BioChronicles Blog

In cancer research, selecting the right cell line is vital for producing reliable, translatable results. The success of a study often hinges on using well-characterized, highly cited cell lines that accurately represent the disease being studied. Additionally, many of the leading cell lines used in cancer research are murine cancer cells, which are optimal for transplantation into syngeneic animal models to gain a holistic view of the immune system response to cancer. Kerafast cell lines, sourced directly from academic institutions, provide researchers with trusted tools to explore new cancer therapies. The following cell lines from Kerafast are key tools in cancer research, each offering unique characteristics that enhance our understanding of specific cancer types and therapeutic approaches. Cell Lines Supporting Cancer Research Recent publications citing Kerafast cell lines cover research topics that include the effect of dietary probiotics on antibody therapy effectiveness, how “fight or flight mode” impacts tumor immunity, and the mechanisms by which pancreatic cancer exploits iron-containing proteins for tumor progression. This research highlights the critical role of selecting the right cell lines to advance our understanding of cancer biology and treatment strategies. Dietary tryptophan metabolite released by intratumoral Lactobacillus reuteri facilitates immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment. Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy using monoclonal antibodies can ramp up antitumor immune responses in patients with certain forms of cancer, but more than just the antibody biologic contributes to the effectiveness of ICI. This 2024 study published in Cell explores the effect of the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri and its metabolites on antitumor immunity and ICI effectiveness in live mouse models. Mice were transplanted with MC-38 adenocarcinoma tumor cells from Kerafast (ENH204-FP). Researchers found that orally administered L. reuteri (Lr) can be found in the tumor microenvironment, and that the presence of Lr promotes antitumor immunity in melanoma. Further, the Lr-derived metabolite indole-3-aldehyde (I3A) enhances the efficacy of ICIs by interacting with the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) on CD8 T-cells. This interaction triggers the production and release of inflammatory cytokines, such as IFNγ, which amplify the antitumor immune response. The researchers also found that mice placed on high-tryptophan diets experienced lower tumor growth rates and higher survival rates. Lastly, researchers used stage IV melanoma human patient sera to find that I3A was associated with improved ICI response. These findings suggest that more than just the immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy contributes to antitumor responses. The association between supplemental probiotics, native microbes, and dietary additions are all necessary for effective immunotherapy for cancer treatment. This study has implications in the holistic treatment of cancer to improve health outcomes. Additionally, the use of the highly cited MC-38 cell line highlights its effectiveness at creating tumor microenvironments in live animal models to further this kind of cancer research on the pathway to clinical trials. Adrenergic receptor signaling regulates the CD40-receptor mediated anti-tumor immunity. Some cancer cells are non-immunogenic, or “cold”, meaning they do not garner the attention of anti-tumor immune cells and are left to replicate unchecked. Anti-CD40 antibodies can help increase the immunogenicity of a tumor by activating dendritic cells (DCs) which flag down cytotoxic T-cells, but the results of anti-CD40 in immunotherapy trials have fallen short. A possible factor in the moderate effectiveness of anti-CD40 therapy could be in the role stress plays in patients. Sympathetic nervous system activation (like the release or norepinephrine during “fight or flight mode”) can cause release of anti-inflammatory cytokines and anti-apoptotic pathway activation, further “cooling down” nonimmunogenic tumors. This 2023 study published in Frontiers of Immunology demonstrates the potential role of the sympathetic nervous system on the effectiveness of anti-CD40 in cold tumor microenvironments. Researchers used the MOC2 oral squamous cell carcinoma mouse cell line transplanted into syngeneic animal models for in vivo studies. They found that stress-related signals in the body, specifically through the activation of a receptor called β2 adrenergic receptor (β2AR) on DCs, can reduce the effectiveness of anti-CD40. This stress signaling interferes with the way CD40 works in the immune cells, weakening the immune response against the tumor. Interestingly, when researchers added the drug propranolol, which blocks these