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.
Medicine and Physiology

The Effect of Follistatin on the Browning of Fatty Tissue in Obese Mice

Kavindra Sahabir ‘21 A major myth in health and fitness circles is that all fat and fatty tissue is “bad” and contributes to obesity. While it is true that fatty tissues such as white adipose tissue play a major role in the development of obesity, diabetes, and related diseases, brown adipose tissue, another type of fatty tissue, can actually stimulate a decrease in body weight … Continue reading The Effect of Follistatin on the Browning of Fatty Tissue in Obese Mice

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Environment, Technology

The Usage of Electromagnetic Waves as Water Sanitizers as Opposed to Traditional Methods of Water Sanitation

Kavindra Sahabir ‘21 One of the biggest challenges for animal breeding on farms is assuring the highest quality of the drinking water afforded to said animals. The goal is to prevent contamination from pathogens in order to ensure optimal animal health, and lower the risk disease. Currently, the system that most farms use is a physical method of filtration along with different chemical treatments. However, … Continue reading The Usage of Electromagnetic Waves as Water Sanitizers as Opposed to Traditional Methods of Water Sanitation

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Health

Comparing Nicotine Absorption During E-cigarette Use and Combustible Cigarette Use

 Kavindra Sahabir ‘21 Thanks to multiple ad campaigns and public awareness efforts, it is now known that cigarette use among people of all ages and health levels is highly dangerous and heightens one’s risk of contracting serious diseases such as lung cancer. Used as a preventative measure, e-cigarettes have been touted as an aid to quit using cigarettes as they are said to deliver similar … Continue reading Comparing Nicotine Absorption During E-cigarette Use and Combustible Cigarette Use

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Cancer

Sugary Drinks Increase Risk of Cancer

Ellie Teng ‘21 Added sugars were long known to have adverse health benefits, but sugary drinks were recently found to be linked to cancer. An increase in the consumption of sugary drinks the past decade is associated with the increase in obesity, which is a risk factor for various cancers. In France, a group of researchers assessed the connection between  the consumption of sugary drinks … Continue reading Sugary Drinks Increase Risk of Cancer

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Ecology

How Mosquitoes Find Their Next Meal

Ellie Teng ‘21 Getting a mosquito bite is common during warmer weather, however in certain places, it could be deadly, as mosquitoes are major transmitters of disease. Bloodborne pathogens are easily transferred between humans. To determine how a female mosquito identifies, tracks and prey on a potential host, a group of scientists from the University of Washington studied the two sensory systems in mosquitoes: the … Continue reading How Mosquitoes Find Their Next Meal

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Medicine and Physiology, Synthetic Biology

HIV Successfully Removed from Animal Genomes

Ellie Teng ‘21 The human immunodeficiency virus type one (HIV-1) is responsible for infecting millions worldwide. Currently, antiretroviral therapy (ART) is being used to slow HIV progression; however, as soon as this treatment is stopped, HIV-1 is reactivated and progresses to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The reactivation of HIV-1 following the cessation of ART is as a result of the virus’ ability to integrate its … Continue reading HIV Successfully Removed from Animal Genomes

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Degenerative Disease

A Vaccine for Alzheimer’s?

Nicole Zhao ’20 Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that destroys memory and thinking skills (1). When the disease was classified by Dr. Alzheimer in 1906, he noticed that the brain tissue of his patient with early-onset Alzheimer’s was riddled with amyloid-β plaques and tangles. Tangles are jumbled bundles of fibers inside neurons that disrupt the ability of neurons to communicate with each other … Continue reading A Vaccine for Alzheimer’s?

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Cognition, Drug Discovery

Long-Term Use of These Drugs May Increase Risk for Dementia

Nicole Zhao ’20 A diagnosis of dementia is often accompanied by fear, anxiety and the need to fulfill a bucket list before the condition robs you of life. Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning which includes thinking, remembering and reasoning (1). These losses then manifest in a change of behavior such as the inability to communicate, change in personality, and eventually the loss of … Continue reading Long-Term Use of These Drugs May Increase Risk for Dementia

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Drug Discovery, Microbiota

New Targeted Therapy May Prevent and Reverse Food Allergies

Nicole Zhao ’20 A food allergy is an immune system reaction that occurs when exposed to a certain food (1). Symptoms resulting from an allergic reaction include digestive problems, hives, swollen airways and even anaphylaxis (1). Anaphylaxis is a serious, life-threatening allergic reaction and encompasses a variety of symptoms with high severity (2). During an allergic reaction, the immune system recognizes that a specific food … Continue reading New Targeted Therapy May Prevent and Reverse Food Allergies

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Microbiota, Pharmacology

Our Gut’s Interference in Some Medications

Mariam Malik ‘22 A drug is characterized as any substance that may alter one’s psychology or physiology. Depending on its purpose, each drug takes a different path once inside the body, but researchers at Harvard University have determined the role of the gut in interfering  with a drug’s path and eventually, its effectiveness.  Professor Emily Blaskus and graduate student Vayu Maini Rekdal focused on Levodopa, … Continue reading Our Gut’s Interference in Some Medications

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Brain

The Relationship Between the Brain’s Energy and Weight Gain in Children

Mariam Malik ‘22 Around 32% of adolescents and children are overweight or obese in the U.S., according to the National Institutes of Health, and childhood obesity has become a major problem in the U.S. Co-authors Christopher Kuwaza of Northwestern University and Clancy Blair of New York University School of Medicine hypothesized that there is an inverse relationship between brain development and fat disposition in terms … Continue reading The Relationship Between the Brain’s Energy and Weight Gain in Children

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Cancer

Cancer Cell Debris Generated by the Longstanding Chemotherapeutic 5-Fluorouracil is Linked to Oncogenic Inflammation

Shrey Thaker ‘22 The centerpiece of clinical struggle against cancer is the recurrence of the tumor following extensive chemotherapy. The most common chemotherapeutic agent dispatched to patients suffering from colon cancer is known as 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) and its main mechanism of action includes inducing apoptosis by inflicting DNA damage and triggering the cell’s natural apoptotic pathways. While the initial effect of tumor cell death is … Continue reading Cancer Cell Debris Generated by the Longstanding Chemotherapeutic 5-Fluorouracil is Linked to Oncogenic Inflammation

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