tag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:/newsCenter for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine | News2018-11-16T15:00:00-05:00tag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:News/934562018-11-16T15:00:00-05:002018-12-14T15:26:27-05:00Zhang lands DOD breast cancer research award<p class="image-right"><img alt="8" src="https://biology.nd.edu/assets/297706/250x/8.21.12_siyaun_zhang.jpg" /></p>
<p>Siyuan Zhang, the Dee Associate Professor of Biological Sciences who is also affiliated with the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine and the Harper Cancer Research Institute, landed a nearly $1.1 million Breast Cancer Research Program Breakthrough Award through the Department of Defense in August.</p><p class="image-right"><img alt="8" src="https://biology.nd.edu/assets/297706/250x/8.21.12_siyaun_zhang.jpg"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Certain therapies that have proven effective in treating some types of breast cancers are ineffective for women diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer (<span class="caps">TNBC</span>). In fact, there is limited targeted drug therapy for this type of breast cancer, a rare type diagnosed in only 20 percent of breast cancer patients.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Zhang’s research led to a discovery that an FDA-approved treatment previously not known to be effective for breast cancers might kill <span class="caps">TNBC</span> tumors when certain conditions are present. But Notre Dame researcher <a href="https://biology.nd.edu/people/siyuan-zhang/" target="_blank">Siyuan Zhang</a> believes his research team has revealed one possible targeted anti-cancer treatment for <span class="caps">TNBC</span> patients. In August 2018, Zhang, the Dee Associate Professor of Biological Sciences who is also affiliated with the <a href="https://harpercancer.nd.edu/" target="_blank">Harper Cancer Research Institute</a>, landed a nearly $1.1 million Breast Cancer Research Program Breakthrough Award through the Department of Defense for his project, “Mechanisms of targeting triple-negative breast cancer genomic vulnerability.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">Repurposing <span class="caps">FDA</span>-approved drugs for new patient groups is one of Zhang’s passions, and what he looks toward when designing his mechanistic studies of how cancer cells live and die. Not only is it faster to implement the use of a repurposed drug—because developing new drugs and receiving <span class="caps">FDA</span> approval for their use can take years— but “for repurposed drugs, we already have a safety profile out there, and know how they work in certain tissue context,” Zhang said.</p>
<p dir="ltr">A journal article about the discovery upon which the grant was based is under review, and is expected to be published in 2019, according to Zhang.</p>Laurie Gregorytag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:News/932342018-11-14T13:00:00-05:002018-11-29T13:13:52-05:00Fighting for the Human Heart<p class="image-right"><img alt="Transport Team" src="https://stemcell.nd.edu/assets/297433/transport_team.jpg"></p> <p>Pinar Zorlutuna, Associate Professor in the <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/">College of Engineering</a> and affiliated member of the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, works to extend the…</p><p class="image-right"><img alt="Transport Team" src="https://stemcell.nd.edu/assets/297433/transport_team.jpg"></p>
<p>Pinar Zorlutuna, Associate Professor in the <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/">College of Engineering</a> and affiliated member of the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, works to extend the time donated hearts remain usable through cutting-edge cellular research.</p>
<p><a href="https://fightingfor.nd.edu/2018/fighting-for-the-human-heart/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ALUM%20Fighting%20for%20the%20Human%20Heart&utm_content=null&utm_term=null">Read full story.</a></p>Providedtag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:News/902112018-09-12T08:00:00-04:002018-11-29T13:13:52-05:00Summer 2018 Undergraduate Research Fellowship students reflect on summer experiences<p class="image-right"><img alt="SCRM-SURF 2018 Students: ??, Jenny Jang, ??, Grace Zhang, and Jacob Kalathoor (Reina Koran not pictured)" src="https://stemcell.nd.edu/assets/289093/scrm_surf_2018_group_photo.jpg" /></p>
<p>From studying how to get iPS cells to beat like a heart to stimulating retinal regeneration in zebrafish, six outstanding Notre Dame undergraduate students participated in a summer’s worth of research thanks to the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF): Stephen Landy, Jenny Jang, Seth Tautges, Grace Zhang, Jacob Kalathoor, and Reina Koran (not pictured).</p><p>From studying how to get iPS cells to beat like a heart to stimulating retinal regeneration in zebrafish, six outstanding Notre Dame undergraduate students participated in a summer’s worth of research thanks to the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF).</p>
<p>Through the generosity of several donors, these students were able to pursue cutting-edge research in the College of Science and the College of Engineering.</p>
<p>“The opportunity for these bright and talented undergraduates to pursue full-time research during the summer is a valuable component of their undergraduate experience,” says <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/faculty-experts/david-hyde/">Professor David Hyde</a>, Director of the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine. “We are fortunate to have donors that understand and appreciate the value of undergraduate research and support our mission in this area. The opportunity for undergraduates to contribute to a research program is a vital part of their education and makes them more desirable to medical and graduate schools after graduation.”</p>
<p>During the program, students gained experience pursuing their own research projects outside the traditional structure of the classroom, with most citing autonomy as one of their favorite aspects of the program.</p>
<hr>
<p class="image-left"><img alt="Jang Jenny Web" src="https://stemcell.nd.edu/assets/289089/jang_jenny_9_11_18.jpg">Jenny Jang</p>
<p>Senior Science-Business major, <strong>Seok Hee (Jenny) Jang, </strong>worked in the lab of <a href="https://biology.nd.edu/people/richard-dahl/">Richard Dahl</a>, Adjunct Professor of Biological Sciences, and Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the <a href="https://medicine.iu.edu/campuses/south-bend/faculty/20826/dahl-richard/">Indiana University School of Medicine</a>.</p>
<p>Jenny researched hematopoietic stem cells focusing on exploring the specific ways in which the hematopoietic stem cells can differentiate into B- and T-cells. Her work mostly involved and focused around proteins and how certain proteins regulate the differentiation before the stem cells develop to become mature blood cells.</p>
<p>“This summer research has given me a solid glimpse of what it is like to work in a laboratory and the amount of effort and precision this work requires. Through my experience over the summer, I have become proficient in countless skills that I would not have gotten the chance to learn over the school year. In fact, now I can contribute more to my research lab over the school year with the skills that I have acquired. The summer research has also opened up more opportunities for me to pursue after graduation," said Jenny.</p>
<p>After graduation, Jenny plans to pursue an M.D.</p>
<hr>
<p class="image-right"><img src="https://stemcell.nd.edu/assets/289099/kalathoor_jacob_9_11_18.jpg">Jacob Kalathoor</p>
<p><strong>Jacob Kalathoor</strong>, a junior majoring in Biological Sciences, worked in the lab of <a href="https://biology.nd.edu/people/david-r-hyde/">David Hyde</a>, Professor of Biological Sciences and the Rev. Howard J. Kenna, C.S.C. Director of the Center for Zebrafish Research. Under the guidance of Dr. Hyde and <a href="https://biology.nd.edu/people/manuela-lahne/">Dr. Manuela Lahne</a>, Research Assistant Professor, Jacob continued a multi-year long project studying the role of Myosin Heavy Chain 10 (MYH10) during Interkinetic Nuclear Migration in the regenerating zebrafish retina.</p>
<p>“In addition to all of the research that was accomplished, I was also able to grow immensely as a person and as a college student this summer. Most students do not have the opportunity to start their research career as early as I have. Working full time in a laboratory setting provided me with invaluable skills, from designing my own experiments to being able to communicate my research clearly,” he said. "Being able to work full time also allowed me to get an idea of what graduate school would be like, and I was able to confirm that it is definitely a career path that I am determined to proceed with."</p>
<p>After graduation, Jacob plans to enter a combined M.D./Ph.D. program, with his doctoral research focus being in regenerative genetics.</p>
<hr>
<p class="image-left"><img alt="Koran Reina Web" src="https://stemcell.nd.edu/assets/289087/koran_reina_9_11_18.jpg">Reina Koran</p>
<p><strong>Reina Koran</strong>, a junior Biochemistry major, worked with <a href="https://biology.nd.edu/people/david-r-hyde/">David Hyde</a> and Senior Research Scientist, Leah Campbell, evaluating how zebrafish retinas respond to damage with and without the help of a specific protein, TNFR.</p>
<p>“I not only gained professional experience and skills this summer, but I experienced a lot of personal growth. I grew in relationship not only with those who I worked with in the lab, but also with those I lived with, and others who also had the good fortune to work on campus this summer. These relationships enriched my summer experience and expanded my support network for the school year. Additionally, I fell into deeper love with my field of study and am excited to begin this academic year with more confidence and excitement than ever before. It truly helped shape my summer and my studies going forward," she said.</p>
