Collaborative Projects

Distribution and Regulation of the Amyloid Procursor Protein of Alzheimer's (AD) (2011 - Present)

Investigator:  Joseph DeGiorgis, Providence College
Collaborator/Mentor:  John Marshall, Brown University

Abstract:  Alzheimer's disease (AD) afflicts an estimated 26.6 million individuals worldwide, and the prevalence is predicted to increase to 100 million by 2050 at an estimated cost of 20 trillion dollars over the next 40 years to the US alone. Many familial forms of AD are caused by mutations in the Amyloid Precursor Protein.  More

Bacterial Glycome as Antibacterial Targets (2011 - Present)

Investigator:  Christopher Reid, Bryant University
Co-Investigator:  Kirsten Hokeness, Bryant University Collaborator/Mentor:  Amit Basu, Brown University

Abstract:  The manifestation of multidrug resistance in bacteria over the past several decades has resulted in one of the foremost challenges in the management of infectious diseases. The question is, how do we address this growing problem?  More

Student Training Projects

Characterization of Kinesin-3 and Kinesin-3 Cargo in Transit within the Axon (2009 - Present)

Investigator:  Joseph DeGiorgis, Providence College
Mentor:  Thomas Reese, National Institute of Health

Abstract:  Axonal transport is a process in which membrane bound particles are in transit along microtubules powered by motor proteins belonging to the kinesin and cytoplasmic dynein superfamilies. More

Investigating the Significance of Novel Forms of Ufd2a to Muscle Differentiation (2009 - Present)

Investigator:  Sarah Spinette, Rhode Island College
Mentor:  David Goldhamer, University of Connecticut  

Abstract:  The way in which cells achieve their differentiation program is intimately tied to changes in their proteome occurring via several mechanisms including, transcription factor activation or inhibition of transcription events, tissue specific regulation of splicing machinery resulting in alternatively spliced transcripts, ubiquitin dependant proteosomal degradation, and post-translational modification. More

Student Training Pilot Projects

Genetic Characterization of UTH1 and BXI1, Two Genes Involved in Yeast Programmed Cell Death (2011 - Present)

Investigator:  Nicanor Austriaco, Providence College
Mentor:  Brian Kennedy, University of Washington School of Medicine 

Abstract:  Apoptosis is both an important physiological process and a significant anti-tumor defense mechanism in multicellular organisms. Cells that bypass apoptosis in response to oncogenic stimuli can undergo malignant transformation. More

Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes Among Leishmania Species(2011 - Present)

Investigator:  Alison Shakarian, Salve Regina University

Abstract:  The long term goal of this project is to identify and characterize differentially expressed genes in Leishmania that may be used as potential novel targets for the development of new drug therapies for the treatment of leishmaiasis. At least 12 million people in Africa, India and Latin America are infected with Leishmania, and 350 million are at risk.   More

Development of Molecular Tools for the Analysis of Heavy Metal Tolerance in Lancelets (2011 - Present)

Investigator:  Thomas Sorger, Roger Williams University

Abstract:  The specifc aims of this project are (i) to train undergraduat students to design and carry out studies in molecular toxicology by (ii) having them design and test primer pairs useful for the amplification and sequencing of seven genes associated with tolerance to heavy metals in two species of lancelet. More