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Modeling the Dynamics of Biological Systems REU

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Aug 8, 2025

The NB Probe: A Bright New Hope in the Fight Against Alzheimer’s

By Yang Sherpa and Charlotte Mankovich Summary: Researchers constructed a probe with the potential to diagnose and treat early-stage Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer’s is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by confusion, memory loss, and the misfolding, or aggregation, of a protein called amyloid beta. While this disease is common, current technology limits the detection…

Aug 7, 2025

AI Model Predicts Endometrial Cancer Risk Using Novel, Minimally Invasive Approach

By: Christopher Needham & Olivia Laukat Summary: Scientists developed an AI deep-learning model that could be trained to predict endometrial cancer risk in patients using a viscosity sensitive probe and fluorescence lifetime imaging. In the year 2020, over 400,000 women globally were diagnosed with uterine cancer, which includes both endometrial cancer and uterine sarcoma cases.…

Aug 7, 2025

Revealing the Full Picture of Locusta Migratoria Spermatogenesis

By Millicent Hays and Kaitlyn Khalawan Summary: Researchers aim to further uncover the developmental episodes within the testes of male locusts. Dissection and analysis of histological and ultrastructural components through various microscopy techniques are key to revealing L. migratoria’s rapid reproduction. This allows for future progress on methods to limit locust population, potentially via nanoparticles…

Jul 2, 2025

New Protocol Established for Exploring Microplastic-Jellyfish interactions

by Brendan Donovan and Sarah Berger Summary: A novel methodology for studying microplastic contents in C. andromeda jellyfish using light microscopy, electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy reveals microplastic presence in specimens is dependent on density and polarity of material. Microplastics are a growing threat to marine ecosystems, but they remain understudied in no small part…

Aug 15, 2024

First in vitro cell co-culture experiments using laser-induced high-energy electrons FLASH irradiation for the development of anti-cancer therapeutic strategies

By Nicholas Yeboah, Resa Nelson, and Adam Nahor Researchers were able to administer ultrahigh dose rates (UHDRs) to melanoma cells (skin cancer) in an in vitro cell co-culture experiment with healthy melanocytes. They were able to target the cancer cells and minimize DNA damage in healthy melanocytes while simultaneously increasing the potency of the radiation.…

Aug 6, 2024

Imaging Neural Systems: A Faster, More Sensitive Sensor

By Aloha Das, Amadou Diallo, Kayla Saychien Neurons require changing calcium concentrations to fire allowing neuron firing in the brain to be imaged by isolating calcium ion flows. Previous calcium imaging methods lacked the speed and sensitivity to image neurons efficiently so this paper introduces a new variation of “sensor” molecule to detect these calcium…

Jul 23, 2024

Foldscopes: A Swift and Low-Cost Technology Solution to Crop Loss

By Katya Frazier, Ian Kriel, Karen Chien A low-cost and lightweight alternative to the compound microscope, a Foldscope presents an effective way to quickly determine size and viability of pollen and germination. Foldscopes can be used as a tool in agriculture to detect signs of environmental stressors, such as climate change, in which moderate droughts…

Jul 14, 2024

3D tumour spheroid models for in vitro therapeutic screening3D tumour spheroid models for in vitro therapeutic screening: a systematic approach to enhance the biological relevance of data obtained.3D tumour spheroid models for in vitro therapeutic screening

By Ian Kriel, Adam Nahor, Kaelyn Coates, and Resa Nelson A map of the earth fails to accurately describe the shape of the planet when compared to a globe. Similarly, 2D cancer cultures fail to capture the scope, morphology, and organisation present in a tumor. Using 3D spheroids to replace 2D cell cultures, dynamics of…

Jul 6, 2024

DNA Origami Meets AFM: A Promising Duo in Nanoscience

By: Karen Chen, Kaelyn Coates, and Aloha Das DNA and other similar structures often coil up, obstructing the view of their molecular interactions to researchers. By combining the techniques of AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy) with DNA origami-based scaffolding methods, this paper showcases ways to visualize and study many nanometer-scale common interactions and structures formed by…

Jun 17, 2024

Expansion microscopy technique optimized for viewing meiotic protein structures

By Dr. Stefanie Chen By testing three different expansion protocols (ProExM, MAP, and U-ExM) and using three types of super-resolution microscopy (dSTORM, SIM, and re-scan confocal microscopy), researchers were able to determine that MAP-SIM worked best for imaging the fine features of the meiosis-specific synaptonemal complex from mouse spermatocytes. In order to view small molecular…