stress signals, the immune response was much stronger. The combination of propranolol with anti-CD40 led to better tumor shrinkage, more T-cells attacking the tumor, and fewer cells that suppress the immune response. This discovery suggests that combining anti-CD40 with a drug that blocks stress signals could be a more effective way to treat cancers that are otherwise resistant to the immune system. The results also suggest another effect that chronic stress has on patients with cancer, adding to a more comprehensive understanding of how to best improve cancer treatment outcomes. Nanoparticle-mediated Photodynamic Therapy as a Method to Ablate Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Preclinical Models. For oral squamous cell carcinoma in the head and neck, treatment options that conserve tissue are crucial for improving patients’ functional and aesthetic outcomes. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a nonsurgical treatment that uses light to activate photosensitive dyes which generate a cell-killing oxygen species. These photosensitizers are taken in more readily by tumor cells than healthy cells, making PDT a specific and promising cancer treatment candidate. In this 2024 study, researchers evaluated the efficacy of PS nanoparticle-mediated PDT (PS-PDT) in three different OSCC tumor models in vivo: the Cal-33 human cell line, the MOC22 mouse cell line, and the VX-22 rabbit cell line. Researchers found that all tumor models selectively took in the photosensitive dyes, and that PS-PDT was effective in all models, eliminating tumors with minimal side effects and cosmetic effects. This study adds to the preclinical research surrounding PDT and other therapies for OSCC, one of the most prevalent forms of head and neck cancer in the world. This is yet another example of the importance of highly cited animal cell lines, like the MOC1, MOC2, and MOC22 mouse OSCC cell lines, in understanding new treatment pathways for cancer. Neutralization of p40 Homodimer and p40 Monomer Leads to Tumor Regression in Patient-Derived Xenograft Mice with Pancreatic Cancer. Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers, with very few

Please note: MarathonRT Reverse Transcriptase is now discontinued on Kerafast. We apologize for the inconvenience. Other reagents available through Kerafast and our Absolute Biotech sister brands for DNA and RNA research include:

We’re excited to announce the launch of Absolute Biotech, a new company that unites multiple life science brands into one organization specializing in antibody reagents and services. Kerafast is now part of Absolute Biotech and will join in the company’s efforts to add value to existing antibodies, reagents and kits through annotation, validation, sequencing, engineering and recombinant manufacturing. You can learn more about Absolute Biotech and its different brands here. It is still very much business as usual for Kerafast’s customers and partners, with the same contacts and processes for order placement and fulfillment. But we are also excited for what the future holds – as our different brands continue to integrate, our customers will benefit from the bringing together of our unique reagent portfolios and wide-ranging antibody expertise. What Won’t Change The products in our catalog will remain available for order by scientists worldwide. You will use the same contacts for ordering, customer service and technical support. All Kerafast license agreements remain intact. You can continue to make available reagents developed in your own lab. Providing institutions will continue to receive royalty payments based on reagent sales. What Will Change As our global footprint increases, you will have access to a larger and more international customer service team, enabling faster turnaround times and reduced shipping costs. Products and services from our full family of brands will eventually become available to order via the Absolute Biotech website, providing you with one centralized place to compare and purchase reagents for your entire antibody workflow. You will still have the option to order directly from the Kerafast website.  Our goal is to leverage each brand’s antibody expertise to advance the creation and availability of highly defined reagents, in particular through antibody validation, sequencing, engineering and recombinant production. An increasing number of unique and fully reproducible antibodies will become available to you through the combined Absolute Biotech portfolio. We thank you for your support of Kerafast and look forward to continuing to work together! It’s been an exciting journey for Kerafast already, and we’re excited for the next stage as well. We will keep you updated as our different brands continue to come together in support of antibody research worldwide. Read the full announcement on Business Wire.