<p>After graduation, Reina plans to pursue a Ph.D.</p>
<hr>
<p class="image-right"><img alt="Landy Stephen Web" src="https://stemcell.nd.edu/assets/289145/landy_stephen_9_11_18.jpg">Stephen Landy</p>
<p>“This summer, I had the opportunity to further refine and characterize the myocardium-on-a-chip that I have been developing. I spent a significant amount of time refining the fabrication process to achieve higher cell density, which makes for a more physiologically relevant model of heart tissue. I am still in the early stages of using the device to test the efficacy of our collaborator's new organ storage solution, but I am continuing that study during this academic year with the goal of publishing before I start medical school," said <strong>Stephen Landy</strong>, a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering who worked in the lab of <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/pzorlutuna">Pinar Zorlutuna</a>, Associate Professor of Aerospace and Engineering.</p>
<p>“My research experience this summer helped me transition to a more independent role within my research group. Instead of frequently reporting to more experienced members, I was able to work independently on my own project and develop my problem solving and critical thinking skills. This will serve me well as I transition into medical school and take on further research endeavors,” he said.</p>
<p>After graduation, Stephen plans to pursue an M.D.</p>
<hr>
<p class="image-left"><img alt="Tautges Seth Web" src="https://stemcell.nd.edu/assets/289146/tautges_seth_9_11_18.jpg">Seth Tautges</p>
<p><strong>Seth Tautges</strong>, a senior Chemical Engineering major, worked with <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/jzartman">Jeremiah Zartman</a>, Associate Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, where he had the opportunity to study the genetic causes of both Down syndrome and breast cancer.</p>
<p>“I was able to develop methods to test possible chemical agents to combat the development of these diseases, leading to a better understanding of the causes and development of both diseases in general. The preliminary results provide hope that in the future, better pharmaceutical treatments might be able to be developed for both diseases," explained Seth.</p>
<p>"As I move forward into the fall semester, I have been given the opportunity to lead this project even further and I would not have been able to do so without the skills I learned this past summer. Due to the research I have completed, both my critical thinking and problem solving have improved greatly and I am more comfortable taking charge leading a research project. These skills will not only aid in future research, but also in my future plans of medical school, and eventually as a practicing physician."</p>
<p>After graduation, Seth plans to pursue an M.D. with focus on trauma surgery.</p>
<hr>
<p class="image-right"><img alt="Zhang Grace Web" src="https://stemcell.nd.edu/assets/289090/zhang_grace_9_11_18.jpg">Grace Zhang</p>
<p><strong>Grace Zhang</strong>, a sophomore majoring in Biological Sciences, worked in the lab of <a href="https://biology.nd.edu/people/david-r-hyde/">David Hyde</a>, Professor of Biological Sciences and the Rev. Howard J. Kenna, C.S.C. Director of the Center for Zebrafish Research. Under the guidance of David Hyde and <a href="https://biology.nd.edu/people/manuela-lahne/">Manuela Lahne</a>, Research Assistant Professor, Grace worked on two projects.</p>
<p>The first researched retinal damage-induced vision loss and remedies that may be developed to overcome retinal illnesses in human retinas and the need for cell type-specific markers that distinguish ganglion cells from different types of amacrine cells.</p>
<p>The second was a project that focused on investigating whether Notch signaling regulates Atoh7 expression.</p>
<p>“Conducting research every day in the Hyde Lab during the summer really prepared me for continuing my work in the upcoming school year. I've become familiar with using a lot of lab equipment, such as the confocal microscope, cryostat, epifluorescent microscope, and PCR machines. I've also gained many lab skills such as fin clipping, RNA Isolation, injections, and collecting/fixing zebrafish eyes. This research has further encouraged me to pursue academic medicine and possibly neurology. Overall, this summer has been a great experience for me," she said.</p>
<p>After graduation, Grace plans to pursue a combined M.D./Ph.D.</p>Laurie Gregorytag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:News/904722018-09-07T16:00:00-04:002018-12-14T15:26:47-05:00Notre Dame researchers to tackle autism, preeclampsia and more through new funding<p class="image-left"><img alt="Research" src="https://science.nd.edu/assets/208871/blueskyresearch.jpg" /></p>
<p>Each year, grants from the Discovery Fund are awarded to researchers who propose novel technologies and diagnostics that can improve human and environmental health.</p><p class="image-right"><img alt="5" src="https://research.nd.edu/assets/288591/5.17.16_hummon_lab_03_2_.jpg"></p>
<p>Nine faculty from the University of Notre Dame have received awards for five projects from the <a href="https://advanceddiagnostics.nd.edu/">Advanced Diagnostics and Therapeutics’</a> (AD&T) Discovery Fund. Each year, grants from the Discovery Fund are awarded to researchers who propose novel technologies and diagnostics that can improve human and environmental health.</p>
<p>“The Discovery Fund is intended to support exciting and ambitious research with the potential to have high impact,” said <a href="https://chemistry.nd.edu/people/paul-bohn/">Paul Bohn</a>, director of AD&T and Arthur J. Schmitt Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry. “By funding these projects, AD&T is facilitating faculty in successfully navigating the path from an initial idea to achievable results that can be translated to real-world applications.” </p>
<p>Recipients of the 2018 AD&T Discovery Fund awards are:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://psychology.nd.edu/faculty/brooke-ammerman/">Brooke Ammerman</a>, assistant professor of psychology, and <a href="https://psychology.nd.edu/faculty/ross-jacobucci/">Ross Jacobucci</a>, assistant professor of psychology, for their project titled, “Using integrative data mining to improve the prediction of suicide: An initial application.” This research aims to use machine learning and data integration to clarify the relationship between various risk factors at multiple levels of analysis to improve the prediction of distinct suicide outcomes. The results of this project will provide insights into important variables to target in suicide prevention and intervention strategies.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://chemistry.nd.edu/people/brandon-ashfeld/">Brandon Ashfeld</a>, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, and <strong><a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/jzartman">Jeremiah Zartman</a></strong>, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and affiliated member of the <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/">Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine</a>, for their research, “Design and development of new therapeutics for trisomy 21 phenotypes.” Trisomy 21, or an extra copy of chromosome number 21, is the most common form of down syndrome. The long-term goal of this project is to identify a viable therapeutic to treat Down Syndrome phenotypes as well as other cognition diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. </li>
<li>
<strong><a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/dhanjaya-putra">Donny Hanjaya-Putra</a></strong>, assistant professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering and affiliated member of the <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/">Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine</a>, and <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/dgo">David Go</a>, the Rooney Family Associate Professor of Engineering, for their study called, “Stem cells and their exosomes: to model and predict preeclampsia.” The aim of this research is to identify early predictive biomarkers of preeclampsia and develop innovative treatment strategies for this disease, which is responsible for nearly 15 percent of all premature births. </li>
<li>
<a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/mholland">Maria Holland</a>, Clare Booth Luce Assistant Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, for her project, “Cortical thickness variation as a biomarker for Autism Spectrum Disorders.” The goal of this study is to establish relationships between the mechanics of brain development and thickness of the cortex, or the brain’s outer layer, that could lead to new objective measures for early diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder via medical images.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/tosullivan">Thomas O’Sullivan</a>, assistant professor of electrical engineering, and <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/fpatrick">Patrick Fay</a>, professor of electrical engineering, for their research titled, “Optical sensors that enable wearable quantitative time-resolved tissue optical spectroscopy.” This research aims to create sensors that enable the next generation of wearable optical technologies for non-invasive sensing and imaging for personal wellness and medicine.</li>
</ul>
