BSA Newsletter: The Telomere Times Issue 3

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

FALL 2014 | ISSUE 3

“

T

HE ELOMERE IMES

IN F CUS Solutions for neurodegenerative diseases  Prion Research  Reprogramming skin cells into brain cells

IN THIS ISSUE… Antibiotic Resistance Professor Highlight— Dr. Jin Suk Lee Biological Illustrations of the Month

Get Involved! Let’s Talk Science!

Eureka! Festival Overview Recipes for Natural DIY Cosmetic Products

Meet Our Writers November Events Upcoming Events Contact Info and More!

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EXECUTIVE BOARD President Krutika Patel Editor-in-Chief Kateland Simmons VP Academics Braeden Donaldson VP Social Alex Baird VP Communications Kateland Simmons VP Internal Laura Bergeron VP Finance Jean-Philippe Maillet Newsletter Designer Ka Bo Lee Writers Sabine Ajamian Zarin Arshy Max Guglielmi-Vitullo Katherine Levasseur Cassandra Poirier

FIND US AT Concordia Biology Student Association www.bsaconcordia.com

bsa.concordia@gmail.com

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Letter from the Editor

A

s we approach the end of the semester, complete the last of our lab reports and presentations, and commence the trials and tribulations that come with studying for final exams, the Telomere Times Newsletter team wishes you the best of luck on all of your studies!

To help you take a break from the stress, we have provided you with some interesting articles and fun recipes for natural cosmetic products for your reading pleasure. Winter is quickly approaching and the temperatures outside are rapidly dropping. With the flu and cold season abound, we should take care of our immune systems. On this topic, Sabine Ajamian’s article addresses the global concern of antibiotic resistance and offers solutions that we should all take part in to avoid further propagating resistant bacteria and viruses. Next up, Katherine Levasseur interviews one of Concordia’s newest professors: Dr. Jin Suk Lee, whose research focuses on combating world hunger and malnourishment by looking into plant growth and development. Previously, Zarin Arshy introduced microbiologist Robert Hooke’s wonderfully detailed microscopic illustrations. In this issue, she selected the hauntingly beautiful anatomical illustrations by Andreas Vesalius and associates. Vesalius’ meticulous attention to detail merged with the masterful delivery of the arts resulted in elaborate and ingenious anatomical illustrations. On the topic of human anatomy, the emergence of neurodegenerative diseases is not a new concern. Max Guglielmi-Vitullo’s article introduces us to the newest research on combating prion diseases. Another approach taken by scientists to combat neurodegenerative diseases is introduced in Cassandra Poirier’s article, shedding light on the conversion of skin cells to brain cells. For those looking to get involved, Zarin Arshy presents volunteering opportunities with Concordia’s Let’s Talk Science! group and an overview of the Eureka! Festival. Don’t forget to check out our sections about recipes for natural cosmetic products provided by our friends at Sustainable Concordia and exciting upcoming events for the winter 2015 semester! As always, thank you for reading the Telomere Times and we wish you the best of luck on your final exams!

Cheers, Kateland Simmons VP Communications

Photo: M Patil [igoy] on flickr ISSUE 3 |FALL 2014 3

 Table of Contents Antibiotic Resistance—A Global Concern.................................................5—7 Professor Highlight—Dr. Jin Suk Lee......................................................8—10 Biological Illustrations of the Month......................................................11—13 Prion Research—A New Treatment for Mad Cow Disease and Beyond.....................................................................................14—15 How to Get Involved in Let’s Talk Science....................................................16 Eureka! Festival Overview.........................................................................17—19 The Finely Tuned Cocktail for Reprogramming Skin Cells into Brain Cells..........................................................................20—21 Recipes for Natural DIY Cosmetic Products.........................................22—26 Meet Our Writers.................................................................................................27 November Events..................................................................................................28 Upcoming Events..................................................................................................29 Contact Information and More!.........................................................................30

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Antibiotic Resistance A GLOBAL CONCERN Written by Sabine Ajamian

E

ver wondered what would happen if antibiotics ceased to affect bacteria across the world? Bacteria are becoming increasingly more antibiotic-resistant than ever before.

Antibiotic resistance occurs when a bacterium is capable of withstanding the action of an antibiotic drug used to treat the infection that it caused.

Due to the increase in antibiotic resistance and the inefficacy of antibiotic drugs, we are unable to prevent infections from persisting and spreading, which prolongs sickness and disease. The spread of common infectious diseases is leading to an increased risk of death.

International organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), are taking action to spread awareness and prevent the situation

from getting worse. According to their 2014 report on global surveillance of antimicrobial resistance: “Without urgent action, the world is heading towards a post-antibiotic era, in which common infections which have been treatable for decades, can once again kill”.

What is the reason behind this major public health crisis?

The insensitivity of antibioticresistant bacteria to drugs is caused by resistance genes acquired through genetic mutations, which might cause the rise of enzymes that degrade or inactivate the drug or code for “efflux” pumps that eject drug from the bacteria. In addition, exchange of genetic material through plasmids also triggers the rise of microbial

resistance to drugs. This could be either through pick up of a whole plasmid bearing resistant genes, or transfer of a gene from one bacterium to another through a virus.

Unfortunately, as many of you already know, humans certainly have a huge impact on the acceleration of the spread of antibiotic resistance.

Unnecessary or inappropriate use of antibiotic drugs further exacerbates the propagation of resistant bacteria. This does not only concern the use of drugs in the community. Hospitals have also been using antibiotics extensively, fuelling this crisis even more. The drugs must only be taken when prescribed by a doctor or health professional. Also, what many of antibiotic users don’t know is that once started, full

ISSUE 3 |FALL 2014 5

Infographic: CDC

prescriptions have to be completed even when the symptoms disappear and the person starts to feel better.

Another common reason for the enhancement of antibiotic resistance is due to medicating oneself with stockpiled leftover doses or sharing leftover doses with relatives or friends who show similar symptoms, which many of us tend to do.

What is the international nightmare?

solution public

to

this health

Analyses of the resistance processes indicate that some actions can in fact reverse the trend. In order for that to happen, people, organizations and governments need to contribute to the implementation of said actions.

Bacteria are needed components of life found on mucous membranes such as the lining of intestinal tracts and often protecting us from diseases. Understanding this constitutes the first step towards reversing the resistance. When the drugs attack disease-causing bacteria, they also attack benign bacteria as well. In doing so, they destroy the bacteria that prevent the disease causing pathogens, promoting the growth and strengthening of the resistant ones.

Antibiotic drugs controlling infections are accompanied by sideeffects, just like any other drug. In this case, the antibiotics have an effect on bacterial ecology, changing bacterial proportions of antibiotic-resistant and

antibiotic-susceptible bacteria. It is relevant to note that antibioticresistant bacteria are harder to destroy than antibiotic-susceptible ones. Limiting the use of the drugs to only when they are truly necessary and not administering them for common colds and viral infections is important, as they cannot cure them.

To summarize, governments, health professionals and all individuals in the international community should all start to take possible actions to slow down and minimize the process of antibiotic resistance. This can be done by adopting mechanisms such as antibiotic control programs and improving hygiene in order to prevent further escalation of this public health crisis. â–ˆ

Source: The Challenge of Antimicrobial Resistance, Stuart B. Levy. Antimicrobial Resistance, World Health Organization (WHO), Fact sheet #194, April 2014, http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs194/en/

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Professor Highlight Dr.

JIN SUK LEE Written by Katherine Levasseur Dr. Jin Suk Lee Professor at Concordia University BIOL443 Plant Molecular Biology Winter 2015

Image: Cyanobacterium Synechocystis 6803 (Courtesy: Michelle Liberton).

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O

ne of the greatest challenges currently facing humankind is hunger. Hunger and malnourishment can affect all humans, regardless of class, culture or continent. One of the efforts to combat this issue is the use of scientific research through the study of plant growth and development. Dr. Jin Suk Lee is one of Concordia University’s newest professors and one of her main research focuses is to understand the molecular mechanisms that control plant growth and development. Through her current research on gene function and stomatal development, Dr. Lee hopes to develop new strategies to increase the transpiration efficiency and biomass production of agriculturally important plants.

Dr. Lee joins our Concordia University family from Seattle, Washington, where she worked as a postdoc at the Howard Hughes

Medical Institute (HHMI) at the University of Washington. Here she researched how peptide signalling can control plant development. Dr. Lee has had the opportunity in her life to study and work all over the world. She completed her BSc and her MSc at the Chungnam National University in Daejeon, South Korea.

While completing her MSc, Dr. Lee worked in a plant based institute where she primarily received biotechnology training; it was during her experience here that Dr. Lee became interested in signalling pathways of plants. “When I was doing this, I became interested about what is the basis or principle [behind the genes]...Why is this gene useful? So I became interested in signalling pathways.

