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Vaccines / Infectious Diseases
Vaccine Development for Infectious Disease
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated vaccine development timelines and introduced novel vaccine technologies. In this ebook, learn about how infectious diseases have changed the vaccine development pipeline and about new vaccine technologies in development.
Keywords: vaccines, COVID-19, SARS-Cov-2, reverse vaccinology, Zika virus, Ebola virus, MERS-CoV, vaccine development, clinical trials, cell lines
A New Era in Vaccine Development: mRNA Vaccine Technology
Although mRNA vaccines were recently approved, scientists have been working on the technology for decades. In addition to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, researchers are developing mRNA vaccine technologies for several diseases, including influenza, HIV, and various cancers. In this ebook, hear from an mRNA vaccine researcher, discover mRNA vaccine delivery tactics, and learn about new mRNA-based influenza vaccines.
Keywords: mRNA, vaccines, lipid nanoparticles, vaccine delivery, influenza, COVID, SARS-CoV-2, HIV, cancer
mRNA Vaccine Delivery Platforms
Some challenges for mRNA vaccine production include mRNA degradation, large mRNAs, and the negative charge of mRNA that all make it difficult to enter cells. This poster explores how researchers optimize mRNA delivery systems for vaccine development.
Keywords: mRNA, vaccines, lipid nanoparticles, vaccine delivery, influenza, covid, SARS-CoV-2, HIV, cancer, liposomes, polymers, peptides
Immunotherapy for Infectious Diseases
Humans are surrounded by pathogens from bacteria that lurk on surfaces to airborne viruses that infect the respiratory system. Immunotherapy is typically thought of in the context of cancer treatment, but many of the same therapies used to activate the immune system to treat cancer may also combat infectious diseases. In this poster, learn how scientists use immunotherapy to neutralize pathogens and mitigate infectious diseases.
Keywords: infectious disease, immunology, immunotherapy, CAR T, antibodies, cancer
Understanding Plant-based Vaccines
Scientists have used chicken eggs to produce vaccines for decades, but this vaccine production method is inefficient and may produce allergic responses in recipients. Manufacturing vaccines using plants allows scientists to grow vaccines as crops and may even offer the potential for oral vaccines. In this poster, learn how scientists use plants for more efficient and allergy-free vaccine production.
Keywords: vaccines, viruses, transfection, virus production, vaccine production, vaccine discovery
What the Pox is Going On?
Monkeypox and smallpox viruses belong to the poxvirus family and share many similarities. With no treatments currently available for monkeypox, scientists applied lessons learned from successful smallpox eradication programs to contain and treat rising monkeypox infections. In this interactive infographic, learn about the novel monkeypox virus and monkeypox treatment options.
Keywords: infectious disease, monkey pox, smallpox, pox viruses, vaccine development
Vaccine Development for Infectious Disease
Vaccines are humanity’s best defence against pathogens, but traditional vaccine development takes 10 – 15 years. Each emerging infectious disease presents a unique challenge due to distinct epidemiology and mechanisms of transmission. This poster details the path to vaccine development and unique vaccine strategies for various infectious diseases.
Keywords: vaccines, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Zika virus, Ebola virus, MERS-CoV, vaccine development, clinical trials, cell lines
CRISPR Detection for Viral Pathogens
Viruses are a common threat to human health worldwide. Effective and timely treatment depends on rapidly and accurately identifying pathogens. CRISPR diagnostics are a versatile platform for detecting disease causing pathogens such as human papillomavirus and emerging infectious agents such as SARS-CoV-2, Zika virus, dengue virus, and Ebola virus. In this poster, learn how scientists use CRISPR for infectious disease diagnostics.
Keywords: CRISPR, Cas 13, Cas 12, RNA, RNA probe, diagnostics, lateral flow
Explained: How Do Viruses Move from Animals into Humans?
Explained: How Do Viruses Move from Animals into Humans? From the bubonic plague to the COVID-19 pandemic, a host of pathogens can jump from their original host species to infect humans. With rapid globalization and habitat loss forcing closer human-wildlife interactions, understanding how viruses move from one species to another is increasingly pertinent. In this interactive explainer article, learn how viruses acquire new mutations and evade immune surveillance to jump to a new host species.