<p>To learn more about AD&T research, opportunities, and affiliated faculty, please visit <a href="https://advanceddiagnostics.nd.edu/">https://advanceddiagnostics.nd.edu/</a>. </p>Laurie Gregorytag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:News/899252018-08-21T15:00:00-04:002018-12-14T15:27:07-05:00Will heart cells help solve our most complex problems?<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">As part of a new study, researchers at the University of Notre Dame aim to create a more optimal computer network for solving complex problems — using heart cells.</p><p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">As part of a new study, researchers at the University of Notre Dame aim to create a more optimal computer network for solving complex problems — using heart cells.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">Real-world issues, such as managing the U.S. electricity grid or allocating resources in the event of a disaster, all demand optimal solutions that can recognize and process spatial and temporal information.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">Conventional hardware used to solve these types of problems today consumes significant energy and time. Digital systems process information sequentially — running through every possible option, then comparing those options for a result that can be still be sub-optimal.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">“Cardiac cells are natural oscillators,” said <strong><a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/pzorlutuna">Pinar Zorlutuna</a></strong>, principal investigator of the study, associate professor in the <a href="https://ame.nd.edu/">Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering</a>, and <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/faculty-experts/pinar-zorlutuna/">affiliated member</a> of the <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/">Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine</a>, at the University of Notre Dame. “They beat spontaneously and, when coupled, they can synchronize to a locked, steady frequency. What we want to find out is if we create a network using these bio-oscillators, will their natural spatio-temporal dynamics be able to solve complex problems optimally, in less time and using less energy than silicon-based digital computing hardware?”</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">The National Science Foundation in partnership with the Semiconductor Research Corp. recently announced it would invest $12 million in new research in the field of synthetic biology, through a program called the Semiconductor Synthetic Biology for Information Processing and Storage Technologies (SemiSynBio). Zorlutuna’s study is one of eight projects chosen for an exploratory grant as part of the program.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">“Silicon-based devices provide high-precision, high-accuracy computation, but they burn a lot of power,” said <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/sdatta">Suman Datta</a>, co-investigator on the project, Freimann Professor of Engineering and chair of the <a href="https://ee.nd.edu/">Department of Electrical Engineering</a> at Notre Dame. “When it comes to large, complex problems, we settle for a sub-optimal solution. We don’t have a global solution. We’re not talking about high-performance computing here with these networks of bio-oscillators. We’re talking about a task-like constrained optimization solver where we are trying to recognize a pattern using spatio-temporal dynamics — by mapping a given problem to the oscillator network.”</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">Humans are good at processing spatiotemporally distributed analog data — picking up key visual or behavioral cues during conversation, processing a sequence of events, such as understanding a range of contexts.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">What is innate for human beings is difficult when it comes to artificial intelligence or machine learning. The image of a car upside down, for example, is confusing for digital hardware to still classify it as a car. “It hasn’t been trained to look at the object any other way than with wheels always in touch with the ground,” Datta said.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">While previous research has explored the effectiveness of using <span class="caps">DNA</span>, gene or protein circuitries in biocomputing, Zorlutuna said the rate of information processing using those components is inherently slow. The research team, which includes Datta, <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/hchang">Hsueh-Chia Chang</a>, Bayer Professor of <a href="https://cbe.nd.edu/">Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering</a> and concurrent professor in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at Notre Dame, and Nikhil Shukla, assistant professor of electrical engineering at the University of Virginia, will use specialized polymers to connect the cells and build an interacting system.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">Engineers could try to mimic the biological oscillations of cardiac cells with conventional silicon circuits, Datta said, but it would take a large number of devices to do the work of a single cell.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">“In addition to solving the need for extensive data processing of computationally hard problems,” Zorlutuna said, the research “could lead to a better understanding of electrical communication in muscle cell networks with potential applications ranging from biorobotics to understanding and treating muscle disorders.”</p>Laurie Gregorytag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:News/888172018-08-15T11:00:00-04:002018-12-14T15:27:45-05:00Ryan K. Roeder awarded 2018 Seed Grant Program<p class="image-left"><img alt="Main Building" src="https://science.nd.edu/assets/130926/sunsetspring_dome250.jpg" /></p>
<p>Nine faculty members from the College of Science and College of Engineering have been awarded four grants through the Center for Nano Science and Technology (NDnano) Seed Grant Program. </p><p>Nine faculty members from the University of Notre Dame’s <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/">College of Engineering</a> and <a href="https://science.nd.edu/">College of Science</a> have been awarded four grants through the <a href="https://nano.nd.edu/">Center for Nano Science and Technology</a> (NDnano) <a href="https://nano.nd.edu/opportunities/seed-grant-program/">Seed Grant Program</a>. </p>
<p>In discussing the awards, <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/aseabaugh">Alan C. Seabaugh</a>, Frank M. Freimann Chair Professor of Electrical Engineering and director of NDnano, said, “We are excited to launch these four research collaborations, each building on materials innovations at Notre Dame. The research impacts a broad application space including opioid detection, water purification, molecular detection and low-power computing.”</p>
<p>The 2018 Seed Grant Program recipients are:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/mwebber">Matthew Webber</a>, assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, and <a href="https://chemistry.nd.edu/people/jon-camden/">Jon Camden</a>, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, for their research called, “Supramolecular capture of fentanyl on nano-gold sensors.” This group will work to develop field-deployable detection devices for fentanyl, a pervasive opioid and chemical agent that poses safety and health risks from low-dose exposure.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://chemistry.nd.edu/people/haifeng-gao/">Haifeng Gao</a>, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry; <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/dgo">David Go</a>, Rooney Family Associate Professor of Engineering; and <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/wphillip">William Phillip</a>, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, for their project titled, “Elucidating the influence of ferroelectric polarization on metal ion adsorption to the surface of nano-porous thin films.” This research team aims to create a new class of films to realize low-energy, high-selectivity separation devices for diverse applications including water treatment and purification of therapeutics.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/hanthony">Anthony Hoffman</a>, associate professor of electrical engineering, and <strong><a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/rroeder">Ryan K. Roeder</a></strong>, professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering and <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/faculty-experts/ryan-roeder/">affiliated member</a> of the <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/">Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine</a>, for their research titled, “Polar nanoparticles: A new optical platform for the long-wavelength infrared.” This research will work to lay the foundation for the exploration of a diverse set of new materials for use in sensing and imaging of large molecules. </li>
<li>
<a href="https://chemistry.nd.edu/people/emily-tsui/">Emily Tsui</a>, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, and <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/gsnider">Greg Snider</a>, professor of electrical engineering, for their project called, “Synthesis and demonstration of switching in neutral mixed-valence molecular quantum-dot cellular automata.” This project will support a new collaboration in the area of low-power computing based on quantum-dot cellular automata with plans to use single-electron transistors charge switching in a new class of neutral mixed-valence molecules. </li>
</ul>
<p>NDnano’s Seed Grant Program promotes interdisciplinary research in nanoscience and technology to enhance Notre Dame’s ability to address important scientific questions and to enable technical leaps. </p>
