SOM Theses and Dissertations
Recent Submissions
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Investigating the role of TP63 in the squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, and head and neck cancer
Cutaneous, and Head and Neck Squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC and HNSCC), are two of the most common cancers worldwide, resulting in approximately 13,700 deaths (combined) every year in the United States. Despite their high ... -
Investigating intrinsic mechanisms of microtubule dynamic instability and its contribution to chromosome segregation
The dynamic microtubule network is an essential cytoskeleton component that facilitates the organization of almost all eukaryotic cells, and is most notable for its role in chromosome segregation. Despite the conversed ... -
Perceptions of usability and workflow in an electronic medication history assessment tool (eMedHAT®)
Background/Rationale: Incomplete or inaccurate medication histories are common in primary care, and it is critical to improve the accuracy of patient-reported medication utilization for patient safety. Computer applications ... -
Regulating forces in cells : from dynein to microtubules to DNA
Mitotic spindle positioning is paramount to proper genome segregation and cell division. Where the spindle is placed in a dividing cell determines cell fates. How do cells control where the mitotic spindle is positioned? ... -
Biomarkers of therapeutic response in bladder cancer
Treatment of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) typically includes systemic cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Despite being a mainstay first-line treatment for 3 decades, the response rate to this chemotherapy is only 50%. ... -
Determining the mechanism of Aβ-induced NMDA receptor dysfunction
Beta amyloid (Aβ) triggers elimination of excitatory synaptic connections in the central nervous system, an early manifestation of Alzheimer’s disease. Oligomeric assemblies of Aβ peptide associate with excitatory synapses ... -
Targeting the complement pathway in lung cancer progression
The complement cascade is a part of the innate immune system that acts primarily to remove pathogens and injured cells. However, complement activation is also paradoxically associated with tumor progression. In this thesis ... -
Epstein-Barr virus gp350 role in T-cell tropism and protection against infection : implications for an EBV vaccine
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a human specific gammaherpesvirus that infects greater than 95% of the world’s population. EBV does not typically cause severe disease, however in some cases it is associated with malignancies ... -
Physical function, rehabilitation, and hospitalizations within medically complex older adult populations
Impaired physical function among older adult populations has a high cost—both in terms of societal costs, quality of life, and monetary costs to the healthcare system. A major driver of healthcare costs related to impaired ... -
Single cell RNA sequencing unravels unique molecular determinants of ER+ breast cancer organ-specific metastasis
Over half of all deaths from breast cancer are due to metastatic estrogen receptor positive (ER+) disease. Patients with ER+ breast cancer are at chronic and prolonged risk of relapse; overall survival upon detection of ... -
Regulation of long noncoding RNA via RNA-RNA and matchmaker protein interactions
The human long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) HOTAIR is thought to act in trans to recruit the Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) to the HOXD gene cluster where it contributes to gene silencing during development. It has remained ... -
Pseudomonas aeruginosa AlgZR two-component system : expression, responsiveness, control of iron acquisition and impact on virulence
Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence components are subject to complex regulatory control primarily through two-component regulatory systems that allow for sensing and responding to environmental stimuli. In this study, the ... -
Organization of the Red Nucleus within motor circuits
The motor system is remarkable in its ability to perform a range of complex movements with skill and precision. Although computational theories explore how the motor system executes a range of motor commands, the anatomical ... -
Diagnostic approaches and outcomes in patients with neuroinflammation
Background Neuroinflammation is detected by elevated white blood cells in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). A variety of factors cause neuroinflammation including infection, autoimmunity, trauma, degenerative processes, ... -
MAVS dependent and independent innate immune mechanisms that restrict alphavirus infection
Host inflammatory responses are essential for control of infection but also can cause tissue injury. An improved understanding of protective and pathologic inflammatory responses will allow for immunomodulatory therapeutics ... -
Prioritizing candidate genes in disjoint sets using graph kernels on underlying protein-protein networks
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have become the main approach for studying the genetic architecture of common diseases and traits. GWAS correlate variants at genomic loci with the trait under study. Recovery of the ... -
Transcriptome signatures and signaling pathways in heart failure
Current heart failure treatment is based on targeting symptoms and left ventricle dysfunction severity, relying on a common HF pathway paradigm to justify common treatments for HF patients. This common strategy may belie ... -
Compensatory signaling mechanisms promote resistance to SRC inhibition in thyroid cancer
Much effort has been devoted to understanding the complex molecular mechanisms that contribute to the progression of advanced papillary and anaplastic thyroid cancers (ATC). Recently, a BRAF and MEK inhibitor combination ... -
Termination of RNA polymerase II transcription by the 5’-3’ exonuclease Xrn2
Termination of transcription occurs when RNA polymerase (pol) II dissociates from the DNA template and releases a newly-made mRNA molecule. Interestingly, an active debate fueled by conflicting reports over the last three ... -
Dysregulation of the host immune response by the human papillomavirus oncoprotein E7
High-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are causally associated with multiple cancers. HPV persistence is necessary for cancer progression, but factors that drive cancer progression and how HPV evades the host immune ...
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