Biomaterials sciences

2007-2008
Characterization of photo-active bionanomembranes for applications in vision research
Advisor: Dean Ho; Student Jessica Lee

Gene expression of cellular interactions with materials for the delivery of chemotherapies
Advisor: Dean Ho

Signal peptide identification and targeted delivery in sea urchin primary mesenchyme cell culture
Advisor: Derk Joster

Effects of neurotropic factor dosage and arrangement on neurite outgrowth.
Advisor: Lonnie Shea; Student: Aaron Bowling

2006-2007
An implantable hydrogel to reduce breast and prostate cancer recurrence
Advisor: Annelise Barron; Students: Kavi Mehta, Vinod Srinivasan

Drug delivery using modified parylene substrates
Advisor: Dean Ho; Student: Erik Robinson

Tri-block copolymers for drug delivery
Advisor: Dean Ho; Student: Brian Lam

Injectable biomaterials for cartilage regeneration
Advisor: Phillip Messersmith; Student: Katherine Radwanski

Optimizing conditions to form TransFast complexes yielding high levels of expression on 3-D scaffolds and spinal cord bridges
Advisor: Lonnie Shea; Student: Kanika Bhatia

2005-2006
Substrate-mediated gene delivery on topographically patterned PLG for directing neurite outgrowth
Advisor: Lonnie Shea; Student: Laura Swift

Phospholipid monolayers and presentation of cell adhesion molecule ligands to hematopoietic stem cells
Advisor: William Miller; Student: Eric Schall

2004-2005
Magnetic guidance of collagen in the development of a living-equivalent graft for anterior curicate ligament reconstruction
Advisor: Guillermo Ameer; Student: Edna Choi

Peptide based biomaterial for in situ cell encapsulation and in vivo delivery
Advisor: Guillermo Ameer; Student: Kelly Huseby

Purification and Characterization of surfactant specific protein mimics of SP-B
Advisor: Annelise Barron; Student: Lauren Floyd

Splinted ligation of DNA oligonucleotides for the purpose of conjugation of a drag-tag molecule in end-labeled free solution electrophoresis
Advisor: Annelise Barron; Student: Louisa Carr

Novel monodisperse bioconjugate: Poly-N-substituted glycines for protein delivery
Advisor: Annelise Barron; Student: Ya-Chen Chang

Characterization of supported monolayers and their applications
Advisor: William Miller; Student: Colin Woodard

Bionanotechnology

2007-2008
Characterization of photo-active bionanomembranes for applications in vision research
Advisor: Dean Ho; Student: Jessica Lee

2006-2007
Acne treatment with silver nanoparticles
Advisor: Bartosz Grysbowski; Students: Jessica Jung, Sabil Huda

Cancer Biotechnology

2007-2008

Gene expression of cellular interactions with materials for the delivery of chemotherapies
Advisor: Dean Ho

Intracellular signaling control of cell morphogenesis and transcription
Advisor: Eric Weiss

Development of SIAT7e expressing adenovirus as a new therapeutic drug for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme
Advisors: Joseph Moskal, Roger Kroes

In vitro and in vivo Analysis of α-mannosidase 2A2 (MAN2A2) as a potential therapeutic for glioblastoma
Advisors: Joseph Moskal, Roger Kroes

Role of POFUT1 in glioma genesis
Advisors: Joseph Moskal, Roger Kroes

Abnormal genome structure in cancer
Advisor: San Ming Wang

Patterns of gene expression in normal hematopoiesis and leukemogenesis
Advisor: San Ming Wang

2006-2007

An implantable hydrogel to reduce breast and prostate cancer recurrence
Advisor: Annelise Barron; Students: Kavi Mehta, Vinod Srinivasan

High throughput screening for RAM inhibitors network
Advisor: Eric Weiss; Student: Nilesh Patel

In vitro and in vivo isolation of mRNA from a single ovarian mouse follicle for RT-PCR analysis
Advisor: Lonnie Shea; Student: Leocadia Mosquea

Detecting the structural variations in patient genome with chronic lymphocytic leukemia using ditag sequencing
Advisor: San Ming Wang; Student: Ali Alhasan

Identification of genomic changes during chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Advisor: San Ming Wang; Student: JiSuk Seo.