<p>The Center for Nano Science and Technology at the University of Notre Dame promotes collaborative research in science and engineering to address unsolved scientific and technical questions with an aim to promote the greater good. NDnano is where Notre Dame faculty, researchers and students meet to broaden understanding, discuss multidisciplinary research opportunities and shape future research directions. To learn more about NDnano, visit <a href="https://nano.nd.edu/">nano.nd.edu</a>.</p>Laurie Gregorytag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:News/882832018-07-20T08:00:00-04:002018-11-29T13:13:52-05:00SCReM 2018 Travel Fellowship recipient, Kimberly Curtis, presents at World Congress of Biomechanics<p class="image-right"><img alt="Screm 2018" src="https://stemcell.nd.edu/assets/282086/screm_2018.jpg">Kimberly Curtis at World Congress of Biomechanics in Dublin, Ireland</p> <p>In describing her work, SCReM 2018 Travel Fellowship recipient, Kimberly Curtis, finds that daily activities, such as walking or running, help bone…</p><p class="image-right"><img alt="Screm 2018" src="https://stemcell.nd.edu/assets/282086/screm_2018.jpg">Kimberly Curtis at World Congress of Biomechanics in Dublin, Ireland</p>
<p>In describing her work, SCReM 2018 Travel Fellowship recipient, Kimberly Curtis, finds that daily activities, such as walking or running, help bone to maintain a strong and healthy architecture due to its ability to adapt to mechanical loading. Osteocytes are resident cells embedded within the mineralized bone matrix and are able to sense mechanical stimulation and elicit a cellular response to increase bone mass. However, there are various cell types in the bone marrow, some of which are mechanosensitive and contribute to bone formation. In her tissue mechanics lab, they culture cylindrical trabecular bone explants harvested from porcine vertebrae in a custom bioreactor. The bioreactor enables them to mechanically stimulate the marrow independent of the osteocytes residing in the mineralized matrix. Using this system, they were able to detect a significant increase in bone formation in stimulated explants compared to unstimulated explants, indicating that marrow cells are mechanosensitive. They also measured an increase in mechanoregulatory cFos gene expression in stimulated marrow cells.</p>
<p>In the work that Kimberly presented at World Congress of Biomechanics, they were able to correlate the increase in cFos expression with an increase in shear stress imparted on the marrow cells. This signifies that the mechanobiological response in marrow cells is dependent on the shear stress that they experience. Determining the pathways by which marrow cells sense and respond to mechanical stimulation may prove beneficial in development of treatments for diseases characterized by bone loss.</p>
<div class="gmail_default">Kimberly is conducting her research in the lab of <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://stemcell.nd.edu/faculty-experts/glen-niebur/&source=gmail&ust=1532182787873000&usg=AFQjCNF4pI-KGVRyBipiQQXpAmLg8MLZEw" href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/faculty-experts/glen-niebur/" target="_blank">Dr. Glen Niebur</a>, <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://ame.nd.edu/&source=gmail&ust=1532182787873000&usg=AFQjCNFKWcm2dgGnm2-G9rAu5fd9dDmFpQ" href="https://ame.nd.edu/" target="_blank">Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering</a>, and affiliated member of the <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://stemcell.nd.edu/&source=gmail&ust=1532182787873000&usg=AFQjCNEvj-3NYEH_N4-4qGlC6ahtCk3PCg" href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/" target="_blank">Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine</a>.</div>
<div class="gmail_default"> </div>Laurie Gregorytag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:News/869812018-05-16T16:50:00-04:002018-12-14T15:28:02-05:00Carter Snead elected as Hastings Center Fellow<p>The Hastings Center draws its Fellows from across the disciplines and hails them as “an elected group of individuals of outstanding accomplishment, whose work has informed scholarship and/or public understanding of complex ethical issues in health, health care, life sciences research and the environment.”</p><p class="image-right"><img alt="O" src="https://research.nd.edu/assets/275686/o._carter_snead_feature.jpg"></p>
<p><a href="https://ethicscenter.nd.edu/people/staff/">O. Carter Snead</a>, the William P. and Hazel B. White Director of the <a href="https://ethicscenter.nd.edu/">Center for Ethics and Culture</a> at the University of Notre Dame, and affiliated member of the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, has been elected as a Fellow of the Hastings Center, the world’s first and most prestigious bioethics research institute.</p>
<p>The Hastings Center draws its Fellows from across disciplines and hails them as “an elected group of individuals of outstanding accomplishment, whose work has informed scholarship and/or public understanding of complex ethical issues in health, health care, life sciences research and the environment.” The Fellows display “uncommon insight and impact in areas of critical concern to the center – how best to understand and manage the inevitable values questions, moral uncertainties and societal effects that arise as a consequence of advances in the life sciences, the need to improve health and health care for people of all ages, and mitigation of human impact on the natural world.”</p>
<p>“It is a great honor to join the distinguished ranks of the Hastings Center Fellows,” said Snead. “For decades, the Hastings Center has stood as an essential institution seeking to grapple with the ethical issues, societal effects and questions of justice that arise as a consequence of technological advances in the life sciences. I look forward to working with my new colleagues at the center and contributing to this eminent community of thinkers.”</p>
<p>Founded in 1969 by philosopher Daniel Callahan and psychoanalyst Willard Gaylin, the Hastings Center is the oldest independent, nonpartisan, interdisciplinary research institute of its kind in the world. Through research, scholarly publications, public forums and media briefings, the Hastings Center works to ensure better understanding of what is at stake in bioethics nationally and globally as changes in technology, medicine and the environment reshape the landscape of human possibilities. The center publishes two influential journals, Hastings Center Report and <span class="caps">IRB</span>: Ethics & Human Research, and issues several special reports per year on emerging issues in bioethics.</p>
<p>Snead is the William P. and Hazel B. White Director of the Center for Ethics and Culture, professor of law in the <a href="https://law.nd.edu/">Notre Dame Law School</a> and concurrent professor of p<a href="https://politicalscience.nd.edu">olitical science</a> at the University of Notre Dame. Snead is one of the world’s leading experts on public bioethics — the governance of science, medicine and technology in the name of ethical goods. He has published more than 40 journal articles, book chapters and essays on abortion, embryo research, neuroethics, assisted reproduction, end-of-life decision-making, assisted suicide and euthanasia. His articles have appeared in such publications as the New York University Law Review, the Harvard Law Review Forum, the Vanderbilt Law Review, Constitutional Commentary, the Yale Journal of Health Policy, Law and Ethics, the Journal of Medicine and Philosophy and Political Science Quarterly. He is the editor of three book series with the University of Notre Dame Press, including “<a href="http://undpress.nd.edu/series/S00210">Catholic Ideas for a Secular World</a>.”</p>
<p>Snead has advised officials in all three branches of the federal government on matters of public bioethics. He served as general counsel to President George W. Bush’s Council on Bioethics (chaired by Leon R. Kass). He led the U.S. delegation to <span class="caps">UNESCO</span> and was its chief negotiator for bioethics-related treaties and conventions from 2003 to 2005. He also served as the U.S. Permanent Observer to the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on Bioethics from 2006 to 2008. In 2016, he was appointed to the Pontifical Academy for Life, which advises the pope on culture of life issues.</p>Laurie Gregorytag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:News/867852018-05-14T15:00:00-04:002018-11-29T13:13:52-05:00SCRM Travel Fellowship Recipient Presents Research at the 2018 Annual Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Meeting<p><strong>Meng Jia</strong> received a SCRM Travel Fellowship allowing her to present her poster titled, "Hippo pathway regulates Müller glia proliferation in the damaged adult zebrafish retina” at the ARVO 2018 Annual Meeting held April 29-May 3 in Honolulu, Hawaii.</p><p class="image-right"><img alt="Jia Meng Arvo 2018 Poster Presentation" src="https://stemcell.nd.edu/assets/275486/jia_meng_arvo_2018_poster_presentation_.jpeg"></p>
