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.
Brain, Cognition, Degenerative Disease, General Neuroscience, Neurology

Hippocampal interneuron activity drives functional hyperemia leading to neurovascular disfunction and Alzheimer’s Disease

Author: Kang Lai, Class of 2026 Functional hyperemia, or the dilation of blood vessels in response to increased metabolic activity, is critical for regulating the levels of oxygen and glucose in the brain. Moreover, it facilitates the clearance of metabolic byproducts such as amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), an accumulation of which underlies Alzheimer’s disease. In Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), disruptions in vascular dynamics are significant but poorly … Continue reading Hippocampal interneuron activity drives functional hyperemia leading to neurovascular disfunction and Alzheimer’s Disease

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Health, Health and Medicine, Immunology, Medicine and Physiology

Booze or Sugar? How do stress and dependent mice choose between the two addictive substances? 

Author: Kang Lai, Class of 2026 Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a significant health problem, affecting more than 35 million Americans, diagnosed by the DSM-5. Despite such high prevalence, few medications exist that can effectively treat AUD. The neurobiological mechanisms influencing key reward-seeking areas such as the nucleus accumbens and ventral tegumental area of the brain still remain unclear to this day. A common feature … Continue reading Booze or Sugar? How do stress and dependent mice choose between the two addictive substances? 

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Ecology, Health, Natural World, physiology

The Ethics of Animal Use in Research

Author: Antonia Truta, Class of 2028 Is the use of animals in research for human benefit morally justified? If so, how can experiments maintain ethical integrity while still advancing scientific goals? Professor Marcel Mertz at Hannover Medical School and a diverse range of colleagues, including scientists, philosophers, and legal scholars, explore these questions with a focus on animal models in research. The emerging field of … Continue reading The Ethics of Animal Use in Research

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Ecology, Environment, Natural World

Vasoconstriction and Heat Stress on Cattle

Author: Maegan Diep, Class of 2029 Figure 1. An image of a cow. Fescue toxicosis (FT) is a common condition brought about by endophyte bacterium-infected varieties of tall fescue plants. While beneficial to the plant, it is harmful to the cattle that consume the plant. In consequence, vasoconstriction, or the narrowing of blood vessels, is a common symptom associated with FT, harming their cardiovascular systems. … Continue reading Vasoconstriction and Heat Stress on Cattle

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COVID-19, Health, Health and Medicine

COVID-19 and Maternal Stress on an International Level

Author: Maegan Diep, Class of 2028 Pregnant women are among the many groups negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Encountering several stressors including social isolation, financial difficulties, and an increase in domestic violence, pregnant women are especially at risk for mental health issues. Exposure to stress during pregnancy can have numerous detrimental effects for both the mother and the infant. The mother becomes vulnerable to … Continue reading COVID-19 and Maternal Stress on an International Level

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Artificial Intelligence, Ecology, Environment, Evolution, Natural World

Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Wildlife Conservation

Author: Amal Bilal, Class of 2028 Artificial Intelligence (AI) is emerging as a tool that can be leveraged to identify effective solutions for the current biodiversity crisis. As ecosystems are increasingly harmed by humanity, researchers are looking for ways in which AI can be used to create multimodal models that analyze ecological data to improve biodiversity loss predictions, track patterns in wildlife trade, and develop … Continue reading Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Wildlife Conservation

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Health and Medicine, Medicine and Physiology

Augmenting Ultrasounds with Artificial Intelligence to Advance Wound Healing

Author: Amal Bilal, Class of 2028 Chronic wounds, or wounds that demonstrate abnormal repair due to a deficient healing process, pose major healthcare challenges worldwide. These wounds can lead to pain, infection, hospitalization, surgery, and, in the worst cases, amputation. Therefore, early identification of whether a wound is healing properly is crucial for adjusting treatment plans, reducing side effects and costs, and ultimately improving patient … Continue reading Augmenting Ultrasounds with Artificial Intelligence to Advance Wound Healing

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General Psychology, Psychology, relationships

How dietary choices affect our psychological well-being, behaviors, and crime levels

Laura Ladekarl, Class of 2025 The food you eat influences not only your physical health but also your mental health, mood, cognition, and behavior, especially when you are undernourished. Food can also play a significant social and emotional role when tied to cultural and religious practices or serving as a coping mechanism. While food plays an important role in emotional and physical wellbeing, researchers questioned … Continue reading How dietary choices affect our psychological well-being, behaviors, and crime levels

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Depression, General Psychology, Psychiatry, Psychology, relationships

Food Insecurity and Adolescent Suicidal Behavior: Fighting The Cause

Laura Ladekarl, Class of 2025 Amid a growing mental health crisis, suicide is a leading cause of death in adolescents. It particularly affects those from a lower socio-economic status due to limited access to sufficient and nutritious food. Food insecurity can impact cognitive-affective states, and adolescents facing it often report social isolation and feelings of shame, sadness, and family strain. Dr. Steare and his colleagues … Continue reading Food Insecurity and Adolescent Suicidal Behavior: Fighting The Cause

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General Neuroscience, Neurology, Neuroscience

Adolescent Substance Use and Changes in Dopamine in The Brain

Laura Ladekarl, Class of 2025 Dopamine, central in the brain’s reward system, plays a key role in addiction and reward processing. Studies have shown that individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) show reduced dopamine release and fewer receptors, even after prolonged periods of abstinence from their drug of choice. Neuromelanin-sensitivity magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) visualizes and quantifies the concentration of Neuromelanin (NM) in brain tissues. … Continue reading Adolescent Substance Use and Changes in Dopamine in The Brain

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General Psychology

The Balance Between Candy and Vegetables on Your Dinner Plate

Laura Ladekarl, Class of 2025 Many studies show how different perceptual features (color, texture, or packaging) influence food preferences, but few show how quantity influences people’s perceptions. Researchers from Tel-Aviv and Potsdam University investigated how the perception of the quantity of food differed based on food preference. Their research hypothesized that people would perceive portions of food they liked as smaller and portions they disliked … Continue reading The Balance Between Candy and Vegetables on Your Dinner Plate

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Health, Health and Medicine, Medicine and Physiology, Pharmacology

Science and GAC: How Scientific Inaccuracies Have Been Used to Shape Policy

Laura Ladekarl. Class of 2025 Gender-affirming care (GAC) has been increasingly accepted all over the world, including social transition support, puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgeries. At the same time, there has been a rise in legal restrictions on the same care for minors. Dr. Wuest from Mount Holyoke College and Dr. Last from Stony Brook University argue that these bans are deliberately produced using … Continue reading Science and GAC: How Scientific Inaccuracies Have Been Used to Shape Policy

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