Keywords: infectious disease, zoonotic viruses, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, respiratory diseases, influenza, viral replication, gene expression
Explained: COVID-19 Vaccines: After the Injection
The world finally has a defence against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which has claimed the lives of millions and shuffled day-to-day life to the confines of home: a vaccine. Several SARS-CoV-2 vaccines exist and are now available to the population at large. In this interactive explainer article, learn what happens in the body after a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine injection.
Keywords: immunology, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, dendritic cells, inflammation, B cells, antibodies
Understanding Bacteriophages
Antimicrobial resistance poses a significant threat to healthcare. Ultra-microscopic viruses called bacteriophages might hold a solution. Scientists discovered bacteriophages over 100 years ago. Since then, scientists have developed phage therapies that target and kill harmful bacteria, leaving helpful bacteria untouched. Once abandoned in favor of more recent discoveries using antibiotics, more scientists are revisiting the idea of phage therapy for mitigating bacterial diseases. In this poster, explore the history of virus-consuming bacteriophages, how they work, and their therapeutic potential.
Keywords: bacteriophages, bacteria, viruses, antimicrobial resistance, antibiotics, phage therapy, bacterial disease
Understanding Long Haul COVID-19
While most people with mild to moderate COVID-19 recover in about two weeks, a portion of infected individuals may experience long term effects including fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog, chest pain, headache, or other symptoms. The reasons for long haul COVID-19 in some individuals remain a mystery. In this poster, learn how researchers and clinicians from fifteen different institutions are collaborating to better understand the acute and long-term immune response to COVID-19.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, long haul, immune system, immune response, clinical trial, cytokines, autoimmune response, proteomics next generation sequencing
Stem cells / Cell lines
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Stem Cells
Although scientists use the term stem cell quite broadly, there are numerous stem cell types with many different therapeutic purposes. In this poster, discover a quick guide to induced pluripotent, cord blood, mesenchymal, and various adult stem cells.
Keywords: induced pluripotent stem cell, cord blood stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, adult stem cells, stem cell therapy, regenerative medicine, tissue healing
Banking on Biology: Biobanking
First coined in 1996, the term biobanking refers to collecting and storing human biological material. Biobanks have evolved from mere storage facilities to valuable resources for population level, multifactorial data. In this poster, discover how biobanks serve as unmatched resources to help scientists interrogate disease mechanisms, genetic predisposition and susceptibility to disease, drug tolerance, and more.
Keywords: cell lines, biobanks, virtual biobanks, sample collection, precision medicine, proteomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, epigenetics
Antibodies
Finding the Right Keys: Using Antibody Therapy to Fight Infectious Diseases
With the development of hybridoma antibody technology in the 1970s, scientists harnessed the power of antibodies as selective therapeutic agents. Today, antibody therapies treat a plethora of ailments, from drug resistant infections to emerging pathogens. In this poster, relive the history of antibody-based immunotherapy research and learn how scientists use monoclonal antibody therapies to treat infectious diseases.
Keywords: immunotherapy, infectious disease, pathology, biomarkers, drug targets, monoclonal antibodies, polyclonal antibodies, chimeric, humanized, antibody-drug conjugates, SARS-CoV-2, convalescent antibody therapy, COVID-19, emerging diseases
Traveling to New Frontiers: Antibody Therapy for Neurodegenerative Diseases
Scientists once believed that the central nervous system was inaccessible to antibody therapeutics. With emerging evidence that antibodies cross the blood-brain barrier, researchers are developing innovative treatments. This poster will cover recent advances for treating neurological diseases.
Keywords: immunotherapy, antibodies, pathology, biomarkers, monoclonal, polyclonal, antibody-drug conjugates, neuroscience, neurological disease, Alzheimer’s disease
Immunology / Cell Therapy
Unconventional Approaches to Cell Therapy
Cell therapy is often used to treat cancer and is frequently associated with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, but cell therapy extends far beyond these applications. Scientists use different types of immune cells for cell therapy and apply cell therapy to diseases other than cancer. In this ebook, learn about new, alternative approaches to cell therapy that make a difference in the lives of patients with cancer and other diseases.
