The Undergraduate Research Scholars Program

2006-2007

Ms. Janet Bang
Mr. Joseph Belanto
Mr. Andrew Brumm
Mr. Joseph Chan
Ms. Yuk Ching Cecily Chan
Ms. Connie Chen
Mr. James Chen
Ms. Gloria Chi
Mr. Benjamin Chiang
Mr. Gary Chou
Ms. Lucy Chow
Mr. Henry David
Ms. Christine Djapri
Ms. Preethika Ekanayake
Mr. Tobias Falzone
Mr. Zachary Finch
Mr. Andrew Folick
Mr. Eddie Garcia
Mr. Azriel Ghadooshahy
Ms. Marjorie Guerra
Ms. Dana Gulbransen
Mr. Shadee Giurgus
Mr. Omar Hajji
Mr. Omid Hariri
Ms. Kelly Havens
Mr. Daniel Hector
Mr. Maziar Hemati
Ms. Aria Hong
Mr. Jeffrey Hsu
Mr. James Hui
Mr. Kin Wai (Tony) Hung
Ms. Robyn Javier

Ms. Janet Bang
Mentor: Dr. Cindy Yee-Bradbury
Funding: Wasserman Scholar
Title: Social Support and the Effects on Startle Eyeblink Modulation

Janet Bang is a fourth year student majoring in Psychobiology and minoring in Art History. After having worked at the schizophrenia lab of Cindy Yee-Bradbury for 3 years, she is now working on her own research from the data she has been helping analyze and collect. Emotions incite varying physiological reactions, because as the mind deals with whatever problems a person may have, the body also has a complex system in dealing with the situation as well.

Psychological and physiological health is interrelated, as both fuse to interpret the different emotions of human experiences. Relationships between friends and family and the basis of a strong social support network, are important to the development of a healthy person both psychologically and physiologically. Evidence shows how social support can help against sickness, speeds the recovery of sickness, lowers stress, and also creates a reduced physiological response to stress.

The physiological aspect will be examined through the startle, an electrical recording of the obicularis oculi muscle located below the eye. As the patients rate a series of slides ranged negative to positive imagery, the startle emits an electrical recording reflecting the defensive or appetitive state of the patient. Social support in the lives of the patient is measured through four different subjective and objective questionnaires. It is hoped to discover that because of a strong social support in their lives, the participant is more psychologically stable and healthy; therefore, the participant will exhibit lower levels of defensive motivation and higher levels of appetitive motivation.

Janet plans to graduate this June 2007 and volunteer abroad before applying to graduate school in Psychology. She is especially interested in child psychology specializing in abuse and trauma. She would like to thank Ian Mathis and Cindy Yee-Bradbury for their support and guidance. She would also like to thank Lew and Casey Wasserman for their endowment.

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Mr. Joseph Belanto
Mentor: Dr. Christina Jamieson
Funding: Sparks Scholar
Title: Prostate Cancer Metastasis to Bone

Joseph Belanto is a fourth year undergraduate Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics major. Under the guidance of Dr. Christina Jamieson in the Department of Human Genetics Joseph is currently working on studying gene regulation in human prostate cancer cells grown in co-culture with mouse bone marrow cells in the presence and absence of both dihydrotestosterone and osteogenic media. So far, we have deduced that prostate cancer is both androgen dependent and independent in regards to its ability to metastasize to bone tissue, namely the spinal column. Therefore, Joseph is using dihydrotestosterone as an androgen analog to determine just how the androgen dependent prostate cancer cell line LAPC4 metastasizes to bone. Joseph is also working with human breast and lung cancer cell lines to deduce whether the same effects on bone marrow are seen with theses cancers or not. If so, then the method for bone metastasis is either identical or highly similar in these three cancers. If not, then LAPC4’s metastasis is novel and the pathway must be deduced. Joseph is also in collaboration with Dr. Sotirios Tetradis who has provided immense insight into bone marrow differentiation in response to prostate cancer and osteogenic media. His lab has provided all the bone marrow for throughout these experiments. Joseph plans to attend medical school next year and would like to thank Sparks for its generous contribution to this ongoing research project.

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Mr. Andrew Brumm
Mentor: Dr. Tatyana Gurlo
Funding: Mason Scholar
Title: The Role of IAPP in Islet Regeneration

Andrew Brumm is a third year undergraduate majoring in Neuroscience. He is beginning his second year of research in the Larry L. Hillblom Islet Research Center under the direction of Dr. Tatyana Gurlo. The focus of the laboratory is to determine the role that IAPP plays in the insulin deficiency characteristic of type 2 diabetes through the analysis of pancreata from rat and mouse models transgenic for human islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP). In addition to impaired insulin secretion, type 2 diabetes in humans is characterized by a roughly 60% deficit in β-cell mass, increased β-cell apoptosis, and deposits of amyloid in pancreatic islets. Recent data suggest that toxic oligomers of IAPP, and not amyloid fibrils, are responsible for the cytotoxicity of IAPP in the diabetic pancreas. Andrew’s research explores the hypothesis that expression of IAPP in the diabetic rat pancreas inhibits islet regeneration by directly inducing β-cell apoptosis. Research techniques include the use of a 60% partial pancreatectomy in the transgenic model and subsequent immunofluorescent analysis of rat pancreata. Andrew hopes to soon integrate isolation of the rat hypothalamus, specifically the arcuate nucleus, into his current project. This will ultimately allow for the analysis of circulating insulin and leptin levels in the brain, two key satiety signals involved in diabetes. Andrew would like to thank Dr. Gurlo, Dr. Peter Butler, and Dr. Aleksey Matveyenko for all of their help and encouragement, in addition to the Mason family for their gracious support of his work.

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Mr. Joseph Chan
Mentor: Dr. Stephen Smale
Funding: Van Trees Scholar
Title: DNA Methylation Analysis of Neuronal Precursor Cell Differentiation from Stem Cells

Joseph Chan is a fourth year undergraduate MIMG (Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics) major. After transferring from Los Angeles Valley College as a junior, he joined the lab of Dr. Stephen Smale in the Department of MIMG. Under the supervision of doctoral graduate student Jian Xu, Joseph has been researching DNA methylation patterns in the differentiation of embryonic stem cells to neuronal precursor cells. Previous studies have suggested the DNA unmethylation typically corresponded to the active expression of genes. However, Joseph’s mentor Jian Xu had recently shown that this was not necessarily the case. Jian found that in embryonic stem cells there were windows of unmethylation in tissue-specific genes which were not being expressed. This led to the observation that in the adult mouse brain had more complete methylation patterns than any other cell type. As a result, Joseph has been working for the past year on the methylation patterns of stem cells as they differentiate into neuronal precursor cells in an attempt to determine how quickly certain tissue specific genes are methylated and what possible implications this may have in the understanding of how embryonic stem cells maintain their pluripotency.

