Faustine Luo
The Wnt signaling pathway is an evolutionarily conserved signal transduction pathway that regulates important developmental processes such as cell fate, cell migration, cell polarity, and cell proliferation when activated by secreted Wnt glycoproteins. Mutations in Wnt signaling or Wnt genes have been shown to lead to specific developmental defects, including many human diseases such as cancer. Using C. elegans as a model organism, we strive to more deeply understand how Wnt signaling shapes development in more complex organisms. My research project focuses on the Wnt pathway that establishes the polarity […]
Mike Zhong
Due to its scarcity on Earth (and as far as we know, the observable Universe), very little is known about antimatter, partner particles of equal mass but opposite charge as normal matter. The ALPHA collaboration at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland is one of the worlds most advanced antimatter experimental sites. A cylindrical magnetic trap is used to trap antihydrogen atoms, in that the magnetic field generated by the coils surrounding the cylinder interacts with the atoms to confine them within the walls of the trap. Various experiments are conducted using […]
Sarah Alsamman
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that most commonly causes infection in immunocompromised individuals or compromised epithelial surfaces such as the cornea. This infectious agent is the leading cause of contact lens-associated microbial keratitis, which sometimes results in vision loss or blindness. I am interested in the mechanisms through which P. aeruginosa causes infection. P. aeruginosa is considered an extracellular pathogen known to utilize a type-III secretion system, a needle-like macromolecular structure implemented by the bacteria to inject toxins into the cytoplasm of a target cell without ever entering the […]
Ian Ferguson
In the eye, Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) cells are important in maintaining the health of photoreceptor cells. RPE defects can lead to early photoreceptor cell death which is linked to several vision disorders, including Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). The Gong Laboratory has previously linked the protein NHE8, a proton/sodium ion transporter mostly localized to protein secretory pathways, to retinal degeneration that is associated with RPE and photoreceptor cell loss. It is hypothesized that NHE8 mutant proteins lose the ability to exchange protons and sodium ions in intracellular compartments or vesicles, […]
Nazineen Kandahari
The epidemiology of disease is changing from acute to chronic. A majority of our research and public health efforts have been focused on eradicating infectious diseases when, in fact, chronic diseases are the leading causes of death worldwide. The mortality rate for chronic disease increases exponentially with age, and, with the increasingly aging population, chronic disease is a public health issue demanding urgent attention. Chronic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimers, result when the ability of an organism to maintain homeostasis diminishes. The unfolded protein response (UPR) is one […]
Jooyoung “Paul” Park
The human right to water is indispensable for leading a life in human dignity. It is a prerequisite for the realization of other human rights -UN Economic and Social Council General Comment No. 15 Although the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) to reduce by half the number of people without access to improved sources of water by the year 2015 was supposedly met in 2010, about 748 million people around the world, especially in rural areas, are still without improved clean water sources. For my research project, I will be working […]
Ian Tayler
An essential component to better understanding cellular electrical signaling is to address how the resting membrane potential in neurons is established and modified to affect excitability. Two-pore domain potassium (K2P) ion channels are directly involved in this process and comprise a unique protein family that is essential for the maintenance of this resting membrane potential. The TWIK-related spinal cord K+ channel (TRESK) is considered a major contributor to background K+ currents and is expressed abundantly in DRG neurons. This K2P channel is thought to be involved in pain sensation and […]
Hannah Oh
Grapevine leafroll disease (GLD) has spread to all grape-growing regions and is one of the most important viral diseases affecting grapevines worldwide. GLD has adverse effects on fruit quality and plant health, leading to significant economic losses. Grapevine leafroll associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3) is the primary causative virus involved in GLD. Given the economic importance of grapes and the consequences of GLD, it is crucial to develop efficient ways of managing this disease. Recent studies have demonstrated that abiotic conditions such as plant nutrient status, accumulation of inorganic metals, temperature, […]
Alexandra Dubinin
Respiratory infections in infancy are known to increase the risk of developing asthma in later life. One possible explanation is that viral infections during vulnerable periods of development alter immune cell establishment leading to lifelong changes favoring asthma. My research involves tracking the developmental pattern of a particular immune cell, ILC2, with the hope of identifying targets to mitigate viral-induced asthma predisposition. I will use fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometry to define when the critical developmental window occurs and what cells and molecules are involved.
Iris Li
The Target of Rapamycin (TOR) is a protein kinase involved in many aspects of cell physiology. Because of its importance in regulating growth, TOR has been central to metabolic and cancer research for years. Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains two paralogs of TOR, Tor1 and Tor2, which exist in their respective multi-subunit complexes TORC1 and TORC2. TORC2 has been found to regulate cell polarity, endocytosis, and actin polymerization in response to external stimuli, and studies have shown that the localization of TORC2 to the plasma membrane is essential for the complex’s function. […]