Keywords: immunology, immune cells, T cells, CAR T cells, NK cells, CAR T cell therapy, cancer
Using the Immune System to Destroy Cancer
Immunotherapy researchers combine the natural abilities of immune cells with engineering principles, nanoparticle technology, mathematical modeling, and protein identification to develop new and improved immunotherapy strategies that reinvigorate the immune system and combat cancer. In this ebook, learn about leading immunotherapy drugs in the pipeline and discover new approaches to immunotherapy drug discovery and delivery.
Keywords: drug development, immune-oncology immuno-engineering, macrophages, nanotechnology, cancer, gene transcription, proteins
Giving the Immune System a Hand
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has transformed cancer treatment, but it is not the only way scientists can harness the immune system. Other immune cells offer unique advantages for immunotherapy. In this ebook, learn about advances in immuno-oncology research using the diversity of cells in the immune system.
Keywords: immunology, T cells, NK cells, macrophages CAR T cell therapy, immune-oncology
Beyond Big Eaters: The Many Types of Macrophages
Macrophages are key regulators of immune, inflammatory, and healing responses. They also play a role in many prevalent pathologies, including cardiovascular disease, inflammatory diseases, and cancer. The diversity of possible macrophage functions makes identifying specific macrophage types, subtypes, and phenotypes difficult. Explore the full spectrum of macrophage behaviors, phenotypes, and defining markers in this poster.
Keywords: immunology, macrophages, inflammation, tumor, cancer
Off-the-shelf Allogenic Cell Therapy
For most chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies, scientists extract and modify a patient’s T cells in a time consuming and costly process tailored to meet each specific patient’s need. The uniqueness of each therapy increases the risk of failure. For patients with advanced disease, long manufacturing and production times could mean the difference between life and death. Allogenic T cells offer the potential for off-the-shelf CAR-T therapies that can be readily distributed to numerous patients.
Keywords: CAR T cells, allogenic, T cells, CAR T therapy, antigens, cellular engineering, gene editing, T cell receptors
Engineering Guided by Biology: CAR NK Cells
Scientists use chimeric antigen receptors (CARs)- engineered extracellular fusion proteins – to enhance the natural ability of T cells to target and eliminate tumor cells. Now, scientists are expanding the CAR portfolio to natural killer (NK) cells, leveraging the inherent ability of NK cells to target and eliminate tumor cells with minimal toxicity. This poster summarizes common strategies for developing CAR NK cells.
Keywords: immunology, CAR T cells, natural killer cells, NK cells, antigens, tumor, cancer
Explained: How Do Autoimmune Disorders Arise?
The immune system relies on the immune cells to distinguish the body’s cells from abnormal or foreign cells. When immune cells fail to make this distinction, they attack healthy tissues, leading to an autoimmune response. In this interactive explainer article, discover how genetic and environmental factors cause immune dysregulation and the onset of autoimmune disorders.
Keywords: biologics, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, interleukin (IL) inhibitors, B-cell inhibitors, and T-cell inhibitors, inflammation, monoclonal antibodies, inflammatory disease, immunology
Understanding Long Haul COVID-19
While most people with mild to moderate COVID-19 recover in about two weeks, a portion of infected individuals may experience long term effects including fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog, chest pain, headache, or other symptoms. The reasons for long haul COVID-19 in some individuals remain a mystery. In this poster, learn how researchers and clinicians from fifteen different institutions are collaborating to better understand the acute and long term immune response to COVID-19.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, long haul, immune system, immune response, clinical trial, cytokines, autoimmune response, proteomics next generation sequencing
Hitchhiking Microbes
Humans are home to trillions of microbes: bacteria, fungi, archaea, and protozoa to name a few. They colonize the skin, gut, and other organs. These microbes help humans digest food and assist in regulating the human immune system. As humans venture into the vast unknown of outer space these helpful companions also make the journey. In this poster, learn how the microbes that call the human body home spread and colonize space stations.
Keywords: microbes, microbiome, colonization, bacteria, fungi, microorganisms, biofilm, antibiotics
Targeted Therapeutics for Leukemia
Leukemia refers to a group of blood cancers that arise from defects in leukocyte growth and maturation. Clinicians rely on chemotherapy and radiation therapy to treat leukemia. In most patients, these treatments kill healthy cells along with cancer cells. In this poster, discover targeted therapies that block molecular pathways associated with leukemia to selectively destroy cancer cells.
