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.
Ecology

How Ice and Wind Can Affect Baltic Sea Phytoplankton

Panayiota Siskos ’23 The Baltic Sea has a history of having anthropogenic river nutrients from agriculture and wastewater discharges as well as phytoplankton biomass. A combination of physical, chemical, and biological factors forms the marine ecosystem, making it difficult to identify which impacts are climate change and human caused concentration of nutrients, and studies identifying them are necessary for a healthy marine ecosystem. Seasonal ice … Continue reading How Ice and Wind Can Affect Baltic Sea Phytoplankton

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General Psychology

The Music We Enjoy Can Ease Our Pain… Literally

Ayesha Azeem ‘23 Music-induced analgesia (MIA) is defined as the ability of music to influence pain perception. The analgesic properties of music have been extensively studied in laboratory experiments and been found to alleviate pain and reduce anxiety. However, it is unclear what type of music is best for music-induced analgesia. The music used to study the phenomenon of MIA in previous studies was chosen … Continue reading The Music We Enjoy Can Ease Our Pain… Literally

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Psychology

Our Attachment Styles Can Be an Indicator for Anxiety

Ayesha Azeem ‘23 Anxiety is one of the most prevalent diagnosed mental illnesses in the world as well as one of the leading causes of poor health and increased mortality across all mental disorders. Thus, researching and learning about the contributing factors and etiology of anxiety is very important for many clinical psychologists like Dr. Kristen Bernard at Stony Brook University, who seeks to study … Continue reading Our Attachment Styles Can Be an Indicator for Anxiety

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Psychology

To Hide A Body

Wendy Wu ’22 From podcasts to documentaries, the world has an odd fascination with violent crime. Even decades after they occur, grisly murders are picked apart by the media and public. Another group with particular interest in murders are forensic psychologists. Their research has delved into the psyche of murderers and the factors that lead up to them committing crime. This has helped in developing … Continue reading To Hide A Body

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General Psychology

The COVID-19 Pandemic: A Physical and Mental Crisis

Wendy Wu ’22 In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 crisis a global health pandemic. Days later, COVID-19 was declared a national emergency in the U.S. Cases rose alarmingly and multiple states went into shut-down. Schools and workplaces closed, moving to online platforms as an effort to socially distance and slow the spread of the virus. What was thought to be a … Continue reading The COVID-19 Pandemic: A Physical and Mental Crisis

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Neuroscience

Microglial Activation Promotes AD-Affiliated Plaque Formation

Vignesh Subramanian ’24 Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder and form of dementia that causes progressive loss of memory, critical thinking skills, and behavioral capabilities. The disease is characterized by the extracellular aggregation of beta (β)-amyloid plaques. These buildups gradually interfere with proteostasis, the regulation of protein synthesis and degradation, and decrease levels of neurotransmitter signaling between neurons. However, the failure of microglia – … Continue reading Microglial Activation Promotes AD-Affiliated Plaque Formation

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Molecular Biology

NSC-Derived Antibody Proves a Selective NSC Marker

Vignesh Subramanian ’24 Neural stem cells (NSCs) are multipotent cells capable of differentiating into the major types of mature cells in the central nervous system (CNS) – neurons and glia – and giving rise to unlimited generations of those cells. Alongside progenitor cells, which are descended from NSCs and differentiate into specific target cells, NSCs are critical in advancing neurogenesis, the development of neurons from … Continue reading NSC-Derived Antibody Proves a Selective NSC Marker

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Health

Online Survey of the Impact of COVID-19 Risk and Cost Estimates on Worry and Health Behavior Compliance in Young Adult

Thumyat Noe ’23 The COVID-19 pandemic has led to major mental health consequences such as anxiety and non-compliance with health guidelines within the general population, especially among young adults. To effectively treat anxiety and encourage compliance with public health guidelines among young adults, it is important to understand factors that contribute to COVID-19 related anxiety as well as decision-making mechanisms that contribute to compliance with … Continue reading Online Survey of the Impact of COVID-19 Risk and Cost Estimates on Worry and Health Behavior Compliance in Young Adult

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General Psychology

Can bullying lead to a greater risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?

Joyce Chen ’23 Bullying is when one individual exerts control over another through physical or verbal aggression. It is a widespread problem in the school, work, and online settings in the United States. A plethora of research has been done on the negative effects of bullying on the victims’ physical, emotional, and psychological well being; however, not much is known on how bullying affects an … Continue reading Can bullying lead to a greater risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?

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Uncategorized

Discovery of Mass Tyrannosaurus rex Fossil Sites Indicates Social Interaction Rather Than Isolation

Sooraj Shah ’24 The image of the lone Tyrannosaurus rex fossils sitting in a museum is based on the stereotype that they hunted in solidarity. It has long been debated whether these creatures even had the brain capacity to form communities until recently. A study conducted by Alan Titus, a paleontologist for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, focused on a new mass grave whose … Continue reading Discovery of Mass Tyrannosaurus rex Fossil Sites Indicates Social Interaction Rather Than Isolation

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Psychology

The Effects of Mental Health of Young Children on their Adolescent Functioning

Yukta Kulkarni ’22 Psychopathology is the study of mental disorders, which can be prevalent in all age groups. In fact, children can be tested and diagnosed as early as preschool. It has been observed that young children who show symptoms of disorders  may endure the same symptoms at an exacerbated level in later childhood or even adolescence. However, little is known about how these disorders … Continue reading The Effects of Mental Health of Young Children on their Adolescent Functioning

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Neuroscience

High salt intake can lead to autism-like symptoms in infants

Joyce Chen ’23 Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects 1% of individuals worldwide. Although there has been extensive research done on ASD, its primary cause remains unknown. Scientists believe that it is the result of a wide variety of heritable and environmental factors. However, recent research has indicated that an altered gut microbiome caused by a poor diet can lead to … Continue reading High salt intake can lead to autism-like symptoms in infants

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