After my masters I decided to move to a different research institute to get some ideas about signalling pathways by working with cyanobacteria,” recalls Dr. Lee. After completing her MSc, Dr. Lee

and her husband decided they would do their PhD’s abroad; they chose the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC where Dr. Lee worked under Dr. Brian Ellis. Her thesis work involved research on the understanding of roles played by MAP (mitogenactivated protein) kinase signalling in plants and its negative regulator, kinase phosphatase, using Arabidopsis. It was after completing her PhD at UBC that Dr. Lee went to Seattle, Washington to work on peptide signalling at the HHMI. She worked at the University of Washington for three years prior to this semester when she joined Concordia University.

Dr. Lee’s research and experience could play a very important role in the future of plant development and Concordia University is lucky to have her.

More than that, biology undergraduates are lucky to have her because it is Dr. Lee’s love of teaching that has brought her to Montreal. “After three years of doing post doc I started looking for a job…There are not many academic positions but I did a job search and saw Concordia University…when I was here I had a good impression…

I loved Montreal,” Dr. Lee expressed. Her passion for teaching developed while completing her own education. “In my case, I was lucky enough to be in charge of training students and helping with projects, and that is what I am very proud of.

Left: corn seed (monocot); right: bean (dicot). Source: Biocyclopedia

Being able to help make undergraduate students have authorship in a research article is very important for them and their future careers, [including] getting fellowships and another job, not just research,” said Dr. Lee. Dr. Lee’s research involves working with Arabidopsis to understand the function of certain developmental genes in order to better understand how genes particular to agriculturally significant plants function. She specifically focuses on Brachypodium distachyon, the model organism for crops. “One of the developmental processes I am working on is stomatal development… How stomata are developed is very different between monocots and dicots. I want to compare how this is different between Arabidopsis and Brachypodium,” said Dr. Lee. She is currently working with one graduate student but is accepting e-mails from both graduate

students who wish to work in her lab and undergraduate students who are looking for summer internships. Dr. Lee believes that students should get involved in a lab early in their academic careers to gain experience in order to discover what it is that they are really interested in.

“It is very important to expose students early in experimental or research labs…It is good to expose yourself to different organisms or different fields and then you will know what you’re interested in,” explained Dr. Lee. She will be teaching Plant Molecular Biology (BIOL 443) during the winter 2015 semester. If you are interested in the type of work being done by Dr. Lee, or for more information regarding Dr. Lee’s laboratory and her ongoing research and publications, please see the following links. █

Resources Dr. Lee’s publications: http://www.concordia.ca/artsci/biology/faculty.html.html?fpid=jin-suk-lee Howard Hughes Medical Institute: http://www.uwmedicine.org/about/awards/hhmi For more information regarding fellowship scholarships and research funding please see the following links below: NSERC Fellowship Information: http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Students-Etudiants/index_eng.asp Fonds de recherche—Nature et technologies: http://www.frqnt.gouv.qc.ca/en/bourses/index.htm ISSUE 3 |FALL 2014 9

Brachypodium distachyon and Arabidopsis thaliana (Hazen, S.) Source: Biology Department University of Massachusetts Amherst

Biological

Written by Zarin Arshy

Illustrations

featuring

ANDREAS VESALIUS (1514-1564)  ASSOCIATES

OF THE

Month



I

n previous months, we have showcased several biologists who had personally illustrated their own findings. This time, we will deviate slightly from our usual theme by introducing you to illustrations that had been described and drawn by two separate authorities.

Nonetheless, we keep in the same spirit of describing non-digitized, ground-breaking work in the field that were presented in ways words could not. Unlike past articles that have examined zoologists, botanists, and microbiologists, in this edition we review the medical illustrations facet of biological illustrations—a respectable discipline even today. Thus we turn to Andreas Vesalius.

If there is a fine line between something being disturbing and fascinating, Andreas Vesalius dared to walk it like a tightrope. Vesalius was a Flemish doctor sometimes called the “father of modern human anatomy” for his discoveries and dissertations of the human form. As a lecturer at one of the foremost medical schools in Europe, the University of Padua, he illustrated several meticulous anatomical diagrams for his students. However upon further years of research, he acquired the help of the pupils of the influential Venetian painter Titian. Until Vesalius’s time, knowledge of anatomy and medical approaches were commonly founded rd on centuries old work by the 3 century Greek physician, Galen. Vesalius was not only audacious enough to point out Galen’s errors such as use of animals to elucidate human organ systems, but also disprove a number of Galen’s misconceptions.

