Skip links

Ivana De Domenico | Research

The Research of Dr. Ivana De Domenico

Main navigation

Ivana De Domenico

Team Takes Great Strides Forward in Stem Cell Research

by

     Collaboration between researchers from the University of Illinois, Notre Dame University and the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China has resulted in astounding advances in the field of stem cell research.  The team, led by Professor Ning Wang, a professor of mechanical science and engineering at the University of Illinois, succeeded in creating an environment that allowed stem cells to form the three distinct germ layers needed to create regenerative cells.  The findings were originally published in the journal Nature Communications and were recently summarized in an article for Science Daily.

Ivana De Domenico recaps stem cell research developments.
Image of Adult Stem Cell, courtesy of Robert M. Hunt, via Wikimedia Commons

        In the process of fetal development, specialized tissues and organs form from a small ball of stem cells.  The first step in this process, in which the cells separate into three germ layers, has consistently evaded the grasps of researchers, rendering further studies in regeneration impossible.  In order to achieve this goal, all three layers must be produced in the correct order and location.  Through mouse embryonic stem cells, Wang’s team was able to demonstrate this process with the correct combination of timing, chemical factors and environment.

     In order to succeed in creating the perfect storm, environment proved to be the most crucial aspect.  Wang and his colleagues started by depositing stem cells into a very soft gel substance, intended to recreate the properties of the womb.  The texture and stiffness of the gel proved to be very important, as the consistency affected the success rate of the operation.

        With the correct consistency, the cells were able to separate into the three appropriate germ layers—endoderm on the inside, mesoderm in the middle and ectoderm on the outside.  This was a first amongst all researchers to embark on the endeavor.  Wang hopes these results can lead towards a future to develop more consistency in reproducing the procedure.  With further tests and development, Wang also hopes to improve the efficiency of the process and move forward in advancing stem cell research.

Dr. Marco Kaiser Heads to ImmunoClin

by

A recent story from “MarketWatch”, a financial website and subsidiary of the Dow Jones’ Consumer Media Group, has revealed a new development in the advisory board of ImmunoClin: molecular biologist and virologist Dr. Marco Kaiser has been named to the influential company’s advisory board. Dr. Kaiser is an accomplished scholar who is currently an integral member of GenExpress GmbH, a German molecular biology company. Before his involvement with GenExpress, Dr. Kaiser attended the Technical University of Berlin, where he studied medical biotechnology. His devoted studies led him to Berlin’s Centre for Biological Threats and Specific Pathogens at the renowned Robert Koch Institute, where he completed his doctoral thesis on “Ultra sensitive multiplex diagnostics for emerging pathogens”. He also has a lot of experience in development of technologies geared to dermatological and virology research, is credited with authoring several scientific papers, and has given numerous oral presentations. Dr. Kaiser has expressed enthusiasm with his new position at ImmunoClin, citing his background in molecular biology and experience in tech development for tools that can be used for pathogen detection.

On the other hand, ImmunoClin looks forward to welcoming Dr. Marco Kaiser with warmly wide open arms. They believe they can derive a great deal of knowledge and insight from Kaiser, which in turn can be used to further the company’s innovation and creativity. But what does Immunoclin actually do?

ImmunoClin is an American-based healthcare company, that specializes in the development of personalized medicine. The company prides itself on it’s innovative tactics, novel therapy, personalized medicine, and creative and insightful nutritional therapy. The molecular biology-heavy background of Kaiser is expected to be of great use to the company. Though it is an American company, ImmunoClin has several offices abroad, including  ones in Paris and London. The innovation that ImmunoClin focuses on surround the development of personalized and unique therapies to combat anti-inflammatory conditions that happen to be player in several conditions affecting the human population, such as dementia, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

Gluten Free with ImmusanT

by

Fresh news from the gluten front: An article in the journal Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, features research that shows “the molecular basis for immune recognition of gluten in patients with celiac disease.” The findings come from ImmusanT, a company that has made its mission the restoration of gluten tolerance, as well as the elimination of gluten-free diets from individuals suffering with celiac disease.

