STUDENT RESEARCH SHOWCASE 2019 PRESENTATIONS

Cell Biology and Biochemistry 

Submit

Depriving Cancer Cells of Fat: Biomarker Identification in the Adipogenic Pathway of Tumor Cells
Anuva Banwasi, Palo Alto High School

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy remain to be the most widely used cancer treatments, despite having such low success rates and often only providing short-term remission. The development of treatments that attack cellular pathways unique to cancer cells is integral to making more targeted, reliable cures. One promising pathway to target is how cancer obtains energy through lipogenesis, or fat production. Unlike human cells that mostly use glucose, cancer cells need more energy to constantly grow and divide and thus also use fat to fuel their cellular processes. This suggests that by attacking the fat production pathway, we can essentially “starve” cancer cells of their nutrients. In order to be effective, future treatments must work at the cellular and molecular scale. To this end, this study identified novel molecular biomarkers in the fat production pathway that can be targeted in future therapeutics to deprive cancer cells of its essential fat nutrients.

Submit

The Effect of Different Growth Hormone Levels on Inducing C-myc Proto-Oncogene in Chondrocytes
Illiana Bennett, American Heritage School Plantation

This project was designed to test whether or not Growth Hormone could use the direct pathway of c-Myc proto-oncogene expression in order to increase the rate at which chondrocytes or cartilage cells reproduce. This was done in the hopes to help those who suffer from arthritis by increasing the rate at which cartilage can renew itself.

Submit

Bioresponsive Quantum Dot Lattices for the Conditional Activation of RNA Interference
Morgan Chandler, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

The programmed assembly of quantum dots using nucleic acids can be directed in response to a target molecule and can additionally release therapeutic RNAs for gene knockdown via RNA interference.

Submit

Hybridization of SPECT-CT to Improve a Doctor's Diagnosis
Andrew Chung, Pine Crest School

To quantify whether or not the hybridization of SPECT Imaging and CT Scanning can improve a doctor's diagnosis in heart disease. We analysed SPECT Imaging with and without CT corrections and compared them to the doctor's notes to determine whether or not they helped the doctor diagnosed the patient. Then we compared these results with a cardiac catheterization, the gold standard of heart disease detection, to determine whether or not the corrected SPECT Images were accurate. 

Submit

Hyperglycemia in C. elegans
Harys Dalvi, American Heritage School Boca/Delray

My presentation involves the effects of epigenetic inheritance on hyperglycemia in C. elegans  and possible applications to human diabetes research.

Submit

Testing the Effectiveness of Ezetimibe in Treating Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Abdul-Jalil Dania, American Heritage School Plantation

The purpose of this experiment is to determine whether Ezetimibe is an effective medicine when used to treat Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Ezetimibe was tested as a medication in fruit flies with induced NAFLD.

Submit

Analysis of Cholesterol Species in the Human Optic Nerve
Nicholas DiStefano, American Heritage School Plantation

This project is an analysis of a difference in the levels of Zymosterol between optic nerves that are affected by glaucoma and optic nerves that are not.

Submit

Determination of the Number of Bacterial Colonies in Raw and Cooked Meat
Hailey Dunning and Emma Wouters, Greenfield High School

In our presentation, we determined the different amount of bacterial colonies in raw and cooked meats. We took a swab from the surface of each meat tested and put in a culture tube. Then we diluted the bacteria and put into a Petri dish to grow overnight in an incubator. We counted the colonies in the dish and recorded it, then determined which type of meat acquired the most and least amount 
of colonies. 

 

Submit

The Strontium-Coated Clay Nanoparticles in Calcium Phosphate Cement for Biomedical Applications
Anusha Elumalai, Louisiana Tech University

Using Strontium coated halloysites in calcium phosphate cement to make stronger 3D printed bones.

Submit

The Rate of Mold Growth for Bread Types While Using Disinfectants
Joshua Floyd and Maxwell Witt, Greenfield High School

Our research studies the growth rate of mold on various types of breads when disinfectants are present.