<p><strong>Meng Jia</strong> received a SCRM Travel Fellowship allowing her to present her poster titled, "Hippo pathway regulates Müller glia proliferation in the damaged adult zebrafish retina” at the ARVO 2018 Annual Meeting held April 29-May 3 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Jia was one of 11,000 international basic and clinical researchers who shared the latest breakthroughs in vision research.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">Jia reflected on the experience stating, "We examined the expression of Hippo pathway genes in the light-damaged retina. We then used morpholinos to knockdown the expression of key Hippo pathway components, including the Lats1/2 kinases and the Yap/Taz transcriptional regulators to investigate their roles on Müller glia proliferation in the light-damaged retina. Fish were then exposed to constant light for 16, 24, 36, 51, 72 and 96 hours and the damaged retinas were analyzed by qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, immunoblot and TUNEL labeling. Dark-adapted albino zebrafish were also intravitreally injected with the drug verteporfin every 12 hours during constant light treatment, which inhibits the interaction between Yap1 and Tead. Our results revealed the Hippo pathway is required for maximal numbers of proliferating Müller glia in response to light-induced photoreceptor cell death in the adult zebrafish retina. Later time points will be examined to determine the potential effect of the Hippo pathway on proliferation of Müller glia-derived neuronal progenitor cells and neuronal differentiation."</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">Meng is a graduate student conducting research in the lab of <a href="https://biology.nd.edu/people/david-r-hyde/">Professor David Hyde</a>, <a href="http://biology.nd.edu/">Department of Biological Sciences</a>, and <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/faculty-experts/david-hyde/">Director of the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine</a>.</p>Laurie Gregorytag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:News/867882018-05-14T15:00:00-04:002018-11-29T13:13:52-05:00Paul Huber Receives 2018 Joyce Award<p><a href="https://chemistry.nd.edu/people/paul-w-huber/">Paul Huber</a>, Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry, has been selected as a recipient of the 2018 Rev. Edmund P. Joyce C.S.C. Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.</p><p class="image-right"><img alt="Paul Huber" src="https://chemistry.nd.edu/assets/113173/hubersquare.jpg"></p>
<p><a href="https://chemistry.nd.edu/people/paul-w-huber/">Paul Huber</a>, Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry and <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/faculty-experts/paul-huber/">affiliated member</a> of the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, has been selected as a recipient of the 2018 Rev. Edmund P. Joyce C.S.C. Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.</p>
<p>The Joyce Awards honor faculty members who have had a profound influence on the undergraduate learning experience, elevated students’ intellectual engagement, and fostered students’ ability to express themselves effectively within a disciplinary context. Faculty members are nominated by peers and students.</p>
<p>Professor Huber joins 19 other faculty members as this year’s winners. Other recipients include Patricia Clark (Biochemistry), Brian Krostenko (Classics), A. James McAdams (political science), Michael Pries (economics), John Sitter (English), Anre Venter (psychology), Patrick Vivirito (Romance languages), Todd Walatka (theology), Lijuan Wang (psychology), Henry Weinfield (liberal studies), Margaret Forster (finance), Stephannie Larocque (accountancy), Elizabeth Moore (marketing), Jennifer Wadell (IT analytics), William Phillip (chemical & biomolecular engineering), Brian Smith (civil & environmental engineering), Ashley Thrall (civil & environmental engineering), Mark Olsen (biological sciences), and Kevin Vaughan (biological sciences).</p>
<p class="attribution">Adapted from an originally published article by <span class="rel-author">Rebecca Hicks</span> at <span class="rel-source"><a href="https://chemistry.nd.edu/news/clark-and-huber-receive-2018-joyce-awards/">chemistry.nd.edu</a></span> on <span class="rel-pubdate">May 11, 2018</span>.</p>Laurie Gregorytag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:News/866492018-05-09T14:00:00-04:002018-11-29T13:13:52-05:00Rev. Edmund P. Joyce, C.S.C., Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching awarded to Kevin Vaughan<p class="image-right"><img alt="Notre Dame Campus" src="https://biology.nd.edu/assets/274951/250x/notre_dame_campus.jpg" /></p>
<p><span style="text-autospace:none">Twenty University faculty members have received <a href="https://provost.nd.edu/assets/75456/joyce_teaching_award.pdf">Rev. Edmund P. Joyce, C.S.C., Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching</a>.</span></p><p class="image-right"><img alt="Kevin Vaughan" src="https://biology.nd.edu/assets/162928/vaughn.jpg">Kevin Vaughan</p>
<p>Congratulations to <a href="http://biology.nd.edu/people/kevin-t-vaughan/">Dr. Kevin Vaughan</a>, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences and <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/faculty-experts/kevin-vaughan/">affiliated member</a> of the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, who was one of twenty University faculty members receiving the <a href="https://provost.nd.edu/assets/75456/joyce_teaching_award.pdf">Rev. Edmund P. Joyce, C.S.C., Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching</a>.</p>
<p>The awards are presented by the <a href="http://provost.nd.edu/">Office of the Provost</a>, and recipients are selected through a process that includes peer and student nominations.</p>
<p>The Joyce Awards, established in 2007, are supported by a gift from the late Father Joyce’s classmates of Notre Dame’s Class of 1937. They honor faculty members who have had a profound influence on undergraduate students through sustained exemplary teaching, and, in particular, recognize professors who create environments that stimulate significant student learning, elevate students to a new level of intellectual engagement, and foster students’ ability to express themselves effectively within their disciplines.</p>
<p class="attribution">Adapted from an article originally published by <span class="rel-author">Notre Dame News</span> at <span class="rel-source"><a href="https://biology.nd.edu/news/faculty-awards-honor-undergraduate-teaching-and-advising/">news.nd.edu</a></span> on <span class="rel-pubdate">May 09, 2018</span>.</p>Laurie Gregorytag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:News/865702018-05-08T13:00:00-04:002018-11-29T13:13:52-05:00The Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine announces the recipients of the 2018 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships<p>Through the generosity of several donors, the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine is able to provide summer research fellowships to six outstanding Notre Dame undergraduates this summer.</p><p>Through the generosity of several donors, the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine is able to provide summer research fellowships to six outstanding Notre Dame undergraduates this summer. These students are pursuing cutting-edge research in the College of Science and the College of Engineering. “The opportunity for these bright and talented undergraduates to pursue full-time research during the summer is a valuable component of their undergraduate experience,” says <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/faculty-experts/david-hyde/">Professor David Hyde</a>, Director of the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine. “We are fortunate to have donors that understand and appreciate the value of undergraduate research and support our mission in this area.”</p>
<p>The recipients of the 2018 Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships are:</p>
<p><u>College of Science</u></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><strong>Seok Hee Jang (Jenny)</strong>, a science-business major, will conduct research in the lab of <a href="http://biology.nd.edu/people/richard-dahl/">Dr. Richard Dahl</a> to expand her knowledge and techniques in regulating hematopoietic stem cell differentiation through microRNA/E3 ubiquitin ligase networks. After graduation, Jenny will pursue a degree in either Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Osteopathic Doctor (DO).</p>
</li>
<li>
<strong>Jacob Kalathoor</strong>, a biological sciences major, will continue his work with <a href="http://biology.nd.edu/people/david-r-hyde/">Dr. David Hyde</a> and <a href="http://biology.nd.edu/people/manuela-lahne/">Dr. Manuela Lahne</a> to determine the role of myosin heavy chain 10 during interkinetic nuclear migration in the regenerating zebrafish retina. After graduation, Jacob plans to enter a combined MD/PhD program with his PhD focus in regenerative genetics.</li>
<li>
<strong>Reina Koran</strong>, a biochemistry major, will test the function of the Tnfrsf1a receptor in retinal regeneration with <a href="http://biology.nd.edu/people/david-r-hyde/">Dr. David Hyde</a> and Dr. Leah Campbell. At graduation, Reina intends to pursue a PhD in an area related to stem cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, and biochemistry.</li>
<li>
<strong>Grace Zhang</strong> is a biological sciences major who will continue her research over the summer with <a href="http://biology.nd.edu/people/david-r-hyde/">Dr. David Hyde</a> and <a href="http://biology.nd.edu/people/manuela-lahne/">Dr. Manuela Lahne</a>. Grace will use genetic approaches to modify the expression of the Atoh7 transcription factor and determine if it changes the commitment of progenitor cells becoming regenerated neurons as it does in retinal development. After graduation, Grace plans to attend medical school and pursue an MD/PhD.</li>
</ul>
<p><u>College of Engineering</u></p>
<ul>
<li>
<strong>Stephen Landy</strong>, a mechanical engineering major, previously worked on a project that aims to scale down a myocardium-on-a-chip (MoC) platform developed in the lab of <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/pzorlutuna">Dr. Pinar Zorlutuna</a>. Stephen will continue his research this summer in optimizing the manufacturing and seeding of the scaled-down, second-generation microfluidic MoC. After graduation, Stephen plans to attend medical school.</li>
