Sanjana b's Senior Project Blog
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Project Title: The Future of Equine Amnion as a Treatment BASIS Advisor: Dr. Travis May Internship Location: ASU College of Health Solutions Onsite Mentor: Dr. Shannon Ringenbach |
Project Abstract
Amnion is an inner membrane that protects mammalian embryos during prenatal growth and development. This layer contains biological materials that have been identified as having extraordinary healing properties due to their unique composition. Unlike other biotic tissues, Amnion lacks fully developed genetic material, making it xenogenic, and capable of cross-species application. Equine and bovine amnion have shown significant potential in regenerative medicine, particularly for tissue repair and organ growth, which has been widely used in veterinary treatments. Not much research has been conducted on Amnion’s capabilities beyond regeneration, but there have been suggestions that it can provide cures for Cancer and other negative-sense RNA genome diseases that do not have traditional cures. This project will specifically investigate the potential of Amnion in combating the H5N1 avian influenza virus, commonly known as bird flu. As a highly contagious and often fatal disease affecting poultry and other bird species, bird flu poses a major threat to global food security and public health. Current antiviral treatments are limited in their effectiveness, and widespread outbreaks persist. Given Amnion’s ability to regulate cellular apoptosis, this study will explore its capacity to selectively target and eliminate virus-infected cells, essentially stopping disease progression. By studying the structure and capabilities of Amnion-derived compounds, this research will determine if Amnion can be used on infected avian cells. Through in vitro experiments, this study will evaluate the feasibility of using Amnion as a cure for bird flu. If successful, this research could pave the way for future antiviral treatments that are applicable across species, revolutionizing the approach to managing future outbreaks.
It was worth it
This will be the last blog post I write, so I want to talk about the project as a whole. I probably wouldn't have believed you if you had told me months ago that my research would end with powdered horse placenta, a barn fire, and an unexpected deep dive into viral replication. But here... Read More
At last I see the light…
Can amniotic fluid reduce viral replication? To study this, I used a surrogate system: E. coli and the MS2 bacteriophage. This model is commonly used as a stand-in for more dangerous viruses like avian influenza. My goal was to see whether components in amniotic fluid would have an anti-viral effect overall. Control Group: E.... Read More
Progress in Petri Dishes
Hey gang, we’re back, and the E. coli is thriving! Since the last update, I’ve been focused on scaling up my bacterial cultures to get better plaque visibility. Remember those sad little plates with just 5 plaques? I have now successfully transferred all the E. Coli host plaques to the petri dishes to combine with... Read More
Testing?
Hey everyone, sorry for going AWOL for two weeks but there’s been significant progress with my protocol. For my project, I wanted to explore antiviral treatments for avian bird flu without actually working with avian bird flu because of biosafety laws. So, I turned to a safe, classroom-friendly alternative: MS2 bacteriophage, a virus that infects... Read More
This wasn’t the plan…
Instead of focusing solely on comparing bovine and equine amniotic samples, the research is now moving toward something unexpected. Since the barn burned down and the bovine samples aren’t available, I have shifted towards investigating Amnion’s potential in combating H5N1 avian influenza. Bird flu is a strain of the influenza virus that originated from... Read More
Burned Barns to Powdered Placentas
Hey everyone! This week was a little bit of a shock, and my plans didn’t go as expected. I was supposed to receive the shipments of bovine amniotic samples from Canada this week, but I found out that the barn where the samples were supposed to come from burned down and the owner is in... Read More
Old McDonald had a Farm!
This week, I had a meeting with my main advisors and I started forming the methods for my research for comparing bovine and equine amniotic membranes. I am looking to compare samples from different gestation times to find the most potent one. I wanted to understand how much stress all the samples could handle during... Read More
The Udder Truth: A Tale of Cows, Horses, and Research
This week, I learned that research is like herding cattle because there are just so many directions it can take. Speaking of cattle, my project has officially evolved into a bovine-versus-equine showdown. Instead of just focusing on equine amniotic samples, I’m now comparing them to bovine ones to see which has better growth factors for... Read More
Breaking (and Fixing) Things in the Name of Science
Labs require precision, patience, and apparently a deep understanding of vacuums. This week, I prepped nearly 100 vials of amniotic sample powder, which was way harder than it sounds. Before scooping the powder into the vial, I had to vacuum any excess debris out of it. For the first batch of vials I cleaned, I... Read More
Party in the USA is a great start to a playlist.
Walking into the lab on my first day, I entered a completely silent room. So, naturally, I took control of the AUX. If I was going to be cutting and packaging tissue samples for hours, a little background music seemed like a necessity. A typical day starts with suiting up, ensuring everything is sterile, and... Read More