By: Modhumita Dasgupta, PhD, Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding I joined for my doctoral research in sorghum in 1994 in Prof. Ulaganthan’s laboratory at Centre for Plant Molecular Biology, Osmania University, India. In those days, nucleic acid isolation was predominantly done using manual methods. Genomic DNA isolation could be done with ease, while RNA isolation from seeds of sorghum required a significant amount of time, effort and chemical resources. Nevertheless, I could circumvent it with customization of protocol to suit the tissue. Armed with this success, I was pretty confident that I could troubleshoot any challenge in isolating nucleic acid from plant tissues. Subsequently, I joined as a research scientist at Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding with the zeal to translate my research experience gained while working in a crop species to perennial woody trees. With the confidence of handling molecular biology experiments, I initiated the project on understanding the host-pathogen interaction and isolating antifungal genes in Casuarina equisetifolia, a pulpwood species. My team faced the stiffest challenge when we were unable to isolate high quality DNA and RNA for downstream applications. Over a period of one and a half years we toiled to optimize a cost-effective protocol for nucleic acid isolation which was tailor-made to handle tree tissues with high phenolic content. The protocol was patented in 2009. The next challenge was to commercialize this technology. Partnering with a commercial firm, Adastra IP (now Aumirah) we realized that the market was conducive for a spin column-based DNA isolation kit as there was no kit specific for tree species. With this knowledge, we again tweaked the protocol to develop a go-to-market product and the trademark “ArborEasy” was registered for branding the product. The kit was tested by several national laboratories and their feedback was incorporated while developing the product. The road to translating the innovation to a commercial product took 10 long years, not to mention several setbacks and disappointments. But the protocol never failed us, as it worked for several plant tissues, from silica dry leaf samples to 20-year-old wood tissues. Currently, this kit is used to isolate genomic DNA for conducting routine PCR assays, high-throughput SNP/SSR genotyping, whole genome sequencing and genome skimming. One of the most satisfying experiences was when the customized kit was used to create a Guinness World Record at India International Science Festival in 2018 where 550 students in age group of 12-17 years isolated DNA from banana simultaneously. We were fortunate when Kerafast readily accepted to catalog and market our product with the brand name of ‘ArborEasy’ and signed an agreement to this effect. With my limited experience in product marketing, I feel that a robust outreach is the cornerstone for success of any product in the market. As Thomas Edison opined “Vision without execution is hallucination” – similarly innovation without commercialization is like living in the world of ideas and away from realm of reality. The ArborEasy® DNA Isolation Kit developed by Dr. Dasgupta is available to scientists worldwide in the Kerafast catalog here. The kit provides a non-biohazardous, low cost spin column based system for isolation of plant genomic DNA from wide range of tissue types, specifically challenging tissues from tree species. Please contact us with any questions.

While we are coming to the realization that COVID is going to continue to be with us, we are now experiencing a new outbreak of monkeypox! What is monkeypox? Monkeypox is a viral-based infectious disease (family: Poxviridae, genus: Orthopoxvirus) that infects several species of mammals. Natural hosts include dormice, tree squirrels, Gambian pouched rats and non-human primates with rodents suspected as the natural reservoir. And, as we know, humans can be infected as well with transmission occurring from contact with bodily fluids, blood and lesions of infected animals and bushmeat. According to the World Health Organization, the first human case was detected in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. During the initial phase of monkeypox infection, humans experience swollen lymph nodes, back and muscle aches, extreme lethargy, fever and headache. These symptoms are followed by a skin rash, generally concentrated on the face, arms and legs. The fluid-filled blisters eventually dry up and fall off, similar to chickenpox. Treatment and prevention The antiviral medication tecovirimat has shown to be effective in treating monkeypox and there is evidence that the smallpox vaccine can prevent infection. Since smallpox has been irradicated, individuals under the age of 50-60 have not been vaccinated and thus are more susceptible to serious illness. A monkeypox vaccine, Jynneos, was approved in the United States for adults in 2019 but is rarely available except to researchers working with the virus. Recent outbreak Monkeypox is generally found in Western and Central parts of Africa. Normally there are only a few thousand human cases per year and individuals who contract the virus outside of these regions had recently traveled to Africa. In the recent 2022 outbreak, however, monkeypox cases have occurred in individuals in separate populations and regions where infections are not normally found. A recent article in the journal Nature provides an excellent overview of the unique characteristics of this current outbreak. The last few years have highlighted how much a rare disease outbreak or a new disease is a critical concern. However, the fact that treatments and vaccines are available (although not readily or widely as of yet) should prevent monkeypox from affecting the global population in the same manner as COVID-19. Monkeypox research Do you conduct monkeypox research in your laboratory? Our catalog contains antibodies to both monkeypox and Orthopox. Additionally, our sister company Absolute Antibody offers recombinant versions of antibodies to monkeypox, Orthopox and the p53 protein of Orthopox virus. Contact us if you have any questions or to learn more.

Alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of pulmonary veins (ACDMPV) is a breathing problem a newborn might experience where their skin starts to turn blue from the under-oxygenated blood in their system. It is an extremely rare condition that has been identified in just a few hundred births. At this time, not much can be done to save these children, except for a lung transplant. Scientists at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center are shedding new light on how ACDMPV develops and how to possibly treat it. Their findings were recently published in Nature Communications. According to the corresponding author, Dr. Vladimir Kalinichenko, “Treatment with BMP9 effectively restored capillary density, improved alveolarization, increased arterial oxygenation, increased expression of BMP9 receptor on the surface of capillary endothelial cells called Acvrl1, and improved survival in the ACDMPV mouse model. The improvements are striking. However, several more research steps are needed before BMP9 therapy could be ready for human clinical trials.” Isolating a Key Molecular Signaling Pathway The research team at Cincinnati Children’s analyzed single-cell RNA sequencing data collected from more than 7,000 lung cells from mice carrying a gene mutation linked to ACDMPV and almost 6,000 normal lung cells to figure out what kind of cell was causing the extreme disease symptoms. This gene mutation was a loss of function for the gene FOXF1in humans. Potential cells of interest included alveolar epithelial cells, fibroblasts, club cells, endothelial cells, pericytes, ciliated cells, and myofibroblasts. Initial results led the team to focus on the cells in the inner lining of the lung’s microvascular blood vessels, known as pulmonary endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). The data was further narrowed to determine a critical signaling pathway involving BMP9, ACVRL1 and SMAD1 proteins. When FOXF1 is missing or mutated, ACVRL1 expression goes down. This then reduces the expression of the downstream target genes, a pathway which is critical for healthy blood vessel formation in the lungs. The Kalinichenko lab assesses this pathway using a nanoparticle delivery platform which they developed to silence the ACVRL1 protein in endothelial lungs cells in mice. Hope for a Potential Treatment The team discovered that by adding synthetic bone morphogenetic protein BMP9 to cells deficient in functional FOXF1 genes, they were able to restore the ACVRL1 activity pathway. This allowed the lung to keep making capillaries, as confirmed in cell cultures and in mice. BMP9 was originally found to play a role in bone growth, but recent discoveries such as this one show it plays multiple roles in development. Similar proteins, such as BMP7 and BMP2, have been approved for treating bone growth disorders in human, but no BMP9-stimulating drugs have been approved for use in humans. According to Kalinichenk, “If a safe BMP9 ‘agonist’ or synthetic BMP9 molecule suitable for human use can be developed, it could become more than a treatment strictly for ACDMPV. It might also stimulate blood vessel growth that gets hampered by bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)–a complication of premature birth that occurs in about 10,000 to 15,000 babies a year. While most infants survive this condition, early interventions that could spur lung damage repair could help prevent increased risks of asthma and lung infections later in life.” Related Reagents If you are working on a similar research project, you might be interested in some of our reagents related to bone or lung research, including: Bone Cell Lines from University of Missouri – Kansas City BMP Responsive Reporter Osteoblast Cell Line from Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur Heparan Sulfate Mutant Mouse Lung Endothelial Cell Lines from University of Georgia Human Bronchial Epithelial Cell Line (BEAS-2B) from the National Cancer Institute/NIH Canine Osteosarcoma Cell Lines from University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Osteopontin Antibodies from Rutgers University Smad6 Lentivirus

Bioengineers from Rice University are working to develop “drug factories” to target and fight cancer. Their new study, published in Science Advances, focused on using these drug factories to fight ovarian and colorectal cancer in mice and could potentially begin human clinical trials before the end of the year.             This study used our MC-38 Cell Line, from the laboratories of James W. Hodge, PhD, MBA and Jeffrey Schlom, PhD at the National Cancer Institute/NIH, as a mouse model of colorectal cancer. Drug Factories and Interleukin-2 The three most common forms of cancer treatment are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Although chemotherapy and radiation drugs are extremely powerful and have proven to be effective in destroying cancer cells, they are unable to exclusively target cancerous cells, resulting in damage to healthy cells in the area. With technology advancing, the team at Rice University was hoping to develop a treatment that is just as effective at treating cancer while minimizing the damage to healthy cells. The drug factories used in the new study are beads the size of a pinhead that can be implanted with a minimally invasive surgery. These beads then continuously release a high dose of interleukin-2 (IL-2), which is a cytokine that activates white blood cells to fight cancer in the body. IL-2 is already approved by the FDA to be used as a treatment for cancer, but the drug factories used in this study can provide a more effective immune response by delivering higher concentrations of the protein directly to the tumor itself. Eradicating Cancer in Mice Researchers implanted the drug-producing beads next to tumors and within the peritoneum (the lining that supports abdominal organs, intestines and ovaries) to ensure IL-2 was concentrated primarily on the tumors and not the surrounding area.    