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.
Degenerative Disease

Diagnosis and management of Guillain–Barré syndrome in ten steps

Sabah Bari ’24 Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by an overactive immune system that causes damage to peripheral nerves, leading to loss of sensorimotor function starting at the extremities and spreading to the torso. Some symptoms of GBS are potentially fatal, such as respiratory failure, cardiac arrhythmias, blood pressure instability, which are all directly involved with the autonomic nervous system. The … Continue reading Diagnosis and management of Guillain–Barré syndrome in ten steps

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Sociology

Ageing: The Role of Ageism

Thumyat Noe ’23 Although the global average life expectancy has increased, there is little evidence to support that quality of life for older people has improved. Older adults are believed to be experiencing better health worldwide due to improvements in medical, psychological, and social resources, but the role of ageism in determining healthy aging is often disregarded. Ageism is a form of prejudice in which … Continue reading Ageing: The Role of Ageism

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Biology

Melittin: A Natural Peptide from Bee Venom Which Induces Apoptosis in Human Leukemia Cells

Thumyat Noe ’23 Past research has shown that honeybee’s venom has the potential to treat various diseases such as arthritis, chronic pain, cancer, and atopic dermatitis. The venom mostly consists of peptides and low molecular weight compounds such as sugars and amino acids. Melittin is one of the peptides found within honeybee’s venom and possesses the most bioactive properties among all the compounds in the … Continue reading Melittin: A Natural Peptide from Bee Venom Which Induces Apoptosis in Human Leukemia Cells

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General Psychology

The Impact of Pubertal Development on Anxiety Risk and Startle Habituation

Aditi Kaveti ‘23 As children begin pubertal development, they experience a host of changes that may contribute to feelings of anxiety, including increases in weight and height, changes in body shape, and hormonal fluctuations. In a study done in part by Felicia Jackson of the Department of Psychology at Stony Brook University, researchers examined the relationship between mean startle, startle habituation, pubertal development, behavioral inhibition … Continue reading The Impact of Pubertal Development on Anxiety Risk and Startle Habituation

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Disease

Loss of Sense of Smell Caused by COVID-19

Aditi Kaveti ‘23 The coronavirus pandemic has changed our lifestyles as we knew it. As we find ways to stay safe during the pandemic, research continues to bring us new information about COVID-19. One of the earliest and most commonly reported indicators of COVID-19 is the temporary loss of smell, or anosmia. Olfactory cells are the body’s smell nerve cells that are stimulated by the … Continue reading Loss of Sense of Smell Caused by COVID-19

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Health and Medicine

The Impact of Patient Intellectual Disability on Organ Transplantation Candidacy

Gwenyth Mercep ’22 Disqualifying patients with intellectual disabilities (ID) from receiving organ transplantation is an unfortunate reality in healthcare. Compared with the evidence-based criteria used to determine transplant eligibility, the ID model has the potential to be discriminatory and subjective [1]. The use of ID in transplant candidacy may stem from perceived worse adherence and outcomes for patients with ID, concern of penalties to transplant … Continue reading The Impact of Patient Intellectual Disability on Organ Transplantation Candidacy

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Environment

Localization, Authenticity, & Intersectionality – Ingredients to the Effective Implementation of Environmental Policies

Lauren Avilla, Grade 12 The key to unlocking success in environmental policy has always been guided by the singular concept of sustainability. It has proven the backbone of many federal environmental policies such as the Clean Water Act (CWA), Clean Air Act (CAA), and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Conceptually, the practice of fulfilling the needs of now while simultaneously maintaining resources for the … Continue reading Localization, Authenticity, & Intersectionality – Ingredients to the Effective Implementation of Environmental Policies

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Engineering

Humanity and Technological Innovation

Jillian Martin, Grade 12 Continual innovation is crucial within the scope of engineering and the advancement of society as a whole. Innovative ideas have the potential to improve living standards, increase efficiency, and provide overwhelming opportunities to those it reaches. Whether it be indoor plumbing, electricity, vaccines, automobiles, or smartphones, technological innovation has shaped every industry and facet of life. However, all things come at … Continue reading Humanity and Technological Innovation

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Computer Science

Mitigating Automated Discrimination

Dylan McCreesh, Grade 12 Humans are biased creatures. That’s a simple, historically irrefutable, unavoidable element of our nature. In making decisions, humankind is notoriously hindered by a variety of innate biases. Hard-baked into our psychology there are heuristic shortcuts, self-preference biases, and situationally homophilous or heterophilous tendencies which all alter our judgement and limit our capacity for unbiased decision-making. Moreover, for humans, decision-making is a … Continue reading Mitigating Automated Discrimination

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Biology

Beyond the Dichotomy: A Systematic Approach to Administering Experimental Therapies

Yashita Chaudhary, Grade 12 The 2014-2016 Zaire Ebolavirus (EBOV) outbreak can be analyzed to understand how experimental therapies can be used in times of emergency, with a particular focus on virus outbreaks. The high early mortality rates of EBOV led to doctors being spread thin, and attention quickly turned to the possibility of using experimental therapies to treat patients. Tension rose between medical staff  who … Continue reading Beyond the Dichotomy: A Systematic Approach to Administering Experimental Therapies

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Environment

Environmental Policies: Can They be Beneficial for the Environment at the Cost of Economic and Personal Freedom?

Angela Zhu, Grade 11 The past decade has been recorded as the warmest in history, with global temperatures reaching dangerous highs (1). Smog coats the skies of many cities around the world, and factories continue to burn fossil fuels, sending various greenhouse gases into the Earth’s atmosphere. To combat these devastating effects on the environment, governments globally have enacted environmental policies which seek to reduce … Continue reading Environmental Policies: Can They be Beneficial for the Environment at the Cost of Economic and Personal Freedom?

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Engineering

Bioremediation: Microorganisms and Eco-Friendly Decontamination

Sarah Ninan, Grade 11 Each year, thousands of technological advancements are made to further progress our nations socially and economically (1). In a constantly adapting world, there is a consistent demand for new and more appropriate technology to fit the shifting needs of the people (2). Still, the process of mass manufacturing fresh pieces of technology tends to have a negative impact on the environment … Continue reading Bioremediation: Microorganisms and Eco-Friendly Decontamination

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