BINGHAMTON BIOCHEMISTRY CLUB | SPRING 2013 VOL II ISSUE 002
2
CONTENTS
COVER ART
Dan Sha Li
3
3
LETTERS FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT AND
MAGAZINE COORDINATOR
Lance Kong
Roshni Khilnani
BINGHAMTON BIOCHEMISTRY CLUB T-SHIRT
4
5-6
LITERATURE REVIEWS
Advances in Medical Imaging Through the Use of Cellular
Phones
Stephanie Jiang
Novel Microchip Promotes Live Cell Imaging and Analy-
sis of the Functional Heterogeneity of the NK Cell Popula-
tion
Betty Chu
6
7
STUDENT OPINION
Master’s Degree: The New Bachelor’s Degree?
Lance Kong
The Death of the Driver’s License
Paul Brick
8 CROSSWORD
http://www.123rf.com/photo_10011852_medical-technology-and-corporate-research-as-art.html
3
Letter from the Vice President:
Dear Students, Faculty and Alumni,
I would like to first welcome everyone back
to a new semester! Our goal, as the Biochemistry
Club, is to constantly strive for more innovative
ideas to contribute to the Binghamton campus and
community. I am proud to say that, over the course
of the previous semesters, our momentum in expand-
ing our outreach and services has never been better.
Last semester, we successfully enhanced our
club’s role in advising students by hosting the Bing-
hamton Biochemistry Club Mentorship Program.
This program gave underclassmen and transfer stu-
dents a 1 on 1 academic advising opportunity. Aca-
demics are essential, but we also should not ignore
the importance of practical knowledge and applica-
tions of science. Our Research and Internship Semi-
nar addressed this issue and elucidated possible op-
portunities for students interested in both Graduate
School and Medical School.
We are working hard to enact our prospective
plans such as the Academic Tournament and mini-
Bridge program which would take the club to an en-
tirely new level of networking and outreach to both
on and off campus communities. With our past
achievements and our future plans, I believe that this
is only the beginning of a memorable semester to
come.
Best,
Lance Kong
Letter from the Magazine Coordinator:
Dear Readers,
Expressly, I would like to thank all our con-
tributors for sharing their words with the students,
faculty and the alumni and for their efforts in ensur-
ing that all information contained in Titin was cor-
rect at the time of going to print.
Special thanks must go to the writers: Betty
Chu, Stephanie Jiang, Lance Kong and Paul Brick.
I must also acknowledge the work of our editors:
Karen Fu, Fanny Zeng, Steve Kwon, and Stephanie
Jiang, who have worked diligently to dot every i and
cross every t. Also, a thank you to Dan Sha Li for
developing the quorum sensing cover. The theme for
this issue is Medical Technology and our team will
strive to have our future issues be themed as well.
Finally, to our readers: we hope you enjoy
reading Titin as much as we enjoyed writing, design-
ing and producing it.
Sincerely,
Roshni Khilnani
Represent your major or love of biochemistry with a Bing-
hamton Biochemistry Club T-Shirt!
If you’re interested in purchasing one, please email Lance at
[email protected] with your name and size. Prices will
be dependent on how many people order.
4
Advances in Medical Imaging Through the Use of
Cellular Phones
By Stephanie Jiang
Approximately one-fifth of all diseases can
be diagnosed and treated with medical imaging.
However, a large population of the world, particu-
larly in developing countries, lacks accessibility to
medical imaging technology within affordable price
ranges. Over fifty percent of the medical technology
in developing countries cannot be used because of
complexity, costs for maintenance and repair, or
shortage of trained health workers for particular
equipment. Fortunately, a newly proposed system
provides a cheaper alternative for diagnosis and
treatment of diseases. This method utilizes cellular
phone technology to facilitate magnetic resonance
images, computed tomograms, and ultrasound scans,
making highly trained image processing personnel
unnecessary.
Cell phones are able to transmit unprocessed
data to a fundamental location, where the informa-
tion is modified into an image and then returned to
the screen of the phone. The new medical imaging
system consists of two components connected to a
cellular phone: (1) a data acquisition device (DAD)
with limited controls and no image display at a sim-
ple isolated patient site and (2) a versatile unit with
advanced functions to reconstruct images and control
hardware at a central site. After raw medical imaging
data is reconstructed at the central site, the data re-
turns to the cellular phone as an image and becomes
displayed on the screen. The major difference be-
tween this system and conventional telemedicine is
the use of the cellular phone as a transmitter rather
than a telecommunication device.
Various modalities of medical imaging can
be assessed to evaluate the value of using cellular
phones for desired operations, including electrical
impedance tomography (EIT), ultrasound, or x-ray.
The researchers tested the reliability of this proposed
medical imaging system by a diagnostic imaging of
simulated of breast cancer tumors, using EIT as the
main protocol for the simulation. EIT works accord-
ing to external voltage measurements through elec-
trodes placed at specific areas on the body surface.
