Category: Chemistry

Chemistry, 2025-26

Photocatalytic Removal of Methyl Red Dye from Water

By Samantha Libbey, Class of 2027 Figure 1: Polluted body of water. A major source of water pollution is industrial waste. One of the major contributors to this waste is the textile industry, where synthetic dyes are widely used and are not easily broken down in the environment. In response, researchers from the Kermanshah University of Technology set out to find a new method of … Continue reading Photocatalytic Removal of Methyl Red Dye from Water

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Chemistry, 2025-26

Synthesized Organic Fluorescent Dye used to Image Long Term Live-Cell Interactions

By Anthony Barone , Class of 2029 Figure 1.  Image of cells marked with different fluorescent dyes Organic fluorescent dyes have a wide range of uses, including live single-cell imaging and tracking protein movement. Fluorescent dyes allow biologists to observe protein interactions on the cellular level. However, current fluorescent dyes are only visible for tens of seconds before photobleaching, where they are chemically destroyed as … Continue reading Synthesized Organic Fluorescent Dye used to Image Long Term Live-Cell Interactions

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2025-26, Chemistry

Theoretical Modeling of Flower Colors via an Anthocyanin Approach

By Maegan Diep, Class of 2029 Figure 1.  An image of petunia flowers. A flower’s color is more than what meets the eye. When considering how this variable trait comes into play with the very pigments that give rise to it, little mathematical models exist that explore the theoretically possible colors and its phenotypic limitations. A recent study published in the American Journal of Botany … Continue reading Theoretical Modeling of Flower Colors via an Anthocyanin Approach

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Biology, Cellular and Molecular Science, Chemistry

Decoding the Lon Enzyme’s Protein Recognition Code

Author: Antonia Truta, Class of 2028 Lon protease is an important enzyme within the mitochondria’s inner membrane. This enzyme specifically regulates protein homeostasis, meaning it helps keep the protein levels within the cell balanced. The Lon protease acts by breaking down damaged or misfolded proteins that lack proper structure to function correctly and may harm the cell. Lon also degrades certain regulatory proteins whose levels … Continue reading Decoding the Lon Enzyme’s Protein Recognition Code

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2024-25, Brain, Chemistry, Neuroscience

Taste Discrimination: How We Learn to Identify Similar Foods

Author: Asher Agarwal, Class of 2027 Figure 1. A brown mouse eating food. The ability to discriminate similar, partially overlapping sensory stimuli is critical for an animal to survive in its environment. For example, in taste, learning discrimination becomes the difference between consuming a nutritious food item and a toxic one. Previous research done on other senses supports 2 models: one that learning may enhance … Continue reading Taste Discrimination: How We Learn to Identify Similar Foods

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2024-25, Chemistry, Degenerative Disease, Disease, Molecular Biology, Neurology, Neuroscience

Lipid Accumulation Found as a Mechanism of Cellular Senescence in Parkinson’s Disease

Author: Asher Agarwal, Class of 2027 Figure 1. A man assisting an old patient with taking their medication. Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with neuronal death, specifically of the dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the region of the brain responsible for motor coordination and control. The death of these neurons, most commonly due to aging, causes a classic triad of symptoms: bradykinesia (slow … Continue reading Lipid Accumulation Found as a Mechanism of Cellular Senescence in Parkinson’s Disease

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2024-25, Chemistry

The Magnesium Alchemist: Crafting Rechargeable Batteries

Author: Sajia Athai, Class of 2026 Figure 1. A magnesium-based battery. From putting AAA alkaline batteries into remotes to rechargeable batteries in Teslas, modern applications require high-energy rechargeable batteries to function efficiently and sustainably. The tubular structure of batteries conceals the inner dynamics of solvent exchange,  the journey of solvent molecules moving in and out of the ion’s solvation shell in electrolytes. Magnesium-based rechargeable batteries … Continue reading The Magnesium Alchemist: Crafting Rechargeable Batteries

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2024-25, Biology, Cellular and Molecular Science, Chemistry, Embryonic Development, Genetics, Molecular Biology

Novel Insights Into the Mechanism of DSB Repair During Meiosis Crossover Events

Author: Sean Krivitsky, Class of 2026 Figure 1. Image of cells at various stages of meiosis. Meiosis is a key process underlying sexual reproduction and is responsible for the production of gametes, sperm, and eggs, which are necessary for fertilization. One important aspect of meiosis is that it contributes to the process of genetic diversification through genetic recombination, which involves the crossing over and independent … Continue reading Novel Insights Into the Mechanism of DSB Repair During Meiosis Crossover Events

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2024-25, Cellular and Molecular Science, Chemistry, Molecular Biology

FOXO1: A Memory Upgrader for T-cells!

Author: Farzad Hoque, Class of 2028 The persistence and effectiveness of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies depend significantly on the ability of these cells to maintain memory-like states while avoiding exhaustion. Recent research has identified the transcription factor FOXO1 as a critical regulator of memory programming in CAR T cells, offering transformative insights into improving therapeutic outcomes. Alexander E. Doan and colleagues conducted a … Continue reading FOXO1: A Memory Upgrader for T-cells!

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2024-25, Cancer, Cellular and Molecular Science, Chemistry, discovery, Health, Health and Medicine, Medicine and Physiology

Utilizing the Principle of Pro-Cancer Properties of Antioxidants to Treat Prostate Cancer

Author: Sean Krivitsky, Class of 2026 Figure 1. Depiction of various foods that are commonly associated with having antioxidant properties.Prostate cancer (PC) has become a growing concern for men as its rate of incidence has been steadily increasing by more than 3% per year for the past decade. As a result, many have been searching for various treatments and interventions during PC progression to help … Continue reading Utilizing the Principle of Pro-Cancer Properties of Antioxidants to Treat Prostate Cancer

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2024-25, Biology, Cancer, Cell Cycle, Cellular and Molecular Science, Chemistry, Health and Medicine, Molecular Biology

Understanding the Mechanisms of the Leading Cause of Death in Cancer Patients

Author: Sean Krivitsky, Class of 2026 Figure 1. Animated representation of the release of cytokines in the extracellular environment. Cancer is a disease that wreaks devastation on the bodies of the patients it afflicts. Cancerous tumor cells lead to the sickness observed in cancer patients in a variety of ways, but one of the primary causes of cancer-related sickness and death is referred to as … Continue reading Understanding the Mechanisms of the Leading Cause of Death in Cancer Patients

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2023-24, Brain, Chemistry, Degenerative Disease, Disease, General Neuroscience, Health and Medicine

Uncovering a Novel Biomarker For The Identification of Parkinson’s-Related Diseases

Author: Sean Krivitsky, Class of 2026 Parkinson’s disease is a severe neurodegenerative disorder most commonly occurring in late adulthood. It is primarily characterized by motor dysfunctions such as uncontrollable tremors and stiffness. Since there is no conclusive test for diagnosis of the disorder, neurologists rely on a comprehensive evaluation system, combining symptoms and physical assessments to gauge the likelihood that an individual has Parkinson’s. A … Continue reading Uncovering a Novel Biomarker For The Identification of Parkinson’s-Related Diseases

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