Brown University Theses and Dissertations

Brown University Library archives dissertations in accordance with the Brown Graduate School policy.

For dissertations published prior to 2008, please consult the following Dissertation LibGuide

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Items (1-20) out of 418 results

A Biophysical Analysis of Neutrophil Force Generation in a Biochemical Environment

Description:
Neutrophils are the most abundant circulating white blood cell in the human body, and play a crucial role in the innate immune response to infection ...
Copyright Date:
2018
Contributors:
Andrews, Christina (creator) Franck, Christian (Advisor) Lefort, Craig (Reader) Reichner, Jonathan (Reader) Wong, Ian (Reader) Brown University. Biology and Medicine: Biomedical Engineering (sponsor)
Genre:
theses
Keywords:
Immunology Immune system Septicemia Cells--Mechanical properties soft materials traction force microscopy
Full Record

A BMP-dependent feedback loop regulates dpp expression by direct and indirect mechanisms in the Drosophila wing imaginal disc

Description:
Morphogen activity gradients assign positional information within fields of cells in a concentration-dependent manner. As transcriptional changes respond to signaling activity thresholds, cells must encounter ...
Copyright Date:
2012
Contributors:
Aldrich, Maryanna M (creator) Wharton, Kristi (Director) McKeown, Michael (Reader) Freiman, Richard (Reader) Johnson, Mark (Reader) Raftery, Laurel (Reader) Brown University. BIOMED: Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry (sponsor)
Genre:
theses
Keywords:
BMP signaling dpp negative regulation Min jin dang (China) Transcription Drosophila
Full Record

A Data Assimilating Model of the Microbial Ecosystem in the Open Ocean

Description:
Prokaryotic microbes, commonly termed bacteria, are essential components of the ecosystem in the open ocean. They are major primary producers, major diazotrophs that fix dinitrogen ...
Copyright Date:
2009
Contributors:
Luo, Yawei (creator) Ducklow, Hugh (director) Friedrichs, Marjorie (reader) Prell, Warren (reader) Vallino, Joseph (reader) Brown University. Division of Biology and Medicine. Ecological and Evolutionary Biology (sponsor)
Genre:
theses
Keywords:
Data assimilation Marine Ecosystem Model Dissolved organic matter Primary production Dinitrogen fixation Heterotrophic bacteria Water--Organic compound content Nitrogen--Fixation
Full Record

A Fetal Testis Xenograft Bioassay to Assess Human Susceptibility to Phthalate-Induced Endocrine Disruption

Description:
Recent increases in the incidence of congenital (hypospadias, cryptorchidism) and adult-onset (testis germ cell cancer, lowered sperm counts) diseases of the male reproductive tract are ...
Copyright Date:
2012
Contributors:
Heger, Nicholas E (creator) Boekelheide, Kim (Director) Hixon, Mary (Reader) Freiman, Richard (Reader) DePaepe, Monique (Reader) Howdeshell, Kembra (Reader) Brown University. BIOMED: Pathobiology (sponsor)
Genre:
theses
Keywords:
phthalate endocrine disruption Testis Xenografts
Full Record

A Matter of Life and Death: Novel Ligands Mediating Cytotoxic Function and Revealing Metabolically Stimulative Function of the Sigma-2 Receptor in Human Cancer

Description:
The sigma-2 receptor is a pharmacologically-defined protein receptor present in a variety of tissues, and interest in its role in a wide array of diseases ...
Copyright Date:
2016
Contributors:
Nicholson, Hilary E (creator) Bowen, Wayne (Director) Marshall, John (Reader) Matsumoto, Rae (Reader) Oancea, Elena (Reader) Zhitkovich, Anatoly (Reader) Brown University. BIOMED: Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biotechnology (sponsor)
Genre:
theses
Keywords:
sigma-2 receptor CM572 CM764 sigma receptor cellular metabolism triple negative breast cancer Glycolysis Neuroblastoma
Available to Brown-affiliated users only
Full Record

A New Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Drosophila melanogaster: Precise Genetic Engineering, Characterization and Genetic Suppression

Description:
ABSTRACT Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), the most common adult-onset motor neuron disease in the world, can be caused by mutations scattered along the full length ...
Copyright Date:
2015
Contributors:
Sahin, Asli (creator) Reenan, Robert (Director) Fallon, Justin (Reader) Hart, Anne (Reader) Wharton, Kristi (Reader) Bonini, Nancy (Reader) Brown University. BIOMED: Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry (sponsor)
Genre:
theses
Keywords:
ALS Motor neuron Disease neurodegeneration homologous recombination ems genetic screen Drosophila Genetic engineering
Full Record

A Novel Role for Programmed Cell Death Receptor Ligand 2 (PD-L2) in Sepsis-Induced Hepatic Dysfunction