The reconstructed image’s format was a multimedia
message, returned to display on the cell phone
screen. Another test to assess the interventional pros-
pects of this technology was conducted by imaging a
simulated tissue ablation with irreversible electropo-
ration, a minimally invasive method of tissue re-
moval. Both tests have proven that the DAD can be
apart from the reconstruction procedure and that cel-
lular phones are acceptable connectors to the two
components.
Hence, the use of cellular phones as an alter-
native method for medical imaging shows potential
for the future of healthcare in developing countries
as it opens up more extensive availability to a wider
range of the world population.
Figure 1. System configuration for the breast
cancer tumors patient self-test screening.
Outlined arrows indicate optional reporting
of results to the patient.
Granot Y, Ivorra A, Rubinsky B (2008) A New Concept for Medical ImagingCentered on Cellular Phone Technology. PLoS ONE 3(4): e2075. doi:10.1371/ journal.pone.0002075
5
With the growing use of microchips in stud-
ies of human cells, such as stem cells, scientists
have developed a new microchip to analyze natural
killer (NK) cells. NK cells are part of the first im-
mune response against infections and tumors. They
vary within individuals due to their heterogeneity
and, therefore, express varying behaviors in migra-
tion and in the killing of target cells. This necessi-
tates the need for improved methods of studying
individual cells.
Conventional methods that have been used
to analyze the potency of individual cells include
microscopy and flow cytometry, a technique used
to count cells by suspending them in a stream of
fluid. However, both methods are limited and in-
sufficient when analyzing a single cell. Microscopy
is inefficient because cells move out of the field of
view and, thus, cannot be tracked for long periods
of time. Similarly, in flow cytometry, the limited
assessment time of cells leads to the inability of
studying the fluctuations in cellular responses.
The novel microchip resolves the limita-
tions of flow cytometry and microscopy. Made of
silicon and glass, the microchip consists of more
than 30,000 square wells, each with a depth of 300 μm, and provides an in vitro environment like that of stan-
dardized cell cultures. The large depth of each microwell confines cells to prevent them from moving between
wells, enabling the tracking of single cells over extended periods of time. After loading the microchip with
cells, the microchip platform can be mounted onto a microscope stage for live cell imaging.
Depending on the focus of study, microchips of different sizes may be used; it can consist of small
wells of 50×50×300 μm (side×side×depth) or larger wells with sides of 300-900 μm and a depth of 300 μm.
The small wells allow only a few cells to fit inside and maintain a minimal distance that separates NK cells
from target cells, increasing the chances for cell-cell interactions. A screening of these microwells can be used
to analyze cytotoxicity, one of the heterogeneities within the NK cell population, and track cell-cell interaction
events by time-lapse microscopy. Larger microwells can be used to study the migratory and killing behaviors
of different NK cell populations. This movement is representative of the migration of NK cells within and
across tissues, such as lung tissue or blood, during immune surveillance.
Interactions between an NK cell and target cells in the wells of the microchip can be better initiated
using an ultrasound-based method. The ultrasound induces and synchronizes the interaction between an NK
cell and target cells in multiple parallel microwells, significantly decreasing the time it takes for the interaction
and, hence, aids in time-lapse studies.
Novel Microchip Promotes Live Cell Imaging and Analysis of
the Functional Heterogeneity of the NK Cell Population
By Betty Chu
Figure 1: The versatility in size of the microchip platform is used
for several experimental setups.
6
This tool is also useful because NK cell migratory behavior varies within its own cell population. NK
cells can alternate between fast and slow migration, display stop and go behavior, and go into complete migra-
tion arrest. Thus, by confining them into microwells and by tracking the movement of each cell, trajectories for
all NK cells can be created and the speed, displacement, and direction of each cell can also be calculated.
This microchip is an especially valuable tool for the analysis of the heterogeneous human NK cell popula-
tion. With their varied behaviors in cytotoxicity, migration, and proliferation, further study can lead to ad-
vances in modern cell biology and immunology.
Forslund E, Guldevall K, Olofsson PE et al. Novel microchip-based tools facilitating live cell imaging and assessment of functional heterogeneity within NK cell
populations. Front. Immun. 2012; 3(300): 1-7. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2012.00300
Master’s Degree: The New Bachelor’s?
By Lance Kong
In the present day, I am confident that every-
one has heard the question: Is the bachelor’s degree
enough? General consensus suggests NO. It is clear
that this answer reflects the current economic trends,
as well as the increasingly competitive job market.
Everyone struggles to climb one step higher above
the rest for that one open spot by participating in a
plethora of internships and extracurricular activities
and, most notably, going to the extent of attaining a
graduate degree. The natural instinct of employers is
to select the cream of the crop to preserve the integ-
rity of their companies, but does an extra diploma
justify the selection of one candidate over the other?
A common argument is that an extra degree
is indicative of “more experience in the field,” but I
would like to bring to light a different perspective.
In most cases, a person with a master’s degree would
win a bout against one with a bachelor’s, in terms of
sheer knowledge. However, will all that knowledge
be used in the job? Recently, an acquaintance of
mine was rejected from a potential promotion as an
assistant administrator. Despite her skills honed and
the respect of the employers earned over several
years, she was denied the job simply because she
lacked a master’s degree. Personally, I would find
experience in the actual occupation a more useful
asset than extra knowledge that may never be put to
use. This example, unfortunately, exemplifies the
macrocosm of the present day trends in employment.