Keywords: leukemia, antigens, blood cells, leukocytes, targeted therapy, antibodies, antibody drug conjugates, chemotherapy, cell therapy, biologics, tyrosine kinases, small molecule inhibitors
Cancer
Spatial Profiling to Explore the Tumor Microenvironment
Tumor cell heterogeneity contributes to treatment failure and resistance. Scientists use single cell technologies and spatial profiling to dissect the tumor microenvironment and uncover disease relevant molecular mechanisms for targeted therapeutics. In this ebook, discover how spatial profiling enables scientists to better understand tumor heterogeneity.
Keywords: cancer, tumor microenvironment, spatial biology, single cells, spatial profiling, heterogeneity, next generation sequencing
Using the Immune System to Destroy Cancer
Immunotherapy researchers combine the natural abilities of immune cells with engineering principles, nanoparticle technology, mathematical modeling, and protein identification to develop new and improved immunotherapy strategies that reinvigorate the immune system and combat cancer. In this ebook, learn about leading immunotherapy drugs in the pipeline and discover new approaches to immunotherapy drug discovery and delivery.
Keywords: drug development, immune-oncology immuno-engineering, macrophages, nanotechnology, cancer, gene transcription, proteins
Giving the Immune System a Hand
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has transformed cancer treatment, but it is not the only way scientists can harness the immune system. Other immune cells offer unique advantages for immunotherapy. In this ebook, learn about advances in immuno-oncology research using the diversity of cells in the immune system.
Keywords: immunology, T cells, NK cells, macrophages CAR T cell therapy, immune-oncology
Precision Medicine for Cancer
For a long time, physicians treated cancer using broad acting chemotherapy agents and radiation. There has been a recent push among oncology researchers to develop precision medicine treatments that account for the unique biology and cancer pathology of each patient. This poster explains precision medicine and what types of readouts (genetics, immunotherapy, biomarkers) inform precision medicine treatments.
Keywords: immunotherapy, biomarkers, precision medicine, genetics, cancer, biopsy, genetic screening, DNA sequencing, proteomics
The Cold Shoulder of Cancer
Several treatments are available to fight cancer, but cancer keeps fighting back. When scientists harnessed the immune system to target and kill cancer cells, cancer cells hid by downregulating certain markers on their cell surface. The story repeats for radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and hormone therapy. But scientists are conquering treatment resistant cancer in innovative ways, and the cancer fighting arsenal continues to grow. In this poster, learn how cancer resists treatment and explore many therapies developed by scientists to counter resistance.
Keywords: hypoxia, acidosis, cancer, drug resistance, drug discovery
Traversing the Tumor Microenvironment with Spatial Biology
Cancer is driven by alterations to the genome and epigenome. The heterogeneous composition of tumors and their propensity to change over time demand that scientists look at the spatial context of cancer biology to make the next discovery. This poster reviews three common spatial biology techniques to study the tumor microenvironment.
Keywords: cancer, tumor microenvironment, spatial biology, single cells, spatial profiling, heterogeneity, NGS, spatial proteomics, mRNA
Explained: How Does Cancer Spread?
Once cancer metastasizes, it sets the course for a deadly chain of events with few treatment options. Understanding how cancer cells mutate and spread to new locations in the body may offer clues to stopping metastasis before it even starts. In this interactive explainer article, learn how cancer cells metastasize and spread, establishing new tumors in distant locations in the body.
Keywords: cancer, metastasis, tumor microenvironment, immunosuppression, immune cells, proteins, inflammation
Targeted Therapeutics for Leukemia
Leukemia refers to a group of blood cancers that arise from defects in leukocyte growth and maturation. Clinicians rely on chemotherapy and radiation therapy to treat leukemia. In most patients, these treatments kill healthy cells along with cancer cells. In this poster, discover targeted therapies that block molecular pathways associated with leukemia to selectively destroy cancer cells.
