Johanna P's Senior Project Blog
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Project Title: Necrotizing Enterocolitis: Providing Efficient Treatment in the NICU BASIS Advisor: Kaitlyn Johnson Internship Location: U of A College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics Onsite Mentor: Dr. Melissa Halpern |
Project Abstract
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a malignant condition that affects the colon, or large intestine, of newborns. The condition causes inflammation in the tissue of the colon, which can lead to bacterial invasion, cell damage, and necrosis. This can be life-threatening for newborns and has a high mortality rate of up to fifty percent in neonatology. Preterm babies, especially those with low birth weight, gastrointestinal immaturity, and severe NEC, are more likely to develop this condition. However, other risk factors, such as hypoglycemia or gestational diabetes, can increase the severity of symptoms or the onset of mortality. Despite the severity of the condition, the underlying biological mechanisms that cause NEC remain unclear, primarily due to the challenges presented by the lack of sample sizes, accurate models, and proper abdominal radiographs. Additionally, accurately diagnosing NEC in neonates remains a significant challenge. Early detection and diagnosis of the disease are crucial, but it is currently difficult due to a lack of understanding of the roles of genetics and inflammatory mediators, among other risk factors. Additionally, current treatments only address specific symptoms rather than targeting the underlying disease mechanisms. Therefore, there is a need to develop more effective treatment plans that can address the multifactorial nature of the disease. To effectively treat NEC, it is essential to identify how genetics, underlying biological mechanisms, and social factors influence the condition and account for its multifactorial nature. This approach can help provide targeted treatment that addresses the root cause of the gastrointestinal problem rather than just its symptomatic nature. By doing so, we can improve the prognosis for newborns affected by this condition. Through this internship, I hope to gain a better understanding of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm babies so that we can improve our ability to recognize and diagnose the disease early and develop lucrative treatment plans. This will help us reduce the mortality rate of NEC and provide improved care to neonates.
Tiny Fighters: Finishing Touches
Hi everyone! I am excited to share with you my final blog post! As I reflect on my senior project, I feel grateful for the people who have supported and guided me throughout this journey. I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to my off-site mentor, Dr. Halpern, my faculty mentor, Ms. J, and the college guidance... Read More
Tiny Fighters: Done and Dusted
Hi everyone! Thanks for checking back in! In my previous blog post, I shared information about the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of NEC. In this post, I'd like to provide a more detailed account of the work we carried out in the lab last week and the tests we conducted. To get started, we began... Read More
Tiny Fighters: Getting to the Bottom of it
Hi everyone! Welcome back to my blog! As a recap, last week we focused on the biological assay we did to test to see if breastfeeding is statistically significant in the incidence of NEC. Unfortunately, our results yielded that it isn't but they may be due to a specific factor: the kit was expired. This... Read More
Tiny Fighters: An Expectation Unrequited
Hi everyone! Welcome back to my blog! Last week, I visited the lab and delved deeper into conducting a biological assay to determine the significance of breastfeeding in the incidence of NEC. A biological assay is a scientific method of experimentation that measures the effect of a substance on living cells, plants, or animals, to... Read More
Tiny Fighters: Perusing Diet
Hi everyone! Welcome back to my blog! Last week, I explored the potential connection between short bowel syndrome (SBS) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and how they may be interrelated. This connection allowed me to perceive NEC in a new light because it is not a standalone condition but can be influenced by other similar conditions... Read More
Tiny Fighters: Making Connections
Hi everyone and welcome back! In this blog post, I will explore short bowel syndrome (SBS) and its relationship to NEC. The reason why I decided to discuss this condition is because in my research with Dr. Halpern, we briefly touched on how NEC could influence other conditions or have similarities to other conditions. One... Read More
Tiny Fighters: Critical Analysis
Hi everyone and welcome back to my blog! In my last blog post, I shared my experience of working in the lab with Dr. Halpern and research assistant Christine. I got the chance to observe and learn about the histology of NEC, PCR, and gel electrophoresis. We studied the different proteins involved in NEC using... Read More
Tiny Fighters: Dipping my Toes
Hi everyone! Welcome back to my blog! During my time working at the lab at the University of Arizona, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to work closely with Dr. Halpern. We spent a considerable amount of time observing and analyzing NEC stain samples in both infant and mouse/rat liver gut tissue. This... Read More
Tiny Fighters: Backtracking
Hi everyone! Welcome back to my blog! Last time I evaluated the underlying biological mechanisms at play regarding necrotizing enterocolitis as well as how bile acids are influenced and their significance in determining the onset of symptoms and the severity of NEC. This week's blog will take a detour, as mentioned in an earlier blog,... Read More
Tiny Fighters: The Details and Technicalities
Hi everyone! Thanks for popping back in! Today, I will share the findings of my research that I have not only collected from various research documents but also analyzed. My focus is to provide a comprehensive overview of the biological mechanisms that contribute to Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC). One of the underlying mechanisms that play a... Read More
Tiny Fighters: Prepping and Early Stages
Hi everyone! Thank you for visiting my blog for more updates! I had a Zoom meeting with my on-site advisor, Dr. Halpern, to discuss the research papers that I had the opportunity to examine. During the meeting, I gained a deeper understanding of Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) that I wouldn't have been able to extract from... Read More
Tiny Fighters: Introduction
Hi everyone! My name is Johanna Packiam and I am a senior at BASIS Phoenix. I am excited to share my senior research project with you and its journey through this blog. For this project, I will be studying the biological mechanisms responsible for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a gut issue that causes inflammation in the... Read More