Biomedical Chemistry Student Research Projects

All FRI students present their research posters at campus events. Each cohort presents two posters, the first is a pre-proposal developed in the fall first-year Research Methods Seminar. The second poster represents results from the research proposed in the spring first-year course and then conducted in the fall second-year course. These posters are presented at a public session at the annual FRI Research Day in December. At that event, each student team has an opportunity to talk with other faculty and students about their research results.

Biomedical Chemistry Research Themes

  • Probe for cellular carbonyls generated by oxidative stress in live cells in presence of medicinal therapeutics
  • Investigate the role and requirements for neurotransmitter transport in presence of medicinal therapeutics
  • Monitor molecular and biological properties of beta-amyloid fibril aggregates upon post-translational modifications

Some of the proteins the biomedical chemistry stream investigates are involved in the cellular glutamate and glutamine cycle. Neurotransmitters are transported as a part of this cycle. A schematic was adapted from the peer-reviewed literature and prepared by a biomedical chemistry student researcher to aid in visualization of this biochemical process.

Cohort 10 2023-24 in Fall 2023, as first-year students (pre-proposal stage)

  • Alternative chemotherapy treatments in the SK-OV-3 ovarian cancer cell line 
  • Investigating cell viability of neural stem cells and cortical neurons upon amyloid beta (Aβ) treatment
  •  Investigating the effects of antioxidants on Nrf2 protein level in A549 cells 
  • Monitoring the effects of Aꞵ (25-35) on the protein expression of AKT and GSK-3ꞵ
  • The effect of corticosterone on GLT-1 expression in astrocytes

Cohort 9 2022-23 in Fall 2023, as second-year students (research results)

  • Detecting hSERT expression in mammalian cells upon treatment with ceftriaxone and ticarcillin
  • Determining oxidative stress and cell viability of co-treatment of doxorubicin & docetaxel in lung cancer
  • Investigating oxidative stress in the Bcl-2 pathway of A549 cells in the presence of docetaxel and BAY 60-6583
  • Investigating the expression of hSERT in HEK cells in the presence of ceftriaxone with SSRI co-treatment
  •  Measuring BAX expression and cytotoxic effects of sulforaphane in cotreatment with paclitaxel in MDA cells
  • Monitoring GLT-1 expression and cellular response to antibiotic treatment in kidney cells

Cohort 9 2022-23 in Fall 2022, as first-year students (pre-proposal stage)

  • Evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of PD-1Ab in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin on KRAS driven pancreatic cancer in C57BL/6 mice
  •  Investigating GSK3β kinase activity upon treatment with novel inhibitor compounds
  • Monitoring cell viability in the presence of arenobufagin and aged black carbon in lung carcinoma cells
  • Monitoring the impact of apple and citrus flavonoids on oxidative stress in the MCF-7 cell line
  • Zinc-induced deactivation of PP2A in the pathogenesis of alzheimer's disease

Cohort 8 2021-22 in Fall 2022, as second-year students (research results)

  • Cellular oxidative stress increases upon co-treatment with panobinostat and temozolomide in the SKOV3 cell line
  • Examining oxidative stress in the Bcl-2 pathway of A549 cells in the presence of a chemotherapy compound
  • Expression of Anap labeled ASCT2 and beta-tubulin in HEK293T cells
  • Incorporation of ncAA in human seritonin transporter (hSERT) and beta-tubulin in mammalian cells
  • Monitoring oxidative stress in the presence of doxorubicin, and copper-doxorubicin in MDA-MB-231 cells
  • The effects of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide on oxidative stress in MDA-MB-231 cells

Cohort 8 2021-22 in Fall 2021, as first-year students (pre-proposal stage)

  • Comparison in the fibril formation rate of Aβ-40, Aβ-42, Aβ-47
  • Doxorubicin treatment in conjunction with TRPM2 inhibition in neuroblastoma and AML
  • Expression of CCNB1 and FOXM1 biomarkers in cervical cancer cells
  • Monitoring viability of breast cancer cell lines under imbalance production and accumulation of oxygen reactive species
  • The deficiency of HPRT enzyme as a result of Lesch-Nyhan disease impacts protein expression levels of 5-HTR1A, ADORA2A, and DRD6

Cohort 7 2020-21 in Fall 2021, as second-year students (research results)

  • Determination of the third sodium binding site of GLT-1 through mutagenesis and expression in HEK cells
  • Effect of doxorubicin and imatinib on oxidative stress in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells
  • Incorporation of the ncAA, ANAP, in hSERT, expressed in a mammalian system
  • Monitoring oxidative stress in the presence of taxol and etoposide chemotherapy drugs in A549 cells
  • Monitoring the effects of beta-lactam antibiotics on glutamate transporter expression in HEK293T17 cells
  • The effect of fluoxetine treatment on hSERT expression in a mammalian system

Cohort 7 2020-21 in Fall 2020, as first-year students (pre-proposal stage)

  • Effects of FcɣRIIb and shLyn neurotransmitter receptors on HT22 cell viability due to Alzheimer's disease plaques
  • Expression of SLC7A11 and impact on ROS and glutathione levels in U251 cells
  • Interactions between glutamate and amyloid-β and the potential impact on Alzheimer's disease
  • The effects of melatonin and vitamin C treatment on MCF-7 cell line viability
  • Ventricular punctures indicate higher concentrations of T-tau than lumbar punctures In the detection of Alzheimer’s disease

Cohort 6 2019-20 in Fall 2020, as second-year students (research results)