Joseph is currently working on learning the DMS footprinting assay to determine what proteins might bind to enable this pattern of methylation.
Joseph hopes to continue his research endeavors as he begins his career in medicine. Joseph would like to thank the Van Trees and URC/CARE for their academic support and guidance.

 

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Ms. Yuk Ching Cecily Chan
Mentor: Dr. Stanley Thomas Carmichael
Funding: Wasserman Scholar
Title: Stimulation of neural stem cell response by oxidative injury to blood vessels caused by strokes

Cecily Chan is a fourth year Physiological Science major at UCLA and has been conducting research as a member of the Carmichael Lab. Since Summer 2005, under the mentorship of Dr. S. Thomas Carmichael of the Neurology department, Cecily has been working on a joint project with Dr. Sheila Fleming from the Chesselet Lab running and analyzing behavioral tests on mice after strokes. With injections of Erythropoietin after stroke, the goal was to show behavioral changes in the mice's motor activities which correlate with previous lab physiological findings in post-stroke neurogenesis. In commitment of the long term objective of the lab, the new project will help further define the molecular and cellular mechanisms of axonal sprouting and neural stem cell responses. With various 'treatments' - Hyperoxic chamber, alpha-tocopheral and alpha-lipoic acid anti-oxidant injections and post-stroke artery clamping - the alteration of oxidation level's effects on neural stem cell regerneration will be analyzed. An immunohistochemical stain for doublecortin, BrdU intraperitoneal injections are made to identify newly born neuroblasts upon analysis of brian slices. If successful, this project will provide important clinical implications improving functional recovery in developing novel stroke therapies. Cecily plans on pursuing a career in the medical field of neurology.

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Ms. Connie Chen
Mentor: Dr. Harumi Kasamatsu
Funding: Whitcome Scholar
Title: Characterization of the Msmeg0427/Msmeg0428 allophanate hydrolase homologue in Mycobacterium smegmatis and mutants of putative Mycobacterium tuberculosis transcriptional regulator Rv1719

(from left to right) Dr. Jeanne Perry, Connie Chen, Dr. Harumi Kasamatsu

Connie Chen is a fourth-year Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology major. She has been working in Dr. Jeanne Perry’s Protein Expression Technology Center (PETC) since her second year at UCLA, and is currently conducting Honors Research in the PETC under Dr. Harumi Kasamatsu.

Connie is investigating the allophanate hydrolase homologues in three organisms – Mycobacterium smegmatis, Rhodopseudomonas palustris, and Escherichia coli – in order to elucidate a possible structure for the homologue in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The proteins Rv0263c and Rv0264c of M. tb interact to form a complex homologous to the enzyme allophanate hydrolase, a key enzyme in urea metabolism that converts urea to carbon dioxide and ammonia.

It is desirable to study functionally important proteins of M. tb in order to combat the disease it causes, tuberculosis. In recent years, antibiotic-resistant strains of the bacterium have emerged, leading to a resurgence in the disease. By solving the structures of functionally important proteins, new drug targets can be discovered.

In addition to her work in the PETC, Connie is investigating dendritic cell therapy for esophageal cancer with Dr. Mary Maish. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading, swimming, and playing the piano. Connie thanks Dr. Perry and Dr. Kasamatsu for allowing her this opportunity, as well as the staff and students of the PETC for their support. She would also like to thank Philip and Carla Whitcome for the generous scholarship that makes her research possible.

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Mr. James Chen
Mentor: Dr. Ram R. Singh
Funding: Wasserman Scholar
Title: Galectin-1’s Effects on Dendritic Cell Populations

James Chen is a third year undergraduate Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics (MIMG) and Economics double major. He has worked for fourteen months in Dr. Ram R. Singh’s lab under the guidance of Dr. Ram R. Singh and Dr. James Wang in the Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology. For most of his time at the lab he has been studying the possible role of stem cells in autoimmune diseases. In particular, he analyzes the role of mesenchymal stem cells in animal models of a systemic immune-inflammatory disease, i.e., systemic lupus erythematosus. He also assists other researchers in Dr. Singh’s laboratory with additional projects, which focus on developing genetic biomarkers for the autoimmune disease scleroderma, bone marrow precursor cell fibrocytes, and dendritic cells. Recently, James has played a larger role in a collaborative project with Dr. Benhur Lee’s group in the Department of MIMG, where they are investigating the effect and role of galectin-1, an endogenous lectin, on the differentiation, maturation and migration of dendritic cells. These preliminary studies have resulted in an abstract submitted to FOCIS for presentation.

 

Ms. Gloria Chi
Mentor: Dr. James Waschek
Funding: Rose Hills Scholar
Title: PACAP induced morphological changes in adult neural stem cells

(Dr. James Waschek, Gloria Chi, Dr. Pawel Niewiadomski)

Gloria is a second year student majoring in Biology. She is continuing her second year of research at Dr. Waschek's lab under the guidance of Dr. Pawel Niewiadomski.  The lab has been particularly interested in pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) which is widely distributed in various areas of the brain and also has important actions outside of the central nervous system. PACAP has a variety of functions in the body such as its involvement in the immune system, circadian rhythms, behavior, inhibition of apoptosis, stimulation of pituitary hormone production, and cerebellar development. In their lab, it has been observed that adding PACAP to cultures of neural stem cells isolated from the subventricular zone of adult mouse brain induced morphological changes in these cells. The cells appear to become migratory with many projections extending from the body. This indicates that PACAP has the ability to alter adult neural progenitors, but the molecular mechanisms associated with it have not been elucidated.

