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HECTOR L. LOPEZ, JR. Cook College
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HECTOR L. LOPEZ, JR. The proliferation of mammalian cells is regulated by a cell cycle control system, which orders cells to propagate, enter an inactive (quiescent) state or differentiate. This system is based on two core components: cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK) and cyclins. These components are key in the progression of DNA replication, gene transcription and mitosis. Irregularities within the control system are linked with certain types of cancers. Therefore, investigating this system may provide insight into molecular anomalies present in some cancers. The STAM (signal transducing adaptor molecule) protein is involved with intracellular signals that relay important environmental cues to the nucleus. Lopez's summer project included construction of a DNA vector plasmid containing a cloned sequence for STAM. The vector is used to insert the STAM sequence into mammalian cells in an effort to stimulate greater STAM production. The lab has acquired data suggesting that STAM interacts with the cyclin A molecule, a core component of the cell cycle. They postulate that STAM may play a significant role in cell cycle regulation. An aberrant alteration in STAM expression may negatively affect normal cell growth and division. Ultimately, this inquiry could help scientists clarify the role of STAM in malignant tumor cells, with a potential for innovative cancer treatment alternatives. |
AISHA BARBER Rutgers
College |
AISHA BARBER Most intervention programs for children who are at risk for delinquency are designed for adolescents. But by then, delinquent behavior patterns may have already been established. To determine if earlier intervention is effective, Barber studied the Early Start Mentoring Program for at-risk children ages 5 through 7. To qualify for the study, children had to exhibit aggressive or anti-social behavior that was severe when compared to children of the same gender and similar social environments. The at-risk children were identified by their teachers. Trained mentors spent time with the children, teaching them coping skills and alternatives to aggressive behavior. The children in the study were then compared with a control group of children who did not receive mentoring. Barber found that aggressive and anti-social behavior significantly decreased in the children studied, while there was a significant improvement in the level of cooperation with their peers. Barber, who is from Edgewater, is also in the ACCESS MED Transition Year Program at RWJMS. She enjoys working with children and is considering a career in pediatrics or neonatology. |
EDUARDO PEREZ Rutgers
College |
EDUARDO PEREZ Interferons (IFNs) are a large family of proteins released by cells exposed to a virus. They are the body's first line of defense, enabling other cells to resist a viral infection. Each IFN has a specific monoclonal antibody that recognizes it. The two team up and work together to attack the invading virus. Interferons are currently used in the treatment of some malignant tumors and viruses, including hepatitis B. Perez synthesized one of these antibodies, known as 8C2, in the lab. He then carried out several experiments and found that 8C2 reacted with some proteins more than others. These experiments will assist researchers in characterizing 8C2's specificity, which will allow them to define its application and limitations. On the clinical front, this could lead to the development of purer, more efficient forms of IFN. Such drugs could be given to patients in lower doses and for shorter periods of time, with fewer side-effects. After graduation from college, Perez plans to enter a PhD program or go on to medical school. "The Biomedical Careers Program really turned me on to research, and I'm thinking about it as a career," he says. |
DAWN HOLDER Cornell
University |
DAWN HOLDER Neurotrophins are proteins important in the growth and survival of motor neurons, or nerve cells. Similar in structure, they act by binding to neurotrophin receptors on nerve cells. A high expression of neurotrophin receptor p75 is found in embryos during the development of the nervous system. Holder's research examined the effects of spinal cord injury in rats. She found that after nerve injury, there was an increased expression of p75 on the injured segments of the spinal cords. "The re-establishment of p75, a developmental marker, on injured neurons may be important in future clinical research," Holder says. "The conditions of normal development were mimicked. This may provide clues to the regeneration of the nervous system following an injury." Holder, who attended Middlesex County College for three years before transferring to Cornell, says her research was a fascinating introduction to neuroscience. She enjoys laboratory work and has applied to medical school. |
BENJAMIN A. CODJOE Rutgers
College |
BENJAMIN A. CODJOE The msa mutation is a recently discovered spontaneous mutation that affects the skeletal muscles of mice, causing curvature of the spine and a decrease in muscle mass. Codjoe compared the skeletal muscle cell structure of mutant and normal 15- to 17-day-old mice embryos. He collected muscle samples and prepared them for immunofluorescent microscopy. Under the electron microscope he found that in the mutant mice, the muscle striations disappear, there is less muscle fiber, and what is present is disorganized. Experiments such as this on the msa system are important because they help researchers better understand the role of specific genes in skeletal muscle disease in humans. After spending two summers as a BCP student, Ben, a biology major, plans to attend dental school. His older brother, Paul, now a second-year student at RWJMS, is also a former participant. Their sister, a first-year undergraduate pharmacy student at Rutgers, hopes to attend this summer. "The program also allows you to do research you'd never have the opportunity to do as an undergraduate student," says Codjoe. |
MONIFA ENGLISH Douglass
College |
MONIFA ENGLISH Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia among the elderly. It impairs the ability to think abstractly and carry out daily activities. Some studies have found that older patients suffering from dementia, depression and other psychiatric problems underutilize clinical services. English examined this issue by analyzing data related to the study. A total of 44 Alzheimer's patients, with an average age of 81, took part in the study. Initially, they received a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation at UMDNJ's geriatric psychiatry service. They were then divided into two groups. One group received primary care over a one-year period. The other group received subspecialty care from a team that included psychiatrists, neurologists and social workers. Caregivers in this group also received counseling. After one year, the caregivers were interviewed by telephone to assess the health care services utilized and to find out how they and the patients were coping emotionally. Among the patients who received subspecialty care, some of the symptoms of dementia improved, particularly cognitive abilities. The caregivers who received counseling felt it had a positive effect on their emotional status. "Being part of the program gave me an opportunity to look at mental health, a special interest of mine, from a geriatric perspective," says English, who plans to apply to medical school and possibly pursue her interest in psychiatry. |
MELISSA BORRERO Livingston College Mentors: Paul J. Lioy, PhD, and Richard Opiekun, MA, MS. Is interested in a career in osteopathic medicine |
MELISSA BORRERO Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits are widely used in clinical chemistry. One of their most common uses is in testing antigen-antibody reactions. The kits contain antigens, which react when combined with antibodies. To produce accurate results, the kits must be manufactured according to exact specifications, or standards. However, when certain tests were performed in triplicate, the results were not the same. To evaluate whether the kits were in fact adhering to established standards, Borrero did a comparison of seven kits from the same manufacturer. A slight standard deviation was found. Borrero, who is from Hawthorne, has wanted to be a physician since childhood. Her pediatrician, whom she describes as "inspirational," first triggered her interest in medicine. When she was 12, her mother was seriously injured in an auto accident. "I spent that entire summer watching her suffer in the hospital, wishing I could cure her myself," she says. Borrero, who is minoring in French, hopes to spend this summer abroad, then apply to medical school. She is considering a career in osteopathic medicine. |
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A BCP GRADUATE LOOKS BACK
Fleming describes her laboratory experience as unforgettable. "I spent most of my time in the rat lab," recalls Fleming. "My work included removing rats' ovaries, implanting hormones in their brains, and testing them for sexual receptivity. It was pretty dramatic stuff for a college student." Fleming is now assistant professor of clinical pediatrics at RWJMS and chief of pediatrics at the Eric B. Chandler Health Center. She is the first BCP graduate to become a member of the RWJMS faculty. |
As
a college undergraduate, Jacqueline Fleming knew she wanted to be
a physician. But she hadn't spent much time in a laboratory. To
gain some experience, she enrolled in the Biomedical Careers Program
(BCP) at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