These drug factories only require a single administration, as they continue to produce the high concentration of the dose every day until the cancer is no longer detected. Once logistics such as dosage and required number of beads were ironed out, these drug factories showed great success in their ability to eradicate ovarian and colorectal cancers in mice in as quickly as six days. Future Implications Immunotherapy treatments strive to increase tumor inflammation and anti-tumor immunity without side effects from cytokines and pro-inflammatory drugs. This study has made exciting progress with the drug-producing beads’ ability to keep high concentrations of IL-2 contained to tumor sites without impacting the rest of the body. This same approach has the potential to be applied to a host of other cancers across the body with the ability to reprogram beads with any necessary cytokines for treatment. The MC-38 cell line used in this study is available for researchers worldwide from the Kerafast catalog here, as are versions engineered to express human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) or Mucin 1 (MUC-1). You also might be interested in other available cancer research reagents, such as: Recombinant Mouse IL2 Fc-Fusion Protein from our sister company Absolute Antibody IL-2 Antibodies from United States Department of Agriculture/USDA DLD-1 Colorectal Adenocarcinoma SIRT1 Knock Out Cell Line (DLD-1 SIRT1 KO) from National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/NIH Human Ovarian Yolk Sac Tumor Cell Line NOY1 from Nagoya University Cancer Angiogenesis and Nanomedicine Services from Tel Aviv University

At Kerafast, we understand that lab managers play a vital role in the research community through their indispensable contributions to the lab. This quarter, we invited our community of scientists to nominate their lab manager to enter a random drawing for the chance to win a $1000 gift card plus $250 for their respective labs. One of our two winners was Ilma Marçal at the Drug Research and Development Center, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Ilma is a lab manager in the lab at the Drug Research and Development Center – Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais. The lab focuses on several different areas of research like immunology and genetics. We spoke with Ilma to learn more about her role as a lab manager in the Salcedo Lab. Ilma shared her passion for research (and singing), any advice she has for young researchers, and how Mauro Teixeira taught her. What does a typical day look like in your position? My routine is always fast paced. I start the day by checking emails and answering suppliers about purchases made for the laboratory. Once this is done, I move on to organizing our work environment, whether it is replenishing materials, responding to requests from students throughout the day, or delegating functions and organizing the routine of the other technicians. What area of research does your lab focus on? We are a multi-user Research Center. In this way, we concentrate on several areas of research, such as biochemistry and immunology, genetics, morphology, and microbiology. All areas are focused on drug development and, currently, we have several fronts of study related to COVID-19 and other viral, fungal and bacterial diseases, in addition to non-infectious diseases. Why did you decide to pursue a career in research? What do you enjoy about the field? I love what I do, I like to be there contributing, being able to help in some way, and knowing that our group contributes to science through the various findings that research allows us to do. For me, it is great to be part of the scientific discoveries of the laboratory of which I am a part. What are some recent trends in your field of research, and where do you see future research moving towards? In this context of a pandemic, we have seen a race for therapeutic tools and the development of drugs capable of curing COVID-19 along with the commitment and great advances in vaccination programs against COVID-19 and dengue control in our city, Belo Horizonte. At the same time, we have seen how drug repositioning and targeting can help accelerate this process of finding solutions to new problems. I believe that this is a tendency to bring greater celerity to situations such as those faced nowadays. What advice do you have for young researchers looking to pursue this career? The participation of young people in science is very important and they come, every day, full of ideas and a desire to learn. It is important that they have team spirit, perseverance and do not give up in the middle of the way, because we know that it is increasingly difficult to get resources to continue with the research. What is a technology that interests you that you wish you knew more about? I really like the technologies related to the logistics area, productivity software and automation mechanisms, as they provide us with benefits such as cost reduction, increased productivity, increased quality control, management improvements, that provides optimization of the work as a whole. With everything we are experiencing today, in context of the pandemic, I would love to know more and be able to contribute to the new technologies developed in the health area. What activities outside of work are you passionate about? What do you like to do in your free time? In my free time I like to be at home or on a farm, with my family, enjoying a barbecue, drinking wine, listening to, and singing