 

The focus of this project will be to better understand the mechanisms behind PACAP's effect on adult neural stem cells. To do so, Gloria will extract adult neural stem cells from the subventricular zone of two-month old mice and create neurosphere cultures. Then she will treat them with PACAP in varying concentrations. Some of the techniques she will be using include Western blots, immunocytochemistry, real-time RT-PCR, and possibly microarray technology. By using these techniques, Gloria will be able to observe the influence of PACAP at the level of expression of different stem cell, neural, and glial progenitor markers in the cell cultures. Future studies might involve in vivo experiments where PACAP treated adult neural stem cells are injected into healthy and diseased rodent brains. The effect of PACAP on migration will be observed by comparing the brains injected with PACAP-treated and -untreated cells by means of immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization.This project will investigate PACAP-mediated enhancement of the potential of the adult mammalian brain to repair its damaged tissue with cells generated from endogenous immature neural progenitors. Gloria plans to pursue a career in medicine or public health after graduating from UCLA. She would like to thank Dr. Waschek, Dr. Pawel Niewiadomski and the Waschek Lab for their help, support, and encouragement. She would also like to thank the Rose Hills Scholarship Foundation and URC/CARE for giving me this wonderful opportunity

 

Mr. Benjamin Chiang
Mentor: Dr. Yong Chen
Funding: Sparks Scholar
Title: Study of Neurons and Their Interaction with Nanoparticles

Benjamin Chiang is a fourth-year Electrical (emphasis: Biomedical) Engineering student doing research in the UCLA Department of Mechanical Engineering. He has been under the guidance and mentorship of Professor Yong Chen since June 2006, studying use of nanowires and nanotubes in neural probe applications. Currently, his research is focusing on gaining a better understanding of neurons’ internalization of foreign nanoparticles, particularly with regards to cytoskeletal structures. The main tools used in this study are antibody staining, cell culture, and confocal imaging. The long-term goal of this project is to create minimally invasive sensors that can study neurons in vitro over extended periods of time. Ben would like to thank Dr. Chen for the opportunity to do the research, Andrew Fung (doctoral candidate) for support, and finally the URSP Program and the Hale S. Sparks Scholarship Fund for recognizing the time and effort required for undergraduates to be successful in conducting research.

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Mr. Gary Chou
Mentor: Dr. Gouping Fan and Jian Feng
Funding: Mason Scholar
Title: Characterization of Dlx-Cre Dnmt1 Conditional Knock-out effects in the Mouse Brain.

left to right: Jian Feng, Dr. Gouping Fan, Gary Chou

As a 3rd year Microbiology, Immunology, Molecular Genetics major, Gary has been working in the Fan Lab in the Department of Human Genetics since winter quarter of 2005.  Working under the direct tutelage of Jian Feng and guidance of Dr. Gouping Fan, Gary’s SRP 199 project will explore the effects of Dnmt1 knockout on striatum interneurons. DNA methylation is a vital epigenetic factor that is important in embryonic viability and development.  To study the effects of DNA methylation in striatal interneurons, Dlx5/6-cre Dnmt1 conditional knockout mice are studied and observed to see the characteristics of methylation change in Dlx5/6 expressing cells.

DNA methyltransferase I (Dnmt1) is a maintenance enzyme for DNA cytosine methylation. Expressed at high levels in the CNS during embryogenesis and after birth, embryos with Dnmt1 knocked out die at gastrulation. Therefore, a Cre/loxP system is used to produce condition knock-out mutants that lack Dnmt1 in neuroblasts of embryonic day 12 embryos. Utilizing previous knowledge of known Dlx5/6 expression, it can be determined whether the knockout of Dnmt1 will have an effect on the cells that would normally have expressed Dlx5/6. The specific goal of this project is to determine the change in methylation in striatum interneurons. Preliminary staining results of P5, P30, and adult mice brain samples have not indicated significant changes of IAP expression, a demethylation marker. Future studies will target for early embryonic stage interneurons. RT-PCR and Western blots will be conducted to confirm if IAP shows any expression change. Gary would like to thank Jian Feng, Dr. Gouping Fan, the Mason Family and URC/CARE for their academic support and guidance.

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Ms. Lucy Chow
Mentor: Dr. Dennis Slamon
Funding: Rose Hills Scholar
Title: Identification of Novel Genes and Proteins Involved in Herceptin Resistance

Lucy Chow is a fourth year undergraduate student majoring in Molecular Cell Developmental Biology and minoring in Art History. She conducts her research in the Department of Medicine- Division of Hematology/Oncology under the guidance of her mentor Dr. Dennis Slamon.

Approximately 20-30% of all breast cancers amplify the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) gene and overexpresses the HER-2 protein receptor. Expression and activation of HER-2 leads to increased cell proliferation and tumorigenicity in vitro and in vivo. Thus, patients with HER-2 amplification exhibit an aggressive form of breast cancer and have a poor survival rate. The monoclonal antibody trastuzumab, clinically known as Herceptin, targets the HER-2 RTK by binding to the HER-2 extracellular domain and it is the recommended treatment for women with amplified HER-2 metastaticbreast cancer. However, 30% of eligible patients have an inherent resistance to Herceptin and 60% of patients acquire resistance to Herceptin. The mechanism of resistance remains unclear.

The purpose of Lucy’s research is to characterize cell lines models of Herceptin resistance that have previously been established in the Slamon Laboraory. And then to use these cell lines to identify genes/proteins involved in Herceptin resistance by using mRNA microarray and 2-D proteomic (DIGE) technologies. The next step will be to determine the role each of these genes may be playing in Herceptin resistance. This may lead to the identification of novel targets for breast cancer therapy.

After graduating from UCLA, Lucy plans to take a year off before applying to medical school. She will continue researching in Dr. Slamon’s laboratory during that time. Lucy would like to thank Dr. Dennis Slamon, Marie J. Arboleda, and Dr. Neil O’Brien. She would also like to express her sincere appreciation to her donors for their support.

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Mr. Henry David
Mentor: Dr. Joseph Watson
Funding: Wasserman Scholar
Title:Isolation and Reconstitution of Synaptoneurosomes from Single Rat Forebrain Slices

Henry is a fourth-year Biology and Spanish Linguistics student at UCLA. He is 22 years old and originally from Canada. He grew up in the small town of Brampton just outside of Toronto, where 20 inches of snow in the morning easily meant the roads were closed and school was cancelled. Henry spent 6 months out of every year of his childhood playing hockey in the street and making snow angels. The small-town community mindset was hard to let go of the day his mother decided to move to California, but he was always ready to adapt. The day-after his high school graduation, he stepped on a plane for America.

Living in Los Angeles has been the most significant and important change in Henry's life. It has made him more professional, connected, inspired, and most importantly, more educated. This city is inspirational because of its diversity, art, and passion. These aspects are what make his education at UCLA dynamic to begin with.

Henry's major hobbies include photography as well as writing. He cycles almost every day and during the winter enjoys snowboarding. He is currently a contributor to LAist.com, the largest LA-centric blog in the world. They like to consider him their "Westwood connection". Writing and research are Henry's two favorite pastimes, and luckily they go hand-in-hand!

