Category: Featured Abstracts

Use of Specific Heparan Sulfate Targets as Therapeutic Treatment Against Human Papillomavirus Infection

June 22, 2023 Kadambari Suri
Kadambari Suri Background: Though prophylactic vaccines exist, ~80% of people (both men and women) will be infected by human papillomavirus (HPV) during their lifetime. While outcomes of HPV infection vary significantly among individuals, HPV is responsible for about one-third of all cancers – including the majority of cases of cervical…
Featured Abstracts Microbiology

Protecting Dopaminergic Neurons: Sigma-1R Agonists as Potential Parkinson’s Treatment

June 22, 2023 Gor Kikanian
Gor Kikanian Background:  Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, leading to motor symptoms such as tremors, rigidity, and bradykinesia. The Sigma-1 receptor (Sig-1R) is a unique transmembrane protein located in the endoplasmic reticulum that is…
Featured Abstracts Neuroscience

The Role of the Gut Microbiome in the Reduction of Behavioral Symptoms in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

June 21, 2023 Taylor Newman
Taylor Newman Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent deficits in social communication, repetitive behavioral patterns, highly restricted interests and/or sensory behaviors early in life. 1,3 Children with ASD are 3.5 times more likely to suffer from GI disorders, such as diarrhea and constipation, than…
Featured Abstracts Microbiology Neuroscience Psychiatry

The Potential Use of CDK7 Inhibitors to Treat Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer via Reduction in MED1 Phosphorylation and Androgen Receptor Signaling.

June 21, 2023 Michael Hembrough
Michael Hembrough Background: Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common malignancy in men. 1,2 PC begins with mutations in prostatic ductal epithelial cells, which produce androgen receptor (AR), a transcriptional regulator for genes controlling cell homeostasis. 1 These mutations increase AR signaling, driving tumorigenesis and metastasis. 2 Eventual progression to…
Cancer Endocrinology Featured Abstracts

Adolescent Exposure to Alcohol and its Effects on the Central Amygdala in Reference to Future Anxiety and Alcohol Use Disorders

June 21, 2023 Macy Meyer
Macy Meyer Background: The central nucleus of the amygdala integrates information about one’s state and is positioned appropriately to take part in regulating both anxiety and alcohol interactions.1 Those with anxiety or stress disorders have a more hyperactive amygdala under regular conditions, and this type of hyperactive response is exaggerated…
Featured Abstracts Neuroscience Psychiatry

Several Important Virulence Mechanisms Enable Yersinia pestis to Establish Deadly Infections Requiring Prompt Medical Intervention

June 21, 2023 Matthew Landry
Matthew Landry Background: Plague is one of the most historically and culturally important diseases ever to impact humankind. Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, has led to no less than three pandemics within the last 1500 years, and continues to be medically relevant causing over 26,000 cases of illness…
Featured Abstracts Microbiology

The Dopamine Deficiency Hypothesis: Modifications to Dopaminergic Receptors Impacts on Alcohol Use Disorder

June 21, 2023 Lindsay Mathys
Lindsay Mathys Background: Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is characterized by multiple areas of excessive use of ethanol as outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition (DSM-5). It is estimated that ~30% of US adults will meet criteria for AUD during their lifetime, with  ~15 million…
Featured Abstracts Neuroscience Psychiatry

Silk-Based Fibroin Vascular Grafts for The Repair and Regeneration of Small Caliber Blood Vessels In Cardiovascular Disease

June 21, 2023 Manusree Bhatter
Manusree Bhatter Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of death globally, accounting for almost 19 million deaths globally1. Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is a lethal CVD, and it accounts for approximately 610,000 death every year in the United States and is a major source of healthcare costs2. CAD…
Cardiology Featured Abstracts