July 2019 – Page 3 – Proceedings of the Texas A&M Medical Student Grand Rounds

Use of Small Molecule Manipulation of the Wnt/ β‐catenin and Smad/BMP Pathways for Promotion of Bone Growth

July 25, 2019 Clark Roth

Clark Roth Introduction. Non-union is a serious complication of a fracture characterized by an arrest in the fracture repair process. It is estimated that 10% percent of long bone fractures progress to non-union and that a total of 100,000 fractures go on to non-union yearly in the United States. 1…

Orthopedics

Lin28/let-7 Axis Plays A Key role in Regulating Aerobic Glycolysis and Cancer Progression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma via PDK1

July 25, 2019 Sonia Rao

Sonia Rao Introduction. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth leading cause of cancer in the world with a 5-year survival rate of only 5%, demonstrating the need for improved treatments1,2. Risk factors for HCC include alcohol consumption and diabetes, and it is usually a progression of cirrhosis1. All cancers exhibit…

Cancer Featured Abstracts

Altered Expression of TGF-beta Facilitates Breast Cancer Cell Growth, Division, Migration, and Metastasis

July 25, 2019 Shannon Ranney

Shannon Ranney Introduction: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in females worldwide, with metastasis being the most common cause of death among patients with breast cancer1. There are nearly 1.7 million new cases diagnosed every year, and 1 in 8 women in the U.S. developing breast cancer…

Cancer

The Role of YAP-Dependent Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Takeover in Gastric Cancer Metastasis

July 25, 2019 Shreena Patidar

Shreena Patidar Introduction Cancer metastasis signifies an aggressive cell migration of a primary tumor to secondary tissues of the body. The process is correlated with poor prognosis and remains incompletely understood, despite the high mortality rates associated with this process1,2. Both tumor progression and later metastatic stages are associated with…

Cancer

The Role of Prolonged ER Stress and PERK/EIF2⍺/ATF4 Pathway in the Pathogenesis of Parkinson Disease

July 25, 2019 Selena Patel

Selena Patel Introduction. Parkinson disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and presence of alpha-synuclein (⍺S) aggregates forming intracellular inclusions1,6. The pathogenesis of the selective loss of dopamine neurons and accumulation of alpha-synuclein remains unclear; however, recent evidence…

Neuroscience

The Role of Leptin and Leptin-Mediated Pathways on the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer of Obese Individuals

July 25, 2019 Paul Paris

Paul Paris Introduction. Breast cancer continues to be a leading cause of mortality for women worldwide, while obesity remains a leading cause of morbidity within the United States and serves as a risk factor for the development and progression of breast cancer1-4. However, the mechanisms that underlie the connection between…

Cancer

MYC Promotion of Oxidative Phosphorylation Enhances Chemotherapy Resistance in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

July 22, 2019 Neha Pal

Neha Pal Introduction. Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) account for approximately fifteen percent of breast cancers, and they lack the presence of the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2). Because targeted therapies rely on the presence of at least one of the previously mentioned…

Cancer Featured Abstracts

Lymphangiogenesis via VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 Pathway Following Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury due to Myocardial Infarction

July 22, 2019 Melanie L. Painter

Melanie L. Painter Introduction. Myocardial infarction results from insufficient blood flow to the heart. Endogenous lymphangiogenesis is initiated after myocardial infarction and serves a protective role against the development of heart failure by reducing inflammation and edema.3 Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C (VEGF-C) and VEGF Receptor 3 (VEGFR-3) both increase…

Cardiology

Macrophage Polarization and Renal Migration in the Etiology of Hypertension

July 22, 2019 Chris Ortigoza

Chris Ortigoza Introduction. Heart disease is the greatest cause of death in the United States.1 Hypertension represents the most important modifiable risk factor implicated in heart disease,2 representing a major risk factor in coronary and peripheral atherosclerosis, cardiac hypertrophy3, heart failure, ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage and chronic end-stage renal disease.3…

Cardiology

The Role of NFκB Signaling in Treating Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction After Volatile Anesthetic Exposure

July 22, 2019 Chris O’Sullivan

Chris O’Sullivan Introduction. Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction (POCD) is serious post-anesthesia complication characterized by varied neurological deficits such as loss of spatial memory and executive functions.1 POCD can affect over 50% of all elderly patients undergoing surgery, with about 10% continuing symptoms over 3 months after surgery.2 The most important risk factor for…

Neuroscience