Category: Featured Abstracts

Identification of METex14 and PTPRZ1-MET Mutations as a Mechanism for Progressive, Recurrent, Chemo-Resistant High Grade Gliomas and a Novel Therapeutic Target

July 3, 2020 Chelsea Crovetti
Chelsea Crovetti Introduction. Anaplastic astrocytomas (AAs) are grade 3 gliomas distinguished from low grade gliomas by higher malignancy, increased proliferation rate, and genetic mutation markers1-9. Patients, usually 30-50 years of age, undergo complete resection of this tumor, and then follow a stringent course of radiation and chemotherapy1-3,5,7. Problematically, these resected…
Cancer Featured Abstracts

The Role of TIGIT as a Checkpoint for Cytotoxic Effector Cells in Melanoma Immunotherapy

July 3, 2020 Jennifer Bryan
Jennifer Bryan Introduction. Despite prevention and early detection efforts, melanoma incident rates, mortality, and morbidity remain high.1 One method of treatment is immunotherapy, which stimulates the body’s own immune system to defend against cancer. An important component to that immune response is cytotoxic effector cells, including natural killer (NK) and…
Featured Abstracts Immunology

Mutations Affecting Smoothened Drive Resistance to Hedgehog Pathway Inhibitors in Treating Advanced Basal Cell Carcinoma

July 2, 2020 Sonali Batta
Sonali Batta Introduction. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in the world.1 BCC’s arise from constant activation of the Hedgehog pathway (HH) in hair follicles and intrafollicular epidermis.2 This drives oncogenesis not only in basal cell carcinoma, but also in medulloblastoma and cancers of the pancreas,…
Cancer Featured Abstracts

The role of short chain fatty acids in alleviating anxiety by reducing gut corticotropin releasing factor receptor (CRFR) expression and systemic inflammation

July 2, 2020 Lena Ayari
Lena Ayari Introduction. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the top causes of mental illness in the U.S., affecting around 3.1% of the population.1 Current pharmaceutical therapies are associated with unpleasant and potentially harmful side effects, and only around 45-55% of those affected achieve remission following treatment.1,2 Studies have…
Endocrinology Featured Abstracts Inflammation Neuroscience

Mechanisms Regulating Th17 T Cells Implicated in the Pathogenesis of Autoimmune Conditions Like Arthritis

August 19, 2019 Jacob Moser
Jacob Moser Introduction. Many chronic inflammatory diseases like asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and many others owe their pathogenicity to ‘typical’ inflammatory cytokines like TNFa, and can be targeted clinically by widely used drugs like Adalimumab (Humira). But recently discovered types of asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and others that did not respond adequately…
Featured Abstracts Immunology Inflammation

The Use of Anesthetic Agents for Non-Anesthetic Purposes: Ketamine as an Alternative for Treatment-Resistant Depression

August 6, 2019 Devon Weidner
Devon Weidner Introduction. Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD) affects 1% of individuals in the US and 30% of depressed patients1. Patients with treatment resistant depression are those who have been unsuccessful with treatment from two different classes of antidepressants for a sufficient duration of time and dosage2. Treatment for these patients…
Featured Abstracts Neuroscience

Tissue Transglutaminase 2 (TG2) Post-Translational Modification of the Angiotensin II Receptor (AT1R) Plays a Role in the Pathogenesis of Essential Hypertension

July 31, 2019 Eric Swanson
Eric Swanson Introduction. Hypertension (HTN) is the leading cause of stroke, disease burden and death worldwide (1) In the United States, it affects 46% of adults and it is estimated that 13-17% of adults with HTN have uncontrolled or resistant HTN (1).  Due to the underlying heterogeneity in the pathogenesis…
Cardiology Featured Abstracts

Targeting the Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase Pathway to Suppress Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Metastasis

July 31, 2019 Soumya Shekhar
Soumya Shekhar Introduction. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains as one of the deadliest types of cancer, with 5-year survival rates remaining around 3% (1). PDAC tends to metastasize earlier than other types of cancer, so the efficacy of traditional first-line cancer treatments such as surgical resection and radiation therapy is…
Cancer Featured Abstracts