Student Research Programs - Office of Undergraduate and ...

DMD mouse model (mdx) as compared to wild-type animals. Galectin-3 has been associated with the extracellular
matrix of cells and has been effectively used as a biomarker to monitor the progression of several other disease
types, including numerous cancers. Therefore, our work demonstrates one possible biomarker for MDC1A and
DMD, which may be monitored through minimally invasive methods (blood collection) or noninvase methods
(urine collection).
A DETERMINATION OF THE EFFECT OF DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID ON CELL DIFFERENTIATION AND
INVASION IN CANCER CELLS
Palvinder Bains
Program: NIH INBRE
Mentor: Keith Kikawa
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
University of Nevada, Reno
When grown on an extracellular matrix substrate like Matrigel, cell lines most
often demonstrate differentiation patterns and form spheroids. However, the
most aggressive cancer cell lines (i.e. A549) often exhibit a branching phenotype
more typical of fibroblasts. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3
polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) known to inhibit the growth of a number of
cancer cell lines, including the human lung adenocarcinoma cell line, A549, while
the omega-6 PUFA, linoleic acid (LA), upregulates growth in the same cell lines.
However, it was previously unknown whether the inhibitory effects of PUFAs extend to alterations in cell
differentiation and invasion. In the current study, the growth of the A549 and BT-474 human ductal carcinoma
cell line on Matrigel was examined in response to DHA and LA supplementation. Interestingly, while DHA
inhibited even spheroid formation and growth of both cell lines, LA greatly enhanced cell branching in A549 cells.
Moreover, when cell invasion was measured, LA very significantly increased the percentage of cells invading,
while DHA demonstrated slight decreases. Future studies will examine the effects of DHA and LA on cell
differentiation in non-transformed cell lines and perform a survey of extracellular matrix proteins like vinculin and
e-cadherin. The current data suggests PUFAs can alter cell invasiveness and growth on Matrigel providing
important insight to establish new approaches for the treatment of cancer.
LAUNCHING NANO-SIZED SPHERICAL GLASS BEADS INTO AN OPTICAL TRAP
Melanie Beck
Program: NSF EPSCoR
Mentor: Andrew Geraci
Department: Physics
University of Nevada, Reno
There are currently multiple efforts to establish whether or not nonNewtonian
gravitational forces exist when measured on a scale of microns. In order to increase
force detection on such small scales it has been proposed to trap and levitate a
nanometer-sized glass bead in an optical cavity in an ultrahigh vacuum. An object
near a dense mass will experience a deflection. Precise measurements of this
deflection could yield the existence of exotic new gravitational forces. Due to
levitation, the bead’s motion would not be hindered by friction from surface
contact nor from collisions with air molecules due to the ultrahigh vacuum. Extraordinarily sensitive
measurements could be achieved. As a first step toward this goal, I propose to construct a device capable of
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