开放大学学生在第21届年度ERI超级研讨会上分享眼科研究

365英国上市官网暑期眼研究本科项目(SUPER)举办了21届^st 今年夏天在奥克兰中心举办的年度学生研究研讨会.

“The Summer Undergraduate Program in Eye Research is a 12-week research experience program where students learn more detail about the eye than is taught in typical medical schools, and where they participate in externally funded research projects run by Eye Research Institute (ERI) faculty,” said Dr. Kenneth Mitton，生物医学科学副教授和ERI教员. “今年，我们有8名公开大学本科生完成了这个项目，这是自2013年以来最多的一次.”

使用最新的科学方法和设备, the students spent 30 hours per week conducting lab experiments and attending a weekly Vision Science seminar given by ERI and Beaumont Ophthalmology faculty. 这些学生还获得了研究奖学金, 以及专业演讲和演示的培训.

This year’s SUPER students include:

• Jennifer Jaster她正在攻读生物化学理学学士学位，辅修营养学. Jaster was mentored by Dr. Mohamed Al-Shabrawey and Dr. Colin Wu.

“在我今年夏天的项目中，我致力于表达和纯化GPR31和GPR39, 哪是两种不同的膜蛋白,” Jaster said. “Then, 我测量了这些蛋白质与两种不同配体的结合亲和力, 12-HETE and 15-HETE, 使用一种称为ITC(等温滴定量热法)的方法.

“我发现每种蛋白质都有自己的结构，这很有趣, fold together in a particular way, 然后和特定的分子反应完成一个功能,” Jaster added. “The interactions I analyzed occur simultaneously with tons of other reactions to create effects at the large scale, 在这种情况下意味着糖尿病视网膜病变的症状. I find it amazing that countless different interactions such as this occur without us even being conscious of it. Analyzing these interactions helps us to understand the mechanisms behind the different interactions, which could help create medicine or just increase our understanding of how we function at the molecular level.”

• Adam Schmitz她正在攻读生物医学科学学士学位. Schmitz was mentored by Dr. Dao-Qi Zhang.

“我在今年的SUPER上进行的研究是Dr. 施米茨说:“张的实验室涉及早产儿视网膜病变(ROP)。. “Retinopathy Of Prematurity is associated with abnormal vascular growth in premature infants' retina, leading to problems in visual acuity. 为了研究这种人类病理，我们在小鼠模型中使用了氧诱导视网膜病变(OIR). By using a control mouse subjected to only room air and an Oxygen Induced Retinopathy mouse subjected to an increased amount of oxygen following birth we were able to then track the changes of vasculature in mice.

“In the future I hope to become an Ophthalmologist to improve upon the life quality of individuals in my community, and being provided the opportunity to explore Ophthalmic research my first year at Oakland University has been a major stepping stone towards that goal,” Schmitz said. “Retinopathy of Prematurity has a vast amount of laser corrective surgeries but no current cure. Having this experience of a lifetime as a SUPER to explore this disease and help further efforts that will impact these ROP patients is truly an incredible feeling.”

• Victoria Jobczyk她修读健康科学理学士学位，主修学前健康专业. Jobczyk was mentored by Dr. Kenneth P. Mitton.

“My research in the SUPER program involved exploring the barrier formation of Human Retinal Microvascular Endothelial Cells (HRMEC) using a machine called ECIS (Electric Cell-substrate Impedance Sensing),” Jobczyk said. “In our first experiments, we seeded various cells per well (2,500, 5,000, and 36,000) to determine what quantity allowed us to visualize cell proliferation and gradual barrier formation best. In our following experiments, we used 2,每孔500个细胞来比较不同剂量诺林的效果, resulting in a dose-response curve. 在我们最后的实验中，我们使用了不同剂量(20 ng/mL和500 ng/mL)的Norrin和Noregen. Based on our results, 诺雷根对hrmec的刺激似乎优于对照组, research-grade Norrin.

“This research personally interests me because Noregen has the potential to become a therapeutic treatment for patients with rare vascular eye diseases, 如家族性渗出性玻璃体视网膜病变(FEVR),” Jobczyk said. “Currently, there are very limited treatment options for these patients and these vascular eye diseases are extremely debilitating. Having the opportunity to be a part of the team to create a new treatment possibility for these patients is an amazing and fulfilling feeling.”

• Omar Elzayat她修读健康科学理学士学位，主修学前健康专业. Elzayat was mentored by Dr. Amany Tawfik.

