutants that affect the regulation
of sugar production in Arabidopsis seedlings. She grew Arabidopsis seedlings
in sucrose and glucose media in order to isolate mutants whose root length
and anthocyanin levels deviated the greatest from wild type Arabidopsis.
Xin’s project may enable the engineering of plants that are higher
in sugar content for production into ethanol fuels. Xin's
paper,
PowerPoint and
poster can be accessed
here. |
| |
Daniel Mokhtari (class
of 2010) collaborated on a project with Stephen Tusheim under the guidance
of Dr. Ron McGlennen at Access Genetics. They designed and implemented a
computer program to objectively analyze genetic tests for human papillomavirus
(HPV). To do this, they wrote five algorithms that digitally assessed results
of gel electrophoresis tests with an accuracy rate of 47% for their top
three HPV choices and 59% accuracy when compared to all HPV types. Once
they have improved the accuracy rate, their program will be integrated into
a traditional double-blind review method for HPV testing to decrease the
time, cost, and human effort required to interpret HPV tests. In the future,
the algorithms behind their program will be applied to other genetic gel-electrophoresis
tests. Daniel and Stephen's paper,
PowerPoint,
and poster
accessed here. |
| |
Tara Mokhtari (class
of 2008) worked at the Department of Neurosurgery in the laboratory of Dr.
Walter Low at the University of Minnesota. Tara investigated the role microRNA
in the development of cancerous brain tumors. Current research suggests
that microRNA plays a vital role in gene expression, cell development, and
cell death. Tara compared microRNAs profiles of brain-tumor cells that she
had cultured under different conditions and then identified several microRNAs
that demonstrated changes in expression level. Her results suggest that
microRNAs facilitate the development of stem cells into cancerous brain
tumors.Tara's paper,
PowerPoint,
and poster can
be accessed here. |
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Emily Nimmer (class
of 2009 worked at the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation
Biology in the laboratory of Dr. Karen Oberhauser at the University of Minnesota.
Emily investigated effects of predation on monarch butterfly larvae. Monarch
larvae develop through five developmental stages, called instars. It is
known that only one in ten first instars survive to the fifth-instar stage.
Emily’s results suggest that the highest mortality rates from predation
occur in the first three stages and that predation from parasites could
be a major factor affecting survival of fourth- and fifth-instar larvae.
Emily’s results outline sources of monarch larvae mortality that may
aid in conservation of the adult monarch butterfly population. Emily's paper
and
PowerPoint, and poster
can be accessed
here. |
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Cyprien Sarteau (class
of 2008) worked at the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and
Biophysics in the laboratory of Dr. Ian Armitage at the University of Minnesota.
Cyprien looked at ways in which the proteins metallothionein-3 (MT-3), Rab3A,
and 14-3-3 zeta interact to determine if their interaction gives evidence
for the role of MT-3 in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. He
attempted isothermal titration calorimetry to observe protein interaction.
While the calorimetry did not produce satisfactory results due to problems
with protein aggregation, Cyprien was able to develop a more successful
purification protocol for MT-3. Cpyrien's paper
and PowerPoint
can be accessed
here. |
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Madelaine Taft-Ferguson
(class of 2009) worked at the Diabetes Institute for Immunology
and Transplantation in the laboratory of Dr. Pratima at the University
of Minnesota. Madelaine’s goal was to find a reliable method for
monitoring and predicting the effectiveness of pancreatic islet transplants.
The first step in her project was to determine whether an enzyme-linked
immunospot (ELISPOT) assay or an intracellular cytokine staining (ICS)
assay would best test for cytokine levels—an indicator of immune
reaction. Madelaine determined that the ICS assay was most efficient.
She then optimized the ICS assay to measure levels of the cytokines TNFa,
IFNg, and IL-2 in order to quantify immune response in allo-stimulated
human cells. Madelaine's paper,
PowerPoint,
and poster can
be accessed here. |
| |
Stephen Trusheim (class
of 2009) collaborated on a project with Daniel Mokhtari under the guidance
of Dr. Ron McGlennen at Access Genetics. They designed and implemented a
computer program to objectively analyze genetic tests for human papillomavirus
(HPV). To do this, they wrote five algorithms that digitally assessed results
of gel electrophoresis tests with an accuracy rate of 47% for their top
three HPV choices and 59% accuracy when compared to all HPV types. Once
they have improved the accuracy rate, their program will be integrated into
a traditional double-blind review method for HPV testing to decrease the
time, cost, and human effort required to interpret HPV tests. In the future,
the algorithms behind their program will be applied to other genetic gel-electrophoresis
tests. Stephen and Daniel's paper
and
PowerPoint, and
poster can be
accessed here. |