Featured in this issue are the hauntingly beautiful images of Vesalius’s findings published in De humani corporis fabrica (On the Fabric of the Human Body). █ ISSUE 3 |FALL 2014 11

In Vesalius’ De humani corporis fabrica, the anatomical images are spread apart. However, when pieced together, the backdrops line up to form a landscape.

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Vesalian

Landscape Panorama

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Prion Research A New Treatment For Mad Cow Disease 

Beyond

Written by Max Guglielmi-Vitullo

I

n recent years, a widespread panic regarding infected meat in our livestock— namely cows—gave rise to the awareness of mad cow disease, formally known as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and Creutzfeldt-Jakob’s disease (CJD). The cause of the disease in question is known as a prion. This is an infectious misfolded protein that generally resides in the brain and central nervous system of the infected individual and causes more proteins to be synthesized in the misfolded form at an exponential rate. Originally the infection could only be resolved by killing infected cows and ensuring that the remains were kept away from uninfected cows. But now, the potential for successful treatment of a prionrelated disease is at our fingertips with the research being completed

by Giovanna Mallucci, Department of Cell Physiology and Pharmacology professor at the 14 THE TELOMERE TIMES

University of Leicester, and Melanie D White, MD. At its core, prion diseases are normal cell-surface C glycoproteins (PrP ) that have been misshapen and transformed into a Sc form of prion (PrP ) that is no longer functioning as it should and is resistant to protease within the organism.

It also has neurodegenerative properties, like in the case of CJD in which infected cows will experience loss of their sense of balance and negative shifts in their behaviour.

It is difficult to treat this condition since anything that would degrade the prion would also degrade the protein that is functioning correctly within the organism, which can end up doing more harm than good. This has not stopped research into methods of combating the infectious protein, and as such, experimental

therapies are being tested in order to try and combat this particularly troublesome condition.

Among the strategies that are being tested, Mallucci and White have experimented with C disrupting the production of PrP using RNA interference (RNAi).

The rationale for trying to C disrupt the production of PrP Sc instead of PrP in the treatment of prion diseases is that there is a lack of correlation between symptoms of neurodegenerative conditions Sc and the level of PrP present in the brain at the same time. Many studies, according to Mallucci and White, state that there have been a multitude of cases where subjects Sc have abnormally high levels of PrP in their system, yet display none of the associated symptoms, or subjects display symptoms of prion diseases, yet don't have elevated Sc PrP levels.

pri·on /'priːɒn/

i

However, a much stronger C case can be made that PrP can be used as a means of propagation and origination for prion diseases.

By targeting the vulnerability to C prion misinforming that (PrP ) presents in the cell structure, it is hoped that prion infections can be reduced, if not stopped completely.

In order to accomplish this, Mallucci and White use RNAi pathways to facilitate the silencing or destruction of RNA that C manufacture PrP . Normally, the RNAi pathways that help silence gene expression are stimulated by the presence of either doublestranded RNA (dsRNA) from the exterior of the cell or by micro RNA (miRNA) from within the cell that normally regulate gene expression.

Both of these cause interactions with a multi-protein RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) that will separate the strands of RNA and destroy one strand. Later, the

noun

“a small infectious particle composed of abnormally folded protein that causes progressive neurodegenerative conditions.”

MICROBIOLOGY

homology between the surviving strand and the mRNA from the cell determines if the mRNA is silenced (when dsRNA is used), destroyed (when miRNA is used), or let through to the initiation phase of protein synthesis. Through this process, Mallucci and White were C able to reduce the level of PrP in several species as a form of treatment, post-infection of a prion disease. When used in mice, White and colleagues injected their treatment into the hippocampus of their subjects after an 8-week incubation period of mouseadapted scrapie, a form of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. This prevented several neurodegenerative symptoms and protected local cells from further degeneration, resulting in an increased survival rate in many subjects.

prion condition in any species, including humans, can be potentially treated. Since the therapy being researched by White and Mallucci targets the cause for prion diseases directly, its effectiveness can be expanded beyond CJD and its human variant, vCJD. By limiting the presence of C PrP , it is shown that the development of prion diseases can be halted, though not totally removed. This means that any infected meat can still transmit a prion disease if the meat is consumed by a compatible organism. Despite this, the therapy is already a huge step forward in what is possibly a solution for one of the most difficult ailments to treat in medicine. █