“In our lab, 我们正在研究一种叫做同型半胱氨酸的特殊氨基酸水平升高的影响, 是由缺乏维生素B12引起的吗, on the retina and how this can lead to Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Diabetic retinopathy (DR).,” Elzayat said.

“I found it interesting to learn various lab techniques and gain a deeper understanding of the pathology of eye diseases,” Elzayat added. “I found it also pleasurable to attend seminars that explored different medical research topics.”

• Michelle Tcherniak她正在攻读生物医学科学学士学位. Tcherniak was mentored by Dr. Andrew Goldberg.

In our lab, 我们通过观察视网膜的感光细胞来研究遗传性视网膜疾病,” Tcherniak said. “My research focused on visualizing proteins within these cells to better understand the pathophysiology of vision loss. Being interested in ophthalmology, it was fascinating to learn about the clinical applications of this research and very exciting to be involved in something I’m passionate about.”

• Cecille Pinnock她正在攻读生物工程学士学位. Pinnock was mentored by Dr. Kenneth P. Mitton.

“My project was about customizing a cell-based assay system to test different FZD4 genetic variants for their ability to activate the Norrin WNT- Signaling Pathway,” Pinnock said. “FZD4的遗传变异与非常罕见的儿童视网膜疾病有关. 此外，Norrin wnt信号通路是视网膜血管生长所必需的. FZD4, LRP5 and a WNT signaling reporter gene were transfected into Human Embryonic Kidney Cells within a 24 well plate. 然后，将不同剂量的诺林放入特定的井中. 随后，细胞被裂解并收集. 收集后，使用荧光素酶测定法对细胞进行检测. This project enlightened me because having a FZD4 variant can affect the functioning of Norrin WNT-Signaling Pathway.”

• Morgan Carpenter她正在攻读生物学学士学位. Carpenter was mentored by Dr. Mohamed Al-Shabrawey.

“糖尿病视网膜病变(DR)是糖尿病的一种严重而常见的并发症，”Carpenter说. “Our lab is interested in discovering the molecular pathways which lead to the development of DR and exploring possible measures to prevent vision impairment caused by hyperglycemia.

“My project utilized retinal explants to study the effects of 12-HETE — a proinflammatory molecule that is upregulated as a result of hyperglycemia — on the neuronal and glial cells within the retina,” Carpenter added. “Our preliminary results suggest that 12-HETE negatively impacts the concentration of the neuronal cells and alters the metabolism of the cells found in the retina. 随着我们继续研究12-HETE对视网膜的影响, 我们将能够进一步确定其在DR中的作用.”

• Charlene Hsiung她正在攻读生物化学学士学位. Hsiung was mentored by Dr. Amany Tawfik.

“视网膜是中枢神经系统的一部分，实际上是大脑的延伸,” Hsiung said. “我们一直在评估视网膜作为研究阿尔茨海默病的新地点, 还有一种叫做同型半胱氨酸的化合物可能在发病过程中起作用. It has been shown that some retinal changes 'mirror' the changes we see in the brain during the progression of Alzheimer's, 这些变化可能与同型半胱氨酸有关. This disease is very hard to study, as the brain is incredibly complex, and in addition, 对大脑本身的研究有很多风险, 所以如果我们能巩固这两个区域之间的联系, 预测和研究这种疾病可能会变得更容易.

“This research is meaningful to me because so many people worldwide are have Alzheimer's; even more are affected by it, 因为照顾阿尔茨海默病患者需要大量的情感, financial, and physical difficulties on friends, families, and caretakers alike,” Hsiung added. “随着对未来病例的预测越来越多, 研究这种疾病变得越来越重要了, how to treat it, and more significantly, how to predict it.” 

超级项目的录取仅限于公开大学的学生，并以成绩为基础, a narrative, career goals, 一封推荐信和ERI教员的面试. 学生学习研究的基础知识，包括如何保存研究笔记本, problem solving, critical thinking, 进行文献检索和准备科学演讲. 大约75%的SUPER毕业生进入医学院或研究生院.

To apply for the program, 学生提交一份概述职业目标和兴趣的个人叙述, a letter of reference, academic transcripts and a resume. 他们还会接受ERI教员的采访.

被录取的学生将获得4250美元的研究奖学金. Students also attend a weekly Vision Science seminar given by ERI and Beaumont Ophthalmology faculty and receive training in professional speaking and presentation.

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