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Biology
Port Orange, FL
Mentor: Tonya Train
Project title: The effects of cayaponia tayuya on inflammatory pathways in immune cells
This semester I performed an ELISA in order to determine whether or not tayuya modulates IL-2 production when Jurkat T cells are activated. Previous ELISA’s have been performed for the presence of IL-2, one ELISA has shown that tayuya down regulates IL-2 production, while the other ELISA was inconclusive. This repeat ELISA was also inconclusive. We also continued trying to block apoptosis induced by the tayuya and cucurbitacin. Previous experiments have attempted to block apoptosis through the inhibition of the TNF receptor, as well as through an inhibitor of the formation of the apoptosome, the repeat of these experiments were again inconclusive. In addition to experiments using previous inhibitors, this semester we also tried to block apoptosis by using 3 different inhibitors of reactive oxygen species. These experiments were again inconclusive. In addition to these experiments, I also repeated Western blot analysis for pro apoptotic proteins in order to have the data in triplicates.
After graduation I will be returning to my hometown of Port Orange, FL and will be working at a clinical research company. In the mean time, I will also be applying to medical school. Lumen has helped prepare me for work in a clinical research setting and has also helped prepare me for professional school.
Dr. Ann J. Cahill
Professor of Philosophy
Spence Pavilion 111
2340 Campus Box
Elon, NC 27244
Phone: (336) 278-5703
cahilla@elon.edu
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