Submit

The Effect of Glyphosate on Gene Expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Joshua Grover, Pine Crest School

I exposed yeast cells to varying concentrations of a popular chemical herbicide called glyphosate, believed to act on a molecular pathway only present in plants and not in yeast or humans. Measurements of the changes in expression of several meaningful genes yield insights on the effect of glyphosate on humans.

Submit

Role of TRAPPC9 in Osteoarthritis
Nazar Hussein, Kent State University 

The presentation is exploring the potential role of Trafficking Protein Particle Complex 9 (TRAPPC9) in regulating the inflammation process that leads knee cartilage degradation thereby, knee osteoarthritis. the data in the presentation shows that modulating TRAPPC9 gene-expression resulted in up-regulation of inflammatory markers.

Submit

The Effect of Ionic Metal Particles on the Growth and Inhibition of E-Coli K-12
Avinash Kanakam, American Heritage School Boca/Delray

The experiment uses different concentrations of different types of metals in colloid form against E. Coli K-12 in a lysogeny broth, through the popular Broth Microdilution Assay. The purpose is to see which metal would inhibit/kill bacteria at the lowest concentration, and the results would be able to be used as linings or side material in bandaging, to prevent surface infections that come about through superficial injury.

Submit

Isolation of Myosin IIB from Pig Blood Platelets
Blake Kravitz, Pine Crest School

In this study, I attempt to use pig blood platelets in place of human blood platelets for myosin IIB protein isolation. This research is important, as pig blood platelets are significantly easier and less expensive to acquire than human blood platelets, which would make future research involving the inhibition of myosin IIB much easier to conduct. 

Submit

Biofunctioanlized Clay Nanotubes Targeting Cancer Cell Death
Yangyang Luo, Louisiana Tech University

Traditional cancer drugs delivery method causes damages to healthy tissues due to they are off-targeting. Patients treated with cancer drugs suffer with severe side-effects and long-time recovering. Folate Receptor alpha (FRα) is a anchored membrane protein and usually is overexpressed in tumor cells, but not as highly expressed in normal cells. In this study, halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were biofunctionalized with folic acid (FA) and FITC for visualizing the targeted FRα. FA provides a pathway for easy cellular entry, and FITC emits fluorescent signals for intercellular nano particles (NPs) tracking. Cell interactions to HNTs-DAS-FA/FITC NPs were studied.

Submit

The Biochemical Interactions of Cardiac Ion-Blocking Agents and Optical Coherence Tomography In Vivo  for Cardiovascular Disease
Rhea Malhotra, Moravian Academy

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a novel 3D-imaging modality, however there has been limited research utilizing OCT to study physiological impacts of ion-blocking drugs, namely Class I, III, and IV antiarrhythmics. An OCT drosophila model was developed for live non-invasive analysis of cardiovascular disease and pharmaceutical testing. Combining chemical therapeutics with bio-optics yields novel implications for major chronic heart diseases with 3-dimensional live graphics, enhancing the understanding of existing biochemical agents currently used to treat them. The drosophila optical model is an effective way to analyze the chronotropic properties of antiarrythmics to easily test the biomechanical effects of drugs before experimenting on mammalian species or human populations. This reduces the cost and time of developing drugs by quickly identifying experimental molecules with cardiotoxic effects, enhancing general physiological understanding of the drugs to begin with.

Submit

The Effect of Farnesol on the Growth of Staphylococcus Epidermidis
Lauren McDonough, American Heritage School Boca/Delray

This project is about how different concentrations of farnesol affect the inhibition of the growth of staphylococcus epidermidis. Farnesol is a natural 15 carbon organic compound often used in perfumery for its floral odor. Some studies though, have suggested that farnesol may have chemopreventative and antibacterial properties, although the full extent of this is unknown.  Staphylococcus Epidermidis is one of the most prevalent infections in orthopedic implants (such as a hip replacement), and is also somewhat antibiotic resistant. The password to this website is “Science”.

Submit

Reducing Neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's by Genetically Overexpressing LRP1 and AQP4 Proteins
Roshni Mitra, American Heritage School Plantation

My website provides an overview of how I inserted the LRP1 and AQP4 genes into the C. elegan genome in order to overexpress them. A powerpoint details my graphs with results and background information. There is a video explaining my procedure and results along with a comments section for feedback.