  • Investigating oxidative stress in A549 cells in the presence of chemotherapy agents
  • Monitoring hSERT expression response to the β-Lactam antibiotic ampicillin
  • Monitoring oxidative stress levels upon glycerin and propylene glycol treatment in A549 cells
  • Monitoring the effect of Bak and Bax on oxidative stress in A549 cells in the presence of Trichostatin A
  • Optimization toward the direct labeling of β-tubulin with ncAA within a mammalian system

Cohort 6 2019-20 in Fall 2019, as first-year students (pre-proposal stage)

  • Analyzing the Ratio of Amyloid Beta 42 and 40 in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease
  • L-DOPA vs Pramipexole on Relieving Motor Function Problems Caused by Parkinson's Disease
  • MEG3, miR-21, and miR-147 as Potential Drug Targets in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) for TKI Resistant Patients
  • The Conformational Effect of 5HT1B When Cholesterol is Present in the TM4 Site
  • The Relationship Between Amyloid Plaques and Neurofibrillary Tangles and their Effect on Alzheimer’s Disease

Cohort 5 2018-19 in Fall 2019, as second-year students (research results)

  • Determining the Third Sodium Ion Coordination Site of GLT-1
  • Incorporation of non-canonical amino acids into beta-tubulin
  • Monitoring Oxidative Stress in A549 cells treated with Etoposide
  • Monitoring Oxidative Stress in A549 cells treated with Trichostatin A
  • Monitoring the Effect of Antibiotic treatment on the expression of SerotoninH6 Transporters in HEK293T17 cells
  • Incorporation of unnatural amino acids into a fluorescent protein

Cohort 5 2018-19 in Fall 2018, as first-year students (pre-proposal stage)

  • DAPT’s Effect on Amyloid-Beta Secretion in Alzheimer’s Disease
  • JPH203’s Effect on LAT1’s Leucine Uptake in Thymic Carcinoma and BTC
  • miRNA-192 and miRNA-194 Expression in Cells Lines A549 and H1703
  • Examining the Inhibition of mGluR1 in the Presence of Riluzole and BAY36-7620 in Glioblastomas
  • Variants of Amyloid Beta Differentially Locate and Affect Cell Viability

Cohort 4 2017-18 in Fall 2018, as second-year students (research results)

  • EAAT2 and EAAT3 Response to the β-Lactam Antibiotics: Ceftriaxone and Amoxicillin
  • Investigating Oxidative Stress in the Bcl-2 Pathway of A549 Cells in the Presence of Taxol and Colchicine
  • Monitoring Lung Carcinoma Cellular Response to Artificial Sweeteners
  • Monitoring Oxidative Stress in the Presence of a HDACi Chemotherapy Drug in A549 Cells
  • Optimization of Monitoring Glutamate Transport and Investigating the Third Sodium Coordination Site in the GLT-1 Transporter

Cohort 4 2017-18 in Fall 2017, as first-year students (pre-proposal stage)

  • Mutation of Mitochondrial Calcium Channel in Neurons and Alzheimer's Disease
  • The Interactions between Ascorbic Acid and Amyloid Beta in Relation to Alzheimer's Disease
  • Reduction of Amyloid Beta Plaques at different stages of Alzheimer's
  • The Effect of Alpha-Tocopherol on Cancer Cell Growth and Protein Expression in the MCF-7 Cell Line
  • The Effectiveness of Fibric Acid Drugs in Reducing the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease for Type 2 Diabetes Patients
  • Impacts of MK801 and Riluzole on Glutamate Binding to NMDA Receptors in Neuroblastoma and Prostate Cancer

Cohort 3 2016-17 in Fall 2017, as second-year students (research results)

  • The Effect of DNA targeting Chemotherapy Drugs on Carbonylation in A549 cells
  • Determining the Entry Mechanism of Methionine Sulfoximine into C6 Cells
  • Investigating the Third Sodium binding site of the GLT-1 glutamate transporter
  • Detecting Carbonylation in the Presence of Histone-targeting Chemotherapy Drugs in A549 Cells
  • The Effect of Microtubule Destabilizing Chemotherapy Drugs on Carbonylation in A549 cells

Cohort 3 2016-17 in Fall 2016, as first-year students (pre-proposal stage)

  • Therapeutic avenues to reduce β-amyloid plaques
  • The Inhibition of HSP27 using quercetin to increase effectiveness of chemotherapy treatment
  • Improving efficacy of cyclopamine inhibition
  • Effectiveness of bacteriophage treatment for MRSA
  • Leptin's role in regulating neuronal proteins
  • GLP-1 agonists affect reactive oxidative species in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Cohort 2 15-16 in Fall 2016, as second-year students (research results)

  • Effects of Zn2+ and Ni2+ on glutamate transport
  • Protective effects of fluoxetine and venlafaxine against oxidative stress
  • Effect of beta-lactam antibiotics on EAAC1 expression and glutamate flux
  • Investigating glutamate uptake activity in EAAC1
  • Effect of caffeine and theophylline on cellular oxidative stress
  • Investigating the antioxidant effect of acetylsalicylic acid in A549 cells with colchicine-induced oxidative stress

Cohort 2 15-16 in Fall 2015, as first-year students (pre-proposal stage)

  • Benefits of CAR T-cell engineering
  • Investigating treatment options of type 2 diabetes
  • Future of 3D printing: New skin for burn victims
  • Prevention of tau tangles in the brain with cinnamaldehyde
  • Early onset vs. late onset Alzheimer’s disease
  • Exploring relationship between BRCA1/2 mutations and rate of breast cancer in Ashkenazi Jewish women