<li>
<strong>Seth Tautges</strong> is a chemical engineering major who will continue working with <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/jzartman">Dr. Jeremiah Zartman</a> this summer researching the role of Ca<sup>2+</sup> signaling in tissue generation. Upon graduation, Seth intends to enter medical school to become a trauma surgeon.</li>
</ul>Laurie Gregorytag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:News/865742018-05-08T10:00:00-04:002018-11-29T13:13:52-05:00Dr. Manuela Lahne presents at the 2018 Annual Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Meeting<p class="image-right"> </p>
<p>The ARVO 2018 Annual Meeting, held April 29-May 3, hosted 11,000 international basic and clinical researchers who shared the latest breakthroughs in vision research.</p><p class="image-right"><img alt="Lahne At 2018 Arvo" src="https://stemcell.nd.edu/assets/274765/lahne_at_2018_arvo.jpg"></p>
<p>The ARVO 2018 Annual Meeting, held April 29-May 3, hosted 11,000 international basic and clinical researchers who shared the latest breakthroughs in vision research. <strong><a href="http://biology.nd.edu/people/manuela-lahne/">Dr. Manuela Lahne</a></strong>, a Research Assistant Professor collaborating with <a href="http://biology.nd.edu/people/david-r-hyde/">Professor David Hyde</a> in the <a href="http://biology.nd.edu/">Department of Biological Sciences</a> and the <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/">Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine</a>, received a 2018 SCRM Travel Fellowship allowing her to attend ARVO and present her current research data.</p>
<p>"I had the opportunity to present a poster entitled ‘Expression of developmental commitment factors in the regenerating adult zebrafish retina’ at the Annual Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii. In contrast to the human retina, zebrafish have the ability to regenerate retinal cells that were lost due to damage (e.g., as a result of exposure to bright light). Müller glia, a stem-like cell in the zebrafish retina (and also present in the human retina), is activated by retinal damage to proliferate and produce new neurons that replace those that were lost. While several labs are trying to understand how these Müller glia are activated to proliferate, my poster presentation investigated which factors drive the differentiation of these proliferating cells into mature retinal neurons. I showed that the proliferating cells upregulate the expression of a subset of factors (<em>atoh7</em>, <em>ptf1a</em>, <em>prdm1a</em>) in light-damaged zebrafish retinas that are important for the commitment and differentiation of the different neuronal cell types in the developing retina. This suggests that these proliferating cells reuse some of the same signaling pathways that are involved in the generation of different neuronal types in the developing retina. Interestingly, a few transcription factors that are important for neuronal subtype specification in development (e.g., <em>barhl2</em> and <em>bhlhe5 </em>for amacrine cells), did not increase in expression in the light-damaged zebrafish retina. This might suggest that additional regulators might be at play that control the formation of specific subtypes according to the cell types that were predominantly lost in the light-damaged retina. Understanding these mechanisms that regulate the different stages of retinal regeneration in zebrafish will ultimately help us to develop therapies to overcome vision loss in humans."</p>Laurie Gregorytag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:News/865052018-05-04T17:00:00-04:002018-11-29T13:13:52-05:002018 SCRM Travel Fellowship student presents research at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting<p>Graduate student <strong>Tyson Lager</strong> was awarded a SCRM Travel Fellowship to present his research at the April 2018 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting held in Chicago, Illinois.</p><p class="image-right"><img alt="Lager Tyson" src="https://stemcell.nd.edu/assets/274581/lager_tyson.jpg"></p>
<p>Graduate student <strong>Tyson Lager</strong> was awarded a SCRM Travel Fellowship to present his research at the April 2018 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting held in Chicago, Illinois. The overall theme of the meeting was <em>Driving Innovative Cancer Science to Patient Care</em>. Presentations covered the latest basic, translational, clinical, and prevention-focused research in the field, including important areas such as early detection, cancer interception, and survivorship in all populations. Also featured were new sessions on cancer health disparities that have been inspired by one of the important AACR presidential initiatives.</p>
<p>Lager stated, "I presented a poster about my exciting current work in the <a href="https://biology.nd.edu/people/athanasia-panopoulos/">Panopoulos Laboratory</a>. One of the goals of the Panopoulos lab is to understand how certain cancer cells utilize embryonic or stem cell-like mechanisms to promote tumorigenesis. The title of my poster was: <em>Aberrant cell surface expression of GRP78 in breast cancer cells marks a stem-like population that has metastatic potential in vivo. </em>In summary, the work I presented described how we discovered that a specific protein (GRP78) is aberrantly localized to the cell surface of both pluripotent stem cells and breast cancer cells, where it is important in regulating key cellular functions such as survival and migration. We also showed that cell surface GRP78 marks a subpopulation of breast cancer cells that appear to be more stem-like, and that behave more aggressively in a mouse model of cancer. Overall, this work has important therapeutic implications because it has been shown that some of the most aggressive cancer cells harbor an embryonic gene signature. Therefore, if we can understand how certain cancer cells are utilizing these embryonic stem-like mechanisms to promote tumorigenesis, we can uncover novel strategies to therapeutically target these aggressive cancer cells."</p>
<p>Tyson is a graduate student in the lab of <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/faculty-experts/anathasia-panopoulos/">Dr. Athanasia Panopoulos</a>, Elizabeth and Michael Gallagher Assistant Professor, <a href="http://biology.nd.edu/">Department of Biological Sciences</a> and the <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/">Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine</a>.</p>Laurie Gregorytag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:News/864992018-05-04T16:15:00-04:002018-12-14T15:28:56-05:00Cancer cells thrive in stiff tissue, according to new study<p>Scientists studying tumor growth and metastasis at the University of Notre Dame fabricated a human tissue model to examine how cancer cells interact with connective tissue in the breast.</p><p class="image-right"><img alt="Pinar Zorlutuna" src="https://news.nd.edu/assets/226878/pinar_zorlutuna_300x350.jpg"></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">Stiffer breast tissue creates an environment more prone to cancer by enabling the disease to interfere with the surrounding healthy cells, according to a recent study <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142961218302400">published in Biomaterials</a>.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">Scientists studying tumor growth and metastasis at the University of Notre Dame fabricated a human tissue model to examine how cancer cells interact with connective tissue in the breast. The model allowed the team to control the stiffness of the tissue, mimicking both healthy and cancerous breast tissue structures. They found manipulation of fat cells to be stiffness-dependent.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">“One of the interesting things we’re looking at is how cancer interacts with surrounding cells and how it manipulates those cells to its own benefit,” said <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/pzorlutuna">Pinar Zorlutuna</a>, assistant professor in the <a href="https://ame.nd.edu/">Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering</a> and the <a href="https://harpercancer.nd.edu/">Harper Cancer Research Institute</a>, and <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/faculty-experts/pinar-zorlutuna/">affiliated member</a> of the <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/">Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine</a>, at the University of Notre Dame. “The goal of these tissue engineered cancer models is to mimic the physiological environment of the tumor, so we can use them as a platform to study breast cancer in the human tissue microenvironment.”</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">Fat cells, collagen fibers and epithelial cells make up the microenvironment of breast tissue. Cancer typically appears around the epithelial cells. Previous studies looking at differences between healthy and cancerous tissue found that the cancerous tissue differed in stiffness. According to Zorlutuna’s study, stiff tissue can present a microenvironment susceptible to tumor growth by enabling the cancer cells to modulate its surrounding connective tissue cells.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">“If you have a stiffer environment, the cancer cell can do more manipulation of its immediate microenvironment,” Zorlutuna said. “The model allowed us to study varying levels of stiffness in the tissue. In tissue with normal stiffness, the cancer cells did not interfere with the state of the surrounding stromal cells. In tests where the tissue was stiffer, the cancer halted the differentiation process of the surrounding fat stem cells, favoring a more stem cell-like state creating a microenvironment that favors a tumor to grow.”