Category: Year

2024-25, Biology, education, Health, Health and Medicine, mental health, well-being

EEG Research in Maternal Health – Implications and Resolutions of Racial Disparities

Author: Luis Caseñas, Class of 2026 Figure 1: EEG cap and electrodes placed on the head of a participant; the blunt nature of these electrodes works better with hair types from a white population rather than black. Maternal health refers to mothers’ physical and mental well-being during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. In the study of maternal health, electroencephalography (EEG), which generates event-related potentials (ERPs), is … Continue reading EEG Research in Maternal Health – Implications and Resolutions of Racial Disparities

Unknown's avatarYoung Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
2024-25, COVID-19, Health, Health and Medicine, Technology

Telemedicine Visits: Alternative Approach to Healthcare?

Author: Amal Bilal, Class of 2028 Figure 1: Doctor and patient using telemedicine. Telemedicine has become increasingly popular because of its ability to increase savings for patients and providers, reduce hospital readmissions, and enhance patient quality of care. The COVID-19 pandemic saw an 80% decline in in-person health visits and a 683% increase in telemedicine visits between March 2 and April 14, 2020 (1). Teleophthalmology, … Continue reading Telemedicine Visits: Alternative Approach to Healthcare?

Unknown's avatarYoung Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
2024-25, Biology, Computer Science, Physics and Technology, Technology

Harnessing the Attention-Grabbing Power of Video Games for Scientific Progress

Author: Sean Krivitsky, Class of 2026 Figure 1. Oil painting visualization of a video game player. Citizen science is a common strategy employed by researchers across many specializations to harness the input of the public to further scientific research. The billions of video game players worldwide posed an opportunity for scientists using citizen science and, from there, emerged Citizen Science Games (CSGs). However, converting scientific … Continue reading Harnessing the Attention-Grabbing Power of Video Games for Scientific Progress

Unknown's avatarYoung Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
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

Unknown's avatarYoung Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
2024-25, Biology, Brain, General Neuroscience, Health, Technology, well-being

Skill Issue: The Effect of FPS Games on Cortical Activity

Author: Ishmam Khan, Class of 2025 Figure 1: The FPS genre of gaming has widespread connections around the world, demonstrating its popularity The FPS, or first-person shooter, genre of gaming has a controversial history. In the 1990s, there was a scare regarding the impact such games would have on children. Some worries included, but were not limited to: increased levels of aggression, poor emotional and … Continue reading Skill Issue: The Effect of FPS Games on Cortical Activity

Unknown's avatarYoung Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
2024-25, Computer Science, Computer Science, COVID-19, Depression, General Neuroscience, General Psychology, Machine Learning, mental health, Technology

What do Machines Know of Depression? Explaining Past Failures of Clinical Algorithms About MDD

Author: Ishmam Khan, Class of 2025 Figure 1: MDD is a devastating, extremely common, and fast-growing disease in terms of suffering, mortality, and cost to society. Since COVID-19, the rates of mental health disorders have increased significantly. One such disorder is Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), a serious disorder affecting more than 8% of the US population. As of 2024, the remission rates, or rate of … Continue reading What do Machines Know of Depression? Explaining Past Failures of Clinical Algorithms About MDD

Unknown's avatarYoung Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
2023-24, Ecology, Environment, Natural World, Year

Penguin Nesting Behavior: Effects of Tourism at Port Lockroy

By: Kimberly Johnston, Class of 2026 Figure 1:  Gentoo penguin with chicks at Port Lockroy, Antarctica. Antarctic tourism has raised concerns about the effects of human disturbance on gentoo penguins during their breeding season, which coincides with peak tourist activity. For example, the movement of zodiacs used to transport tourists ashore can disrupt the penguins’ normal routes and foraging areas. However, quantifying the effects of … Continue reading Penguin Nesting Behavior: Effects of Tourism at Port Lockroy

Unknown's avatarYoung Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
2023-24, 2023-24, Brain, Cellular and Molecular Science, Degenerative Disease, General Neuroscience, Molecular Biology, Neurology, Neuroscience, Year

Mature Oligodendrocytes Demonstrate Delayed Cell Death by Alternate Mechanism

By Vignesh Subramanian, Class of 2024 Figure 1: A myelinating oligodendrocyte in a murine brain.  Oligodendrocytes are specialized glial cells in the central nervous system primarily responsible for myelination, the process of ensheathing the axons of neurons in a lipid-rich membrane known as myelin, which insulates the nerve fibers and speeds up the transmission of the action potentials they conduct. Oligodendrocytes are the products of … Continue reading Mature Oligodendrocytes Demonstrate Delayed Cell Death by Alternate Mechanism

Unknown's avatarYoung Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
2023-24, 2023-24, Brain, Cognition, General Neuroscience, General Psychology, Neuroscience, Psychology, Year

Childhood Maltreatment as a Predictor of Neural Activity During Postpartum

Marie Collison, Class of ‘25 Individuals who have experienced childhood maltreatment (CM) in their past have a greater risk of exhibiting behaviors of maltreatment towards their own children. As such, it is important to understand how mothers may respond to their infant cues in context with their past experiences, especially during the often tumultuous postpartum (after-birth) period. Prior research has established that brain responses in … Continue reading Childhood Maltreatment as a Predictor of Neural Activity During Postpartum

Unknown's avatarYoung Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
2023-24, Brain, Cognition, Depression, General Neuroscience, General Psychology, Neuroscience, Psychology, Year

Understanding SSRI Withdrawal: Insights Into the Complex Journey

By: Marie Collison, Class of ‘25 Depression is a very common and impairing condition, often resulting in costly care. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly prescribed as a part of treatment; however, 30–50% of individuals who are prescribed antidepressants do not take them long-term. There are many reasons why a patient may decide to stop taking their medication, such as experiencing negative side effects … Continue reading Understanding SSRI Withdrawal: Insights Into the Complex Journey

Unknown's avatarYoung Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
2023-24, 2023-24, Ecology, Environment, Health and Medicine, Natural World, Year

Modeling Debris Patterns in the Antarctic to Protect Biodiversity

Marie Collison, Class of ‘25 Image 1 Gentoo penguins in Antarctica Marine pollution is a prominent problem in environmental policy and study. Reports of pollution in organisms in the Antarctic are becoming increasingly common, likely due to increasing human activity, growing tourism, and an expanding krill fishing industry. However, the sources of these pollutants along the West Antarctic Peninsula are still poorly understood. There are … Continue reading Modeling Debris Patterns in the Antarctic to Protect Biodiversity

Unknown's avatarYoung Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
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

Unknown's avatarYoung Investigators ReviewLeave a comment