Although he cannot say the same thing for others in the SRP program, he personally believes that the Student Research Project program is the greatest aspect of my academic career at UCLA. He was fortunate to have an awesome undergraduate mentor, Monica Arnold, who felt the same way. Working in Dr. Watson’s lab is such a great opportunity; he has learned so much in the past year and plan to continue tackling new projects and improving my skills. He couldn’t have asked for a better lab to work in with such a flexible and challenging faculty sponsor who continues to try and get me involved in every aspect of the research process.

 

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Ms. Christine Djapri
Mentor: Dr. Jijun Wan
Funding: Wasserman Scholar
Title: The effects of mutant glutamate transporter dEAAT1 on Drosophila melanogaster

Christine is a 4th year student majoring in Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology. Under the mentorship of Dr. Joanna Jen in the UCLA Department of Neurology, she is investigating whether transgenic fruit flies carrying a mutant glutamate transporter would manifest neurologically abnormal phenotypes. The project began with the discovery of a mutation in the glutamate transporter of a little boy with episodic and progressive ataxia, alternating hemiplegia, migraine and epilepsy. There is currently no direct causal relationship between the mutation and the symptoms seen in the little boy. By using fruit flies to develop a disease model, Christine hopes to understand the underlying pathogenic pathways and finally develop effective treatments. Two lines of fruit flies, one containing the mutant transgene, and the other containing the transgene without the mutation (as control) have been generated. Preliminary results showed that the ubiquitous expression of the mutant transgenes generated embryos that failed to develop into larvae, while expression of the wild type transgene generated embryos that developed into healthy adult flies. To further characterize the phenotypic effects of the mutant transporter, Christine is expressing thr transgenes specifically in cells expressing endogenous glutamate transporters in fruit flies. She will also co-express the transgenes with Green Fluoresecent Protein (GFP) in specific cell populations to visualize the degenerating cells in vivo.
Christine would like to thank all members of the Jen Laboratory, particularly Dr. Jen, Jijun Wan Ph.D, and Hafsa for their continued guidance and help, as well as the Wasserman family for their generosity in support of this project.

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Ms. Preethika Ekanayake
Mentor: Dr. Barney Schlinger
Funding: Rose Hills Scholar
Title: 17Beta Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase enzyme types 3 and 4 activity in Zebra Finch Brain

Preethika Ekanayake is a third year Neuroscience student at UCLA. When she moved to California eight years ago from the small island of Sri Lanka, she never dreamt about attending UCLA or working side by side with some of the greatest scientific minds in the nation. Since she had very little knowledge of the language, the transition was difficult at first. Nonetheless, she adapted, and succeeded in becoming the first person from her family to attain a college education. She is now on her second year of research at the Neuroendocrinology laboratory of Dr. Barney Schlinger.

Her new project in the Schlinger lab attempts to answer couple of questions. Since the isoforms of the enzyme, 17 Beta Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase (17Beta-HSD) is involved in the last key step in converting androgens and estrogens into their potent, active forms or inactive forms, they are an interest to the study of breast and prostate cancers. For her project, she is particularly interested in the activity levels of 17Beta-HSD types 3 and 4 in the brain of Zebra finch. Previous research supports the expression of these two enzymes in the temporal lobes of the human brain. But, study of these enzymes in the avian brain has not yet been done. Type 3 isozyme is known to convert the biologically inactive androgen, Androstenedione into its potent form, Testosterone. Type 4 isozyme, on the other hand, performs an oxidation reaction to convert the potent Estradiol (E2) to the inactive Estrone (E1). Preethika will use biochemistry assay to test whether time of incubation, pH levels, or sex differences in the brain, have an affect on the activity levels of these two enzymes.

Preethika would like to thank her mentor, Dr.Barney Schlinger and all the other members of the laboratory for their continuous support and guidance. Moreover, she would like to extend her gratitude to the members of the Rose Hills Foundation for their generosity and encouragement of her research, and to UCLA URC/CARE center for their support and kindness.

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Mr. Tobias Falzone
Mentor: Dr. Dolores Bozovic
Funding: Litton Scholar
Title: Coupling and Mass Loading Effects on Spontaneous Oscillations of Hair Cells of the Inner Ear

Tobias Falzone is a fourth year Biophysics student. Beginning in December 2005, Tobias started work under the guidance of Dr. Dolores Bozovic. He is currently studying the effect of the otolithic membrane on spontaneous oscillations of saccular hair cells. This line of study addresses the discrepancy between the predicted quality factor value from in vivo studies and the actual measured value in vitro with the otolithic membrane removed. Tobias will also be involved in developing new methods to visualize the nanometer-scale hair cell oscillations through the otolithic membrane. Overall, Tobias hopes to observe these oscillations under more natural conditions while still staying in vitro, thus bridging some of the gap between the body of in vitro and in vivo studies. After graduation in June 2006, Tobias is committed to completing graduate studies in the field of Biophysics, and later continuing in research as a career, eventually becoming a professor at a university doing research in the field of Biophysics.

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Mr. Zachary Finch
Mentor: Dr. Robert Fovell
Funding: Miller Scholar
Title: Ensemble Forecasting of North Atlantic Hurricanes

Zachary Finch is a fourth year student majoring in Atmospheric and Oceanic Science at UCLA. He is conducting research under the guidance of his mentor Dr. Robert Fovell. Zach’s research involves the use of computer weather models that forecast the track of Atlantic tropical cyclones. Weather models are an absolutely essential ingredient in hurricane intensity and track forecasting, but there is still a lot to learn about the abilities and limitations of these models. Zach will conduct what is known as ensemble forecasting. That is, for a given hurricane, he will run the model numerous times, exploring variations in initial conditions and model physics options. Some of the model parameters include cloud microphysics schemes and cumulus parameterization schemes. Different combinations of schemes can produce different forecasts for the tropical cyclones. After running the model, Zach will then start the process of validating the simulations by calculating position and intensity errors for the different model runs. The goal of this project is to determine the combination of parameters in the model that consistently generates the most accurate forecast.

After graduating from UCLA, Zach plans to attend graduate school. He wants to pursue a Master’s in Atmospheric Science. Zach would like to thank his family for their support in his academic pursuits. He would also like to thank Dr. Robert Fovell for his guidance in this project and over the last few years. Finally, Zach expresses his appreciation to Holmes Miller for their support in this exciting research.