Description:
Sepsis is defined as a state of life-threatening organ dysfunction due to dysregulated host response to infection. Because of its complex pathogenesis, sepsis is difficult ...
Copyright Date:
2017
Contributors:
Le, Marilyn C (creator) Zimmerman, Anita (Reader) Bowen, Wayne (Reader) Ayala, Alfred (Advisor) Brown University. Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology and Biotechnology (sponsor)
Genre:
theses
Keywords:
Immunology Septicemia
Available to Brown-affiliated users only
Full Record

A Novel, Context Dependent Two Alternative Forced Choice Task for the Exploration of the Neural Correlates of Higher Order Cognition in Mice

Description:
The brain’s ability to attribute valence to sensory stimuli in our environment and modulate these associations to reflect its current state is essential for ...
Copyright Date:
2017
Contributors:
Gill, Jay Lathen (creator) Moore, Christopher (Advisor) Frank, Michael (Reader) Bath, Kevin (Reader) Brown University. Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology and Biotechnology (sponsor)
Genre:
theses
Keywords:
behavioral neuroscience
Full Record

A Quantitative Phosphoproteomic Analysis of the T-Cell Receptor Signaling Pathway Using Novel High-Throughput Approaches

Description:
Reversible protein phosphorylation plays a pivotal role in the regulation of cellular signaling pathways. Current approaches in phosphoproteomics focus on analysis of the global phosphoproteome ...
Copyright Date:
2011
Contributors:
Nguyen, Vinh Hai (creator) Salomon, Arthur (Director) Brossay, Laurent (Reader) Wessel, Gary (Reader) Gruppuso, Philip (Reader) Sauer, Karsten (Reader) Brown University. BIOMED: Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry (sponsor)
Genre:
theses
Keywords:
mass spectometry TCR signaling Jurkat T-cells SILAC label-free hybrid quantitative approach Zap-70 FYN regulation method development ERK positive feedback
Full Record

A role for microRNAs in the etiology of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Description:
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas form a heterogeneous group of cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract, arising from the surface epithelium of the oral ...
Copyright Date:
2009
Contributors:
Avissar-Whiting, Michele (creator) Marsit, Carmen (director) Kane, Agnes (reader) Kelsey, Karl (reader) Hixon, Mary (reader) Chen, Jia (reader) Brown University. Division of Biology and Medicine. Pathobiology (sponsor)
Genre:
theses
Keywords:
microRNA head and neck cancer Epigenetics
Full Record

A Thermodynamics-Based Algorithm for Optimizing HIV Drug Resistance Probe Designs

Description:
There is a high demand for developing a computational platform for global analysis of position- specific sequence variation within HIV-1 subtypes. Undesirable probe designs can ...
Copyright Date:
2018
Contributors:
Lizbinski, Rico Leonardo (creator) Tripathi, Anubhav (Advisor) Brown University. Biology and Medicine: Pathobiology (sponsor)
Genre:
theses
Keywords:
HIV/AIDS Algorithms Drug resistance Thermodynamics Probes
Available to Brown-affiliated users only
Full Record

A Translational Method to Quantify Anterior Cruciate Ligament Healing Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Research and Clinical Applications

Description:
The goal of this thesis was to use non-invasive quantifiable MR parameters of volume, signal intensity and T2* relaxation time to predict the biomechanical or ...
Copyright Date:
2015
Contributors:
Biercevicz, Alison M (creator) Fleming, Braden (Director) Crisco, Joseph (Reader) Darling, Eric (Reader) Deoni, Sean (Reader) Thornton, Gail (Reader) Brown University. Biomedical Engineering (sponsor)
Genre:
theses
Keywords:
Orthopaedics MRI Ligament mechanics T2* relaxometry Linear Regression Modeling Reconstruction Injury Orthopedics Anterior cruciate ligament Knee Magnetic resonance imaging Surgery Biomechanics
Full Record

A-to-I RNA Editing of Voltage-Gated Potassium Channels: Regulation and Functional Consequences in Drosophila melanogaster.

Description:
A-to-I RNA editing is the post-transcriptional modification of pre-mRNA transcripts,where specific adenosine residues are converted to inosine by Adenosine DeaminasesActing on RNA (ADARs). This ...
Copyright Date:
2011
Contributors:
Maloney, Rachel A (creator) Reenan, Robert (Director) McKeown, Michael (Reader) Fairbrother, William (Reader) Lipscombe, Diane (Reader) Rogina, Blanka (Reader) Brown University. BIOMED: Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry (sponsor)
Genre:
theses
Keywords:
RNA editing Potassium channels Drosophila
Full Record

Abstract of, “Regulation of Human Neutrophil Functions by the Integrin, CR3 – An Extracellular Matrix-Based Mechanism of Rapid Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Formation” by Angel S. Byrd, Ph.D., Brown University, May 2014

Description:
Neutrophil-mediated host defense against pathogens includes the extrusion of a lattice of DNA and microbicidal enzymes known as Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs). The receptor:ligand ...
Copyright Date:
2014
Contributors:
Byrd, Angel Shree' (creator) Reichner, Jonathan (Director) Gruppuso, Philip (Reader) Sanders, Jennifer (Reader) Frackelton, A. Raymond (Reader) Salomon, Arthur (Reader) Brown University. BIOMED: Pathobiology (sponsor)
Genre:
theses
Keywords:
NEONATES CGD MYELOPOEISIS ECM and NETS Newborn infants Phagocytes Granulocytes Colegio de México
Full Record