Submit

Bioreactor Expansion of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Cell Therapy
Ephraim Oyetunji, American Heritage School Plantation

I looked at how bioreactor design as well as incorporate biophysics in order to study how various volumes and rotational speeds affect the environment of the hMSCs in the spinner flask using an acid-base titration model.

Submit

Understanding Bacterial Resistance with Antibiotics
Amay Patel, American Heritage School Boca/Delray

This project was about investigating how several bacteria will adapt to a certain antibiotic in an allotted amount of time with varying amounts of an antibiotic.

Submit

Effects of FNDC5 Protein in Patients with Memory Deficit
Caroline de Paula Cunha Almeida, American Heritage School Boca Delray

The primary goal of this research is to use the Irisin hormone for the treatment or prevention of Alzheimer's Disease.

Submit

The Effects of Food Preservation on Gastric Cancer Inducing-Gene Expression
Cathy Quan, American Heritage School Boca Delray
This  research looks into how common ingredients (salt, marinade, and alcohol) in preserved foods can affect the expression of gastric cancer-inducing genes. I exposed mutant C. elegans to various preservative environments to help understand how the growth of the cancer-inducing genes are impacted by the various preservative ingredients. The hypothesis of the study is that the commonly used preservative ingredients encourages the expression of cancerous genes.

Submit

Exploring the E6AP Pathway and its Role in the Development of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Meghna Sharma, Pine Crest School

I explored the relationship between E6AP and another protein, PTGER4, in order to develop a better understanding of E6AP's pathway and how it plays a role in the development of ASD.

Submit

Proteoglycan Extraction and GAG Quantification of Trypsin Extracted Bovine Scleral Collagen Fibrils
Alexandra Spak, Northeastern University

Though collagen is the most abundant protein in vertebrate animals and the principal load-bearing molecule in tissues that experience mechanical forces, the underlying mechanism of its fibrillar formation, growth, and remodeling is not well understood. Additionally, proteoglycans bind electrostatically to collagen fibrils and influence the size, structure, organization, and growth of the associated collagen fibrils and tissue. This study showed that using a trypsin extraction solution to extract collagen fibrils from tissue resulted in the cleavage of over 99% of proteoglycan-collagen bonds, which allows for the direct study of collagen fibrils. The results of this study will help us in future studies on the role of proteoglycans in the kinetics of collagenous fibril growth and remodeling.

Submit

Computational Prediction of Angiotensin Receptor Block Binding Affinity to Polymorphic Angiotensin Type 1 Receptor for Personalized Medicine
Asna Tabassum, Ruben S. Ayala High School

Structure and function are closely related- hence, when the structure of a receptor is altered, the process of a ligand binding to the receptor may be affected. An important receptor, the Angiotensin Type 1 Receptor (AT1R), regulates blood pressure. A ligand, the drug Angiotensin Receptor Blocker (ARB), binds to the AT1R to alleviate hypertension. Investigating the effect of polymorphisms, common mutations, in the AT1R on the binding affinity of ARBs paves the path for personalized medicine for cardiovascular patients.

Submit

The Effect of Metamizole Sodium on Physiological Measurements in Neural Tube Defect-Induced Avian Embryos
Audrey Xie, American Heritage School Plantation

This presentation details the investigation of the effect of metamizole sodium on avian embryos.

Submit

Testing the Effects of Resveratrol, Apigenin, and Glucosamine to Effectively Reduce Prostate Cancer Cell Proliferation, Metastasis Levels, and Increase Apoptosis
Megan Yang, American Heritage School Plantation

The purpose of this experiment is to determine whether lowering the IGF-1 in PC-3 could be an effective treatment for reducing their proliferation and metastasis and increasing apoptosis. Three medications, resveratrol, apigenin, and glucosamine, have been shown to lower IGF-1 and were chosen to be tested and combined to see which would be the most successful. A cell proliferation assay, an apoptosis assay, and a migration assay were conducted.

 

Submit

The Correlation of Epigenetics to Autism 
Mahdere Yared, Pine Crest School

My presentation investigates a few different factors that cause or are found in autism and their relation to affecting epigenetic regulation. 

Submit