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GGC students team up to fight Parkinson’s disease
GGC students team up to fight
Parkinson’s disease
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The Challenge
Like many neurological conditions, Parkinson’s disease is difficult to treat because it is challenging to understand.
Parkinson’s involves a small area of the brain called the substantia nigra. This term translates to “black substance,” a name given because this area is very dark due to the presence of melanin in its nerve cells, or neurons. Melanin is a pigment also involved in skin and hair color. In neurons, it is called neuromelanin.
These neurons accumulate neuromelanin due to their production and use of dopamine, a chemical that allows communication between neurons.
In Parkinson’s and related disorders, these neurons can malfunction and die – leading to tremors, mobility problems, speech difficulties and other symptoms.
The Research
For several years, about 30 GGC students have researched Parkinson’s disease under the guidance of Dr. Robert Haining, assistant professor of chemistry, and Dr. Cindy Achat-Mendes, assistant professor of biology.
Haining has long suspected that abnormal neuromelanin contributes to faulty dopamine function in the development of Parkinson’s, while Achat- Mendes studies how nicotine appears to protect against Parkinson’s. “Understanding the interaction of these three substances may shed light on the biochemistry of the disease, which may in turn lead to treatment,” said Haining.
This area is largely unexplored despite the fact that Parkinson’s is directly related to the death of neuromelanin-containing neurons. Haining and Achat-Mendes discussed this in their article, “Neuromelanin, one of the most overlooked molecules in modern medicine, is not a spectator,” in the March 2017 peer-reviewed scientific journal Neuro Regeneration Research.
To study these interactions, the student/faculty team tackles the challenge from different angles.
Because it is so dark, neuromelanin absorbs almost all visible and ultraviolet (UV) light. To study its biochemical processes, the team uses an instrument called a spectrometer that is equipped with fluorescent light. This strategy enables them to study the largely unknown properties of neuromelanin, shedding light on Parkinson’s and similar conditions.
To evaluate nicotine’s neuroprotective effects, students study movement in a worm species in which Parkinson’s can be modeled.
Another exciting approach involves studying lab-grown neurons to examine how nicotine affects the nervous system’s immune response.
Dr. Cindy Achat-Mendes, assistant professor of biology, and Fergie Giron,’19, biology, calculate the density of dopamine-producing neurons that will be grown in the lab for use in their research.
Dr. Robert Haining, assistant professor of chemistry, discusses pipette procedures with Christian Santos, ’18, biology (right) as Yechan “Peter” Kang, ’18, and Dr. Simon Mwongela, associate professor of chemistry, look on.
The Educational Benefit
The research is currently funded by a mini-grant from the GGC School of Science and Technology. Such grants allow GGC students majoring in STEM fields to pursue research projects during their entire college career – an opportunity not available at many institutions.
“We discuss students’ research interests and mentor them in planning and implementing their research projects,” said Achat-Mendes. “Undergraduate research helps students build important skills and lab experience that will serve them well, whether they enter the workforce or go to graduate school after GGC.”
Students conduct their work in the Strickland Research Laboratory, a specially equipped facility in the Allied Health and Sciences building that houses equipment and instrumentation needed for cell biology and biochemical studies (see related story, page 6).
Students have co-authored papers, posters and presentations with their professors, some winning awards.
Haining, Travis Jones, ’15, biology, and Aubrey Hernandez, ’16, biology, co-authored the paper “Saturation Binding of Nicotine to Synthetic Neuromelanin Demonstrated by Fluorescence Spectroscopy” in the December 2016 issue of the peer-reviewed scientific journal Neurochemical Research.
Jonathan Mwizerwa, ’19, biology, working with Achat-Mendes, received a travel award for his research on nicotine’s effects on cytokines at the 2017 Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students in Phoenix, Arizona.
– Jonathan Mwizerwa, ’19
“This research gave me opportunities I never thought I would have,” said Mwizerwa. “In addition to my conference presentation, I participated in two summer research experiences at Alabama State University and The Ohio State University. These experiences have instilled the confidence in me to pursue a career in biomedical science.”
Each generation of students builds upon the work of their predecessors. Christian Santos, ’18, biology, is a new member of the research team.
“I’m honored to be selected for the research,” said Santos, who plans to go to medical school. “I feel humbled to be part of something that was going on before I was here.”
“This project showed me how much I loved research and helped lead me into immunology. It was the first time I ever felt like a scientist,” said Heather Pathak, ’14, biology, an ORISE research fellow at the Centers for Disease Control. “Working on an independent project is an experience I think every future scientist should have. It gave me a great foundation for building the scientist I am today.”
The work is rewarding for both Haining and Achat-Mendes, although such research progresses slowly.
“I set this up for the long term,” Haining said. “This is my life’s work. It means a lot to me to pass it along to students.”
“I am passionate about this project, but more importantly, I truly enjoy spending time with students who want to share my love of neuroscience and learn how to conduct research,” said Achat-Mendes.