Keywords: leukemia, antigens, blood cells, leukocytes, targeted therapy, monoclonal antibodies, antibody drug conjugates, chemotherapy, cell therapy, CAR T, biologics, transcription factors, tyrosine kinases, small molecule inhibitors
Gene Editing
Developing CRISPR Biosensors
The COVID-19 pandemic illuminated the global risk posed by infectious agents and the need to develop accurate and portable tests for pathogen detection. CRISPR-based biosensing technology provides early surveillance for infectious diseases. In this ebook, learn how scientists apply CRISPR technology to develop rapid and sensitive diagnostic tests.
Keywords: CRISPR, biosensing, synthetic biology, COVID-19, nucleic acid detection, CRISPR-Cas, diagnosis, precision medicine, point of care, single molecule detection, molecular diagnostics
Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) Genotyping
A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) occurs when a single base pair at a specific locus in the genome changes. SNPs indicate disease pathogenesis, disease susceptibility, drug response, evolutionary changes, and more. In this poster, learn about high throughput SNP genotyping methods, including techniques for whole genome association and fine mapping.
Keywords: single nucleotide polymorphism, SNP, sequencing, allele, genotyping, PCR, next-generation sequencing, NGS, gene-linked disease, association studies, evolution, genetics, genomics, genome
Corralling CRISPR into Cells
The CRISPR/Cas system is a powerful tool for editing disease causing genes in vitro. Yet delivering CRISPR/Cas components to cells is challenging. In this poster, learn about the various viral and nonviral methods that scientists use to efficiently deliver CRISPR/Cas to target cells.
Keywords: CRISPR, gene editing, AAV, nanoparticles, gene therapy, drug delivery
Milestone: The Creation of CRISPR
Genome editing technology has undergone decades of discovery and development, becoming an indispensable tool in modern biological research. Scientists now leverage CRISPR-based gene editing to create animal models, improve crop yields, and develop therapeutics. In this interactive milestone article, learn how scientists uncovered CRISPR, characterized the CRISPR-Cas system, and exploited CRISPR-Cas for targeted genome editing.
Keywords: CRISPR, Cas9, gene editing, prokaryotes, eukaryotes, RNA, base pairs, nucleotides
Milestone: RNA Interference
What do variegate petunias and blood cholesterol-lowering biologics have in common? Scientists used both to discover RNA interference (RNAi), a mechanism for using RNA to regulate gene expression. In this interactive milestone article, learn how scientists discovered the mechanism of RNAi and developed this technology into a robust therapeutic platform for a range of conditions, including neurological and cardiovascular diseases.
Keywords: transcriptomics, RNAi, C. elegans, gene editing, gene regulation, functional genomics, mRNA, DNA
CRISPR Editing for Treating Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a rare genetic disorder that causes muscles to slowly break down over time, leading to symptoms such as difficulty walking. Dysfunction of the muscle stabilizing protein dystrophin is the primary cause of the disease. In this poster, learn how scientists are using CRISPR gene editing to restore partial function of dystrophin to minimize symptoms and slow the progression of DMD.
Keywords: Duchenne muscular dystrophy, genetics, genetic disease, mutation, dystrophin, actin, muscle, gene, protein, CRISPR, gene editing
Drug Development / Precision Medicine
Proteomics for Precision Medicine
Disease relevant proteins characterize cancer, neurological disorders, infectious diseases, and numerous other conditions. Proteomic tools help scientists analyze the protein profiles of diseases and develop the knowledge to design effective therapeutic strategies. In this ebook, discover how uncovering proteome profiles during healthy and diseased states inform therapeutic strategies.
Keywords: proteomics, precision medicine, metabolites, biosensing, mass spectrometry, western blots, LM-MS, biomarkers
Biologics: A Focus on Autoimmune Diseases
The immune system can go rogue and attack itself, leading to autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis. Biologics—therapeutics derived from living organisms—are top players in autoimmune disorder treatment because many inhibit the destructive autoimmune response. In this poster, learn how researchers use biologics treat autoimmune diseases.
Keywords: biologics, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, interleukin (IL) inhibitors, B-cell inhibitors, and T-cell inhibitors, inflammation, monoclonal antibodies, inflammatory disease, immunology
Precision Medicine for Cancer
For a long time, physicians treated cancer using broad acting chemotherapy agents and radiation. There has been a recent push among cancer researchers to develop precision medicine treatments that account for the unique biology and pathology of each patient. This poster explains precision medicine and what types of readouts (genetics, immunotherapy, biomarkers) inform precision medicine treatments.
