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2023
Wednesday, April 19th
8:50 AM

Alternative Treatments for Necrotizing Enterocolitis using Computer-Aided Drug Design

Sindhu Chalasani '24, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

8:50 AM - 9:05 AM

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a disease that affects the intestines, primarily in prematurely-born newborns. NEC is the death of intestinal tissue following inflammation and infection. It is likely caused by the immaturity of the intestines and the growth of dangerous bacteria. The current treatments for NEC include both natural treatments and antibiotic treatments. One natural treatment people frequently use is ... Read More

Assessing the Performance of Automated Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) Term Extraction for Deep Phenotyping of Patients Receiving Whole Genome/Whole Exome Sequencing in a Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory

Sachleen Tuteja, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

8:50 AM - 9:05 AM

A comprehensive list of Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) terms capturing a patient’s phenotypic features is essential for the creation of a prioritized gene list for whole exome and whole genome sequencing (WES/WGS) analysis. However, the conversion of a patient’s clinical notes into HPO terms is inefficient, requiring human intervention, and introduces subjectivity. In this study, we evaluated the performance of ... Read More

Transdermal Application of Mutant HSP70i

Ayati Lala, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

8:50 AM - 9:05 AM

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a group of proteins involved in protecting cells from damage. HSP70 is a type of HSP that is found in high levels in various types of cells, playing an important role in the regulation of protein folding, stabilization, and the prevention of protein aggregation. Recent research has suggested that the expression of is reduced in ... Read More

9:05 AM

Effect of Artificial Sweeteners on Blood Glucose levels

Sreekeerthi Panchagnula, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

9:05 AM - 9:20 AM

Around the world, diabetes has become a disease that is increasing in the population. Although not fatal, it can impact a person’s life especially in their diet. One of the things that diabetics will face is the foregoing of sugary foods. As a substitute, many food companies decided to create artificial sweeteners such as Splenda and Equal. However, it is ... Read More

Key Elemental Differences causing Cisplatin Induced Hearing Loss

Pranit Guntupalli, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

9:05 AM - 9:20 AM

Cisplatin is a platinum-based chemotherapy drug used to treat various types of cancers, including sarcomas, some carcinomas (i.e. small cell lung cancer, and ovarian cancer), lymphomas and germ cell tumors (DrugBank, 2021). Cisplatin can cause hearing loss in the cochlea, which is a result of some of the cancer therapies that happen in hospitals. Three experimental groups were looked at, ... Read More

Producing a GFP Positive HEK239 Cell Line Via Transduction for In-Vitro Experiments

Nandana Varma, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

9:05 AM - 9:20 AM

The Pollack Lab is primarily focused on immunology work with sarcomas, and we recognize the benefits of GFP positive cell lines to image metastases, quantify angiogenesis, and analyze various other hallmarks of cancer and tumor characteristics. Our lab is planning to host a variety of killing assays and in vitro experiments for a new mouse study in which a GFP ... Read More

Synthesis of 2-aminothiazole Derivatives as Potential Treatments of Mycetoma

Sumedha Surubhotla, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

9:05 AM - 9:20 AM

Fungal mycetoma is a neglected tropical disease that destroys skin, subcutaneous, and bone tissues in limbs, causing deformity, physical disability, and in severe cases death. The disease spreads after contamination of wounds, typically on the feet or legs of a patient. There are over 70 identified fungal species that can cause fungal mycetoma after infecting humans. Although progress is being ... Read More

The Relationship between Allergen-Specific to Total Immunoglobulin E Ratio and Oral Food Challenge Outcome in Patients Sensitized to Cashew and Pistachio

Aubrey Hall, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

9:05 AM - 9:20 AM

Oral food challenges (OFC) are the gold-standard method to confirm the diagnosis of food allergies but entail a risk of inducing allergic reactions. To more accurately identify which patients are likely to successfully complete an OFC, researchers have calculated optimal allergen-specific/total IgE ratios for various food types. If this sIgE/tIgE ratio is less than the cutoff value, the patient is ... Read More

9:20 AM

Alterations in Osteogenesis Imperfecta: Middle Ear Ossicles and Ligaments During Morphogenesis and Growth

Faisal Patel '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Irene Liu '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

9:20 AM - 9:35 AM

Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) is a rare collagen disease that affects patients with impaired bone growth, a greater risk of fractures, and other bodily impairments such as hearing loss. This paper observes differences in concentrations of biologically essential elements in the middle ear of oim mice, alendronate-treated oim mice, WT mice, and alendronate-treated WT mice using X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM). XFM ... Read More

