Research Stories
Can You Focus on the Future of Vision Therapy?
Convergence insufficiency is an eye condition that causes headaches and/or double vision when the patient focuses on a nearby object. Dr. Tara Alvarez and her students designed a video game based on the game “Galactica” that functions as vision therapy while still creating an engaging environment. Dr. Alvarez believes that this is truly the future of vision therapy for convergence insufficiency and possibly other ocular disorders.
RNA: Catching Cancer Red-Handed
RNA is an intermediate molecule found between double-stranded DNA and the production of protein. It is essential in the genetic instructions for life and development in living organisms. Taking its flexibility and reactivity into account, Dr. Jonathan Ouellet is focusing on RNA in his preliminary research to develop a potential cure for cancer.
Rest Easy: NJ Professor Makes Sleep Apnea Breakthroughs
In order to gain more information about sleep apnea, Dr. Neubauer uses mice as animal models, controlling the amount of oxygen they intake to induce localized hypoxia, or areas of low oxygen. Through this process, she found that the enzyme heme oxygenase, which can sense and alert the body of low oxygen areas, is induced by hypoxia only in the pacemaker areas. This enzyme will help scientists understand the effects of sleep apnea, because it can be specifically targeted to identify how key signals change during hypoxic conditions.
A Way to the Heart with Polymers
Inspire, innovate, and invent. Dr. Kathryn Uhrich, a researcher from Rutgers University does just that through her groundbreaking work with polymers, including a novel polymer-based cardiac stent. Coronary stents offer an essential treatment for deadly coronary artery disease (CAD), the leading cause of death in America. This new stent may help the millions of people living with CAD.
Conquering Chronic Pain with Tarantula Venom
Pain is a universal sensation that is transmitted through the nerves by a series of signals to the brain. For people with chronic pain disorders like fibromyalgia, the pain persists and can strip them of their well-being, productivity, and quality of life. It is estimated that 100 million adults are affected by chronic pain.
Targeting Cancer: Aptamers Help Hit the Bullseye
If you have ever played a video game, you know that precision is the goal. Now imagine that busting cancer cells is your target, and pieces of genetic material called aptamers are your helpers. Cancer researchers are exploring aptamers as a promising new approach to targeting cancer treatment.
Frog and Craniofacial Abnormalities
In the United States, 12 babies are born every day with a cleft lip, only one type of craniofacial abnormality. Scientists are studying the African Clawed Frog to understand how they are able to correct these abnormalities before birth.
Chicken Studies Suggest Treatment for Atherosclerosis
Scientists are studying White Leghorn chickens which have similar cholesterol levels to humans to understand atherosclerosis- the build-up of cholesterol in arteries. It triggers coronary artery disease, the number one killer in the United States, in which accumulations of cholesterol called plaques form on artery walls.
Fruit Flies and Epilepsy
Epileptic seizures occur when the normal pattern of neurological activity is disturbed, causing convulsions, muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness. Fruit flies are viable for research in human diseases, as they share 75% of the genes that cause diseases in humans and hope to find the genetic cause of febrile seizures, which are brought on by high fever.
Spina bifida and Weimaraners
Spina bifida is a neural tube birth defect where the baby’s backbone and its surrounding membranes fail to properly develop. Researchers found one genetic mutation in Weimaraners that causes spina bifida, which is also present in humans, but not found in any other dog species.