So why is a bachelor’s degree not really
enough nowadays? Simple answer: Supply and de-
mand. Decades ago, a bachelor’s degree would
guarantee a well-paying job due to the relative scar-
city of individuals with higher education. However,
the times have changed and we, the current genera-
tion, find ourselves in a era where the bachelor’s de-
gree has become a commonplace and inadequate
phenomenon. It has become inadequate to the point
where the master’s degree has become the new
“demand” of the job market. This brings me, ulti-
mately, to the question: Will the doctorate degree
become the new bachelor’s, one day?
mashable.com/2009/03/29/masters-degree-social-media/
7
The DeaTh of The Driver’s License
By Paul Brick
I magine being able to summon your shared car
with your phone app, get in when it arrives, and
just watch a movie, do your homework, or take a
nap as it guides you to your destination. Estimates say
these bad boys won’t be on the road for at least an-
other five or so years; however, California, followed
by Nevada and Florida, have already started writing
new legislation to account for these new vehicles.
Among the other life-changing implications this de-
velopment brings to society, this may denote the death
of the driver’s license. That uncomfortable, anxiety-
ridden, yet exciting process we experienced as teens
might become a historical footnote for our kids.
But that’s just the start. Technology across the board
is working to simplify getting anything wherever and
whenever it wants, making it obsolete to leave home.
For example, the future could hold a world where our
goods come to us. Consider the start-up, Darwin Aero-
space, currently trying to overcome FAA restrictions
to legalize their “Burrito Bomber” project. It involves
an independent GPS-guided drone that will release a
burrito with a parachute to your location. FedEx is
likewise tackling FAA to develop a drone delivery
force of their own, and we may have our next text-
books delivered to us by air.
Those goods we can’t fly in are probably possible to
make at home. Have you heard of 3D printers?
They’re exactly what they sound like—machines that
use a digital model to make solid three-dimensional
objects. You could print your lost screw at home, or
design a totally original lamp. Ever wanted an exact
replica of Michelangelo’s David for your yard? The
propositions are far-reaching, and may be devastating
to the manufacturing business. It would be similar to
having a desktop Walmart. The tech is not close to
that level, but it is improving: a company called Uni-
verse Architecture is apparently planning to 3D-print
an entire building, sans construction workers.
You say, “Well none of these things replace actual
face-time with real people. You can’t print a person,
and you can’t deliver them by drone.” True, but you
will perhaps be able to recreate them. Enter the fantas-
tic field of “claytronics”, or “programmable matter”.
The tech works by using atom-sized robots that as-
semble into shapes determined by a computer, allow-
ing them to represent any imaginable form, including
that of someone you know. So instead of having to go
to the car to have dinner with someone, our children
may throw their stuff in a pile and have it morph into
their date, while their date does the same at home.
Copies would even feel real.
There is one more step in the death of the driver’s li-
cense, and that lies in virtual reality. When virtual re-
ality is totally immersive, vacation will be obsolete.
Why go to the Bahamas when you can have the Baha-
mas at home, (or Middle Earth, or the surface of the
moon, or the bottom of the ocean for that matter?) In a
world like that, the only time our kids would see a
driver’s license would be on a vacation… to twenty or
thirty years earlier.
Google’s driverless car Photograph: Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images
8
Down
1. The smallest structural unit of an organism that is capable of independent functioning, consisting of one or more nuclei, cyto-
plasm, and various organelles, all surrounded by a semipermeable cell membrane.
2. A stable positively charged subatomic particle that is a fundamental constituent of all atomic nuclei.
3. A substance that reacts with an acid to form a salt and water; an electron-pair donor
4. A colorless, volatile, water-soluble, flammable liquid; C3H6O
5. Neutral molecule with positive and negative charge
6. The condition when a chemical reaction and its reverse reaction proceed at equal rates
8. Bond that is dissociated by dTT
10. A cylindrical container usually used for stirring, heating, and mixing liquids. These are commonly used in laboratories.
13. Organic sulfur compound with R-SH functional group
14. Protein secondary structure with a spiral shape
Across
2. Bacterial "reproductive" appendage.
6. A stable negatively charged subatomic particle that is a fun-
damental constituent of matter, and exists as the component
outside the nucleus of an atom.
7. An alkane with formula C100H202
9. Located in the cytoplasm, they are the sites of cellular respi-
ration that use ATP to generate energy, which ultimately pro-
vides fuel to other cell activities.
10. A laboratory equipment that produces an open gas flame
from a single source. This can be used for sterilization, heat-
ing, and combustion.
11. Informational molecule translated into mRNA
12. Weak organic acid with three Carboxyl groups.
15. A substance that reacts with a base
16. A class of organic compounds corresponding to the inor-
ganic salts and formed from an organic acid and an alcohol.
17. Accumulation of cholesterol rich in lipid
material in tendons
Binghamton Biochemistry Club Crossword
Submit your completed cross-
word on our Facebook page by
March 1st for a chance at winning
a gift card!