Astrocytes are critical for the proper formation, growth and maintenance of neurons and synaptic connections in the nervous system. In virtually all disorders of the brain, astrocytes contribute to the altered function or pathology. To date, the role of astrocytes in the genesis of neurodevelopmental disorders associated with autistic features has not been studied in detail. With astrocytes critical to normal synaptic function, Laurie’s research promises to identify new astrocyte-based factors for the treatment of neuronal dysfunction using molecular, cellular and behavioral approaches. With a focus on the interactions between astrocytes and neurons and the secreted molecules produced by astrocytes, a variety of complimentary techniques are used to study how astrocyte specific factors and signaling molecules can correct/modulate the structure and physiology of Fragile X/autistic neurons.
"Passion in Science is a desire, a want to do well in science and do something that will benefit society, benefit health in the long term. Passion is being happy and enjoying your work and doing a good job."
Laurie Doering McMaster University, Ontario, Canada
Inspire by Teaching
Teaching 500 undergraduates per year in a Microbiology course is no small feat, but Jason manages to do just that. Each semester, he offers opportunities for undergrads to participate in his research lab, regardless of their previous training or skill level. The undergraduate training program has never turned a student away, and accepts as many as 10 students per semester. Jason expects that the students will carry their training forward with them, and develop an understanding for how research connects with their chosen profession. At present, approximately 1 program graduate applies to and joins the Ph.D. program at the University – talk about a return on investment! They’re doing this without funding, so an integral part of the training is how to answer complex research questions on a budget. The lab’s research focus is on the pathogenesis of Crohn’s disease.
"I love letting my students know that at the end of the day, when you find something, you might be the only person in the universe that knows that fact!"
Jason Furrer University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
MassBioEd supports science and biotechnology education in Massachusetts through educational programs, workforce development, and lifelong learning. BioTeach has provided educational programs to over 200 MA high schools. Through equipment grants, teacher professional development, college and career exploration opportunities BioTeach strives to encourage student interest in life sciences. As the BioTeach mentor, Whitney is responsible for developing the biotechnology curriculum, planning and leading the professional development workshops and going into schools to do the on site mentoring. The mentoring includes lab preparation, use of equipment, co-teaching classes and labs, and course development. Her passion is for the teaching of science, and through this program she has discovered a way to really make a difference.
"It is inspirational to see how hard they [teachers] work and how much they care. It is so exciting to be able to help them with equipment funds, work with them on curriculum and share our work with their students. I am driven to succeed, because I know our program makes a difference in the education and life of young people."
Whitney Hagins Massachusetts Biotechnology Education, Cambridge, MA
Fighting Lung Cancer
Tackling lung cancer in many ways, Ite’s lab studies the epigenetic changes underlying lung cancer development and progression, focusing on DNA methylation. Methylated DNA (a.k.a., epigenetically-modified DNA) has the potential to yield new targets for treatment and potential molecular markers that could enable early diagnosis, therapy response monitoring and recurrence detection. A recent finding, which improves the sensitivity of detecting methylated DNA in patient blood (patent pending), will soon be developed into a commercially-available technology. Ite’s laboratory is also studying the epigenomes of alveolar epithelial cells, the putative progenitors of the most common lung cancer subtype, adenocarcinoma. Meanwhile, the cancer-associated immune response to small cell lung cancer, the most aggressive form of lung cancer, is also being studied to leverage patient immune response for the development for new tools.
"Passion in science will move our understanding forward because it's the passionate people who achieve things, who make new discoveries. It's what got us to the moon. It's what makes people discover new things all the time."
Ite Laird-Offringa Norris Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
The name of Kalai’s laboratory might make you think that they specialize in horticulture, but the name is actually a mondegreen for cystic fibrosis, coined by 5-year old CF patient, Richard Weiss. The laboratory’s primary focus is the pathogenicity of certain bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa), and their resistance to antibiotic treatment. Ultimately, these bacteria lead to the demise of patients with CF, making a better understanding of their pathogenicity critical to the effective treatment of CF patients. In an effort to find a better way to treat CF patients with these infections, the lab searches for new botanicals for treatment and alternative drug targets.
