Bioscience Research
Research addressing key questions and problems at the cutting-edge of biology and biotechnology is a fundamental element of WPI's mission. At the undergraduate level, students complete research-based Major Qualifying Projects, often working side-by-side with faculty members and graduate students on work that, not infrequently, earns them author credit on publications and participation in presentations at scientific conferences. At the graduate level, research is a requirement for our MS and PhD programs. Students conduct research under the direct guidance of faculty members. Life sciences research at WPI is marked by a spirit of collaboration and the free flow if ideas and information—between students and faculty, and across departments.
Unlocking the Genetic Keys to Fungal Infection
The research of Reeta Prusty Rao, assistant professor of biology and biotechnology, may lead to a cure for a type of infection that has resisted existing cures. In its benign form, yeast is an active ingredient in bread, wine, beer—the good things in life, says Prusty Rao. But when "good" yeasts switch into pathogenic fungi, they can cause everything from athlete's foot to fatal lung infections. Using the noninfectious model species S. cerevisiae as a stand-in, Prusty Rao looks at how yeast transforms into its hyphal or infectious fungal form—and what can be done to stop it.
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Enhancing the Production of Plant-Based Compound that Fights Malaria
Research by Pamela Weathers, professor of biology and biotechnology, and Kristin Wobbe, assistant professor and interim head of the chemistry and biochemistry department, may lead to a cure for malaria, a growing world health crisis that claims at least one million lives annually. The impact of this work could resonate globally, as more than 300 million acute cases of malaria occur each year. Reinfection is common, because the body does not develop immunity. Drug-resistant strains have already arisen in the most troubled parts of sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America, rendering the common first-line antimalarial agents almost useless. Read more...
Exploring a Potent Antibacterial Agent in Cranberries
In her lab, Terri Camesano, associate professor of chemical engineering, has uncovered multiple mechanisms by which the active compounds in cranberries work on the molecular level to prevent E. coli infection—the leading cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs), among others. UTIs affect some 8 million people each year, and it is estimated that one in five women will experience a UTI during her lifetime. E. coli is responsible for about 80 percent of cases. Antibiotic treatments exist, but bacterial resistance and side effects are a concern, making alternative strategies for treatment and prevention desirable. Read more...
Structural Deficiencies in Harvested Eggs May Affect Their Quality
Since 1978, when Louise Brown became the first test-tube baby, more than one million children have been conceived through in-vitro fertilization (IVF) worldwide. The latest research suggests that assisted reproductive technologies, including IVF, may be associated with a higher incidence of birth defects, though the underlying cause for that increase is not known. While it does not directly address a possible link between IVF and birth defects, a study from the laboratory of Eric W. Overström, head of WPI’s Biology and Biotechnology Department, and collaborators at three other institutions has shown that key components in eggs that are cultured outside the body are structurally different from those in eggs that develop naturally within the body—differences that may affect the quality of embryos and the health of offsping that result from those eggs. Read more...
Technique for Making Organic Alloys Could be Used to Custom Design Medications
Researchers at WPI have developed a new method for creating alloys of organic molecules, a technique that could become a powerful tool for custom designing pharmaceuticals with desired properties or overcoming deficiencies or unwanted side effects in new drugs. The discovery was described in a cover article in the international edition of the premier chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie (M. Dabros, P.E. Emery, V.R. Thalladi, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2007, 46, 4132-4135). The research led by Vankat R. Thalladi, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry at WPI, demonstrated the feasibility of creating what are known as organic alloys (also called solid solutions) using supermolecules—assemblies made from two or more organic molecules that are held together by intermolecular forces, such as hydrogen bonds, rather than the stronger covalent bonds that join the atoms in molecules. Read more...
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Last modified: March 07, 2008 14:16:21