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Mitofusin 2 as a Mammalian ER-Mitochondria Tether? A Review
By Lauren Uchiyama, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, ’17
Author’s Note:
“I chose to write this piece to familiarize myself with the most recent scientific literature on Mitofusin 2 for my UWP104E Writing in Science class. I was preparing to apply for the Undergraduate Research Center Provost Undergraduate Fellowship and felt this would be a good way to inform myself about a protein related to my own undergraduate project in Jodi Nunnari’s lab. I was puzzled that different experiments could lead to such conflicting findings on the same issue; thus, writing this review was an invaluable learning experience for me as both an undergraduate student and scientist.”
Critical Factors Involved in the Relationship Between Cannabis and Schizophrenia
By Carly Cheung, Microbiology, ’17
Author’s Note:
“I wrote this piece for my UWP 104F: ‘Writing in the Health Professions’ class with Professor Walsh in Winter 2016. Our assignment was to examine a health related research question and explore the subject in a quarter-long research and synthesis process. I decided to write about Schizophrenia because I realized that I knew close to nothing accurate about people with mental health illnesses. Lack of understanding of the disease can contribute to stigmatization of these patients and cause further psychological harm. On my way to demystifying Schizophrenia, one of the most researched relationship I found was that of Marijuana and Schizophrenia. Throughout this process, I not only gained valuable knowledge on this topic, but I also learned to appreciate the various methods scientists developed to study the mechanism of this multi-layered and abstract disease.”
A Case Report of Tourette Syndrome
By Lo Tuan, Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior and Managerial Economics, ’17
Author’s Note:
“I chose to write about Tourette Syndrome because someone who is dear to me was diagnosed with it. Watching him struggle at a young age, I could only imagine how difficult it must have been dealing with strange and disapproving looks from peers and teachers. Through the gradual decline of symptoms over the years, he learned to cope with his tics and sought to educate others about the syndrome. Inspired by his story, I wrote this case report in hopes of share his journey with others.”
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Zika Virus
By Nicole Strossman, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, ’17
Author’s Note:
“I chose to write about this topic in an effort to gain a better understanding of Zika virus. While the topic is frequently in the news, the specifics of the virus are not always discussed in depth. As ongoing research is demonstrating the virus’ possible links to human health disorders, it is important for the general public to be informed about the facts of the virus, in an effort to minimize its spread.”
Medical Treatment for Gender Dysphoria: A Review of Risks and Benefits
By Elizabeth Gore; Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior; ’17
Author’s Note:
“This is my literature review for UWP 104F. I chose the topic of transgender medical treatment outcomes because of the recent increase in transgender inequity in the media. In the last 10 years, with the emergence of World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), there has been an increase in studies and resources available to clinicians. This emergence, while promising, is new and few clinicians feel comfortable treating these patients. This paper focuses on the outcomes of treatment on the wellbeing of patients struggling with gender dysphoria (GD). I originally chose this topic because of my connection with several transgender individuals. I was also curious as to what could be done to alleviate GD because I had heard about the prevalence of mental disorders and suicide rates among these patients. I do not focus on the treatments themselves in my literature review but on the wellbeing of the patient after receiving treatment. I thought that this was the important emphasis because the overall goal of these treatments is to improve the wellbeing of the patient.” (more…)
An Overview of Tension-Type Headache
By Lo Tuan, Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior and Managerial Economics, ’17
Author’s Note:
“I chose to write this paper because I have a family member who suffers from TTH and expanding my knowledge of the topic through researching and writing empowered me to play a more active role in assisting my family with addressing such medical condition.”
The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA
By Mor Alkaslasi, Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, ’16
Author’s Note:
“I chose to write a review about this book because I kept finding myself telling my professors and peers about it. As a student in a scientific discipline to which genetics and DNA are crucial, I feel that this book is a notable chronicle of the scientific process and of one of the most groundbreaking discoveries of the past century. I hope that this review serves to encourage anyone with an interest in science to read this book, or at least to realize the book’s importance in the scientific community.” (more…)
Exploring the Known Unknowns Using the Power of Metagenomics: Discovery of the crAssphage
By Connie Chen, Microbiology, ’15-’16
Author’s Note:
“Metagenomics is the study of genetic material directly from environmental samples such as the soil or the human gut. With whole metagenomic sequencing, it is possible to obtain and analyze every piece of genetic material in the sample. As we being to learn more about the world, it becomes evident that there is more that is unknown. The crAssphage is an example of a “known unknown” because through metagenomics, the virus’s genome has been built and certain properties can be interpreted from the genome, but it has never been seen under a microscope and there is much still unknown about the virus. Metagenomics have opened the doors to analyzing multiple sequences and determining the ecology of the environment. Because metagenomics is becoming more prevalent, it is essential to understand the potential of this growing field. I hope that by learning about the potential of metagenomics, new ideas can sprout from using this technology in order to help others.”
Stem Cells: Important Yet Controversial
By: Lauren Forsell, Biological Sciences ’16 and Parnya Baradaran, Computer Science Engineering, ’16
Author’s Note:
“Parnya and I collaborated on this piece for a Science and Religion: The Case of Galileo seminar assignment. This assignment was inspired by the seminar’s focus on religious controversies surrounding scientific advancements, theories, and concepts. Another main reason why we wrote this piece is because of our backgrounds. Parnya, a computer engineer major, and myself, a biology major, both attended Catholic high schools. We enjoyed writing this piece because analyzing science and technology in the face of religious teachings and practice is something we will have to consider in our future careers. We chose to analyze abortion because it is one of the most popular and controversial science vs religion topics today. After reading this piece, we would like our readers to understand that while science can heal and cure, it can also offend and upset religious groups. As college students studying science, it is our job to develop our own opinions, while respecting those whose beliefs differ from our own.”
The Fragile Physiology of Football Players
By: Esther Ebuehi, Human Development major, Nutrition Science minor ’16
Author’s Note:
“This narrative case report describes an athlete’s shoulder injury and explores the way injuries are treated in the world of collegiate athletics. While I was writing this piece, I recognized just how little time non-athletes spend thinking about the impact of sports injuries. Many NCAA athletes have life-long sports injuries, but we rarely talk about this issue as a campus community. There’s a national discourse revolving around injury prevention in football, and I believe this is a topic college students (athletes and non-athletes alike) should be thinking critically about.”