The research has provided scientists to examine just how celiac patients’ T cells (white blood cells that have an important function within the immune system) are able to identify the components of wheat gluten that trigger celiac disease in the first place. The article does us a favour by refreshing us on how exactly a gluten allergy works: A patient consumes the gluten protein, but instead of getting nutrients from that consumption, the immune system sends T cells to fight the proteins. This action from the T cells irritates and damages the small intestine, while blocking the absorption of important nutrients from the gluten. This research impacts a vast majority of celiac patients- roughly 90%- and while the remaining 10% have yet to be researched, as this patient majority carries an immune recognition gene known as HLA-DQ2.5.

Sources of Gluten
Various sources of the gluten protein.

According to the article, the research itself has revealed how, in these patients, the T cells bind to the molecular complex that is in turn formed by the gluten peptide attached to that gene.

Leslie Williams, President and CEO ImmusanT, has said that this research serves as a confirmation for suspicions of how gluten intolerance works on a molecular level. ImmusanT is currently producing a vaccine that hopefully can eliminate this gluten intolerance. The vaccine, called NexVax2, works on a microscopic front, targeting the problem T cells and rewiring them to help absorb, not attack nutrients from gluten.

Those with gluten intolerances who suffer from celiac disease find the disorder triggered by the consumption of grains such as rye and wheat. However, the only effective treatment for those afflicted with celiac disease is the avoidance of foods or substances containing gluten altogether. This is easier said than done, and many who try to eliminate gluten from their diets are still exposed to it in some way, and in turn suffer some damage done to the small intestine.

When untreated, celiac disease can contribute to a child’s poor performance in the classroom. In adults, the disease is associated with decreased bone health, cancer, dermatitis, short stature, and pregnancy issues.

Penn State Expanding Bio Program

by

It looks like there’s new light for molecular biology in the undergraduate world.

Often times, the pursuit of a degree in a particular scientific field ends before it begins; there are plenty of fields of scientific study that are reserved for more specialized professional or graduate programs. But that is no longer the case at Penn State’s Berks campus, as the just received approval from the flagship University Park campus to award bachelor of science in biochemistry and molecular biology. This rounds out the selection of degree programs offered at Penn State Berks.

And to everyone who believes that the United States is slipping when it comes to science? Not so fast- the program coordinator of the degree program, Maureen Dunbar, has declared that the biochemistry and molecular biology degrees are on pace to becoming the highest enrolled biology-related programs that Berks offers. There are several reasons for this, chief among them being that the MCAT is undergoing several major changes. Namely, biochemistry will be involved in the newer test format. On another note, both biochemistry and molecular biology open up very wide career paths of which the students will surely take advantage.

Some of you may already know the difference between biochemistry and molecular biology, and their respective applications, but it is worth it to some to touch up on the matter.

Biochemistry is a field of biology that combines the foundational principles of chemistry and physics to explore the molecular, genetic, and cellular worlds from a biological perspective. Students who take this up as a study develop a solid foundation in several specialized areas of the biological sciences, such as enzymology, cell biology, and metabolism. Studying biochemistry preps students for careers in the pharmaceutical industry, biotech and health industries, government, and lab work. And of course, graduate school.

Those that take the molecular biology path (studying cells and their varying relationships), find themselves interested in and well-suited for many of the same industries as biochemistry, as well as education, medicine, and research.

Molecular Bio for High Schoolers

by

Note: This post is based on a story from The Modesto Bee

There’s no reason why the wonders of science should be restricted to the higher reaches of the academy or locked away in clandestine laboratories. It shouldn’t belong to an exclusive circle. That knowledge should, however, be made available to all who wish to learn, participate, and grow in scientific study. The bad news is, some people think that science is all about older folks and white lab coats. The good news? A group of students from a Northern California high school have turned that misconception on its head, forming a club of nascent molecular biologists.

