Category: Year

2023-24, Cancer, Cellular and Molecular Science, Genetics, Health and Medicine

Mysterious Long Non-Coding RNAs Revealed as Playing a Role in Gastric Cancer

Author: Sean Krivitsky, Class of 2026 To the astonishment of many, nearly 99% of the human genome consists of non-coding regions that are not transcribed into mRNAs for protein synthesis. However, some of those non-coding regions of DNA can be transcribed into various types of non-coding (nc) RNAs, including long ncRNAs. Until recently, the scientific community believed these ncRNA products to be functionally irrelevant, playing … Continue reading Mysterious Long Non-Coding RNAs Revealed as Playing a Role in Gastric Cancer

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2023-24, Cellular and Molecular Science, General Neuroscience, Genetics, Neurology, Neuroscience

Uncovering a Key Mechanism of Rett Syndrome Pathology

Author: Sean Krivitsky, Class of 2026 Rett syndrome (RTT) is a severe neurological disorder found primarily in females that causes impairment in essential functions including breathing, eating, and walking abilities. The disorder is characterized by slowed brain growth, which can lead to various mental and physical disabilities. Key markers and causes of RTT are mutations on a gene called MECP2. MECP2 is an X-linked gene … Continue reading Uncovering a Key Mechanism of Rett Syndrome Pathology

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2023-24, Cancer, Cellular and Molecular Science, Disease, Health and Medicine, Molecular Biology

Linking Key Immune System Components to Cancer Progression

Author: Sean Krivitsky, Class of 2026 Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed form of cancer in the world and is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a common type of breast cancer, is fast-growing and is associated with consistent poor prognosis. Unlike several other types of breast cancer, TNBC possesses a unique pathogenic mechanism, which means that it … Continue reading Linking Key Immune System Components to Cancer Progression

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2023-24, Depression, General Neuroscience, mental health, Psychology

Orbitofrontal Cortex Studies May Pave the Way to Treating Social Anhedonia

Author: Kimberly Johnston, Class of 2026 Social anhedonia is a psychological condition characterized by a diminished ability to experience pleasure from social interactions and activities. It is associated with greater symptom severity and poorer response to treatment in individuals with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). In individuals with MDD and social anhedonia, abnormalities in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) may hinder the brain’s ability to properly respond … Continue reading Orbitofrontal Cortex Studies May Pave the Way to Treating Social Anhedonia

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2023-24, Brain, mental health, Psychiatry

Decoding Schizophrenia: Potential Mechanisms of the Schizophrenic Brain Could Lead to Novel Treatments

Author: Kimberly Johnston, Class of 2026 Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a mental disorder characterized by severe impairments in working memory (WM), a type of short-term memory responsible for temporarily storing and manipulating information needed to perform tasks, solve problems, and make decisions. A key region of the brain involved in this process is the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), which is active during internal thinking and deactivated … Continue reading Decoding Schizophrenia: Potential Mechanisms of the Schizophrenic Brain Could Lead to Novel Treatments

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2023-24, Biology, Cellular and Molecular Science, Health and Medicine, Microbiota

Watermelon Snow: A Medium for Antibiotic Resistance Research

Author: Marie Collison, Class of ‘25 A common adaptation of bacteria is antibiotic resistance, a very important field of study in microbiology and medicine. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) can arise naturally and exist as an important natural survival tool for bacteria. ARGs have risen in frequency in human-inhabited regions as a result of increased use of antibiotics. As a result, there is growing concern over … Continue reading Watermelon Snow: A Medium for Antibiotic Resistance Research

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2023-24, General Neuroscience, General Psychology

Combined Personological and Motivational Correlates Drive Conspiratorial Ideation

Author: Vignesh Subramanian, Class of 2024 Figure 1: Heightened paranoia and feelings of antagonism towards others are among the strongest indicators of conspiratorial ideation. Conspiracy theories are generally unsubstantiated explanations for specific events or circumstances that attribute said events to powerful individuals or groups secretly working in tandem. It remains disputed that either the number of conspiracy theories or the extent of public belief in … Continue reading Combined Personological and Motivational Correlates Drive Conspiratorial Ideation

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2023-24, Cognition, Neuroscience

Epigenetic Age Acceleration More Accurately Predicts Memory Decline Than Chronological Age

Author: Vignesh Subramanian, Class of 2024 Figure 1: Increasing evidence suggests biological aging, measured by examining the extent of methylation of cells’ DNA, is a stronger predictor of diminishing cognitive abilities than chronological age.  Title: Epigenetic Age Acceleration More Accurately Predicts Memory Decline Than Chronological Age Age acceleration is the term used to describe the difference between an individual’s chronological age, the length of time … Continue reading Epigenetic Age Acceleration More Accurately Predicts Memory Decline Than Chronological Age

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2023-24, Cancer, Cellular and Molecular Science, Genetics

Novel Therapeutic Insights to Barth Syndrome

Author: Sean Krivitsky ‘26 Barth syndrome is a rare, severe genetic disorder that primarily affects muscle development and the heart’s ability to efficiently pump blood. It is most common in males given that it is an X-linked disorder and it is known to significantly reduce life expectancy. Despite the severity of Barth syndrome, there are limited therapies available to treat this disease. This condition is … Continue reading Novel Therapeutic Insights to Barth Syndrome

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2023-24, Cancer, Cellular and Molecular Science, Chemistry

EN1 Protein Has Been Recognized as Playing a Key Role in Pancreatic Cancer

Author: Sean Krivitsky ‘26 Pancreatic cancer stands out as one of the most severe forms of cancer, accounting for the third most cancer-related deaths. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a form of pancreatic cancer that involves a high degree of metastasis, which refers to the ability of the cancer to spread. This cancer develops as a result of mutations that result in the activation of … Continue reading EN1 Protein Has Been Recognized as Playing a Key Role in Pancreatic Cancer

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2022-23, Brain, Cognition, General Neuroscience, Neuroscience, Year

Microdosing Psychedelics

Shahzadi Adeena ’25 In recent years, there has been a growing interest in microdosing psychedelic drugs as a potential tool for enhancing cognitive abilities and improving overall wellbeing. Vince Polito and Richard J. Stevenson of Macquarie University investigated the effects of microdosing psychedelics on psychological variables such as mood, attention, wellbeing, mindfulness, mystical experiences, personality, absorption, creativity, and sense of agency. The researchers hypothesized that … Continue reading Microdosing Psychedelics

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2022-23, Brain, General Neuroscience, Neuroscience, Year

Return of Consciousness After Traumatic Brain Injury

Shahzadi Adeena ’25 Understanding the fundamental mechanisms of consciousness, particularly following traumatic brain injury (TBI), is nuanced and challenging. Thalamic function plays a critical role in facilitating consciousness; injury to thalamus-frontal circuitry can impair consciousness. Sima Mofakham and Charles Millek of Stony Brook University hypothesized that thalamocortical projections to the frontoparietal network facilitate the complex dynamics needed for consciousness, and that injury to these connections … Continue reading Return of Consciousness After Traumatic Brain Injury

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