Cellular and metabolic engineering

2007-2008
Ion channel biology and toxicology of hair cells
Advisor: Ernest Moore

Intracellular signaling control of cell morphogenesis and transcription
Advisor: Eric Weiss

2005-2006
Metabolic engineering of Clostridium Acetobutylicum by genetic manipulation using antisense RNA technology and the investigation of the early signal transduction events of Spo0A phosphorylation
Advisor: E. Terry Papoutsakis; Student: Alison Chow

Genomic and metabolic-engineering approaches for “Differentiation Engineering” applied to butanol production
Advisor: E. Terry Papoutsakis; Student: Brandon Ang Siang

2004-2005
Metabolic engineering of Clostridum acetobutylicum for increased butanol titers.
Advisor: E. Terry Papoutsakis; Student: Mohab Al-Hinai

Detection of JAK2 and Phospho-JAK2 in hematopoietic cell lines
Advisor: William Miller; Student: Amy Greischar

Optimization and validation studies on flow cytometry-based analyses of megakaryopoiesis
Advisors: William Miller, E. Terry Papoutsakis; Student: James Cuenca

Drug discovery and drug delivery

2007-2008
Screening for novel compounds involved in sleep.
Advisor: Ravi Allada

The Glyx – 13 program: Investigation of Glyx – 13 as partial a agonist of NMDA receptors.
Advisor: Joseph Moskal, Roger Kroes

2006-2007
High throughput screening for RAM inhibitors network.
Advisor: Eric Weiss; Student: Nilesh Patel

Drug delivery using modified parylene substrates
Advisor: Dean Ho; Student: Erik Robinson

Tri-block copolymers for drug delivery
Advisor: Dean Ho; Student: Brian Lam

2005-2006
Substrate-mediated gene delivery on topographically patterned PLG for directing neurite outgrowth
Advisor: Lonnie Shea; Student: Laura Swift

2004-2005
Peptide based biomaterial for in situ cell encapsulation and in vivo delivery
Advisor: Guillermo Ameer; Student: Kelly Huseby

Novel monodisperse bioconjugate: Poly-N-substituted glycines for protein delivery
Advisor: Annelise Barron; Student: Ya-Chen Chang

Gene expression and regulation

2007-2008
Transcriptional and post-translational interactions between circadian and metabolic gene networks in the development of diabetes and obesity
Advisor: Joseph Bass

Gene recruitment function and regulation for subnuclear localization of DNA.
Advisor: Jason Brickner

Gene expression of cellular interactions with materials for the delivery of chemotherapies.
Advisor: Dean Ho

Signal peptide identification and targeted delivery in sea urchin primary mesenchyme cell culture
Advisor: Derk Joster

Patterns of gene expression in normal hematopoiesis and leukemogenesis
Advisor: San Ming Wang

Novel gene identification in the human genome
Advisor: San Ming Wang

2006-2007

Genetic control of β-cell insulin secretion
Advisor: Joseph Bass; Student: Emily Chen

Scanning alanine mutagenesis of influenza A virus M1 protein
Advisor: Robert Lamb; Student: Tsuyoshi Asako

In vitro and in vivo isolation of mRNA from a single ovarian mouse follicle for RT-PCR analysis
Advisor: Lonnie Shea; Student: Leocadia Mosquea

Biological significance of low-copy mRNA
Advisor: San Ming Wang; Student: Andrew Bowen

2005-2006
Identifying candidate genes involved in mammalian metabolic syndrome
Advisor: Joseph Bass; Student: Danny Goldman

RNA interference screen for modulators of protein folding homeostasis using temperature sensitive mutants
Advisor: Richard Morimoto; Student: Kelvin Chou

Characterization of autophagy genes and the aging effect in C. elegans using RNA interference
Advisor: Richard Morimoto; Student: Sushil Machhi