On Wednesdays, these particularly driven students at Modesto High School log several extra hours after normal school hours in order to participate in a molecular biology club. The club has a fascinating mission. Instead of it’s existence being predicated on learning more about a subject or hosting experts in the field, the students find themselves engaging in legitimate, hands on work. Their immersion in molecular biology has them sequencing new genes. That’s right, gene sequencing is the primary dedication of the club.

View of LLNL
Lawrence Livermore National Lab brought the program out to the West.

One of the biggest features of the program, is the focus on duckweed. Because of duckweed’s many applications- from bioremediation, to absorption of heavy metals in liquid media, to it’s potential as biofuel- the students are encouraged to discover new genes in the aquatic plant. Newly discovered genes are verified and later published in a national database.

The club has only been around for three years, but it has already discovered 20 new genes. Especially by other extracurricular standards, this an extremely advanced scholastic activity. In fact, the provenance of Modesto’s molecular biology club is Rutgers University. The program was later brought to California by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a federally funded research and development center co-founded by University of California. It is a seamless combination of both wet lab work, and studies around computational biology. In this way, the talented high schoolers are able to get both sides of biological studies: traditional experiments on one hand, and computer simulation on the other.

There is also a strong sense of duty to spread this program to other schools, too. In fact, the high school biology teacher, Jeff Austin, teams up with several other educators (including a Rutgers University Professor) in order to talk about the ways that other teachers can bring the program to their respective high schools.

The Ripples from Deepwater

by

Remember the 2010 Deepwater Horizon incident? It doesn’t take much brain power to imagine the amount of damage done to marine wildlife in the Gulf of Mexico. The disaster saw upwards of four million barrels of crude oil released into the water. The scientific community already knew that the crude oil in the spill affected many marine species; that in many species of developing fish, crude oil may be a Cardiotoxin . It also knew that the presence of crude oil in marine habits was disruptive and detrimental for many species. But although they had known the “what” in the equation, they were still lost on the “how”.

But now the “why” is looming on the not-yet distant horizon of the disaster. A team of Stanford has discovered the physiological effects that huge quantities of crude oil can have on wildlife. SciTechDaily reports on the team’s findings, which illuminate the previously murky unknown. By studying tuna, the Stanford team discovered that small amounts of crude oil prove detrimental to health marine fauna. To be exact, crude oil slows the heartbeat of these organisms.

Oil from DH approaching shore
Oil from the Deepwater Horizon incident.

How exactly, does this happen? This report in SciTechDaily explains it well.  To understand how crude oil complicates normal heart functions, we must first understand something called “polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons”, or PAHs. Sometimes toxic, PAHs are found in crude oil, and can linger in marine environments well after the initial spill happens. Sometimes, these PAHs stick around for a few years.

The oil disturbs essential processes and functions that prove necessary for a healthy, beating heart. Crude oil slows down the heartbeat by disrupting the potassium ion channels that restart the heart. The heart depends on the fluid movement of several ions, so when these channels are not functioning properly, they hinder a regular heartbeat.

But the discovery that PAHs cause heart complications is not just limited to the marine biosphere. See, the protein channels the scientists observed in tuna hearts are similar to other vertebrate hearts, including humans. Also, PAHs are not limited to crude oil, but have also been found in coal tar, runoff, and air pollution. This means that humans inhabiting areas with heavy levels of air pollution could be at risk for arrhythmias and reduced heart speed.

The study itself is part of an ongoing effort to examine the environmental impact of the spill from nearly four years ago, and there is still more to discover moving forward.

The Real Polar Vortex

by

If you’ve been visiting or living in the United States at all this Winter, chances are you’ve heard of the polar vortex and the havoc its wreaking on most of the nation. Temperatures in the midwest plunging well below 0 degrees fahrenheit, an unusually cool southeast, frigid air along the eastern seaboard. And given the association of “polar” with “cold”, and “vortex” with “something disastrous”,  it makes sense that the label would stick. But “polar vortex”, is a sensationalist term that makes one wonder if the media knows what a polar vortex actually is.