Keywords: immunotherapy, biomarkers, precision medicine, genetics, cancer, biopsy, genetic screening, DNA sequencing, proteomics
DDN Biobanking
First coined in 1996, the term biobanking refers to collecting and storing human biological material. Biobanks have evolved from mere storage facilities to valuable resources for population level, multifactorial data. In this poster, discover how biobanks serve as unmatched resources to help scientists interrogate disease mechanisms, genetic predisposition and susceptibility to disease, drug tolerance, and more.
Keywords: cell lines, biomarkers, targets, antibody-drug conjugates, neuroscience, neurological disease, Alzheimer’s disease
Explained: How Do Checkpoint Inhibitors Work?
The immune system must recognize self antigens to prevent attacks on healthy cells and tissues. To control antigen recognition, immune checkpoint proteins inactivate or activate immune cells in response to self or foreign antigens, respectively. Cancer cells take advantage of these checkpoints to evade immune cells and escape destruction. In this interactive explainer article, learn how immune checkpoint inhibitor drugs thwart cancer’s sneaky efforts to help immune cells effectively recognize and destroy cancer cells.
Keywords: immune system, antigens, cancer, T cells, inflammation, dendritic cells, small molecule drugs, immunotherapy, immune-oncology
Milestone: 100 Years of Insulin: Discovery to Delivery
2021 marked 100 years since Fredrick Banting and Charles Best discovered that insulin could treat diabetes. In this interactive milestone, explore the history of insulin’s discovery and of type 1 diabetes treatment before and after its discovery.
Keywords: diabetes, insulin, drug discovery, drug delivery, metabolomics, protein, nucleic acids
Food for Thought
Although decreasing food intake and increasing exercise can help people with obesity lose weight, it often is not enough to help them keep the weight off long-term. Drugs may be the answer for maintaining weight loss and minimizing the risk for complications such as type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In this poster, learn how scientists are developing anti-obesity drugs that target the gut and brain.
Keywords: central nervous system, neurons, metabolism, neuroscience, drug discovery, obesity, insulin, gut
A Mysterious Cellular Tango
Researchers no longer think that proteins blindly swim through the cytoplasm hoping to bump into one another. Instead, proteins aggregate with other biomolecules, forming membrane free, transient organelles called condensates. In this poster, discover how scientists leverage condensates to develop more effective drugs.
Keywords: proteins, drug discovery, RNA, DNA, cytoplasm, condensates, biomolecules, protein interaction, drug targeting, drug delivery, protein aggregates
Targeted Therapeutics for Leukemia
Leukemia refers to a group of blood cancers that arise from defects in leukocyte growth and maturation. Clinicians rely on chemotherapy and radiation therapy to treat leukemia. In most patients, these treatments kill healthy cells along with cancer cells. In this poster, discover targeted therapies that block molecular pathways associated with leukemia to selectively destroy cancer cells.
Keywords: leukemia, antigens, blood cells, leukocytes, targeted therapy, monoclonal antibodies, antibody drug conjugates, chemotherapy, cell therapy, CAR T, biologics, transcription factors, tyrosine kinases, small molecule inhibitors
Neuroscience
The Neuroscience of Social Interaction
Nearly three years into the pandemic, the world is just regaining a sense of normalcy. While people once more socially interact in person, researchers are just beginning to understand the biological effects of social isolation on mental and physical health. In this ebook, explore emerging research on how social interactions affect human health.
Keywords: neuroscience, single cells, brain imaging, neurons, cell signaling, MRI, spatial transcriptomics, brain mapping, axons, gene expression, behavioral neuroscience, aging
How Social Isolation Affects the Brain
During the pandemic, many individuals selected a handful of friends and family with whom to form social bubbles. This drastic reduction in daily social interactions led to increased cases of mental health distress, demonstrating how social isolation alters brain patterns. In this interactive poster learn which parts of the brain respond to social isolation.