"My students are [the] source of my energy and enthusiasm. They remind me everyday why I chose this profession. I am always so grateful that they chose to spend part of their life journey with me. I want to make sure that I leave a lasting and positive impact on them and hope that they would pay it forward."
Humanitarian Duty Award™ Winners
Reuniting Families
The more than 6,000 deaths of unauthorized immigrants on the southern US border in the last 15 years, were a story that Lori wasn’t able to ignore. In Texas, remains are often buried in unmarked graves without any forensic analysis. She founded the Reuniting Families Project (RFP) in 2003 to identify and return these international migrants to their families. Each summer she takes forensic teams to exhume pauper graves in towns along the border. In the last two years alone, her team has recovered 164 individuals. They perform a forensic analysis to determine biological profile, look for signs of trauma, take samples for DNA, stable isotope and elemental analyses, and enter the case into missing person’s databases. Lori has created the Repository of Unidentified Remains to ensure that no one is buried and forgotten. To date, her efforts have repatriated nearly 70 individuals.
"Mothers often tell me ‘Now I have a place to go and pray’ or ‘Now I have a place to be with my son or daughter.’ It seems invaluable to provide resolution for a family and to restore dignity to each individual by giving them back their identity."
Lori Baker Baylor University, Waco, TX
Disabilities in STEM
Karl works to prepare students with disabilities for leadership positions in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). He leads a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program for students with disabilities at the University of Delaware. The goal is to better prepare the students to pursue a graduate degree in STEM. Each student is matched with a faculty and a graduate student mentor, and the students work for 8 weeks on their own project in a team-oriented environment. Career development seminars cover topics such as graduate school/advisor selection, strategies for disability disclosure, and presentation of research in public forums among other topics. The students present their research at the annual UD REU conference and at the American Chemical Society (ACS) National Conference where the students also attend networking sessions for undergraduate researchers.
"Serving as chair of the ACS Committee on Chemists with Disabilities and on the NSF Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering helped me realize the lack of resources and active leadership directed to students with disabilities."
Karl Booksh University of Delaware, Newark, DE
NTDs
Peter helped establish the concept of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), a group of 17 parasitic and bacterial infections that infect more than one billion people around the world, most of whom live on less than $1.25 per day. Without treatment, NTDs can lead to malnutrition, blindness, physical disabilities and even death. Recognizing the need to effectively address NTDs, he co-developed the “rapid impact package” of essential medicines that simultaneously targeted seven of the most common NTDs. Peter also led the Sabin Vaccine Institute Product Development Partnership (Sabin PDP) – a non-profit business model that brings together partners from across the globe to develop new, low-cost vaccines for NTDs. In this role, he led the development of the first human hookworm vaccine, now in clinical trials -- a project he launched as an MD/PhD student in the 1980s!
"It's incredibly inspiring how many scientists step outside the lab to do brilliant, creative things in the arts or for humanitarian causes."
Peter Hotez Sabin Vaccine Institute, Houston, TX
Army Suicide
Paul acted as one of three primary authors and the only scientific advisor to the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army to provide insight into Army policy and practices that were resulting in high-risk behavior, including suicide. This work resulted in two separate Army publications, the first of which made national news. By accessing diverse Army databases, and identifying metrics that could indicate tractable data to identify high-risk individuals, the Task Force was able to make over 280 specific policy recommendations for the improvement of surveillance and detection of high-risk behavior, and for the first time, identify specific trends in high-risk populations.
"Immense possibilities for good lie within each of us. As scientists, we often have unique opportunities to apply what we know to shine a light on local and global issues. We only need to find the energy and courage to make a difference."
Paul McDonald Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, Roanoke, VA
Novel THC Method
Recently, Surabaya (Indonesia) has successfully confronted a municipal solid waste (MSW) problem through its partnership with Kitakyushu (Japan). Under Tonni’s leadership, the innovative Takakura Home Composting (THC) method was adapted to reduce waste generation at home. Normally, conventional composters need three months to decompose organic waste. With the THC device, organic waste from the kitchen is transformed into compost within 72 hours, without releasing unpleasant odors, and attracting flies or encouraging the development of fungi. By turning waste into compost, MSW could be decoupled from economic growth. Since the implementation of the THC method, Surabaya has reduced about 30% of organic waste annually at the city level and about 7,000 tons of CO2 eq. emissions could be avoided. The resulting compost is used for beautifying the local environment. As one of the environmental facilitators, Tonni was involved in educating housewives.