Antimicrobial analysis of guava leaves on E. coli

Jazmyne Germo, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

9:20 AM - 9:35 AM

Natural products have been used throughout history to treat various illnesses and diseases. Approximately 80% of drugs on the market are derived from natural products, which include plants, herbs, and other organisms. Psidium guajava, known as guava, is a popular fruit found in the Philippines, a tropical country in Southeast Asia. Not only is Psidium guajava a staple in many ... Read More

The Association of Physical Activity with Cognitive Resilience in Students Attending a Mid-Size University in the United States

Kohl Vonder Haar '24, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

9:20 AM - 9:35 AM

Cognitive resilience, the ability to recover from productivity-impairing stressors, has recently been shown to increase determination, decrease stress, and increase academic and occupational performance with higher cognitive resilience. Similarly, meeting strength training and cardiorespiratory exercise guidelines have been shown to accompany increased cognitive function and better grade point averages (GPAs) in college students. However, the correlation between meeting physical activity ... Read More

Using Natural Condiments to to Manage Diabetes Mellitus

Vignesh Tiruvannamalai '24, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

9:20 AM - 9:35 AM

Diabetes mellitus is a predominantly chronic disease that results from blood glucose levels that exceed healthy limits. Diabetes is on the rise in modern times, and an estimated 366.000,000 people are expected to have this disease by 2030. The primary way to treat diabetes and prevent complications is to have proper dietary habits and eat nutritious foods. Some condiments are ... Read More

9:35 AM

Design of Potential New Medications Based on the Atypical Antipsychotic Aripiprazole Using Computer-Aided Drug Design

Johanna (Jojo) Germo '24, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

9:35 AM - 9:50 AM

Abilify, drug name Aripiprazole, is known to treat a multitude of mental disorders and behavioral impairments such as Bipolar I Disorder, schizophrenia, and irritability associated with autism. Using SeeSAR, a computer-aided drug design program, and the crystal structure of 5-HT2AR in complex with aripiprazole, novel molecules were designed to find stronger binding affinities to the enzyme. More than one hundred ... Read More

Development of Y2O3:Eu@SiO2 Nanoparticle for Radiation-Enhanced Cancer Treatment

Divya Brahmbhatt '24, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

9:35 AM - 9:50 AM

Yttrium oxide (Y2O3) has potential in cancer theranostics when combined with radiation to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) that damage cells. Our goal is to create silica-coated Y2O3 nanoparticles (Y2O3:Eu@SiO2) to improve tumor treatment through radiation. Y2O3:Eu nanoparticles (NP) were first synthesized and coated with silica shells. Their core sizes, shell thicknesses, and morphology were measured. Next, the antibody against ... Read More

Evaluating the degrees of Cerebellar Ataxia on the Genetically Modified PCP2-MW through motor performances and various vivisection techniques

Shivan Chirumamilla '24, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

9:35 AM - 9:50 AM

Researchers use a technique called gene targeting, which involves introducing a new gene into the mouse genome and replacing a portion of the endogenous gene with the new gene. In the case of PCP2-MK mice, a modified version of the PCP2 gene is introduced to Purkinje cells in the cerebellum: allowing researchers to study the functions of the cerebellum and ... Read More

10:05 AM

A Retrospective Analysis of 118 Adult Heart Transplant Centers from 2020 to 2022

Kennedy Bray '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Kevin Johnson '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Siddu Bangaru '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

10:05 AM - 10:20 AM

The degree of a center’s aggressiveness (Index of Aggression; IA) in procuring organs for transplantation has rarely been quantified. We aim to create a numerical metric that evaluates a center’s IA and seeks to determine the relationship between IA and survival outcomes. We retrospectively analyzed 118 Adult Heart Transplant Centers in the United States between June 2020 to May 2022 ... Read More

Impact of the Skin Epithelial Knockout of Malate Dehydrogenase 2 on Basal Keratinocyte Proliferation

Anisha Kolambe '24, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

10:05 AM - 10:20 AM

As a barrier to the external environment, the skin serves as the body’s primary mechanism for physical and chemical defense, thermoregulation, and fluid retention. In both tissue homeostasis and wound repair, layers of skin form as cells migrate upward following proliferation and differentiation in the basal layer. Metabolism maintains physiological activity, with inhibited function in diseases including diabetes leading to ... Read More

Sickle Cell Awareness

Sufiya Hussaini '24, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Kosi Okeke '24, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Muna Onwuameze '24, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

10:05 AM - 10:20 AM

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects the production of hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. Knowledge of sickle cell is very little even though it is a very common disease and research about sickle cell isn’t always prioritized which led us into doing our own research to discover ways ... Read More

