Author: Young Investigators Review

The Young Investigators Review is Stony Brook University's undergraduate-oriented, all-inclusive science journal. Founded in 2008, our mission is to provide the student community with a way to learn more about the research currently being done on-campus by their faculty and fellow peers. We feature articles that span all fields, from Physics to Neuroscience, as well as original student research reports straight from the campus laboratories. Our journal offers aspiring talented future researchers and physicians a way to hone their science writing skills and spread word of their experiences to inspire incoming students to think about devoting their futures to the various fields of science.
2016-17, Biology, Neuroscience

Dual Threat: DLK as a Novel Role Player in Axonal Regeneration

by Aaron Gochman (’18) Axonal regeneration is a branch of neuroscience on the cutting edge; re-growing injured neurons is a technique that, once refined, will fundamentally change the landscape of nervous system therapies. A team of researchers from University of Michigan, Washington University in St. Louis, and University of Pennsylvania have discovered a key intracellular pathway in axonal regeneration that is conserved in both Drosophila, … Continue reading Dual Threat: DLK as a Novel Role Player in Axonal Regeneration

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2016-17, Biology, Environment, Evolution, Genetics

The Origin of Dogs Traces Back to Two Separate Locations

by Jenna Mallon (’18) Although it is a common fact that domestic dogs originated from wolves, there are still speculations concerning the geographical and temporal origins of man’s best friend. There are disagreements over when and where dogs were domesticated. Despite evidence that points to the Paleolithic Era, some archeologists argue that dogs could have been independently domesticated in two separate regions: Eastern and Western … Continue reading The Origin of Dogs Traces Back to Two Separate Locations

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2016-17, Linguistics, Psychology

How Bilingualism Affects Children’s Learning

by Lillian Pao (’18) There are 6,500 spoken languages around the world and the most popular language is Mandarin Chinese, which uses vocal pitch to create tone. Tone is used in the English language to distinguish questions, statements, and other elements of emotional states. Children who are learning two languages have to learn how words are defined in both of their native languages. There are … Continue reading How Bilingualism Affects Children’s Learning

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2016-17, Biology, Health, Medicine and Physiology, Psychology

Chromosomal Studies Lead to Advancements for Alzheimer’s Disease

by Sahil Rawal (’19) Alzheimer’s disease is a well-known neurodegenerative disease that commonly affects people of older age. Although scientists have been able to connect different lifestyle factors with the onset of Alzheimer’s, the basic molecular mechanisms are still not completely understood. Currently, there are many ongoing studies that aim to gain more information on Alzheimer’s disease and the etiologies behind the devastating disease. Studies … Continue reading Chromosomal Studies Lead to Advancements for Alzheimer’s Disease

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2016-17, Biology, Health, Medicine and Physiology, Psychology

The Secret Behind Increased Wisdom

by Lillian Pao (’18) There is no concrete definition of wisdom. However, there are some repetitive themes that encompass the idea of wisdom, such as the use of knowledge from an experience, careful decision-making, and lowered anxiety during complex situations. In a recent study, professors of the University of Chicago concluded that there may be a connection between somatic, or physical, practices and wisdom. Although … Continue reading The Secret Behind Increased Wisdom

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2016-17, Biology, Chemistry, Health

Swimming Pools May Be Mutagenic

By Sahil Rawal (’19) Swimming pools are known to contain many disinfectant products such as chlorine to keep the water safe to swim in. However, studies have recently found that these disinfectants release byproducts that could eventually react with organic matter already present in the water, such as human urine or sweat. These released byproducts have already been found to cause cases of asthma and … Continue reading Swimming Pools May Be Mutagenic

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2016-17, Biology

The Moon and its Effects on Sleep and Behavior

By Lillian Pao (’18)               For centuries, the mythical powers of the moon and its influence over human behavior have fascinated mankind. Because of this fascination, an international group of scientists decided to test whether the lunar phases affected children’s sleeping patterns. The full moon, half moon, and new moon were the three lunar phases that were tested. Over … Continue reading The Moon and its Effects on Sleep and Behavior

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2016-17, Biology, Health, Medicine and Physiology

The Health Consequences of Eating Potatoes

by Sahil Rawal (’19)   Potatoes have been a staple in our diet for a very long time; they were recently added to the US healthy meals program after they were shown to increase potassium levels and lower blood pressure. Despite this, the effect of increased consumption of potatoes on blood pressure is still unclear. As a result, researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital decided … Continue reading The Health Consequences of Eating Potatoes

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2015-16, Psychology

How Childhood Trauma May Be Surmounted

by Julia Newman ’19 Past studies display that children exposed to traumatic experiences, such as death of a family member, are prone to developing not only mental issues, but also issues concerning their physical health. However, more recent research proves that these traumas, also known as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and their effects can be overcome if the children are living in a healthy environment. This study, conducted by … Continue reading How Childhood Trauma May Be Surmounted

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2015-16, Biology, Year

Loss of Reefs Traced Back to Carbon Dioxide Levels

By Julia Newman ’19 As the growth of limestone in coral reefs slows, their ecosystems are drastically reduced in terms of size and diversity. This is a natural cycle that occurs in autumn and winter each year due to the decrease in water temperature and light during those months; the corals that represent much of these reefs are usually able to produce enough limestone to make up for … Continue reading Loss of Reefs Traced Back to Carbon Dioxide Levels

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Biology, Medicine and Physiology

DNA Packing Mechanisms in Viruses Revealed

by Julia Newman ’19 New studies on the packing of DNA in viruses show that it sometimes behaves like a fluid and other times like a solid, similar to a tube of toothpaste or a cup of sand. For this reason, it was difficult in the past for scientists to determine how DNA is packed within a viral shell. However, it turns out that viruses actually have a … Continue reading DNA Packing Mechanisms in Viruses Revealed

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2015-16, Physics

Asteroids May Have Fostered Life on Mars

By Julia Newman Fig 1: Analysis of Mars’ surface shows a history of bombardment.   Ever since the official announcement of water on Mars just last September, the search for habitable conditions on the planet has been more intense than ever. Studies from earlier this week suggest that while Earth’s surface is affected mostly by erosion and plate tectonics, Mars has been subjected to billions of … Continue reading Asteroids May Have Fostered Life on Mars

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