August 2017 – Proceedings of the Texas A&M Medical Student Grand Rounds

Combinatorial blocking of immunosuppressive molecules, PD1 and CTLA4 as an anti-melanoma immunotherapeutic strategy

August 14, 2017 Georgina Kolcun

Georgina Kolcun Immune checkpoint blockade has proved to be an auspicious therapeutic strategy in the field of cancer immunotherapy. Immune checkpoints are points at which the immune system may either stimulate or inhibit its immune response. The immune system may feel the need to heighten its response at the threat…

Cancer Immunology

The Impact of Intrauterine Nutrition and Epigenetic Modifications on the Development of Obesity and Type II Diabetes

August 14, 2017 Ammad Khan

Ammad Khan Introduction. Nutrition, especially early dietary exposures, plays a critical role in a person’s health throughout their life1.It has been substantiated that external factors can cause cell type-dependent epigenetic changes including those that are commonly attributed to obesity and diabetes2,9,10. Obesity, defined as a BMI greater than 30, has…

Endocrinology

The role of the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of non-small cell lung cancer and induction of cancer treatment resistance

August 14, 2017 Allen Jacob

Allen Jacob Introduction. Lung Cancer has been identified by the National Cancer Institute of the NIH as the leading cause of mortality among all cancers in the United States, with an estimated 155,870 deaths in 2017 alone. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) encompasses 85% of lung cancer diagnoses, and a…

Cancer

The Role of the Gut Microbiome in Mediating Obesity

August 14, 2017 Connie Hsiao

Connie Hsiao Introduction. Obesity is a condition characterized by excessive adipose tissue and increases an individual’s risk for health, social and mental issues. Obesity is a major issue in the United States, where more than one-third of Americans are clinically obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2).1 Environmental and genetic factors both…

Endocrinology Microbiology

The Mechanism of Antisense Oligonucleotides as a Therapeutic Option for Spinal Muscular Atrophy

August 14, 2017 Arko Ghosh

Arko Ghosh Introduction: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by lower motor neuron loss and muscle denervation, which can result in quadriplegia, respiratory failure and ultimately death1-2. SMA has an incidence of approximately 1 in 6,000 to 1 in 10,000, and as such, is…

Neuroscience

Therapeutic role of HDAC4 inhibition in the treatment of Huntington’s disease

August 14, 2017 Kelly Flynn

Kelly Flynn Introduction. Huntington’s disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG trinucleotide repeat expansion in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene encoding the huntingtin protein. The HTT mutation results in an accumulation of misfolded proteins leading to neuronal dysfunction and cell death.1-4 HD is clinically characterized by a…

Neuroscience

The Role of Gut Microbiome Bacteria in the Pathogenesis of Autism Spectrum Disorder

August 14, 2017 Lindsey Farmer

Lindsey Farmer Introduction Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) includes a range of developmental neuro-behavioral disorders characterized by restricted and repetitive behavior, abnormal social interaction and impaired communication1,2,7. 1 in 68 people in the US have ASD, and the prevalence has increased over 10 fold in the last 40 years, representing some…

Microbiology Neuroscience

Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 for Enhanced Bone Healing: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Emerging Research

August 10, 2017 Joshua L. Crapps

Joshua L. Crapps Introduction. Delayed union and nonunion bone fractures fail to fuse by 6 or 9 months post-injury, respectively, with no progression for an additional 3 months in those classified as nonunion.1 Of the 7.9 million annual fractures in the United States, 600,000 exhibit delayed union and 100,000 progress…

Orthopedics

Using mechanical stimuli to induce stem cell differentiation towards endothelial and smooth muscle cells for use in vascular grafts

August 10, 2017 Scott D. Cardone

Scott D. Cardone Introduction. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. With 1 in 4 deaths resulting from CVD, the American Heart Association estimates its annual health care cost to be $316 billion.1 Often, a patient will need a…

Cardiology

Dysregulation of DNA Methylation Profiles in Neural Stem Cells: A Consequence of Ethanol Exposure

August 10, 2017 Sasha Burrowes

Sasha Burrowes Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) are leading non-genetic causes of neurodevelopmental disabilities in the US and worldwide1. Acting as a teratogen, ethanol has been shown to drastically change the developmental course of maturing neural stem cells in treated mouse NSCs via alterations in…

Neuroscience