Keywords: neuroscience, social isolation, social distancing, hypothalamus, neurons, hippocampus, amygdala, prefrontal cortex, pituitary gland
Stopping Power Surges in the Brain
Five million people are diagnosed with epilepsy each year. Epilepsy occurs when the brain experiences excessive electrical activities between neurons, causing recurrent seizures. Antiseizure medications prevent abnormal brain activity and restore neurotransmission balance. In this poster, explore the mechanisms underlying seizures and how different antiseizure treatments work in the brain.
Keywords: neuroscience, seizure, epilepsy, blood-brain-barrier, drug mechanisms, drug discovery, drug development
Traveling to New Frontiers: Antibody Therapy for Neurodegenerative Diseases
Scientists once believed that the central nervous system was inaccessible to antibody therapeutics. With emerging evidence that antibodies cross the blood-brain barrier, researchers are now developing innovative treatments. In this poster, learn about recent advances for treating neurological diseases.
Keywords: immunotherapy, antibodies, biomarkers, targets, antibody-drug conjugates, neuroscience, neurological disease, Alzheimer’s disease
Mitochondria Aren’t Always Model employees
Mitochondria produce most of the energy powering cellular function. When mitochondria get lazy and slack on the job, they can cause mitochondrial disorders, but overzealous mitochondria are just as problematic. In this poster, learn how metabolic dysfunction contributes to neurological disorders, including autism spectrum disorder.
Keywords: neuroscience, autism, mitochondria, cellular stress, fission, fusion, phosphorylation, oxidative stress, metabolism
Tools and Techniques
Milestone: RNA Interference
What do variegate petunias and blood cholesterol-lowering biologics have in common? Scientists used both to discover RNA interference (RNAi), a mechanism for using RNA to regulate gene expression. In this interactive milestone article, learn how scientists discovered the mechanism of RNAi and developed this technology into a robust therapeutic platform for a range of conditions, including neurological and cardiovascular diseases.
Keywords: transcriptomics, RNAi, C. elegans, gene editing, gene regulation, functional genomics, mRNA, DNA
Milestone: 100 Years of Insulin
2021 marked 100 years since Fredrick Banting and Charles Best discovered that insulin could treat diabetes. In this interactive milestone, explore the history of insulin’s discovery and of type 1 diabetes treatment before and after its discovery.
Keywords: diabetes, insulin, drug discovery, drug delivery, metabolomics, protein, nucleic acids
Milestone: Single Cell Sequencing Transcriptomics
Early scientific discoveries led to the current understanding that tissues contain heterogeneous cell populations, each with its own unique genomic, epigenomic, proteomic, and spatial profile. To understand the characteristics of an individual cell and its impact on health and disease, scientists developed single cell technology. At the heart of this story is human curiosity and the need for technology to keep pace with science. In this interactive milestone article, discover how everyday scientific discoveries led to the evolution of single cell sequencing technologies.
Keywords: single cell sequencing, transcriptomics, mRNA, next generation sequencing, microarrays, molecular biology, cell biology
Milestone: The Creation of CRISPR
Genome editing technology has undergone decades of discovery and development, becoming an indispensable tool in modern biological research. Scientists now leverage CRISPR-based gene editing systems to create animal models, improve crop yields, and develop therapeutics for numerous diseases. In this interactive milestone article, learn how scientists uncovered CRISPR, characterized the CRISPR-Cas system, and exploited CRISPR-Cas for targeted genome editing.
Keywords: CRISPR, Cas9, gene editing, prokaryotes, eukaryotes, RNA, base pairs, nucleotides
Milestone: Chromatin Immunoprecipitation
The genomic revolution allowed scientists to uncover specific genes that associate with various functions. As more insights into the genome emerged, curiosities arose as to what regulated these genes. Scientists understood many relationships between proteins, DNA, and RNA, but untangling the implications of those relationships, particularly in the context of gene expression, led to the development of chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). In this interactive milestone article, relive the critical innovations that led to the rapid evolution of ChIP into a powerful tool for understanding the epigenome.
Keywords: antibodies, epigenetics, chromatin, sequencing, ChIP, proteins, RNA/DNA, microarrays, methylation
CRISPR Editing for Treating Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a rare genetic disorder that causes muscles to slowly break down over time, leading to symptoms such as difficulty walking. Dysfunction of the muscle stabilizing protein dystrophin is the primary cause of the disease. In this poster, learn how scientists are using CRISPR gene editing to restore partial function of dystrophin to minimize symptoms and slow the progression of DMD.