Activation of Ano1 is Associated with Apoptosis of Pulmonary Endothelial Cells: Implications for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Description:
Aberrant endothelial cell (EC) proliferation plays an important role in the vascular remodeling observed in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH). Anoctamin-1 (Ano1), a calcium activated chloride ...
Copyright Date:
2016
Contributors:
Allawzi, Ayed M (creator) Choudhary, Gaurav (Director) Zimmerman, Anita (Reader) Rounds, Sharon (Reader) Harrington, Elizabeth (Reader) Sham, James (Reader) Brown University. BIOMED: Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biotechnology (sponsor)
Genre:
theses
Keywords:
Endothelial pulmonary arterial hypertension PH PAH Anoctamin-1 Ano1 TMEM16A Endothelial cells Endothelium Pulmonary hypertension
Available to Brown-affiliated users only
Full Record

Active metal oxides and polymer hybrids as biomaterials

Description:
Bone anchored prosthetic attachments, like other percutaneous devices, suffer from poor soft tissue integration, seen as chronic inflammation, infection, epithelial downgrowth and regression. We looked ...
Copyright Date:
2008
Contributors:
Jarrell, John D. (creator) Morgan, Jeffrey (director) Mathiowitz, Edith (reader) Tripathi, Anubhav (reader) Hoffman-Kim, Diane (reader) Lee, William (reader) Brown University. Biomedical Engineering (sponsor)
Genre:
theses
Keywords:
Titanium oxide Hela Crystallinity Surface modification Cell viability Sol-gel techniques Metal ion release Bioactivity Phosphorous Percutaneous implants Bone anchored prosthetics Small animal models Titanium dioxide Fibroblasts Keratinocytes Cell proliferation Cell adhesion Polydimethylsiloxane Silver Vanadium Aluminum Calcium Phosphorus Wound healing
Full Record

Advancing an in vivo-relevant three-dimensional neural spheroid model for CNS disease modeling

Description:
Central nervous system disease pathologies are poorly understood in part due to the inability of animal and in vitro models to recapitulate their complexity. It ...
Copyright Date:
2017
Contributors:
Kramer, Liana (creator) Hoffman-Kim, Diane (Advisor) Schell, Jacquelyn (Reader) Mende, Ulrike (Reader) Brown University. Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology and Biotechnology (sponsor)
Genre:
theses
Keywords:
tissue engineering in-vitro Cerebral ischemia Neurovascular diseases
Full Record

Advancing in vivo-relevant neural platforms using optical clearing techniques and self-assembled microtissues

Description:
The central nervous system (CNS) contains a complex assortment of cell types and extracellular matrix proteins, which are arranged into an intricate architecture and ultimately ...
Copyright Date:
2016
Contributors:
Boutin, Molly E (creator) Hoffman-Kim, Diane (Director) Morgan, Jeffrey (Reader) Morrow, Eric (Reader) Franck, Christian (Reader) Vaccarino, Flora (Reader) Brown University. Biomedical Engineering (sponsor)
Genre:
theses
Keywords:
optical clearing three-dimensional culture self-assembled spheroids vasculogenesis in vitro Neurosciences Tissue engineering Fertilization in vitro
Full Record

Advancing Point-of-Care Applications through Ultraviolet Protective Mechanisms and Disease Diagnostics

Description:
Our research works to 1)understand protective mechanisms for improving sunscreens through the study of ultra violet light absorbers and 2) develop a novel detection ...
Copyright Date:
2013
Contributors:
Morabito, Kenneth B (creator) Tripathi, Anubhav (Director) Mathiowitz, Edith (Reader) Morgan, Jeffrey (Reader) Hurt, Robert (Reader) Kantor, Rami (Reader) Brown University. Biomedical Engineering (sponsor)
Genre:
theses
Keywords:
UV protection Disease Diagnostics Point-of-Care Point-of-care testing
Full Record

Advancing the Use of Three-Dimensional Spheroids for Quantitative, Live-Cell, Fluorescence Microscopy in a High-Throughput Format

Description:
All disciplines of biomedical research utilize in vitro models to answer a range of biological questions. Traditional in vitro models, two-dimensional (2D) cell monolayers, fail ...
Copyright Date:
2018
Contributors:
Leary, Elizabeth A. (creator) Morgan, Jeffrey (Advisor) Boekelheide, Kim (Reader) Coulombe, Kareen (Reader) Creton, Robbert (Reader) Mende, Ulrike (Reader) Ruch, Randall (Reader) Brown University. Biology and Medicine: Biomedical Engineering (sponsor)
Genre:
theses
Keywords:
three-dimensional culture self-assembled spheroids Image analysis Fluorescence microscopy 3-D live-cell
Full Record

Items (1-20) out of 418 results