Effects of muscle cooling on AMPK and protein synthesis in skeletal muscle

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Lyons, Kyle EFFECTS OF MUSCLE COOLING ON AMPK AND PROTEIN SYNTHESIS IN SKELETAL MUSCLE Faculty Mentor: David Thomson, PDBIO Background AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an intracellular protein that regulates many signaling responses including the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, which increases protein synthesis1. Recent research suggests that cold-water immersion of the leg activates […]

Using a TNP fluorophore to identify adenosine binding in the SNAP25B SNARE binding protein

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David Hallan and Dixon Woodbury, Department of Physiology & Developmental Biology Introduction Vesicle fusion is a key step in the cellular process of exocytosis and is at the center of neurotransmitter release by neurons. Fusion is driven by a set of proteins known as SNAREs which includes the protein SNAP25B. In the synthesis and spectroscopic […]

Drunken Membranes: Short-Chain Alcohols Alter Fusion of Liposomes to Planar Lipid Bilayers

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Paxman, Jason Drunken Membranes: Short-Chain Alcohols Alter Fusion of Liposomes to Planar Lipid Bilayers Faculty Mentor: Dixon Woodbury, Physiology and Developmental Biology Introduction The focus of my project was on understanding the effect of alcohol on the complex process of neural transmission, or how the body sends and receives signals through neurons. This essential communication […]

Diverse Tissue and Organ Systems Differs Following Exposure to Secondhand Cigarette Smoke

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Gassman, Jason Spatial Expression of Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-Products (RAGE) in Diverse Tissue and Organ Systems Differs Following Exposure to Secondhand Cigarette Smoke Faculty Mentor: Dr. Paul R. Reynolds, Department of Physiology and Developmental Biology Introduction The receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) is a pattern recognition receptor expressed in many cell types, including […]

Localization of Cell Bodies of the Stellate and Superior Cervical Ganglia in Relation to Innervation of Cardiac Muscle and Vasculature of the Brain

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Hilton, Alistair Localization of Cell Bodies of the Stellate and Superior Cervical Ganglia in Relation to Innervation of Cardiac Muscle and Vasculature of the Brain. Faculty Mentor: Jonathan J. Wisco, Ph. D. Department of Physiology and Developmental Biology Introduction: Arrhythmia is a serious heart defect that effects 14 million people in the United States.i When […]

AB Blood Type and Its Genetic Relationship to Alzheimer’s Disease

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Mark Wadsworth and John S.K. Kauwe, Biology Introduction: Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a debilitating disease that has increased the hardship of many lives. Many people above the age of 65 have been diagnosed with this genetically complex disease, which financially and emotionally burdens those diagnosed and their families. Earlier this year a study was released […]

Neofunctionalization of Dual-Targeted Plant Organelle DNA Replication Proteins

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Background and Significance Neofunctionalization is the process by which genes gain a new or modified function as a result of gene duplication and modification of one or more of the new genes. This exciting area of research helps explain the diversification of protein functions in cells. The number of documented examples has increased in recent […]

Alzheimer’s Disease and the p.V236E Variant in the ApoE Gene

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Alton Chad Sorensen and John Kauwe, Physiology and Developmental Biology I was interested in trying to validate the findings of the publication by Medway et al. concerning the SNP rs199768005 using data from the Cache Country data set. Unfortunately, of the 4703 people from our data set, only 10 were carriers. Using R statistical analysis, […]

Anatomical variation of the ulnar collateral ligament and implications for joing stability and surgical rehabilitation

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Jakob Gamboa and Dr. Jonathan Wisco, Physiology and Developmental Biology In 1974, the first ulnar collateral ligament reconstructive surgery was performed on Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitcher, Tommy John. The damaged ligament of the medial elbow was repaired with tendons from the pitcher’s body. Since then, the surgery has been colloquially termed “Tommy John’s Surgery”, and […]

Testing the Effect of Antioxidants on the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease through the RAGE/NF-kB Inflammatory Pathway

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Harrison Snyder and Jonathan Wisco, Physiology and Developmental Biology The Receptor for Advanced Glycation Endproducts (RAGE) is known to have a role in inflammatory processes. When produced in excess it induces oxidative stress by activating a number of ligand enzymes, resulting in the generation of excessive cytosolic reactive oxidant species. This oxidative stress then stimulates […]