Undergraduate Honors Program
Research Projects
Zinc (Zn) is one of the principle trace elements required in biological systems, with structural or enzymatical roles in hundreds of proteins. In humans, zinc deficiency has gradually come to be recognized as a clinically significant and common form of malnutrition, particularly in chronically ill patients. The clinical manifestations of zinc deficiency are diverse with effects on the immune system, appetite, and embryonic development. The regulation of zinc distribution remains a critical, unanswered question. The manner in which zinc is released from its tight binding sites in proteins and its transfer from one site to another are also unknown. In this study, microarray technology was used to examine the potential effects of Zn exposure (0μM, 1μM, 50μM, 1mM Zn solutions for 24 hours) on gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast), a model organism that shares roughly 31% of its genome with humans. However, due to technical complications, the microarray images were inconclusive due to inadequate signal binding. As an alternative approach, the expression of four genes was examined using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The genes selected were IZH1, IZH4, VEL1 and TDH1. IZH4 was expected to be induced in high zinc conditions. IZH1 was expected to be repressed in low zinc conditions. TDH1 is a gene directly involved in metabolism and was expected to be expressed in all zinc conditions. VEL1, on the other hand, is a gene of unknown function, thought to be involved in velum formation and was expected to be expressed in low zinc conditions. The Formation of a New Dendrimer - Porphyrin Compound and its Potential Use as an MRI Contrast
Agent The syntheses of polypropyleneimine octaamine dendrimer, generation 2.0 (G2 dendrimer) with 4,4’,4’’,4’’’-(Porphine-5,10,15,20-tetrayl)tetrakis(benzoic acid) porphyrin and its altered form, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4’-chlorocarbonylphenyl)porphine, are reported. The bond formation between a porphyrin and dendrimer has been supported through IR spectroscopy, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR. Various methods of attaching a metal ion to the complex is reported. Although further research is necessary in characterizing the compounds and separating the possible multiple compounds, the development of a bond between the two macromolecules has been supported. This finding verifies the creation of a newly synthesized compound. The successful attachment of the gadolinium ion with further analysis can determine whether the compounds may be useful as an MRI contrast agents. Synthesis of New Ruthenium (II) Complex, Ru(bpyCN)32+ (bpyCN =
2,2’ bipyridine cyanide), and Examination of Its Use as a DNA Probing Biosensor A new Ru (II) complex, Ru(bpyCN)32+ 2Cl- (in which bpyCN = 2,2’ bipyridine cyanide), was synthesized and characterized with the use of elemental analyses, nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy. The interaction of calf thymus DNA with the complex was studied by UV-vis spectroscopy. As the concentration of the ruthenium complex increased in Ru-DNA mixtures, the absorbance of the calf thymus DNA decreased. This was indicative of the bond formation that took place, and also of the increase in the energy emission that would occur with increased ruthenium concentration. Ru(bpyCN)32+ 2Cl- UV-vis spectra displayed the expected absorbance at approximately 497nm. The Effects of Aluminum on Gene Expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) prevalence, Awareness
and Prevention in the Athletic Setting |