In other words, it is possible that almost any known

Sources Mandal, Ananya. “What is a Prion?” News-Medical. AZoNetwork, 16 December 2013. Web. 27 Nov. 2014. http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-a-Prion.aspx C

Westergard, Laura, Heather M. Christensen, and David A. Harris. “The Cellular Prion Protein (PrP ): Its Physiological Function and Role in Disease.” Biochimica et biophysica acta 1772.6 (2007): 629–644. PMC. Web. 28 Nov. 2014. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1986710/ White, Melanie D, and Giovanna R Mallucci. “Therapy for Prion Diseases: Insights from the Use of RNA Interference.”

Prion 3.3 (2009): 121–128. Print. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2802775/ ISSUE 3 |FALL 2014 15

VOLUNTEER If …       

You would like to volunteer in a field related to your studies.

You enjoy working with children, young and old.

You would like to gain more experience volunteering, but don’t have considerable amounts of free time.

You take pride in being a Concordia Biology student.

You would like to meet new friends and network with people of similar interests to you.

You enjoy sharing your knowledge of the world with others through teaching.

You would like to see a world in which interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is much more prevalent and one in which there is a greater understanding of science in the community.

If any of the above statements apply to you, you’ve landed on the right article. Let’s Talk Science Concordia is currently recruiting! As described on their website, “Let’s Talk Science is an awardwinning, national, charitable organization focused on education and outreach to support youth development. We create and deliver unique learning programs and services that engage children, youth and educators in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).”

Concordia has its own bustling division headed by Erin MacPherson and the Biology department’s own, Adam Beach. Though Adam’s impressive dedication may just be enough to carry the whole program, Biology students are widely underrepresented. Even though we all know for a fact that Concordia Biology students are the brightest and most enthusiastic bunch out of everyone, they comprise a smaller portion of the volunteer make-up. The requirements are simple— be an eager individual and partake in a minimum of 2 activities per year to be a part of this wonderful initiative. Even the most inflexible of student schedules can allow for such commitment. More details can be found on their website http://outreach.letstalkscience.ca/concordia.html.

EMAIL TO SIGN UP! letstalkscience.concordia@gmail.com

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Last June, the Concordia student community from Let’s Talk Science and other groups participated in the largest gathering of science enthusiasts in Montreal, which was aimed at enriching future generations of science enthusiasts.

The Eureka! Festival is a free, three-day festival held at the Quays of the Old Port. th Back for the 8 year in a row, the festival held over 100 activities in both English and French, including around 17 workshops, 19 shows and presentations, 58 interactive booths, impromptu marching parades, a climbing tower, puppies, explosions and so much more! With over 88,000 visitors of all ages who benefitted from the everbeautiful setting as well as sunny, summer skies, the festival seems to have more than met its goal.

Though the primary focus was on cultivating scientific interest in children, adults seemed to be just as awed and entertained. Being a long-standing and shameless science dork, I didn’t expect to see anything new. Yet I found myself pleasantly engaged at every booth.

Experiments involving liquid nitrogen, apparatuses what we have seen in textbooks like chemostats, and model space shuttles never cease to exist. I had attended the event with my little sister who can attest that she definitely had a good time.

One of the main attractions at the entryway of the festival last summer was Concordia’s enormous labyrinth made entirely out of hundreds of thousands of K’NEX toy pieces. Let’s Talk Science

Concordia (whom YOU can volunteer with as well!) hosted a workshop called “A Taste of Genetics” in which children learned about base-pairing nature of DNA using different coloured mini-marshmallows and twizzlers! Beside their booth was a Concordia Computer Science and Software Engineering group exhibiting a human movement animation technology called the Illimitable Space System, in which virtual reality met performance art. Our final booth coordinated by Miriam Posner from the Chemistry and Biochemistry department, entitled “Better Living through Chemistry and Physics,” showed children how to make their own paper from recycled jeans.

With the next year’s event in the works, it’s never too early to mark your calendars for the next show on June 12th through the 14th. Come and support the Concordia exhibitions and volunteers! Be sure to bring your younger siblings, nieces and nephews, friends, and any person that has ever asked you “why are you majoring in Biology?” or lovingly called you a nerd or said something so preposterous as “when will learning this [science or math topic] ever be useful to me?” Especially do not forget to bring any child you’ve seen that enjoys taking things apart, one that is always asking why things work a certain way, or bombards you with bigger-than-life questions. Until then, check out some of our Festival pictures below. To keep up to date with the next event and see more photos, visit their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/festivaleureka.