John Timmer at Ars Technica elucidates the misunderstood concept of the polar vortex. The polar vortex, he says, is simply a jet stream that contains that cold arctic air within, well, the arctic. During the wintry months, the arctic sees less sun, and  atmospheric temperatures fall as a result. This creates something called a temperature gradient between the cold arctic air to the north and the warmer air of the south. An effect of the temperature gradient is a pressure gradient. Pressure gradients produce high winds along that north (cold) and south (warm) meeting point. These fasts winds are known as jet streams. The jet stream that circles the arctic is known as the polar vortex. The polar vortex acts as a sort of border, trapping the cold air in the arctic regions. In fact, if you ever look at a picture of it, you see that the polar vortex is located far north. Generally, unless you like cold air, you want that polar vortex to be strong in order to keep the cold air away from you.

Jan 2014 polar vortex
An abnormal polar vortex.

But any time we hear the weather reports, we are bombarded with messages about how “the polar vortex is gripping the nation.” Why? Well, they kind of have the idea backwards. The Ars Technica article explains why a strong polar vortex is desirable, because it keeps the cold air north. So what the United States is currently experiencing is a weakened polar vortex. So technically, we are experiencing the temperatures associated with polar vortices, but this one is particularly weak.

Global warming seems to be the culprit for this excessive cold. Though that thinking may be counter intuitive, there are several reasons why a warmer climate could be the culprit:

1) Decreased snow and ice cover leave dark water and stretches of  land exposed, which will absorb sunlight

2) Due to rapidly melting snow and ice, more water vapor is ascending into the atmosphere, i.e. more clouds. In the dark arctic winter, clouds insulate the arctic and the resulting condensation releases heat into the atmosphere.

Jet streams then meander, and this movement weakens the wind all together, causing the jet stream to move slowly. It’s like cold air is being locked into place. And that’s what we’re experiencing.

This is but one explanation, but the scientist behind it all, Jennifer Francis, has noted there has been no one to produce “contrary evidence”.

Protease Breakthrough

by

Science Daily has reported that two new methods of attacking troublesome protease “ClpP”, associated with the troublesome and resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, have been discovered. Some of us may already know about staph infections and tuberculosis, so let’s rewind for a second and talk about exactly what these “proteases” are.

For starters, proteases are a kind of protein. As with all other proteins, proteases are comprised of chains of amino acids, and integral to cellular process and function. As explained by Science Daily, proteases take it one step further, and act as “scissors”. The protease’s “scissors” cut other proteins, shortening or lengthening their amino acid chains. This cutting action allows the protein to execute a variety of functions. These functions run the cellular gamut from decomposition to proper positioning.

Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis are characterized by the special protease known as “ClpP”. Scientists can identify this protease, but they have had some difficulty disabling them. Convention dictates an attack on the “cutting edge” of the scissor-like proteins. But ClpP responds in a deceptive manner. At first, it looks like the antibiotic works. The “cutting edge” shuts down- but just for a few hours. Then, it activates again. Because Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis are unyielding to many antibiotics, the fact that there now exist two ways to attack these proteases is major breakthrough.

TEV protease
Depiction of Protease Structure.

Science Daily reports that the head chair of biochemistry at the Technical University at Munich, Michael Groll, discovered two new methods of attacking the troublesome protease. Groll is joined by two doctoral candidates, Malte Gersch and Roman Kolb, and the discovery seems promising. But what exactly are these new processes? The first is a way of scrambling the amino acids’ order. The ensuing disorder splits the protease into two separate parts. The second approach focuses on the active center, the cutting edge of the “scissors”. The attack on the center transforms the amino acid chain in charge of the cutting into something different. Without the cutting action, the proteins cannot be properly activated.

These two discoveries are important, but the team of scientists uncovered even more. They discovered inhibitors that reveal how these two new approaches are initialized. The scientists plan to take their discoveries and test them on live bacterial strains. They aim to allow the human immune system to fight only a few of the pathogens, with the new methods preventing newer resistances from being formed.