2010 - Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity

aspect of the process involves developing
synthesis conditions for ZnO and the in-situ
monitoring (via atomic force microscopy) of
ZnO synthesized on a Au wafer (1) at low
temperatures and under neutral solution
conditions. The second aspect involves synthesizing
ZnO (1) in the presence of amino acids
with different ―R‖ groups (hydrophilic,
hydrophobic, acidic and basic), (2) at low
temperatures, and (3) a range of pH‘s in order to
exert kinetic control of the crystal growth
process. Initial results show that L-Histidine and
L-Cysteine have significant effects on crystal
morphology and are subsequently studied. This
research will help us further utilize the mineralspecific
interactions that occur in nature so that
we can synthesize advanced functional materials
in a more cost efficient and environmentally
friendly way.
Using in vivo and in vitro models to identify
the consequences of manipulating chemokine
and immune response genes during CNS
neuroinflammation
Tokunbo Ayeni, Biology
Amelia Lipscomb, Neuroscience
Contributors: Joe Elsissy, Angie Garcia
Mentor: Monica J. Carson
Division of Biomedical Sciences
Interactions between the central nervous system
(CNS) and the immune system are essential to
maintain optimal brain function during health
and after injury or infection by pathogens.
Chronic and/or dysregulated interactions
between the CNS are hypothesized to contribute
to the onset and progression of multiple
neurologic disorders including Alzheimer‘s
disease. In our lab, we are focusing on the role
of two molecules: 1) CCL21, a chemoattractant
molecule that recruits and retains T cells and
dendritic cells in the CNS, and 2) Tmem176b, a
tetraspan membrane protein that is expressed by
macrophages in the CNS during acute neuroinflammatory
conditions that successfully
resolve. Our hypothesis is that failure to express
sufficient Tmem176b may contribute to the
transition of beneficial acute inflammation to
detrimental chronic inflammation. We can test
whether Tmem176b expression is correlative or
causative in the resolution of neuroinflammation
by testing in vitro if Tmem176b alters
macrophage activation and by testing in vivo. In
vitro, we have cultured two types of macrophage
cell lines. RAW cells which are immortalized
peripheral macrophage cells and BV-2 cells
which are immortalized microglia. Microglia
are a type of macrophage that is specific to the
CNS. We have prepared maxipreps of
Tmem176b expression plasmids that when transfected
into RAW and BV-2 cells results in the
over expression of Tmem176b. Because the
plasmid also contains the reporter molecule,
green-fluorescent protein (GFP), we can detect
the cells which were successfully transfected.
Using this tools, we have discovered that overexpression
of Tmemb176b promotes apoptosis
of both macrophage and microglia-like cells. We
can also test the function of Tmem176b in vivo
by overexpressing Tmem176b in mouse models
where we selectively promote inflammation by
transgenically manipulating expression of
CCL21. For this purpose we are breeding and
genotyping four types of mice: a) wild-type
expression of CCL21 throughout the body, b)
lack expression of CCL21 (plt/plt CCL21
knock-out mice), c) selective expression in the
pancreas (Ins-CCL21 transgenic mice), and d)
selective expression in the brain (GFAP-CCL21
transgenic). As part of this portion of our
studies, we have learned to use PCR based
methodologies to determine the presence or
absence of specific endogenous genes (CCL21)
or transgenes (Ins-CCL21 and GFAP-CCL21).
Issues of Drinking Water Quality in India
Jennifer Barr, Anthropology/Creative Writing
Mentors: Sally Ness, Department of
Anthropology
David Cwiertny, Department of Environmental
Engineering
Around 37.7 million Indians are afflicted with
waterborne diseases each year. Thirty percent
(30%) of urban households and 90% of rural
households in India rely entirely on untreated
drinking water, depending on surface and
ground water sources contaminated by the
results of poor sanitation and waste disposal.
Poor water quality has had far-reaching
Fourth Annual UCR Symposium for Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity
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