songs. Who is your favorite scientist, and in what ways are you inspired by them? Dr. Mauro Teixeira, with whom I have worked for many years, inspires me in the opportunities he creates and shares; in the approach he promotes between clinical research and basic research; in the training of new professionals who care for patients; in the vision of the future by supporting interdisciplinarity as a form of growth and scientific advancement aimed at health and by the reference he is to the students and different professionals who are by his side. Additionally, he helps me to see that it is always time to learn, to create new habits and share knowledge, as this way we contribute to the growth of new generations and progress professionally and personally. In addition to him, I am also inspired by all the scientists I work with daily, whether teachers or students. We grow up together and each one share different personal experiences and scientific aiming at the best. How would your friends describe you? A person who cannot hide what she feels, funny and at the same time serious, systematic, fair, a perfectionist who likes everything organized, who values ​​and promotes good interaction between all the members of the group, and who does not measure efforts to help all. Lastly, what would you say is the most important part of being an effective manager? Organization, I say this thinking about the whole set. It is important to be able to organize yourself in all areas of life and thus be able to manage and command what is destined for you. I think we are born with this gift of leadership, the desire to always help others and be ready to remove the obstacles we encounter in our daily lives. Related Research Do you work in this field of research? If so, you may be interested in viewing our other reagents that might be related to immunology and microbiology research. Some of the reagents include:

At Kerafast, we understand that lab managers play a vital role in the research community through their indispensable contributions to the lab. This past quarter, we invited our community of scientists to nominate their lab manager to enter a random drawing for the chance to win a $1000 gift card plus $250 for their respective labs. One of our two winners was Vir Sagar from Louisiana Tech University. Vir is a lab manager in the Biomass Lab at Louisiana Tech University. The lab focuses on utilizing waste biomass to enhance their value either chemically or energetically. Vir currently works with the biomass of Shrimp shells, Rice husks, and Corn stover. With a total of 15 undergraduate and graduate students in the lab, they work on various aspects of the bioenergy such as analyzing biomass properties, utilizing environmentally safe extraction solvents, characterizing the products of extraction, and enhancing biomass energy value by physical treatments. We focus on three important parts in any biomass, viz., cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. From these parts in a specific biomass, we derive valuable components to propose novel solutions to energy and environmental challenges of the 21st century. We spoke with Vir to learn more about his role as a lab manager in the Biomass Lab. He shared his passion for research, reported on recent trends he has seen in the field, and advice he has for young scientists. See below for his full interview What does a typical day look like in your position? My mornings are engaged in learning coursework, researching in the literature, and drafting manuscripts. I also work on putting together data from different researchers during the mornings. In the afternoons, we conduct our most intense research activities, such as trying out new ideas, conducting routine protocols, and repairing broken equipment in the lab. I maintain an open approach to my schedule to incorporate unexpected changes and be adaptable to include new tasks as deemed fit for project progress. What area of research does your lab focus on? Our lab is interested in any waste biomass that gets thrown into landfills, for which we find alternate purposes. We utilize techniques such as hydrothermal carbonization, Soxhlet extraction, rotary evaporation, vacuum evaporation, pyrolysis, and others to conduct separation or pre-treatment of the biomass. Biomass consists of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Each of those can contain potentially valuable precursors to many useful industrial chemicals and we try to extract them in our lab. We focus on sugars for ethanol and butanol production from biomass in accordance with NREL protocols and we are looking at other uses for lignin as a binder. Why did you decide to pursue a career in research? What do you enjoy about the field? I like to figure things out and I have always had a curious mindset when working with things. Ever since I was able to comprehend and learn, I have tried to ask questions and toy around with things in an effort to make them work. Science comes naturally to me and research using scientific methods fulfils my curiosity. The questions of “Why” and “How” come more often to my mind than “When” or “Where”. I would like to admit that I find challenges in research difficult but rewarding. These obstacles and overcoming them through brainstorming provide accomplishments in my career like feathers in my cap. My chosen field to work in, Energy and Sustainability, provides me the most joy in my work since I am working for a better environment while looking for new advances in science and engineering. What are some recent trends in your field of research, and where do you see future research moving towards? Energy and sustainability research is a very dynamic field and energy policy is a hot potato in political debate as everyone is