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K’NEX Maze

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THE

Finely Tuned Cocktail FOR

Reprogramming Skin Cells INTO

Brain Cells Written by Cassandra Poirier

I

n Neuron’s last October issue, a group of researchers from Washington University in St. Louis discussed the results of their study on the generation of human striatal neurons by microRNA-dependent conversion of fibroblasts. Victor et al. (2014) successfully managed to convert adult human skin cells (dermal fibroblasts) into brain cells, specifically medium spiny neurons (MSNs). The novelty of the methodology applied in this study represents a mile stride in the ability to directly convert one type of cell into another. The results of this study underline the importance of disease modeling and show great promise for the future of cell replacement therapy in patients afflicted with neurodegenerative disorders, such as Huntington’s disease.

Cells exhibit specific morphological and functional properties. For instance, neurons are

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characterized by their morphological stability, their ability to extend axons and dendrites, as well as their ability to form synapses between each other (Tang et al. 2013). It was thus a scientific challenge to convert one type of cell into another while ensuring that the newly converted cell manifested the same gene expression profile as the type of cell after which it was modeled. Advancements in this field of research have been made over the past several years.

However, prior to Victor et al.’s 2014 study, the conversion from one cell type – typically a fibroblast – to another required a stem cell intermediate.

Eliminating this requirement meant that the production of other types of cells was avoided. The novelty of the applied methodology also comes from the usage of adult human skin cells, as opposed to mouse cells or embryonic human cells, which are usually researchers’ preferred choice.

In Victor et al.’s study (2014), adult human skin cells were initially placed in an environment that closely resembled that of neurons. The skin cells were then exposed to a specific biochemical cocktail of molecules that included microRNAs (miRNAs) and a host of neurogenic transcription factors that are typically abundant in the striatum region of the brain.

MicroRNA molecules are small non-coding RNA molecules that are approximately 22 to 24 nucleotides in length (Ebert & Sharp 2012).The skin cells were first exposed to two miRNA molecules, miR-9 and miR-124. A recent study found that the ectopic expression of these two specific miRNAs (miR9 and miR-124) resulted in the conversion of human dermal fibroblasts to neurons via the regulation of neuron-specific BAF complexes (Sun et al. 2013).

These miRNAs unzip the tightly packed regions of DNA that are responsible for conferring the identity to the cell. By unravelling the DNA double helix, miRNAs primed the skin cells to become neurons.

Neurogenic transcription factors, including BCL11B (also known as CTIP2), DLX1, DLX2, and MYT1L, were then added to the cells. This resulted in the expression of genes responsible for neuronal development, specifically the development of MSNs. In other words, the specific combination of miRNAs and transcription factors guided the skin cells to become MSNs. The newly converted cells were then

properties). These cells also formed distant connections with MSNs’ neuronal targets in the brain. Interestingly, miRNAs, rather than the transcription factors alone, were primarily responsible for the conversion of skin cells to brain cells. Indeed, the conversion from dermal fibroblasts to MSNs was not successful when the fibroblasts were exposed solely to the transcription factors in the absence of miRNAs. This conclusion is supported by the findings of a previous study on cell reprogramming (Yoo et al. 2011).

Image: Reprogramming human skin cells (top) into medium spiny neurons (bottom). (Yoo Lab)

transplanted into the brains of mice, and the morphological properties and activity of these cells were closely monitored.

The results of this study reiterate the importance of disease modeling and cell replacement therapy. They shed some light on new avenues of knowledge with regard to regenerative medicine as applied to Huntington’s patients. Huntington’s disease is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder that causes the progressive deterioration and loss of nerve cells, specifically MSNs. This progressive neuronal loss, in turn, results in involuntary muscle movements and cognitive decline. The group of researchers from Washington University in St. Louis announced that future research efforts will be focused on transplanting these newly converted brain cells into mouse models of Huntington’s. Their ultimate goal is to convert the skin cells of Huntington’s disease patients into brain cells and transplanting the latter into their brains. █

Although the cells only survived for six months in the mice brains, they exhibited similar gene expression profiles to MSNs (i.e. similar morphological and functional

Sources Ebert, M., Sharp, P. (2012). Roles for microRNAs in conferring robustness to biological processes. Cell 149 (3), 515-524.