 

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Mr. Andrew Folick
Mentor: Dr. Utpal Banerjee, Dr. John Olson
Funding: Mason Scholar
Title: Sac1, a Phosphatidylinositol Phosphate Phosphatase, Regulates Apoptosis during Eye Development in Drosophila melanogaster

Andrew Folick is presently a fourth year Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology major, and is starting his third year doing research in the Undergraduate Research Consortium in Function Genomics (URCFG). The URCFG is a research program at UCLA comprised entirely of undergraduate students. The program was created by Dr. Utpal Banerjee to enhance the undergraduate research experience. Andrew is currently working on the gene Sac1, which encodes for a phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PIP) phosphatase which putatively serves as a negative regulator of the JNK signaling cascade. He is investigating the role of Sac1 during Drosophila eye development. Clonal analysis suggests a role for Sac1 in regulating apoptosis during Drosophila eye development. Sac1 mutant clones are positive for TUNEL and Caspase3 staining and that photoreceptor formation is disrupted. Furthermore, the disruption of a JNK pathway component, misshapen (msn), results in a partial rescue of the Sac1 mutant phenotype by preventing apoptosis. He is using immuno-staining to indicate that there is an upregulation of Dpp, Wg and JNK activity in mutant clones. The next step is to decipher the mechanism of the interactions between these signaling pathways leading from Sac1 disruption to apoptosis. Andrew is planning to take a year off to gain more research experience before applying to MD or MD/PhD programs. He would like to thank Mr. Richard Mason and the Mason Family Trust for their generosity and support.

 

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Mr. Eddie Garcia
Mentor: Dr. Marie-Francoise Chesselet, Dr. David Jentsch
Funding: Alcott Scholar
Title: Executive function in Alpha-synuclein over expressing and DJ1 knock-out mice.

Eddie Garcia is a fourth year Psychobiology major and cognitive science minor. He has been volunteering and working in the Chesselet lab since Spring 2006. He is researching early symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). PD is a prevalent neurodegenerative disease caused by loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. The animal models he will be using are α-synuclein overexpressing (ASO) mice and DJ1 knock-out mice. α-synuclein is a protein that is found in abundance when a person has PD. The early symptom Eddie will be focusing on is impairment of executive function. One aspect of executive function is the ability to use a new strategy while not using a more familiar strategy. Eddie will test the ability to alter strategies using a cross maze, and, in David Jentsch’s lab, a Skinner box.

In addition, Eddie hopes to treat the ASO mice with L-DOPA or anα-2 agonist. L-DOPA is precursor to dopamine (DA), which is lacking in PD because of damage to the substantia nigra. ASO mice should not respond to treatment with L-DOPA because they have no damage to the substantia nigra. In contrast, the α-2 agonist should increase executive function in ASO mice by increasing noradrenergic activity. Eddie thanks his mentors Marie-Francoise Chesselet and David Jentsch for a chance to research in their labs. He also thanks Sheila Fleming for continued guidance. Lastly, Eddie thanks Dr. Cramer for the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program and Rosalind W. Alcott for her generosity.

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Mr. Azriel Ghadooshahy
Mentor: Dr. Dean Buonomano
Funding: Mason Scholar
Title: Spontaneous dynamics and a potential mechanism underlying learning and memory

Azriel Ghadooshahy is a 4 th year Cybernetics major with a concentration in Neurosystems. Beginning Spring Quarter 2006 Azriel started working in Dr. Dean Buonomano’s electrophysiology lab. The research areas of the lab include psychophysics, electrophysiology and computer modeling, centered on elucidating the neural basis of learning. After learning and mastering electrophysiological techniques including whole-cell and multi-unit activity recording as well as cell culturing techniques, Azriel began researching a phenomenon known as spontaneous dynamics. By observing the non-evoked electrophysiological activity of neurons in mouse and rat cortex in vitro, Azriel hopes to gain a better understanding of the molecular and electrical properties of cortical learning processes.

The current project funded by URSP focuses on looking at the spontaneous dynamics of transgenic mice afflicted with a human neurodegenerative disease known as Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). By comparing these mice with wild type mice, Azriel is hoping to detect a significant difference in the two groups that would clarify why these mice, as well as the humans, suffer specific types of learning disabilities. There are two major motivations behind this project. This research provides a rich opportunity to explore how cortical learning occurs on the most fundamental level. Furthermore, this work could ultimately contribute to helping individuals who suffer from the disease.

Azriel would like to thank the URC-CARE as well as his mentor for their ongoing academic and administrative support.

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Ms. Marjorie Guerra
Mentor:Dr. Barney Schlinger
Funding: Hilton Scholar
Title: The Role of Neurosteroids in Regulating Cell Proliferation along the Ventricular Border in the Zebra Finch Brain

Marjorie Guerra is a fourth year Neuroscience major currently conducting research under the guidance of Dr. Barney Schlinger in the Department of Physiological Science. Dr. Schlinger’s lab studies the activational and organizational roles of hormones in the avian central nervous system. In zebra finches, sex steroids can be produced in the brain independently of the gonads but the function of these neurosteroids is still not clear. In fact, steroidogenic enzymes are found along the mitotically active ventricular border, where both androgen and estrogen receptors are found. This suggests that these neurosteroids are important in regulating cell proliferation along the ventricular border. To test this hypothesis, Marjorie will culture slices of the ventricular zone in various media containing different steroid antagonists. BrdU will be used to label newly generated cells, and immunocytochemistry will be performed to stain for BrdU-positive cells in order to quantitatively measure each hormone’s effect on cell proliferation. This would be the first likely effort to examine the role of these neurosteroids in regulating neurogenesis. Marjorie would like to thank Dr. Schlinger and all of the members of the Schlinger lab for their continuing guidance. She would also like to thank the Hilton family for their generosity and the Undergraduate Research Center for their support

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Ms. Dana Gulbransen
Mentor: Dr. Peggy Fong
Funding: Hilton Scholar
Title: Effects of Both Palatabity and Nutrient Status of Algae on Herbivory on Three Zones of a Coral Reef

Dana Gulbransen is a fourth year student majoring in marine biology. She has worked in Peggy Fong’s lab researching various areas of marine ecology for the past two years. She is currently working on investigating factors that affect phase shifts in coral reefs systems from coral to algal dominated systems. There are a few main hypotheses as to why these phase shifts are occurring. Increased nutrient enrichment in the ocean due to runoff and other anthropogenic outputs allows opportunistic algae to overgrow and shade corals, causing them to bleach. In addition, over harvesting of herbivorous fish that eat algae on coral reefs allows algae to out-compete coral, thus causing abrupt phase shifts.