</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">Researchers have typically conducted similar studies using animal models. While these tests can help advance an understanding of the disease, Zorlutuna said they could also pose a challenge.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">“Animals and humans are quite different,” she said. “If you’re looking at tissue environment, mobility and the immune system, mouse models, for example, are as different to human models as the pancreas is to the lung.”</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">Those models can also pose a challenge to drug discovery. A fraction of the drugs proven effective in mice actually makes it through clinical trials when tested on humans, Zorlutuna said. The results of this study could help make the case for tissue engineered human disease models to be used as part of a parallel approach to drug screening before administering those drugs in clinical trials.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">Co-authors of the study include Trung Dung Nguyen, Xiaoshan Yue, Victoria Zellmer and <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/faculty-experts/siyuan-zhang/">Siyuan Zhang</a> at Notre Dame.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">The American Cancer Society, Walther Cancer Foundation Cancer Cure Ventures and the Harper Cancer Research Institute’s Notre Dame Day Pilot Fund funded the study.</p>Laurie Gregorytag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:News/864912018-05-04T14:00:00-04:002018-11-29T13:13:52-05:00Recipient of a 2018 SCRM Travel Fellowship Presents Research at the 59th Annual Drosophila Research Conference<p>The 59<sup>th</sup> Annual Drosophila Research Conference was held in April in Philadelphia. This conference is the premier meeting for Drosophila researchers in which they share their research with the fruit fly community and learn about the latest results and techniques.</p><p class="image-right"><img alt="Levis Megan" src="https://stemcell.nd.edu/assets/274624/levis_megan.jpg"></p>
<p the="">The 59<sup>th</sup> Annual Drosophila Research Conference was held in April in Philadelphia. This conference is the premier meeting for Drosophila researchers in which they share their research with the fruit fly community and learn about the latest results and techniques. As many as 1,000 presentations cover the full diversity of Drosophila investigations, from genetics, to molecular biology, cell biology, development, immunology, physiology, neuroscience, evolution, and more.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in"><strong><span style="font-weight:normal">Graduate student </span></strong><strong>Megan Levis</strong><strong> </strong>presented her research on Calcium’s effect on actomyosin based tissue contractility. Levis reflected on the experience stating, “My studies in <em>Drosophila </em>have revealed feedback effects between Ca<sup>2+</sup> and myosin. These studies were conducted to elucidate how biochemical signals and mechanical forces are coupled to coordinate cellular processes during epithelial regeneration which are poorly understood. Among their many signaling roles, calcium ions (Ca<sup>2+</sup>) act to regulate mechanical forces generated by actomyosin contractility after wounding.”</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">“In the <em>Drosophila</em> wing imaginal disc, I inhibited the IP<sub>3</sub> receptor and the SERCA pump, two proteins that have been previously identified as key players in Ca<sup>2+</sup> induced Ca<sup>2+</sup> release (CICR) after wounding. I induced small wounds with a laser to measure the tension in the tissue. I found differential effects from inhibiting these two proteins. I also reported that inhibition of myosin through ROCK brought about a distinct calcium pattern within the tissue. These mechanistic insights into how Ca<sup>2+</sup> signaling impacts actomyosin dynamics and cell contractility reveal promising therapeutic targeting strategies for improving chronic wound healing outcomes.”</p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">Megan is a 3<sup>rd</sup> year graduate student in the lab of <a href="https://www3.nd.edu/~jzartman/">Dr. Jeremiah Zartman</a>, Assistant Professor in the <a href="https://cbe.nd.edu/">Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering</a>, and affiliated member of the <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/">Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine</a>.</p>Laurie Gregorytag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:News/862892018-04-26T09:00:00-04:002018-11-29T13:13:52-05:00Dr. Jeremiah Zartman awarded Best Biological Imaging Publication 2017<p>The Notre Dame Integrated Imaging Facility (NDIIF) is pleased to announce the award for Best Biological Imaging Publication for calendar year 2017.</p><p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">The <a href="https://imaging.nd.edu/">Notre Dame Integrated Imaging Facility</a> (<span class="caps">NDIIF</span>) announced that the Best Biological Imaging Publication 2017 is awarded to <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/jzartman">Dr. Jeremiah Zartman</a>, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and affiliated member of the <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/">Center for Stem Cells and Regeneration</a>. Zartman and coworkers, including Professor Alber and <a href="https://chemistry.nd.edu/people/holly-goodson/">Professor Holly Goodson</a> (also an affiliated member of the Center for Stem Cells and Regeneration) published a paper entitled “Whole blood clot optical clearing for nondestructive 3D imaging and quantitative analysis”.</p>
<p class="image-right"><img alt="Zartman 2017award Ndiif Submission" src="https://imaging.nd.edu/assets/273364/zartman_2017award_ndiif_submission.jpg"></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:10pt; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in">The study addressed an optimized optical clearing method termed cCLOT that renders large whole blood clots transparent and allows <a href="https://imaging.nd.edu/our-services/optical-microscopy/instruments-and-services/andor-spinning-disk-confocal-microscope-with-tirf/">confocal fluorescence microscopy</a> close to one millimeter inside the clot. Zartman validated the utility of cCLOT by demonstrating a quantitative structural difference in the fibrin network appearance when clot contraction is impaired pharmacologically with blebbistatin. The group also measured erythrocyte volumes at different depths inside clots and showed the volume remains the same during contraction, suggesting that contraction depends solely on reducing extracellular space. This finding indicates that clot contraction is not due to osmotic changes in erythrocytes but rather due to a higher compaction of the cells. The study was published in<em> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5560833/">Biomedical Optics Express, 2017, 8 (8): 3671-3686 </a></em>.</p>
<p class="attribution">Adapted from an article originally published by <span class="rel-author">Sarah Chapman</span> at <span class="rel-source"><a href="https://imaging.nd.edu/news-events/news/the-notre-dame-integrated-imaging-facility-ndiif-is-pleased-to-announce-two-awards-for-best-imaging-publications-for-calendar-year-2017/">imaging.nd.edu</a></span> on <span class="rel-pubdate">April 25, 2018</span>.</p>Laurie Gregorytag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:News/860142018-04-18T09:00:00-04:002018-11-29T13:13:52-05:00Winners Declared in 2018 3MT<sup>®</sup> College of Science Qualifying Round<p>Cool temps did nothing to chill the heated competition among College of Science Shaheen 3MT competitors Tuesday night at Jordan Hall of Science.</p><p>Cool temps did nothing to chill the heated competition among College of Science Shaheen 3MT competitors Tuesday night at Jordan Hall of Science. Sara Lum (Chemistry), Whitney Liske (Math), and Elvin Morales (Biological Science) took the top three spots, and will go on to compete at the 3MT<sup>®</sup> Finals event on April 23 in Jordan Auditorium, Mendoza College of Business. There they will face finalists from the College of Engineering and the College of Arts and Letters.</p>
<p class="image-right"><img alt="Cos 2018 3mt Finalists 1200" src="https://science.nd.edu/assets/272373/cos_2018_3mt_finalists_1200.jpg"></p>
<p>The goal of the Shaheen 3MT<sup>®</sup> competition is for Ph.D. students from across all disciplines to explain their research in language appropriate to an audience of specialists and non-specialists alike in under three minutes. Competitors address a panel of judges in front of a live audience. Their presentations must be accompanied by a single static slide.</p>
<p>The evening’s competitors provided an exciting mix of research topics. Whitney Liske (Math) set the bar quite high with the evening’s first presentation, a description of her research into understanding rees rings for complex mathematical measurements. Whitney was followed by Trung Nguyen (Biochemistry) who gave insight into his work into new therapeutic treatments for diabetic foot ulcers in the hopes of reducing future amputations. <strong>Elvin Morales (Biological Sciences) then presented his work on both kidney development and regeneration in zebrafish with an eye towards developing a rudimentary genetic map of the mammalian kidney that could lead to new types of treatments.</strong> Lastly, Sarah Lum presented her work using capillary zone electrophoresis to speed up the processing of rape kits and reducing the current US rape kit backlog leading to faster prosecution of sexual assault cases.</p>