The dichotomy of NSD1 as an autophagic regulator in HNSCC

Maggie DiMarco '24, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

10:05 AM - 10:20 AM

Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas (HNSCCs) classify a diverse family of cancers that constitute the sixth most common type of human cancer in the world, with approximately 900,000 new cases annually. Current HNSCC treatments are highly toxic and carry significant side effects, so it is imperative we explore less invasive potential future drug targets. Nuclear-binding SET Domain 1 (NSD1) ... Read More

The Synthesis of Cycloserine and market price analysis

Maya Holland '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

10:05 AM - 10:20 AM

Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a bacterial pathogen that attacks macrophages by puncturing the membrane resulting in cell apoptosis, has been known to be drug-resistant, leaving many patients at risk for a worsening condition. Cycloserine is a second-line treatment for Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in which the cyclic analog to D-alanine targets alanine racemase and D-alanine ligase, blocking the formation ... Read More

10:20 AM

Impairments in bilateral reaching and grasping after stroke

JJ Park '24, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

10:20 AM - 10:35 AM

After stroke, patients experience a significant loss in performing activities of daily living (ADL). For example, with loss of voluntary control and abnormal joint coupling in the upper extremity, stroke survivors have great difficulty performing daily activities such as reach-to-grasp. The paresis mainly affects the side of the body contralateral to the lesion and slight deficits to the ipsilesional side, ... Read More

JAG1-Mediated Signaling Promotes Lymph Node Metastasis in Breast Cancer

Jerrick Li '24, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Bhavya Vegesna '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

10:20 AM - 10:35 AM

Breast cancer (BC) patients have better outcomes when cancer is detected early, but metastasis remains a major cause of mortality. High levels of the Notch ligand JAGGED-1 (JAG1) has been linked with poor BC prognosis, and is associated with drug resistance and tumor recurrence. Furthermore, JAG1 is associated with lymph node (LN) metastasis, which is a reliable prognostic indicator. While ... Read More

Role of Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors on CMT-93 Wound Healing

Edward Ning '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

10:20 AM - 10:35 AM

Matrix metalloproteinase plays an important role in wound tissue regeneration, altering the wound matrix and mediating important responses to growth including angiogenesis and vasodilation. In specific, MMP2, MMP9, and MMP14 play major roles in wound healing through the regulation of angiogenesis and activation of proangiogenic cytokines as well as regulating the influx of immune cells. To test and see how ... Read More

The Applications of Physics in Pancreatic Cancer Screening and Treatment

Daniel Park '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

10:20 AM - 10:35 AM

Pancreatic cancer is a dangerous and disproportionately lethal cancer. This is largely a result of its late diagnosis and difficulty in detection and treatment. In order to alleviate this, the applications of physics in pancreatic cancer screening and treatment must be further understood and explored. Of all the current imaging methods, CT and MRI have important connections to physics, and ... Read More

The potential benefits of caffeine for diabetics

Riman Doodin '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Catherine Shi '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

10:20 AM - 10:35 AM

Caffeine has been known to benefit human health when taken in recommended dosages. With that information, the idea of possibly using caffeine to help people with different types of diabetes began to come about. If caffeine was taken at a dosage as “golden ratio” by diabetic patients, would it be able to help the patients in their daily life by ... Read More

10:35 AM

Analyzing the Effects of pre-mRNA Strand on Nucleolar Structure

Himani Kamineni '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

10:35 AM - 10:50 AM

The nucleolus is the center for ribosome production as well as a host of other cellular functions including genomic organization, cell cycle regulation, and cellular senescence. Previous anti-cancer drugs targeting the nucleolus are known to halt ribosomal transcription machinery, which is correlated with the disruption of nucleolar structure. To determine the key players that maintain the nucleolar structure and to ... Read More

Blood Plasma-derived Exosomes as Potential Biomarkers for Painful Diabetic Neuropathy

Arjun Cherukuri '24, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

10:35 AM - 10:50 AM

Painful Diabetic Neuropathy (PDN) is a debilitating complication that manifests in 25% of diabetic patients and is characterized by neuropathic pain, small-fiber degeneration, and the hyperexcitability of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. In recent years, blood plasma exosomes (BPEs) have developed an emerging role as prominent intercellular messengers with a potential involvement in disease progression, but their study in ... Read More

Design and Synthesis of Analogs of Dasatinib as Potential Treatments for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia and Acute Lymphatic Leukemia

Ellen Nguyen '24, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Diya Kamath '24, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

10:35 AM - 10:50 AM

Danistab has demonstrated a quick molecular response and has proved itself to be useful in treating many cases of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) and Acute Lymphatic Leukemia (ALL). However, there has been no published research on how the alteration of the structure of Dansitab could increase binding affinity as well as the efficacy of its synthesis in our bodies. Using ... Read More

“Drug Seeking”: Analyzing the Prediction of Drug Seeking Behaviors along Racialization and Minoritization Lines