Sun, A.X., Crabtree, G.R., Yoo, A.S. (2013). MicroRNAs: regulators of neuronal fate. Current Opinions in Cell Biology 25 (2), 1-12.

Tang, J., Yoo, A.S., Crabtree, G.R. (2013). Reprogramming human fibroblasts to neurons by recapitulating an essential microRNA-chromatin switch. Current Opinions in Genetic Development 5, 591-598.

Victor, M.B., Richner, M., Hermanstyne, T.O., Ransdell, J.L., Sobieski, C., Deng, P.Y., Klyachko, V.A., Nerbonne, J.M., Yoo, A.S. (2014). Generation of human striatal neurons by microRNA-dependent direct conversion of fibroblasts. Neuron 84 (2), Abstract.

Yoo, A.S., Sun, A.X., Li, L., Shcheglovitov, A., Portmann, T., Li, Y., Lee-Messer, C., Dolmetsch, R.E., Tsien, R.W., Crabtree, G.R. (2011). MicroRNA-mediated conversion of human fibroblasts to neurons. Nature 476 (7359), 228-231. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/huntingtons-disease/basics/definition/con-20030685 ISSUE 3 |FALL 2014 21

Enjoy these DIY recipes for natural cosmetic products to help you relax during the insanity of final exams!

Natural Cosmetic D.I.Y.

Products from SUSTAINABLE CONCORDIA

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Properties

Moisturizing Face Mask

Here are some interesting websites on honey’s cosmetic properties:  http://sarahthescienceofbeauty.blogspot.ca/2011/04 /use-of-honey-inskincare.html  http://www.saber.ula.ve/bitstream/123 456789/37279/1/19_cosmetic_propertie s_honey.pdf  http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slideshow/slide-show-1-health-ten-uses-oneproduct-skincare-usinghoney/20120525.htm#10

Materials: 1 blender, 1 chopping board, 1 knife, 2 tablespoons Ingredients: 1 banana 1 tablespoon of honey/ vegetable oil/ sour cream (as preferred) 1 tablespoon of coconut flour/ wheat flour/ white clay (as preferred) Directions: 1. Cut the banana and mix it with a blender.

2. Stir all the ingredients together in order to obtain a purée. (It shouldn’t be too liquid in order to stick to your face when you apply your mask.)

How to Use: 1. Apply to the face, avoiding the eye contour, and leave on for 5-10 minutes.

2. Once applied, lay down with your head on a towel for 10 minutes.

3. After 10 minutes, rinse with fresh regular or lemon water. (Your mask should be prepared and then applied immediately because it contains fruits and no preservatives.)

 Banana: Moisturising, rich in vitamins and mineral salts (magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc). o Bananas contain an amino acid called Tryptophan that helps increase the body’s creation of Serotonin, a neurotransmitter. Serotonin plays a huge role in mood change and is medically prescribed to aide stress, anxiety and depression.  Honey: Moisturising, nourishing, antioxidant and antibacterial. o Egyptians used honey more than 4000 years ago for their skin. It also contains enzymes that detoxify skin and has many other therapeutic properties. o Helps as a binding agent  Coconut Flour: Coconut flour smells nice and has nourishing properties. For this recipe, it acts as a thickening agent.

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Exfoliating Body Scrub Materials: 1 cup, 1 big bowl Ingredients: 1 cup of coffee grounds/ sugar/ sand/ grated coconut (as preferred) ½ cup of vegetable oil Directions: 1. Add ½ cup of vegetable oil to the bowl 2. Add 1 cup of coffee grounds (or more until the abrasiveness suits you) 3. Mix together Here is a website about ways to reuse coffee grounds: http://bleedingespresso.com/2009/03/goin g-green-21-ways-to-reuse-coffeegrounds.html

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How to Use:  Test it first on the less sensitive zones of your body (elbows, knees) and apply it in soft, circular movements approximately once per week depending on how oily your skin is.  With spring coming (eventually), a scrub will eliminate the dead cells that have accumulated during the winter. It also allows beauty products to better penetrate your skin.  You can choose different ingredients to make your body scrub more or less abrasive.  For the face, mix the coffee grounds with sweet almond oil; this makes it softer, or you can just use higher proportions of oil than coffee.  You can also use this to combat cellulite! o Take some still warm coffee grounds, mix them with olive oil and apply the mixture to the areas you would like to target. o Apply some cellophane over the areas with the coffee mixture and leave for 20 min.