Keywords: Duchenne muscular dystrophy, genetics, genetic disease, mutation, dystrophin, actin, muscle, gene, protein, CRISPR, gene editing
Proteomics / Metabolomics
The Hunt for a Novel Biomarker
The body responds to the onset of a disease or the presence of pathogens by expressing specific proteins such as immune related proteins and signaling proteins. During infection or disease, the expression of these critical proteins goes awry. This poster walks readers through the techniques used during the quest for novel protein biomarkers.
Keywords: drug discovery, biomarkers, mass spectrometry proteins, metabolomics, chemical labeling
A Snapshot of Proteomics for Precision Medicine
For a long time, genomics has been the prominent tool scientists use to understand the biology of diseases. While genetic data associate genes and diseases, the functional unit of a gene is usually a protein that may be involved in a wide range of cellular processes. Altered proteins can lead to phenotypic changes and disease. This poster explores the tools available for proteomics studies and how they assist with precision medicine goals.
Keywords: precision medicine, targeted therapies, biomarkers, drug discovery, biomarkers, proteomics, mass spectrometry, affinity-based proteomics, ELISA, antibody affinity assays
Milestone: Chromatin Immunoprecipitation
The genomic revolution allowed scientists to uncover specific genes that associate with various functions. As more insights into the genome emerged, curiosities arose as to what regulated these genes. Scientists understood many relationships between proteins, DNA, and RNA, but untangling the implications of those relationships, particularly in the context of gene expression, led to the development of chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). In this interactive milestone article, relive the critical innovations that led to the rapid evolution of ChIP into a powerful tool for understanding the epigenome.
Keywords: antibodies, epigenetics, chromatin, sequencing, ChIP, proteins, RNA/DNA, microarrays, methylation
Food for Thought
Although decreasing food intake and increasing exercise can help people with obesity lose weight, it often is not enough to help them keep the weight off long-term. Drugs may be the answer for maintaining weight loss and minimizing the risk for complications such as type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In this poster, learn how scientists are developing anti-obesity drugs targeting the gut and brain.
Keywords: central nervous system, neurons, metabolism, neuroscience, drug discovery, obesity, insulin, gut
A Mysterious Cellular Tango
Researchers no longer think that proteins blindly swim through the cytoplasm hoping to bump into one another. Instead, proteins aggregate with other biomolecules, forming membrane free, transient organelles called condensates. In this poster, discover how scientists leverage condensates to develop more effective drugs.
Keywords: proteins, drug discovery, RNA, DNA, cytoplasm, condensates, biomolecules, protein interaction, drug targeting, drug delivery, protein aggregates
Mitochondria Aren’t Always Model employees
Mitochondria produce most of the energy powering cellular function. When mitochondria get lazy and slack on the job, they can cause mitochondrial disorders, but overzealous mitochondria are just as problematic. In this poster, learn how metabolic dysfunction contributes to neurological disorders, including autism spectrum disorder.
Keywords: neuroscience, autism, mitochondria, cellular stress, fission, fusion, phosphorylation, oxidative stress, metabolism
Hitchhiking Microbes
Humans are home to trillions of microbes: bacteria, fungi, archaea, and protozoa to name a few. They colonize the skin, gut, and numerous other organs. These microbes help humans digest food and assist in regulating the human immune system. As humans venture into the vast unknown of outer space these helpful companions also make the journey. In this poster, learn how the microbes that call the human body home spread and colonize space stations.
Keywords: microbes, microbiome, colonization, bacteria, fungi, microorganisms, biofilm, antibiotics
Explained: What immediate effects does exercise have on the heart?
Physicians often recommend exercise to patients suffering from heart disease. Exercise does more than cause humans to breathe deeply and sweat profusely. Exercise stimulates a cascade of biological events that stimulate the human heart and has lasting effects on the human body. This explainer article details the molecular and cellular changes that occur within the heart in response to acute exercise.
Keywords: cardiac, metabolism, proteins, metabolomics, proteomics, physiology, immune system, immune response, immune cells, immunology, cardiovascular disease, stress, cholesterol, cardiac fibroblasts, cardiomyocytes, inflammation