concerned with energy security, but sluggish action is a fact. Given the latest IPCC climate report findings and leading scientists’ research works, the new recommendations lead us into a quick plug and fix renewables until long term solutions, such as green hydrogen or nuclear fusion, can be put to use for mass energy needs. Our lab focuses on bio-renewable energy sources, such as biofuels and chemical precursors that are green and derived from biomass. We research on second generation biofuels that do not compete with the food chain and provide significant energy values to meet the challenges of the energy dense times we live in. These in addition with efficiency improvements using engineering and design can assist in mitigating many of the challenges of CO2 emissions and other pollutants. What advice do you have for young researchers looking to pursue this career? Research experiences for undergraduates and high school students is a central feature of our Biomass lab. We highly value early STEM research skills and hence provide various opportunities for undergraduate students to work in the lab year-round. Female students and minority students are encouraged even further and provided scholarships to work in the lab through grants and other resources. Mentorship has been a cornerstone in my research career, and I have made it a key element in the research experience in Biomass lab as well. My specific advice to young researchers or anyone in general would be to try out doing some research work as part of their college experience in an area they are interested in by reaching out to the professor during their sophomore or junior years of college or high school. Most research opportunities are not as difficult as they appear to be and when you are working with a team on a project you can gain valuable skills that are relevant in professional roles. Researchers don’t always spend their time in labs, and they can achieve valuable roles in industry as CEO, CTO, CIO, or even leaders of our world such as presidents. What is a technology that interests you that you wish you knew more about? One of my goals in joining the Biomass lab at Louisiana Tech University was to

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has recently been conducting research on pediatric neurodegenerative disorders defined by mutations that affect DNA repair proteins and trigger progressive loss of Purkinje cells. The main two diseases they focused their research on were ataxia telangiectasia (A-T) and ataxia with oculomotor apraxia 1 (AOA1), which involve issues with motor skills typically coordinated by Purkinje cells. Their latest findings were recently published in Science Advances. This study cited our popular Anti-DNA-RNA Hybrid [S9.6] Antibody from the lab of Stephen H. Leppla, PhD at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/NIH for the detection of R loops without cross-reactions with single-stranded or double-stranded DNA. Purkinje Cells Located in the brain across many species, Purkinje cells are involved in coordinating motor control and transmitting important messages between the cerebellum and the cerebral cortex. The bulk of Purkinje cells are located in the cerebellum, which is responsible for physical movement in the body. It has been found that instability with these cells may be the cause of a range of neurodegenerative disorders. These diseases are characterized by damage to cells that slowly results in the loss of motor function such as movement, coordination and strength. The Study Scientists from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital utilized a mouse model developed onsite to investigate why Purkinje cells are susceptible to progressive neurodegeneration and ataxia. The study pointed them toward DNA repair proteins as the culprit for the mutations affecting Purkinje cells. Mutated DNA repair proteins caused a disruption in the transcription and gene expression process in Purkinje cells, ultimately leading to further DNA damage such as R-loops. R-loops are three-stranded DNA-RNA structures that left unrepaired will continue to progress the damage even further. The team then shifted their focus to how the gene expression process is affected by chromatin. Chromatin packages DNA and proteins, and open chromatin architecture makes DNA more accessible for transcription, therefore promoting gene expression. Upon looking further into the role of chromatin in the cerebellum, an architectural issue was uncovered: the genome regions with open chromatin architecture were found to be the most susceptible to damage. These regions were the home of mutant DNA repair proteins, leading to the formation of R-loops and gene expression issues in Purkinje cells. Understanding Neurodegenerative Diseases DNA repair mutations have been found in a variety of similar neurodegenerative diseases, and although there are still questions about the disease processes, the architectural vulnerability identified in this study may lend an explanation to why certain cell types are lost as the disease progresses. This study could pave the way for a greater understanding of this range of diseases and hopefully a potential cure in the future. Our Anti-DNA-RNA Hybrid [S9.6] Antibody used in this study is available for purchase worldwide from the Kerafast catalog here. You also might be interested in our lab-made reagents for studying DNA damage/repair or neurobiology, such as: Anti-dsRNA [rJ2] Antibody from University of Massachusetts Medical School Translocation and DNA Damage Response Cell Lines from National Cancer Institute/NIH DNA Damage/Repair Transformed MEF Cell Lines from National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/NIH DNA-Binding Fluorescent Probes from University of Miami