In order to investigate these hypotheses, she conducted field research in Moorea, French Polynesia, the objective of which was to determine if herbivores could select between nutrient enriched and unenriched forms of both palatable and unpalatable algae. She hypothesized that if herbivores did select for enriched algae, then they would be able to temper the effects of algal blooms by selecting for the nutrient enriched algae that was blooming. There is, however, some critical point at which the number of fish become too low and the amount of nutrients becomes too high, and a phase shift occurs. In her study, she found herbivores did not select among enriched and unenriched forms of the palatable alga, Acanthophora specifera, though they did select for the enriched form of the unpalatable alga, Galaxaura filamentosa. This difference can be explained by the fact that G. filamentosa was both unpalatable, because of its slight calcification, and very prevalent at study sites. A. specifera, however, was both palatable and rare at study sites. It is likely herbivores did not select among the two enrichment states of A. specifera because they were willing to eat any form of this palatable and rare algae.

While in the field, Dana made the assumption that she sufficiently enriched both algal species. To ensure this assumption was correct, laboratory work is now being done to determine initial and final levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in all algae placed in the field. Initial and final samples of both enriched and unenriched A. specifera and G. filamentosa were dried and transported to the U.S. Dana is now determining the initial nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) levels of all algae when the experiments were launched and final N and P levels to verify if algae maintained this nutrient status throughout the experiment.

Dana will graduate in Spring 2007, and plans on working for a year before she applies to graduate school to study marine botany. She would like to thank Peggy Fong for her guidance and the Hilton family for the support of her research.

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Mr. Shadee Giurgius
Mentor: Dr. Gary W. Small & Dr. Karen J. Miller
Funding: Hilton Scholar
Title: Semantic fluency among individuals with normal aging, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease.

(from left to right: Shadee Giurgius, Dr. Gary Small, Dr. Karen Miller)

Shadee M. Giurgius is currently conducting Alzheimer's disease research at the UCLA Aging & Memory Research Center in the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. The Hilton family has generously endowed his research, which is conducted under the direction of Dr. Gary W. Small, Dr. Karen J. Miller, and Research Coordinator Andrea R. Kaplan. Shadee has been researching at the Aging & Memory Research Center for the past three years.

As a fourth-year Psychobiology Major and Gerontology Minor at the UCLA College Honors, Shadee is researching Alzheimer's disease to prepare for a career as a geriatrician. He shares the interests of his mentor, Dr. Gary Small, which focus on the assessment and treatment of mental disorders of aging with an emphasis on early detection and prevention of Alzheimer's disease using neuroimaging and genetic measures.

An independent study that Shadee leads as first author will evaluate semantic fluency among individuals with normal/age-consistent memory impairment (ACMI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease (AD) through the administration of the Animals Naming test. The Animals test asks patients to freely recall as many animals as possible in one minute. As a language test, Animal Naming may help determine differences in language functioning and can help identify a patient’s degree of memory impairment. A rough, standardized range has been predetermined for each age group; subjects ages 16-64 should be able to recall 18 to 20 animals, ages 65-80 should recall 15 to 17 animals and ages 80+ should recall 13 to 14 animals. Using a neuropsychological test such as the 60-second Animal Naming task could provide quick insight into the presence of a preclinical phase to a later, more severe case of memory loss such as MCI or AD. Since tests such as Animal Naming have been seen to be clinically sensitive to detecting early cognitive changes, they may be useful to evaluate semantic fluency upon initial evaluation by healthcare providers. A brief testing of semantic fluency such as the Animal Naming test could provide valuable information about an individual’s present and future cognitive functioning, specifically in the early detection of memory impairment. Shadee's study will provide necessary information concerning the efficacy of this test as a potential screening tool in its use by primary care physicians.

Shadee plans to attend medical school in the upcoming future, continue brain research, and focus his energy on bettering the lives of seniors by volunteering at retirement homes and at the Alzheimer's Association. He would like to thank the Hilton family for their very generous contribution to brain research at the UCLA Aging & Memory Research Center. He is indebted to the personal guidance and support of his father, Dr. Moataz K. Giurgius, and mentors Dr. Gary Small, Dr. Karen Miller, Andrea Kaplan, Deborah Dorsey RN, Pauline Spaulding, and Jamie Bedics. He would also like to give special acknowledgement to Dr. Audrey Cramer and Karen Ryan at the Undergraduate Research Center, and Associate Dean of the UCLA School of Public Affairs Dr. Fernando Torres-Gil for their inspiration in the field of aging.

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Mr. Omar Hajji
Mentor: Dr. James Waschek
Funding: Mason Scholar
Title: Interaction between PACAP, VIP, and the immune system with nerve regeneration.

Omar is a senior studying the role of the immune-regulating neuropeptides pituitary adenylate
cyclase activating peptide (PACAP) and the closely related vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in nerve
regeneration. The exciting research he found being conducted in Dr. Waschek's lab drew Omar out of
the humanities and into a Neuroscience and Psychological Biology double major. Along with
medicine-focused research, Omar is interested in learning as much as UCLA can offer about how the
brain processes information and forms memory. If he is not in class, Omar can always be found in the
Waschek lab where he is beginning his third year working on the nerve regeneration project. Omar's
work has revealed a clear relationship between facial nerve injury and PACAP upregulation in the
brain, and indeed, PACAP knock-out mice demonstrate impaired nerve regeneration. Furthermore, his
recent experiments in immune-deficient mice indicate that the immune system is critical for regular
nerve regeneration. PACAP and VIP have known immuregulatory functions and he and Dr. Waschek
hypothesize that that these actions are responsible for the effects PACAP (and probably VIP) have on
nerve regeneration. This year Omar is developing experiments to investigate the link between
PACAP/VIP and nerve regeneration through investigations into the inflammatory response to injury. This research may be someday be used to treat spine and nerve injury.

Omar would like to thank Dr. Waschek for his encouragement and guidance. Omar would also like to express his gratitude to the Mason family for their support and interest in undergraduate research at UCLA.

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Mr. Omid Hariri
Mentor: Dr. Paul Micevych
Funding: Wasserman Scholar
Title: A Membrane Estrogen Receptor Mediates Intracellular Calcium Release in Hypothalamic Neurons and Astrocytes

Omid is a fourth year Neurocience major and first year graduate student in the Department of Neurobiology. He is conducting his graduate studies in the laboratory of Dr. Paul Micevych. An essential question in the current field of neurobiology is how sex steroids affect the Central Nervous System (CNS). This question has recently gathered a great attention because of the global actions of estrogen on brain functions such as: neuroprotection, perception, response to pain and the regulation of food intake. The goal of Omid’s project is to understand estrogen induced signaling process in behaviorally relevant opioid circuits.

