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From Embryo to Tumor: the widespread applications of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
By Briga Mullin, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, ’15
What do a smoker, a two week old embryo, a child with a broken wrist, and a metastatic tumor all have in common? While these are a diverse group of conditions, they all have cells that are experiencing the same process known as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Mesenchymal cells are non-polarized, mobile, invasive, and their main function is to secrete extracellular matrix. In contrast, epithelial cells form our skin and the linings of our internal organs. They are normally polarized which means they have a directional structure and are uniformly oriented and are attached to a membrane to form a layer of epithelial tissue. Under certain conditions an EMT will occur and epithelial cells will change their transcription patterns, produce new proteins, destroy the basal membrane they are attached to, and totally convert their phenotype to become motile mesenchymal cells. EMT can be triggered by a variety of conditions and can yield very beneficial or extremely detrimental results depending on the circumstances. (more…)
Viruses and the Global Metabolic Pathway
By Oyang Teng, Biological Sciences ’14
Microbes are the planetary engineers of the biogeochemical cycles that sustain all life on earth. At the molecular scale, the biological turnover of such key elements as hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, iron and sulfur depends on the enzymatic transfer of electrons from reduced (electron-donating) to oxidized (electron-accepting) forms of these elements. On the global scale and over geological time, reduced substrates and oxidized products map to a vast, often circuitous flux between the interior depths of the mantle and the oceans, land, and atmosphere.
Ode to Complementation
By Angelica Degnan, Genetics ’15
Oh complementation testing whatever do you do?
How does thee help me explain the mutants true?
Begin with two recessive strains
Cross, observe, unearth
the ones that are the same
What does this mean?
How do you explain the ones that function redundantly through?
Complementation, complementation alas I see the light
That alleles that are mutants a like, when united, cannot avoid their destined plight
But mutants in two different genes stand a fighting chance
They work independently, and can lend a helping hand
If one should fail, be lost forevermore another can step in a lead expression forth
Complementation testing, you are a godsend for sure
I can now see the wonders that you produce in scores!
This poem appears in the video “Complementation Test” by Angelica Degnan and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major Ngoc Pham.
Photography: DNA
By Riley Galton, Genetics ’14
Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, encodes all of the instructions necessary for the beautiful figures and forms that can be found in the biological world. All plants, animals, and humans— subjects that are so familiar to the photographer—share the same underlying, four-letter genetic code. It is this simple molecular code that gives rise to the incredible diversity of living things, which in turn makes them so rewarding to photograph. My goal for this project was to investigate the form of the DNA itself—a form that is seldom seen, but always there. To do this, I isolated DNA from strawberries and photographed it using a macro lens.
Arabidopsis – Model Organism
By John Tran, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology ’14
Have you ever wanted to learn more about the plant model organism?
Plants have many unique properties that make them especially important to all aspects of life. They provide oxygen, food, and energy, so you could imagine that there are many cellular and molecular processes that are involved in plants. For these reasons, we want to better understand plants using a model organism called Arabidopsis. Here, we talk about the properties of Arabidopsis and present an example of a genetic experiment, which could be used to improve the quality of apple trees.
Photo credit: “Arabidopsis thaliana – Acker-Schmalwand” by Nuuuuuuuuuuul is licensed by CC BY 2.0
Population Vector
By Jennifer Jahncke, Psychology ’14
Something we talk about a lot in neuroscience in terms of topics like visual perception and locomotion is population vectors. A population vector is the sum of each component vector. In this image, with the trees converging to a vanishing point, the population vector would be the vector in the center of the cluster (though not quite to scale; in reality it would have a larger magnitude).
When the Last Frog Croaks
By Renata Vidovic, Evolution and Ecology ’15
To some, the phrase climate change evokes images of dry lakes, melting icebergs, and rising oceans. However, the effects of global warming are not simply cataclysmic geological changes. There are links between all biotic and abiotic features of an ecosystem. Unsurprisingly, climate change has an immense impact on frog populations around the world. Home range, abundance, breeding cycles, pathogen epidemics, and physical degradation in frogs are all affected by the changing climate.
Mapping neurons through online gaming
By: Jenny Cade, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology ‘15
One of the biggest challenges in neuroscience today is mapping the wiring of the nervous system. Looking at the spatial arrangement of neural networks can tell us a lot about how information is relayed, but accurate 3D mapping of neurons is an enormously challenging task, even with the aid of computer analysis. One group of researchers at MIT has harnessed the power of crowdsourcing to tackle this problem.
Evolution of Tooth Enamel
By Marisa Sanchez, Molecular and Cellular Biology, ‘15
One feature that sets humans apart from other primates is the thickness of tooth enamel. Scientists at Duke University have recently discovered evidence on how evolution has resulted in thickened enamel for human teeth. By comparing the human genome to five other primate species, geneticists and evolutionary anthropologists were able to identify two segments of DNA where natural selection may have played a role in giving rise to thick enamel. Differences in enamel thickness have been linked to the difference in diet among primates. Humans consume foods that are tougher to chew relative to the food eaten by other primates, which is why humans have developed thicker enamel through natural selection. (more…)
New Target For Alzheimer’s Treatment
By David Ivanov, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, ’15
A group of researchers studying brain cells have found a new potential target for pharmacological therapies that may help treat Alzheimer’s disease. Beta amyloid plaque, which appears to be a toxic build up of fragments of amyloid precursor protein (APP) in the brain, has long been associated with Alzheimer’s disease, and has been one of the major targets for Alzheimer’s treatment. Amyloid precursor protein plays an important role in the brain, and when this protein is broken down in nerve cells the toxic byproduct beta amyloid is formed. (more…)