Category: Featured Abstracts

The Role of Promising Therapeutic Target, Plasminogen-binding Protein (PbsP), in the Pathogenicity of S. agalactiae and Development of Neonatal GBS Meningitis

June 8, 2023 Megan Branum
Megan Branum Background: Neonatal invasive GBS disease is the leading cause of infection-related neonatal morbidity and mortality globally, caused by the bacterium Streptococcus agalactiae, colloquially known as Group-B Streptococcus (GBS).1-4  After transmission from asymptomatically colonized genitourinary tracts of pregnant women, GBS utilizes virulence factors for pathogenic invasion of neonates.1-4 Current…
Featured Abstracts Microbiology

The Emerging Role of Chimeric Antigen Receptor Therapies in the Treatment of Autoimmune Disorders

June 8, 2023 Scarlett Bloodworth
Scarlett Bloodworth   Background: Newly engineered chimeric antigen receptor T lymphocyte therapies have been successfully used in certain cancers, including leukemias and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.1 These CAR-T therapies are used to eradicate over-proliferating cells by programming cytotoxic T lymphocytes to induce apoptosis upon binding the B lymphocyte specific cell marker CD19.2…
Cancer Featured Abstracts Immunology

CD40 Agonists Reprogram Tumor Associated Macrophages to Reduce Immunosuppression in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

June 8, 2023 Baylee J. O’Brien
Baylee J. O’Brien  Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is cancer of the ductal cells of the pancreas and is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer related deaths by 20301. The low survival rate is largely due to the fibrotic stroma of the PDAC tumor microenvironment with infiltration…
Cancer Featured Abstracts Immunology

The Role of Small Conductance Calcium Activated Potassium Channels in Atrial Fibrillation and Potential Pharmacological Treatments

June 8, 2023 Luke Bailey
Luke Bailey  Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrythmia in which the atria are rapidly excited without constant rate or rhythm. There are approximately over 3 million adults in the United States being affected by AF1 There is approximately a 25% increase in risk of cardiovascular related…
Cardiology Featured Abstracts

The Role of Phosphodiesterase and cAMP Activity Dysregulation in the Pathophysiology of Fragile X Syndrome (FXS)

June 6, 2023 Marilyn Santacruz
Marilyn Santacruz Background: Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder that generally affects males more often than females. It is the most common monogenic cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability.1 FXS is characterized by a disruption in the fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMR1) gene…
Featured Abstracts Neuroscience

The Role of CHD8 in Neurodevelopment and Neural Circuitries in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

June 6, 2023 Arion Yu
Arion Yu Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is classified by deficiencies in social communication and repetitive behaviors.1 The cost of treating ASD patients, including through educational resources, health services, and ancillary parental support was $268 billion in 2015, and estimated to climb to $461 billion…
Featured Abstracts Neuroscience

Upregulation of Autophagy via AMPK/mTOR Pathway on α-Synuclein Turnover in Parkinson’s Disease

June 6, 2023 Annie Huang
Annie Huang  Background:  Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons and α-synuclein protein aggregation.1 Existing treatments only alleviate symptoms and do not stop disease progression.1 About 90-95% of PD cases are sporadic, while 5-10% are familial forms of the disease.1 Advances in identifying…
Featured Abstracts Neuroscience

The Therapeutic Effects of Exosomes Derived From Human Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Alleviating Atopic Dermatitis By Reducing Type 2 Helper T Cell Induction

June 6, 2023 Anna (Seo Won) Cho
Anna (Seo Won) Cho Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory skin condition characterized by pruritus and cutaneous lesions with a 10% lifetime prevalence.1 Th1 and Th2 cells are upregulated in AD in which Th1 cells activate delayed hypersensitivity reactions while Th2 cells induce B cells to produce IgE antibody…
Featured Abstracts Immunology Inflammation