INVESTIGATOR: William Holmes, Rhode Island College COLLABORATIVE MENTOR: Nicolas Fawzi, Brown University THEME: Neuroscience ABSTRACT: Neurodegenerative diseases result in the progressive loss of cognitive or motor function due to the death of nervous tissue. It is estimated that 6.5 million Americans are currently afflicted with a neurodegenerative disease, and this number is expected to double in the […]
Continue reading "The Effects of N-Terminal Acetylation on the Structure and Aggregation of Tau"Category: DRPP
Detecting SOD1 Aggregates In A Drosophila Model Of Amyotrophic Lateral Scelerosis
INVESTIGATORS: Geoff Stilwell, Rhode Island College THEME: Neuroscience ABSTRACT: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by progressive motor neuron (MN) degeneration, muscle weakness and death within 3-5 after diagnosis. Mutations in superoxide dismutase 1 (sod1) cause ALS and approximately 170 different mutations in this gene have been documented in patients to date. Irrespective of which […]
Continue reading "Detecting SOD1 Aggregates In A Drosophila Model Of Amyotrophic Lateral Scelerosis"Nano-Biomarker Arrays for Cutaneous T-Cell Carcinoma
INVESTIGATOR: Bernard Munge, Salve Regina University THEME: Environmental Health Sciences ABSTRACT: Rapid, extremely sensitive and accurate biosensor arrays for clinical measurements of biomarker proteins for early detection and monitoring of cancer are critically important and will lead to inexpensive devices for reliable on-the-spot cancer diagnosis, improved therapeutic outcomes at lower costs, decreased patient stress, and […]
Continue reading "Nano-Biomarker Arrays for Cutaneous T-Cell Carcinoma"Exploring the Inhibition of Quorum Sensing-Controlled Biofilm Formation
INVESTIGATOR: Susan Meschwitz, Salve Regina University THEME: Environmental Health Sciences ABSTRACT: Traditional therapeutics to treat bacterial infections have given rise to multi-drug resistant pathogens, which pose a major threat to human and environmental health. Many bacteria found in the environment and in chronic infections exist in highly structured multi-cellular communities known as biofilms, and the […]
Continue reading "Exploring the Inhibition of Quorum Sensing-Controlled Biofilm Formation"Exploring the Relationship Between Structure and Function in KmtR
INVESTIGATOR: Khadine Higgins, Salve Regina University THEME: Environmental Health Sciences ABSTRACT: The long term goal of this work is aimed at understanding why Mycobaterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) requires two Ni(II)- and Co(II)-responsive metalloregulators associated with the export of Ni(II) and Co(II) and how these two regulators differ. M. tuberculosis is the causative agent of tuberculosis, […]
Continue reading "Exploring the Relationship Between Structure and Function in KmtR"Neuroscience: Negative Experiences and Late Adolescents Health Outcomes
INVESTIGATOR: Emily Cook, Rhode Island College THEME: Neuroscience ABSTRACT: Past research during adulthood has suggested that how individuals handle stress emotionally and physically has implications for behavioral and physical health during adolescence. Yet we know little about daily stressors (i.e., minor yet frequent stressful experiences such as daily tests, family arguments) among late adolescents (the […]
Continue reading "Neuroscience: Negative Experiences and Late Adolescents Health Outcomes"Neuroscience: Disrupting Toxic Protein Aggregates in a Yeast Model of Parkinson’s Disease
INVESTIGATOR: Nicanor Austriaco, Providence College THEME: Neuroscience ABSTRACT: Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that leads to progressive deterioration of motor function due to the loss of dopamine-producing cells in the brain. The pathological hallmark of PD is the abnormal aggregation of specific proteins, including, most significantly, α-synuclein, which is an abundant, presynaptic protein of […]
Continue reading "Neuroscience: Disrupting Toxic Protein Aggregates in a Yeast Model of Parkinson’s Disease"Deciphering Kingella kingae RTX-toxin regulation
Investigator: Matthew Ramsey, University of Rhode Island Mentor: David Nelson, University of Rhode Island Scientific Theme: Molecular Toxicology Abstract: Kingella kingae is an emerging pathogen in pediatric infectious diseases that colonizes the throat (oropharynx) of 3-17% of children ~6-60 months asymptomatically and infrequently disseminates from the oropharynx to cause endocardial (heart) or osteoarticular/ osteomyelitic (joint and bone) infection. […]
Continue reading "Deciphering Kingella kingae RTX-toxin regulation"Exploring Structure Function Relationships in KmtR
Investigator: Khadine Higgins, Salve Regina University Mentor: Gongquin Sun, University of Rhode Island Title: Exploring Structure Function Relationships in KmtR Scientific Theme: Molecular Toxicology Award: Early Career Development (2016-2018) Abstract: The long term goal of this work is aimed at understanding why Mycobaterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) requires two Ni(II)- and Co(II)-responsive metalloregulators associated with the export of Ni(II) […]
Continue reading "Exploring Structure Function Relationships in KmtR"Use of Targeted Nanometer-Size Materials to Increase the Effectiveness of Radiation on Cancer
Investigator: Michael Antosh, University of Rhode Island Scientific Theme: Cancer Abstract: The broad objective of this project is to improve the treatment of cancer by enhancing the effect of radiation on cancer. If radiation can be made to have a greater impact on cancer, less radiation can be used, which would reduce side effects to patients. Alternatively, more […]
Continue reading "Use of Targeted Nanometer-Size Materials to Increase the Effectiveness of Radiation on Cancer"