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.
Figure 1. Artificially sweetened drinks are connected to a greater risk for stroke and dementia.
2016-17, Health

Sugary Drinks vs. Healthy Brains

By Taylor Ha ’18 Many American consumers regularly indulge in hundreds of sugar- and artificially- sweetened name brand drinks: Coke, Sprite, Fanta soda, and Hawaiian punch, to name a few. However, routine consumption of such drinks is associated with cardiometabolic diseases, which can amplify stroke and dementia risk. And according to new research published on April 20, 2017, avid soda, fruit juice, and overall sweet … Continue reading Sugary Drinks vs. Healthy Brains

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Figure 1. High dosages of vitamin C are selectively toxic to cancer cells and can enhance cancer therapies.
2016-17, Health

Vitamin C Enhances Cancer Therapy

By Patrick Yang ’20 Ascorbate, or vitamin C, is a potential anti-cancer agent when paired with chemotherapy. Scientists hypothesize that ascorbate’s curative powers stem from its ability to produce hydrogen peroxide, which reduces iron to form free radicals – highly reactive molecules that damage DNA and cause cell death. Since aggressive cancers have unusually large intracellular iron pools that support cancer spread and growth, ascorbate … Continue reading Vitamin C Enhances Cancer Therapy

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Figure 1. The naked mole-rat’s ability to temporarily survive without oxygen can help create new treatments for stroke and heart attack patients.
2016-17, Biology

From Naked Mole-Rats to Human Treatment

By Taylor Ha ’18 Naked mole-rats are pink, wrinkly, and big-toothed. Deep underground in hypoxic, or low oxygen, and high carbon dioxide conditions, these strange creatures live in colonies of up to 280 members. And, according to a recent study published on April 21, 2017, they also have the ability to metabolize fructose, just like plants, and survive without oxygen for 18 minutes without any … Continue reading From Naked Mole-Rats to Human Treatment

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Figure 1. Whooping cough can be fatal in infants, but it is easily preventable through vaccination.
2016-17, Math

Maternal Vaccination’s Role in Infant Survival

By Patrick Yang ’20 Pertussis, more commonly known as whooping cough, is a life-threatening infection in infants that can easily be prevented through vaccination. However, infection rate has been increasing over the past several years. And since the DTaP vaccine for pertussis is administered after two, four, and six months of age, an infant is especially vulnerable during his or her first two months of … Continue reading Maternal Vaccination’s Role in Infant Survival

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Caption: Couples and friends tend to have overlapping personality traits, despite the well known saying “opposites attract.”
2016-17, Psychology

Finding Personality Similarities Within Friendships and Romantic Couples

Ericka Berman Previous research has shown that in close relationships, people tend to come from similar demographics. However, there is little known about personalities as measures of closeness. Wu Youyou Ph.D. et al. of Cambridge University aimed to examine personality similarities within romantic couples and friends. The researchers used Facebook to examine “Liked” pages and status updates to analyze language use. The study received data … Continue reading Finding Personality Similarities Within Friendships and Romantic Couples

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Figure 1: Using FTIR spectroscopy, researchers showed the presence of collagen in a 195-million- year-old fossilized rib.
2016-17, Biology

Ancient Collegen found in Early Jurassic Fossil

Meghan Bialt-DeCelie – ’19 The hints left in the form of fossils provide better understanding of evolution and natural preservation of biological material. The organic material, like proteins, would often be lost and decomposed, hence discovering soft tissue in a fossil is an intriguing find. Researchers led by Dr. Yao-Chang Lee were able to find preserved protein in a 195-million-year-old rib of a sauropodomorph dinosaur … Continue reading Ancient Collegen found in Early Jurassic Fossil

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Figure 1: Sleep is an essential part of considering memory and faster relearning.
2016-17, Psychology

Relearn Faster and Retain Longer

Ericka Berman As established, repetitive practice is necessary for knowledge retention. Sleep is also a contributing factor to new learning and memory consolidation. In this study, Dr. Mazza and the team of researchers recruited 40 participants ages 18-29 from University of Lyon, who were randomly assigned to one of two groups. For this study, participants were asked to remember 16 Swahili-French words pairs. Participants completed … Continue reading Relearn Faster and Retain Longer

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Caption: A mathematical model predicts sleep patterns impacted by artificial light and socially established schedules.
2016-17, Health

Model Predicts Sleep Patterns

Meghan Bialt-DeCelie – ’19 Rapid modernization has had an impact on the hours that humans are active, disrupting natural and established rhythms. A team led by Anne Skeldon, PhD, developed a mathematical model that shows the effect of factors like artificial light on the human circadian rhythm and sleeping habits. The mathematical model included three factors involved in sleep regulation: mutual inhibition of wake and … Continue reading Model Predicts Sleep Patterns

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Figure 1: The discovery of reduced brain activity as an indicator of depression helps piece together part of the explanation as to why depression may develop.
2016-17, Psychology

Blunted Neural Response to Rewards as a Prospective Predictor of the Development of Depression in Adolescent Girls

Ericka Berman Previous studies have shown that during adolescence, rates of depression increase markedly, and girls tend to have rates of depression twice as high as boys. Depressed adults were also shown to exhibit a decreased behavioral response to a reward and less brain activity in regions associated with reward processing in comparison to healthy adults. Dr. Brady Nelson and his team of researchers from … Continue reading Blunted Neural Response to Rewards as a Prospective Predictor of the Development of Depression in Adolescent Girls

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Figure 1: mircoCOB 3D Bioprinted tissues can potentially allow 3D printed tissues that are larger and more metabolically active to be sustainably produced.
2016-17, Biology

3D Bioprinted Tissues Improved with Vascular Channels

Meghan Bialt-DeCelie – ’19 One of the biggest problems with engineered tissues is the lack of a vascular system to transport essential nutrients and oxygen. This is the reason why larger and highly metabolic organs are the most difficult to develop with 3D printing. Researchers from the University of California printed prevascularized tissues with microarchitectures using the fast and efficient method of microscale continuous optical … Continue reading 3D Bioprinted Tissues Improved with Vascular Channels

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Caption: Non-academic related laptop use could have a negative effect on exam grades.
2016-17, Psychology

Logged In and Zoned Out

Ericka Berman Susan M. Ravizza Ph.D. of Michigan State University et al. sought to find the relationship between Internet use and classroom performance. In an introductory psychology class, eighty-four participants connected to the Internet using a proxy server over fifteen lectures so researchers could track Internet usage. Academic-related webpages were not counted in the same category of data collection as non-academic-related webpages. The proxy server … Continue reading Logged In and Zoned Out

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Figure 1: Researchers use chemistry and genetics to investigate what makes the best tasting tomato to improve the tasteless modern commercialized varieties.
2016-17, Ecology

Science Behind Tomato Flavor

Meghan Bialt-DeCelie – ’19 Modern commercialized crops have been modified over the years to grow large, plentiful, and resistant to environmental damage. The taste of something like a tomato depends on the sugars, acids, and volatile compounds that are detected by one’s receptors for taste and smell. Researchers sequenced the tomato’s genome and investigated nearly 400 accessions among commercialized, heirloom and wild tomatoes to see … Continue reading Science Behind Tomato Flavor

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