2004-2005
Biolistic microparticle transformation of C.elegans
Advisor: Richard Morimoto; Student: Eric Huang

Genomics

2007-2008
Functional genomic screen for novel sleep and circadian genes
Advisor: Ravi Allada 

Human circadian genomics
Advisor: Ravi Allada

Genetic and genomic analysis of glucose metabolism and insulin resistance
Advisor: Joseph Bass

Novel gene identification in the human genom.
Advisor: San Ming Wang

Abnormal genome structure in cancer
Advisor: San Ming Wang

2006-2007
Phenotype driven mutagenesis for diabetes discovery
Advisor: Joseph Bass; Student: Emily Nicholl

Detecting the structural variations in patient genome with chronic lymphocytic leukemia using ditag sequencing
Advisor: San Ming Wang; Student: Ali Alhasan

Identification of genomic changes during chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Advisor: San Ming Wang; Student: JiSuk Seo

2005-2006
Effects of 2.45 GHz radiofrequency fields on C. elegans genomic DNA
Advisor: San Ming Wang; Student: Eleasa Kim

Protocol development for ditag genomic scanning confirmation
Advisor: San Ming Wang; Student: Willie Wang

2004-2005
Genomic and metabolic-engineering approaches for “Differentiation Engineering” applied to butanol production
Advisor: E. Terry Papotsakis. Student (s): Mohab Al-Hinai

Metabolic and environmental stress

2005-2006
Identifying candidate genes involved in mammalian metabolic syndrome
Advisor: Joseph Bass; Student: Danny Goldman

Retinal protection during hypoxic insult
Advisor: Robert Linsenmeier; Student: Jack Russo
Effects of 2.45 GHz radiofrequency fields on C. elegans genomic DNA
Advisor: San Ming Wang; Student: Eleasa Kim

Sexual Transformation of C. elegans under Bacterial Stress
Advisor: San Ming Wang; Student: Nitika Rewari

2006-2007
Phenotype driven mutagenesis for diabetes discovery
Advisor: Joseph Bass; Student: Emily Nicholl

Protein structure and function

2006-2007
Mechanism of protein degradation by the proteasome
Advisor: Andreas Matouschek; Student: Sharanya Thout

Scanning alanine mutagenesis of influenza A virus M1 protein
Advisor: Robert Lamb; Student: Tsuyoshi Asako

2005-2006
RNA interference screen for modulators of protein folding homeostasis using temperature sensitive mutants
Advisor: Richard Morimoto; Student: Kelvin Chou

Sleep and circadian biology

2007-2008
Functional genomic screen for novel sleep and circadian genes
Advisor: Ravi Allada

Screening for novel compounds involved in sleep
Advisor: Ravi Allada

Human circadian genomics
Advisor: Ravi Allada

Transcriptional and post-translational interactions between circadian and metabolic gene networks in the development of diabetes and obesity
Advisor: Joseph Bass

Stem cell differentiation and expansion

2007-2008
Ex vivo expansion of primary human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) into megakaryocytic cells (Mks)
Advisor: William Miller

2006-2007
The effect of nicotinamide on NAD(H)  production in CHRF and primary Mk cells
Advisor: William Miller, E. Terry Papoutsakis; Students: Jan Kemper

2005-2006
Effects of nicotinamide on Mk differentiation
Advisor: William Miller, E. Terry Papoutsakis; Student: Aaron Kuhl

Verification of Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), Myeloperoxidase (MPO), CD85a and Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) expression in HL60, THP-1 cell lines, granulocytes from culture neutrophils of peripheral whole blood.
Advisor: William Miller, E.Terry Papoutsakis; Student: Nikhil Khicha

2004-2005
Study of hematopoietic stem cell differentiation along the granulocytic and megakaryocytic lineages.
Advisors: William Miller, E. Terry Papoutsakis; Student: Eugene Soo

Optimization and validation studies on flow cytometry-based analyses of megakaryopoiesis
Advisors: William Miller, E. Terry Papoutsakis; Student: James Cuenca