Membrane associated ERα appear to directly activate mGluR 1a (Boulware. Based on the activation of mGluR 1a by estrogen, receptor stimulates phospholipase C (PLC). Eventually two intracellular messenger, inositol1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP 3) and diacylglycerol (DAG) that are produced when PI 4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P 2] is hydrolyzed by the activated PLC. IP 3 diffuses through cytosol and release Ca 2+ from endoplasmic reticulum by binding to and opening IP 3-gated Ca 2+-release channels in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. Diacylglycerol stays in the plasma membrane and together with phosphatidylserine and Ca 2+ help to activate the enzyme protein Kinase C (PKC), leading to phosphorylation of cAMP responsive element (CRE)-binding protein (CREB) and regulation of transcription. Omid’s goal is to define the proximal signaling cascade in NPY cells that initiate this behavioral cascade. Subsequent experiments will determine [Ca 2+] to study the hypothesis responsible for mediating activation of NPY neuron in the arcuate nucleus. Upon obtaining his Master Degree from UCLA, Omid plans to attend medical school. He thanks all the members of the Micevych lab for their guidance and support.

 

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Ms. Kelly Havens
Mentor: Dr. Abby Kavner
Funding: Wasserman Scholar
Title: High Pressure Electrochemical Behavior of AgI

Kelly Havens is a fourth year Engineering Geology major and has been doing research under the guidance of Dr. Abby Kavner since Spring quarter 2005. Dr. Kavner’s lab specializes in high-pressure mineral physics. Currently Kelly is working on high-pressure electro-chemistry charge transfer reactions. In an attempt to understand charge transfer rates at high pressures, she is studying AgI under the influence of an electric field at high pressure in a diamond anvil cell. Additionally, resistance measurements are made to reveal information regarding the relationship between conductivity and pressure. The applications of this research are numerous and varied, from understanding charge transfer rates in the mantle to producing more efficient batteries and fuel cells. Kelly is creating a poster board to present this research at the fall American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco in December. Kelly is honored to have received this prestigious scholarship. She is planning on continuing onto graduate school in geochemistry or engineering.

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Mr. Daniel Hector
Mentor: Dr. Jeff Eldredge
Funding: Sparks Scholar
Title: Numerical Simulations of Aquatic Biolocomotion

Daniel Hector is a fourth year Aerospace Engineering student at UCLA. He has been researching the role of vorticity in the undersea propulsion abilities of fish since January 2006 under the guidance of Professor Jeff Eldredge of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department. Using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tool, he ran a series of trials that simulated three fish swimming in formation in perfectly stagnant water. The fish were modeled as simple and identical ellipses that oscillated at the same frequency about their front end in a “flapping” motion and generated vortices in their wake. Instead of having the fish move, they remained in place and the simulation tool measured the forces imparted on the bodies by the fluid. The mean of the average of the forces over all three bodies in the forward direction was the effective thrust of the system. The goal was to determine the most efficient arrangement of the fish, in terms of relative positioning and phasing, to maximize the total thrust of the fish.

The research he will be conducting this year will utilize a similar CFD tool to model the swimming behavior of a single fish in a stagnant, viscous fluid. The fish will be composed of three identical ellipses connected end to end at two freely rotating joints, which will allow for an undulatory motion similar to that seen in nature in real fish. The goal will be to devise a system of control for the fish by means of prescribed initial “hinge angles” and beating frequencies so that the fish can me made to swim along a desired path. Comparisons will be made to similar work that has been done using an inviscid model so that the role of vorticity in this form of propulsion can be better understood.

He would like to express his gratitude to the Sparks Scholarship Fund for supporting his work.

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Mr. Maziar Hemati
Mentor: Dr. Pirouz Kavehpour
Funding: Mason Scholar
Title: Image Processing for Drop Coalescence Research

Maziar Hemati is a fourth year undergraduate studying aerospace engineering at UCLA. He has been contributed to various research groups in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Currently, he is responsible for the development of an image processing algorithm for use in drop coalescence experiments. Such an algorithm will be essential in gathering, analyzing, and interpreting the phenomena associated with drop coalescence. Further research in the field of drop coalescence will have a significant impact in the fields of biology, fluid mechanics, and chemistry.

In addition to his work in drop coalescence related image processing algorithms, Maziar is developing new methods and techniques in applying the method of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) to flows in micro-channels. Advancements in this field will allow more accurate analysis of flow profiles in micro-scaled channels, such as those found in various organisms and micro-fluidic devices.

Following his graduation from UCLA, Maziar plans to pursue his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and hopes to one day become a research professor at a university. Maziar wishes to thank Dr. Kavehpour and the Complex and Interfacial Physics laboratory for providing opportunities for and supporting the development of educational growth among undergraduate individuals in the MAE department. He also wishes to thank the Mason family for its generous financial support.

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Ms. Aria Hong
Mentor: Dr. Kent Hill
Funding: Wasserman Scholar
Title: Characterization of Mammalian Growth Arrest Specific 11 (GAS11)

(from left to right) Dr. Kent Hill, Jessica Russell and Aria Hong

Aria Hong is a fourth year majoring in Physiological Sciences. She is conducting research in Dr. Kent Hill’s laboratory in the Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics department. Aria’s research focuses on the characterization of mammalian GAS11 (Growth Arrest Specific 11), a homolog of a dynein regulatory complex protein in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Trypanosoma brucei, and its interacting proteins. GAS11, hypothesized to be part of the mammalian DRC and function in dynein regulation, is expressed in mammalian cells where it associates with microtubules and Golgi. Through yeast II hybrid screening of human lung library and directed yeast II hybrid experiments, Hook1 has been shown to interact with GAS11. Hook proteins are a family of microtubule binding proteins. Aria will be confirming the interaction between GAS11 and Hook1 through biochemical analysis. In addition, research in human PCD (primary ciliary dyskinesia) patients has shown that a subset of patients that have inner dynein arm (IDA) defects also have mislocalized GAS11. All patients who have mislocalized GAS11 also have mislocalized dynein axonemal light intermediate chain 1 (DNALI1). DNALI1 is an IDA marker used to screen for defects in axoneme structure. These results suggest that GAS11 could interact with DNALI1, possibly to regulate dynein. Aria will be confirming the interaction between GAS11 and DNALI1 biochemically as well. After graduation, Aria plans to apply to medical school. She would like to thank the Wasserman family and the Hill lab for their support.

