Aaron Agulnick

The phase problem is the central problem of crystallography. It arises from the inconvenient fact that an x-ray image of a crystal does not produce data sufficient to completely determine the structure. The data that is obtained is instead the so-called moduli of the Fourier coefficients of the function describing the crystalline structure, placing the problem squarely in the mathematical realm of Fourier analysis. One path towards resolution is offered by higher-order correlations, which generalize the Fourier coefficients while still being physically measurable. It has been shown that, in general, […]

Isha Soni

My project is focused on characterizing the structure and function of ORF31, a protein involved in late gene expression of Kaposi’s Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus (KSHV). This project is one part of the Glaunsinger lab’s overall goal to characterize the structure and function of every protein within a viral complex that is essential for KSHV infectivity and late gene expression during infection. ORF31 is one protein that makes up this complex, but its structure and function are currently unknown. My research provides insight into KSHV’s replication cycle and paves the way for […]

Nathan Levy

“Alpha synuclein is one of the most commonly mutated genes found in Parkinson’s disease: the neurodegenerative disorder that is responsible for almost 15% of all dementia cases.[3] It is the main component of Lewy Bodies (LBs) in the form of protein aggregates in neuronal cells. Furthermore, the Braak Model states the stage of Parkinson’s Disease correlates to the distribution of LBs in the brain, suggesting the transmission of alpha-synuclein aggregates as the disease progresses. Uncovering these patterns of alpha synuclein secretion can provide insight on the pathogenesis of LBs and […]

Nam Dao

My project hopes to uncover a potentially novel method of chemotherapy by depriving cancer cells of copper, an essential nutrient that they depend on for survival! Since copper transport in all human cells (healthy or otherwise) is mostly mediated by the protein Ctr1, my research hopes to create a chemical probe that would selectively bind to this protein, preventing it from bringing copper into the cells. Ctr1 stands out in another way: it has by far the highest concentration of methionine out of all extracellular proteins within the human proteome. […]

Amir Balakhmet

Dengue virus (DENV) causes up to 390M infections annually, yet current vaccines present safety and efficacy concerns. Most vaccines work by eliciting antibody and memory B cell responses against a pathogen; for DENV, distinct subsets of antibodies and their parental B cells are known to be involved in both protection against and enhancement of future dengue disease. However, current methods for identifying DENV-reactive B cells are low-yield, non-specific, and labor-intensive, resulting in small samples lacking statistical power to overcome interpersonal variation and draw conclusions about immune dynamics. I aim to […]

Joshua Wong

The focus of my project is to study the connection between mating status (mated versus virgin) and bitter taste processing. It has been shown that there are taste processing modulations post-mating for females to uptake more protein, salt, and sugar for egg production. My project’s specific question is if bitter taste is also modulated when given a bitter/sweet mixture. I also want to look into the effects and functions of this behavioral change: one hypothesis we have is that flies use this taste mechanism for detecting the environment when wanting […]

Hank Wang

Understanding the neurobiology of cue-driven behaviors is important given that they play a critical role in substance abuse and binge eating disorders, particularly with cues such as drug paraphernalia and palatable food. Previous research suggests that these environmental cues and outcomes of these actions are represented in cortical brain structures. Additionally, ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons are involved in assigning values to these cues, which also works in coordination with the prefrontal cortex, ventral hippocampus, and amygdala. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is connected to all the aforementioned regions, utilizing its […]

Abby Wang

Microbiome editing is an emerging technology that has the potential to help us understand bacterial dynamics and interactions within diverse communities that were not previously accessible. This has many diverse scientific  and technological applications that include therapeutic and environmental interventions. However, editing the genome of targeted species within these communities is still nascent and limited. The Rubin Lab has developed DNA-editing all-in-one RNA-guided CRISPR–Cas transposase (DART) plasmid editing systems encoding CRISPR-associated transposons (CASTs) that are optimized for microbiome editing. DART currently does not work in all organisms and has limited […]

Bradley Vu

As we age, we are more at risk for permanent injuries to the central nervous system due to losing the ability to repair that damage. Most warm-blooded animals experience this issue, losing their remarkable early neural regenerative capabilities with age. This loss is characterized by a distinct decrease in neural stem cells, especially radial glia that play a role in stem cell migration towards injuries. As such, we must explore ways to maintain radial glial cell populations in older mammals. Prior research has demonstrated that novel adrenergic-thyroid hormone interactions involving […]

Daniel Voronel

Pseudomonas syringae Race 1 strain (R1T1) is one of the most prevalent plant pathogens and is known to cause severe loss in worldwide crop yield. In order to cause infection, P. syringae utilizes the type III secretion system to inject particles known as “effectors” into the host cell cytoplasm. The effectors work to suppress the immunity of the host cell and cause disease. For modern cultivars of tomatoes, resistance to P. syringae has been hard to come by. Many modern cultivars have been subject to genetic alteration and it’s possible […]