"I am interested [in being an] environmentalist because I see the environment where I live, where the environment is polluted by pollution; by water pollution; by waste, excessive waste generation around my home. So when I did my graduate study I think…what I can do in my research to contribute to the society."
Styrofoam Box Reuse
Expanded polystyrene (EPS, also known as Styrofoam®) has a low consumer-recycling rate due to its high transportation costs. In 2012, Andrew had the idea of collecting EPS boxes on campus and reusing them locally. Together, with the UW Office of Sustainability, they applied for and received over $100,000 in EPA funding for an undergraduate team to set up this system. In a year UW went from no campus EPS recycling to collection sites in 26 buildings, reusing or recycling close to a semi truck load monthly. Now, the university resells EPS boxes (as well as packing peanuts and gel packs) through the campus surplus store, and provides boxes to biotech companies for reshipment. The rest is delivered to a local EPS recycler. The hope is to use funds received by selling boxes to make campus EPS collection financially self-sustainable. Success with the UW program has led to Andrew replicating this program at 2 other universities.
"I have always been uncomfortable with the large volume of trash I generate while carrying out my research. This project has allowed me to reverse some of the environmental damage my profession creates, while also inspiring undergraduates to look at waste streams as a potential asset."
Andrew Markley University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
Arts and Creativity Award™ Winners
In collaboration with artist Vik Muniz, known for his garbage-art project in the academy-award nominated film Waste Land, Tal’s piece "Colonies" offers a new way to think about cancer research. While at MIT, Tal developed a technology to micropattern living bacteria and cancer cells, transforming them into living artwork. Vik captured images, which Tal then patterned and captured in high resolution on a microscope. They would then print these images at a wall-sized scale, where one could see both the individual cells as well the image as a whole. Interesting pairings between material and image were made into a series named ‘Colonies’ that has been used to raise awareness on bacteria-based cancer technologies, and generate proceeds that are donated back to cancer research.
"Cancer is one of the worst words we can think of. The word draws a strong emotional reaction, since many of us know someone who has or had cancer. But as scientists working with cancer cells, we find them fascinating…Making these images allowed me to create something beautiful to share my experiences with others in a positive way."
Tal Danino Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
3D-printed Electron Microscopy
A personal interest in 3D printing and making jewelry items out of microscopy data led Louise to consider the value of 3D printing in bringing microscopy to a group of people not normally able to access it -- those who are visually impaired. Being able to see microscopic structure is a fundamental aspect of understanding biology and, without it, our understanding of cells and tissues would be far behind what we know today. Using 3D electron microscopy techniques she imaged and modeled miniature structures, from viruses to cell organelles to parasitic organisms that cause human disease. She then converted these models into printing plans for 3D printers. She has generated sculptures of these structures that are several million times their normal size. Louise has exhibited the 3D prints, to share these fascinating miniature worlds with those with visual impairments.
"I always see arts and science as being two sides of the same coin. You have to look at the world from different perspectives, and what you're trying to do is describe the world to other people. Whether that's in peer reviewed publications or whether it's in an expression of art, it's going to be your interpretation of a particular topic."
Alia's work as a Research Assistant for the Life Sciences Outreach Program at Harvard has allowed her to interact with hundreds of high school students and their science teachers in the New England area. Although there is no formal project at hand, her artistic ways have connected with her academic science focus, resulting in a cross-disciplinary approach to better learning. Alia has created science-themed shirts to raise money for the Children's School of Science in Woods Hole. She has also created science songs/raps that take foundational biology topics (like PCR and mitosis) out of a standard textbook and onto iPods across New England. Her creativity in and out of the lab has inspired many young scientists to look at science with an uncommon lens, resulting in an engagement and connection they never knew science could offer.
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