 

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Mr. Jeffrey Hsu
Mentor: Dr. Sherrie Morrison
Funding: Mason Scholar
Title: Gitrl fusion antibody in the context of the tumor microenvironment

Jeffrey Hsu is a fourth year Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics major at UCLA. He started doing research his junior year in Dr. Sherrie Morrison’s lab at the beginning of the 2005-2006 school year. Under the supervision of Dr. Sherrie Morrison and John Cho, he is exploring the effects of GITRL on the interactions between the immune system and tumor cells.

He will be working on creating a GITRL antibody fusion protein. In past experiments, it has been seen that by localizing GITRL to the tumor microenvironment, through the expression of GITRL on the tumor cell surface, it has the ability to cause a mouse to reject the tumor. In some of their past experiments, immune memory was induced as a rechallenge wild type tumor was rejected. It has been theorized that GITRL helps break effector T cells out of regulatory T cell suppression, either by suppressing the regulatory T cell suppression function, or by providing a signal that allows the effector T cell to continue proliferation. Thus, with the use of cloning techniques, he will be creating the GITRL antibody that is targeted to the tumor cell and a non-specific control GITRL antibody to make sure that the expected results are not due to only antibody use. After growing up both single chain and double chain antibodies in bacteria and myeloma cells, the antibodies will be purified and used in further in vivo experiments. This can be then tested to see if the timing of the antibody inject (before the tumor challenge, after the tumor challenge) will have differing effects. Jeff expect to see similar effects as the GITRL expressed on the tumor cell surface, that is the GITRL will have a dose dependent effect and in higher doses will cause both tumor rejection and induction of memory.

Jeff is very thankful for the opportunities that Dr. Sherrie Morrison and John Cho have offered to him. They have allowed him to see a part of the research process that cannot be seen in the normal classroom context and the experience has been invaluable in helping him become a more well rounded student. He plans on applying to medical schools after he graduates in the spring.

 

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Mr. James Hui
Mentor: Dr. Milan Fiala
Funding: Wasserman Scholar
Title: The effects of gp120 glycosylation on HIV entrance into Brain Microvasuclar Endothelial Cells and Neurons

James Hui is a second year undeclared major who is working in Dr. Milan Fiala’s lab in the Department of Medicine on neurodegenerative diseases. He has been with the lab since 2005. Having learned, from Dr. Fiala, of the banes of disorders such as Alzheimer’s and NeuroAIDS, James has been working to elucidate the mechanisms and possible treatments of these disorders. James is currently studying the infection mechanism of NeuroAIDS. Since Blood-Brain Barrier precludes the traditional HIV anti-retroviral cocktail treatment from entering the brain, HIV can proliferate unchecked in the brain and cause a host of symptoms, such as dementia, that are collectively termed NeuroAIDS. Using Brain Microvascular Endothelia Cells as a model of human Blood-Brain Barrier (BMVEC), James has shown that viral surface glycosylation plays a vital role in the viral uptake by BMVEC cells. These discoveries furthered our understanding in NeuroAIDS mechanism and had introduced to us a novel prospect in treating NeuroAIDS. Recently the lab has been testing various carbohydrates that emulate viral surface sugars as anti-viral treatments. These inhibitory carbohydrates can block the necessary binding sites on BMVECs for viral uptake, hence reducing the entrance of HIV into brains. For the next stage of the project, the lab is also looking into the mechanism of viral infection in neurons themselves. For the future, James would like to pursue a research career in medicine. James is grateful for the opportunities and guidance provided by Dr. Fiala, a mentor for all of those who are working with him. In addition, James would like to thanks his parents and his colleagues/friends in the lab for their support.

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Mr. Kin Wai (Tony) Hung
Mentors: Dr. Utpal Banerjee/ Dr. John Olson
Funding: Rose Hills
Title: Screening for Mutant Phenotypes of AML1-ETO Fusion Protein via P-elements in Drosophila melanogaster

Kin Wai (Tony) Hung is a third year student majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology. Starting the winter quarter of his freshman year, Tony began his research on Drosophila under the mentorship of Dr. Utpal Banerjee, Dr. Gerald Call, Dr. Sergey Sinenkl, Dr. John Olson and Dr. Alison Milchanowski Yabroff in the Undergraduate Research Consortium in Function Genomics (URCFG) research program. He is currently conducting a genome-wide screen using P-element insertions in Drosophilamelanogaster to search for genes that interact with a fusion protein called AML1-ETO. The AML1-ETO fusion protein, created via a t(8,21)(q22;q22) chromosomal translocation, was shown to attribute to acute myeloid leukemia in humans. While much is known about the structure and functions of AML1-ETO, specific interactions of this fusion protein in leukemogenesis still remain a mystery. Tony’s research will, therefore, serve to identify the potential interacters of AML1-ETO, with the hope that further characterization of the identified genes can be significant in discovering the role of the fusion protein in acute myeloid leukemia.

Meanwhile Tony is also studying for the MCAT, and planning to apply to medical school this upcoming Spring. Here, Tony would like to thank all his mentors, fellow classmates, and the Rose Hills Scholarship for their guidance and supports. And last but not least, his loving parents for their unconditional presence.

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Ms. Robyn Javier
Mentor: Dr. Joe DiStefano
Funding: Posey-Carpentier/Pritikin Scholar
Title: Putative mechanisms involved in regulation of the tumor-suppressing protein p53 investigated via mathematical modeling

Robyn is a fifth year Computational & Systems Biology major working towards a joint BS/MS degree through the Departmental Scholars Program in Biomedical Engineering. She has been conducting research in the Biocybernetics Lab under the guidance of her mentor Prof. Joe DiStefano since 2004. Her work focuses on mathematically modeling the regulation of p53, a tumor-suppressing protein. By using equations based on actual biophysical mechanisms (rather than pure abstractions), models can be created that represent hypotheses of how the relevant proteins interact. Comparison of model simulations to experimental data allows discrimination between several alternative hypotheses. This process is yielding a better understanding of how p53 is regulated, information critical for determining what goes wrong in cancer and designing rational therapies. With the help of Prof. DiStefano and their collaborators at the Salk Institute, Robyn will continue her work on this project thanks to the support of URSP. For her thesis, she will delve deeper into the regulatory mechanisms involved in this system and investigate possible causes of oscillations. Robyn is currently applying to PhD programs in neuroscience. She plans to pursue a career in academia, applying her mathematical and theoretical training to benchwork research involving neurological disorders.

 

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