Venus Obazuaye '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

10:35 AM - 10:50 AM

With recent developments in healthcare, artificial intelligence (AI) has proven to become a tool in bedside care faster than many might have imagined, especially within the field of substance use treatment. Recommendations have already started to arise for how to utilize the tool to cut down on physician workload, but in making those recommendations, considerations were not made for the ... Read More

Experimental Analysis of the Shinnery Oak Shrub Using High Resolution Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Imagery

Lily Song '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

10:35 AM - 10:50 AM

The p53 gene plays a crucial role in regulating the cell cycle and preventing the development of cancer. In renal cancer, the p53 gene is often mutated, leading to uncontrolled cell growth and proliferation. Targeting the p53 gene with gene knockdown techniques has shown promise as a potential treatment for renal cancer. Adenoviruses have been used as a delivery method ... Read More

Utilization of Computer-Aided Drug Design for the Treatment of Bipolar Disorder

Karla Sanchez '24, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

10:35 AM - 10:50 AM

Nearly seven million adults in the United States experience bipolar disorder. Symptoms of this mental illness include extreme mood swings rapidly ranging from depressive episodes to periods of mania. Currently, mood stabilizers such as antidepressants and antipsychotics are used for the treatment of bipolar disorder alongside therapeutic options. One such treatment is the antipsychotic risperidone and its active metabolite 9-hydroxyrisperidone ... Read More

10:50 AM

Differences in admission characteristics of ICH patients with and without coagulopathy

Rithik Thekiniath '24, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

10:50 AM - 11:05 AM

Coagulopathy is a medical condition in which the body's blood clotting mechanisms are impaired or disrupted. This can result in abnormal bleeding or clotting, which can be life threatening if not promptly diagnosed and treated. This is especially true in serious injuries such as intracranial hemorrhaging for penetrating brain injuries. The intent of this analysis is to determine what variables ... Read More

Examining Clinical Factors Pre and Post Biofire BCID Implementation

Kenith Taukolo '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

10:50 AM - 11:05 AM

Bloodstream infections (BSI) represent approximately 40% of hospital-acquired (HA) cases and 20% of ICU-acquired cases. Furthermore, bloodstream infections are known to be associated with higher mortality, as one study showed a 14% increase in mortality in HIV patients with positive blood cultures. Due to the widespread susceptibility to BSIs, it requires a way to properly and quickly diagnose and identify ... Read More

Using the Poco-synthetic Polymer Graft for Urinary Bladder Regeneration

Vikarm Karra '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Nachiket Rajinikanth '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

10:50 AM - 11:05 AM

Bladder augmentation cystoplasty has been the gold standard for treating pediatric patients with developmentally abnormal urinary bladder. This procedure functions by using bowel tissue to increase bladder capacity while reducing spasticity for the patient. The rigorous surgical procedure poses unwanted long-term issues such as malignant transformation, excessive mucus production, electrolyte imbalances, and perforation. The method, considered effective, still reports a ... Read More

11:25 AM

Knocking Out the β-catenin from Induced Astrocytes using CRISPR/Cas9 Lentiviral Approach

Amogh Shetty '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

11:25 AM - 11:50 AM

Astrocytes are one of the most abundant cell types in the central nervous system (CNS), playing an important role in regulating glutamate uptake, neuroinflammatory response, blood brain barrier permeability, and neuronal health. In the past decade, hiPSCs (human induced pluripotent stem cells) were successfully demonstrated to differentiate into induced astrocytes (iAs), and recently have been shown to robustly express the ... Read More

The Effect of Cutaneous Electrical Stimulation on Hypertonia in Chronic Hemiparetic Stroke

Shreya Chakraborty '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Yina Wang '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

11:25 AM - 11:50 AM

Cumulating evidence suggests that upregulation of corticoreticulospinal pathways following a stroke-induced loss of corticobulbar projections drives spinal motoneuro hyper-excitability. In turn, individuals with stroke experience increased muscl tone (i.e., hypertonia) and associated hyperactive stretch reflexes (i.e., spasticity). It has been shown that applying low-intensity (sub-motor-threshold) electrical stimulation to the skin reduces spasticity in individuals with hemiparetic stroke, as quantified by ... Read More

11:55 AM

A local ancestry-based assessment of common variants to finetune risk profiles of Parkinson’s disease (PD)

Dhruv Patel '23, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

11:55 AM - 12:20 PM

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a severe neurodegenerative disease resulting from complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Past studies have estimated the genetic heritability of PD at around 24-60%, but they have examined samples of European ancestry as genetically homogenous.

Historical trends, however, find that Northern and Southern European tribes interbred between 440 and 1,080 CE, leading to 2-100 different ... Read More