<p>Judging the Science qualifying round were: Rebecca Wingert, Elizabeth and Michael Gallagher Associate Professor of <a href="https://biology.nd.edu/">Biological Sciences</a> and affiliated member of the <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/">Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine</a>; Shaun Lee, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences; Steve Beuchler, Professor of Applied Computational Mathematics and Statistics; and Mark Caprio, Director of Graduate Studies, Physics.</p>
<p>For more information about the Three Minute Thesis (3mt<sup>®</sup> ) competition, visit <a href="https://3mt.nd.edu/">3mt.nd.edu</a>.</p>
<p class="attribution">Adapted from an article originally published by <span class="rel-author">Aaron Bell</span> on <span class="rel-pubdate">April 12, 2018</span>.</p>Laurie Gregorytag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:News/851872018-03-26T15:00:00-04:002018-11-29T13:13:52-05:00Notre Dame researcher receives Indiana CTSI postdoctoral award<p>Henry Clay Conner will use the award for his work in Athanasia Panopoulos’ lab. </p><p>Henry Clay Conner, University of Notre Dame <a href="https://postdocs.nd.edu/">postdoctoral scholar</a>, has received a <a href="https://ctsi.nd.edu/funding-opportunities/#postdoctrainingawards">postdoctoral training award in translational research</a> from the <a href="https://ctsi.nd.edu/">Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute</a> (<span class="caps">CTSI</span>). The award will be used for his work in Athanasia Panopoulos’ lab. </p>
<p><a href="https://biology.nd.edu/people/athanasia-panopoulos/">Panopoulos</a>, Elizabeth and Michael Gallagher Assistant Professor of <a href="https://biology.nd.edu/">Biological Sciences</a>, affiliated member of the <a href="https://stemcell.nd.edu/">Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine</a>, director of the <a href="https://research.nd.edu/our-research/facilities-and-resources/?id=flow-cytometry">Flow Cytometry Core Facility</a>, and affiliated member of <a href="https://harpercancer.nd.edu/">Harper Cancer Research Institute</a>, and her team are focused on using induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, or cells that have been reprogrammed to behave as though they are in an embryonic-like state. The iPS cells are utilized as a system to better understand how cancer cells are able to mediate their aggressiveness by inappropriately exploiting stem-like mechanisms. Conner will use the iPS cells to study tumor-initiating cancer cells in order to investigate the hypothesis that both kinds use similar mechanisms to modify cell behavior. </p>
<p>In explanation, Conner said, “It was originally thought that once cells in the body have differentiated, or have been assigned for a certain purpose, like to become a skin cell or a red blood cell, that cells could not become anything else. However, iPS cells are created by reprogramming these differentiated cells back into an embryonic-like state to become a completely different cell.”</p>
<p>A number of studies have shown evidence of cancer cells utilizing embryonic programs, contributing to aggressive malignancy and poor patient prognosis. Unfortunately, how to best identify and target these stem-like mechanisms remains an ongoing challenge. <a href="https://research.nd.edu/">Notre Dame researchers</a> are using the iPS cell system as a model to identify embryonic protein mechanisms common to iPS and cancer cells but not in other cells. The idea is that the lab can then piece together the role of these proteins in iPS and cancer cells and identify how those proteins contribute to various factors – like rapid division and therefore growth – of cancer cells. </p>
<p class="image-right"><img alt="Img 20160810 182333280 Hdr" src="https://ctsi.nd.edu/assets/270375/img_20160810_182333280_hdr.jpg"></p>
<p>In addition to his campus lab experience, Conner will also use the skills he learned throughout his <a href="https://ncats.nih.gov/ctsa/training/resources/lilly-externship">National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (<span class="caps">NCATS</span>)-Eli Lilly Scholars Externship</a>. During the externship, he learned how a global pharmaceutical company takes a drug from conception to market. While Conner worked in a variety of settings, he spent significant time in the Pharmacometrics Department, which evaluates a given drug’s interaction with the body. His research was centered around how leading pharmaceutical companies have previously established safe doses of new drugs and whether the chosen dose recommendations are as effective as possible. </p>
<p>For this work, he reviewed data that had been submitted by top pharmaceutical companies to the Food and Drug Administration (<span class="caps">FDA</span>) for approving drugs that combat diabetes. Then, Conner reviewed the dose ranges each company tested and the dosage that those companies settled on for phases two and three of the <span class="caps">FDA</span> approval process. </p>
<p>In explaining the applicability of this work to his research at Notre Dame, he said, “Throughout my six-month externship, I had to learn completely new skill sets, including how to perform high-level computer modeling, which was something I had never done before. Now, a data set that may have taken me weeks to sort through for my research at Notre Dame only takes me minutes.”</p>
<p>The Indiana <span class="caps">CTSI</span> is a statewide collaboration of Indiana University, Purdue University and the University of Notre Dame, as well as public and private partnerships. Established in 2008, the Indiana <span class="caps">CTSI</span> is supported by a $25 million Clinical and Translational Science Award from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutions of Health, supplemented by nearly $60 million from the state, the three member universities and public and private partnerships. The Indiana <span class="caps">CTSI</span> is a member of a national network of <span class="caps">CTSA</span>-funded organizations across the United States. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Adapted from an article originally published by <span class="rel-author">Brandi Klingerman</span> at <span class="rel-source"><a href="https://ctsi.nd.edu/news/university-of-notre-dame-researcher-receives-indiana-ctsi-postdoctoral-award/">ctsi.nd.edu</a></span> on <span class="rel-pubdate">March 26</span>.</em></p>Laurie Gregorytag:stemcell.nd.edu,2005:News/840972018-02-19T11:00:00-05:002018-11-29T13:13:52-05:00Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Travel Fellowships (SCRM-TF), 2018<p>The Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine will provide partial support for Notre Dame graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to attend research conferences in 2018.</p><p>The Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine will provide partial support for Notre Dame graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to attend research conferences in 2018. Funds that were raised from <strong>Notre Dame Day</strong> in 2017 will be used to support these travel fellowships. Applications for travel fellowships will be accepted on a rolling basis until all of the Notre Dame Day funds have been spent.</p>
<p><strong>Travel Fellowship Eligibility. </strong>Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers (any individual with a Ph.D. AND not holding a tenure-track faculty position) may apply for a Travel Fellowship if they are presenting their research at either a regional, national, or international conference. The individual may request funds to cover <strong><em>up to 50%</em></strong> of the costs to attend the conference (travel, registration, lodging, and meals). The maximum amount provided per individual will be $1,000, with less being provided for regional and national conferences.</p>
<p><strong>Application</strong>. Applications may be submitted at any time (either prior to or within 30 days following the conference) by emailing Dr. David Hyde (<a href="mailto:dhyde@nd.edu">dhyde@nd.edu</a>) with the subject line <strong>SCReM-</strong><strong>Travel Fellowship </strong><strong>Application</strong>. To be considered, the following information needs to be submitted:</p>
<p style="margin-left:40px">A. <strong>Application</strong> - The applicant must submit the following as a single PDF document via email to David Hyde</p>
<p style="margin-left:80px">1. <strong>Cover Page</strong>: Name, gender, email address, home department, number of years in the doctoral program or since Ph.D. (for postdocs), research mentor, title of presentation, and type of presentation (poster or talk)</p>
<p style="margin-left:80px">2. <strong>CV</strong>: CV of the applicant</p>
<p style="margin-left:80px">3. <strong>Abstract</strong>: Title of presentation, authors, abstract, format of presentation (talk or poster)</p>
<p style="margin-left:80px">4. <strong>Budget</strong>: Proposed budget to attend the meeting, including travel, registration fee, lodging, and meals</p>
<p style="margin-left:40px">B. <strong>Letter of Support</strong> - The research mentor must submit a recommendation letter via email to David Hyde (<a href="mailto:dhyde@nd.edu">dhyde@nd.edu</a>) and ensure that the subject line states <strong>SCReM-Travel Fellowship Application</strong>. The mentor must provide a statement that the applicant's abstract has already been selected for a presentation (and the type of presentation) and that the mentor will provide the remaining funds to send the applicant to the conference.</p>
<p><strong>Deadline</strong>. Applications may be submitted at any time prior to or within 30 days following the conference, with awards being made on a rolling basis until all of the Notre Dame Day funds have been spent.</p>
<p>For more information, please contact David Hyde, Director of the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, at (574) 631-8054 or <a href="mailto:dhyde@nd.edu">dhyde@nd.edu</a>.</p>Laurie Gregory