Other Uses:  Use it in your hair if you are a brunette. This will help reduce dandruff and leave a nice shine.  Coffee grounds are also good for pipes, showers and sinks. They decrease bad smell and help water to flow.  Use as a deodorant for musty smells in closets  Use it in your garden as a natural fertilizer!

Materials: 1 big bowl, 1 spoon

Detoxifying Bath Salts Properties:  Salts: Filled with minerals salts also have relaxing and purifying effects. It is even better with Dead Sea salts or Epsom salts that are even richer in minerals.  Lavender Essential Oil: Relaxing effects and smells great! The lavender can be used for almost everything (like honey) including some medicinal uses. o A few effects would be: painkilling and anti-inflammatory uses, reducing insomnia, stress, anxiety, and healing burns, sunburns, etc.

Ingredients: ¾ cup coarse salt 2 to 4 tablespoons potato flour Few drops of lavender essential oil (as desired) Few drops of food colouring (optional) Directions: 1. Measure the Coarse Salt and pour it into the bowl.

2. Add the Potato Flour and the Lavender until desired smell is achieved.

3. Add some blue and red food colouring if you want your salts to be purple!

4. Don’t hesitate to add some Potato Flour if the mix sticks.

Uses: Put some in your bath for a detoxifying and purifying bath. Do not forget to rinse yourself after (do not stay more than 30 minutes in the bath.)

Here are some websites about Lavender uses: http://wellnessmama.com/7041/herb-profile-lavender/ http://www.netherfield.co.nz/lavender-uses.php

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Soothing Cleansing Lotion

Ingredients: 1 pear ½ cup soya yogurt The juice from half of one lemon Directions: 1. Peel a ripe pear, cut it into pieces and blend it.

2. In a bowl, add the pear, the yogurt and the lemon juice, mix and put in a jar.

Uses: o Use this lotion as a makeup remover or simply to clean your face, then rinse your face. o Keep this product in the fridge (not more than 8 days) o You can also eat this preparation as a yummy snack!

Properties:  Pear: Contains tannins, which serve as an astringent and provide toning effects.—Blended, the pear gives the lotion a grainy texture and adds a scrub effect.  Yogurt: Moisturizing, softening and nourishing properties.  Lemon (and other citrus fruits): nourishing, purifying, cleaning and antioxidant properties, as well as tensor and astringent properties due to vitamin C, which is essential to collagen synthesis.

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 Meet Our Writers

Max Guglielmi-Vitullo is an honors Biology student at Concordia. Currently, his interests lie in genetic research, specifically in the field of epigenetics. He hopes that he can make a career in researching this new field. However, for now, he’s hoping to show readers cool and interesting things that are coming up in biology, or even revisiting old topics that have had new approaches taken. On a final note, he hopes that the readers will find interest in what he has to write.

Katherine Levasseur is in her second year at Concordia completing a specialization degree in Ecology. She has a passion for conservation and hopes to one day contribute directly to the preservation of natural habitats and wildlife. She is a scuba diver and nature lover who through her writing with the Telomere Times hopes to take greater pride in Concordia and to connect with other students to do the same.

Zarin Arshy is a Concordia Biology graduate to-be whose fascination of the sciences has not fully masked her love of the arts including the literary and fine arts. She believes writing for the BSA newsletter will serve as a nice liaison between these different things. She hopes to draw a sense of patriotism and community among Concordia Biology students, as she thinks they truly have much to take pride in.

Sabine Ajamian is a recent Concordia graduate with a Specialization degree in Biology. Born in Montreal, but raised in Lebanon, she decided to move back to Montreal in order to pursue her studies. She is fascinated with biology, and also enjoys writing, dancing and volunteering.

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C. Poirier: the elusive writer.

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ď ” Crunch ‘n Brunch Preparing for final exams is always stressful and the BSA wanted to provide our Biology students with a tasty brunch during crunch time for exams! On November 26th, we had a great turnout and enjoyed meeting more students! Thanks to everyone who stopped by to hang out!

Biology Lab Tours Students gathered on November 26th to catch a glimpse at their BIOL 490 destinies as we toured a number of labs in our department!

Thank you to all the professors who allowed us to sneak a peek at their labs and learn about current research being completed at Concordia!

Pubcrawl 2014: Talk Nerdy to Me We wanted to end the semester with a bang, and there is no better way to end a killer semester with a killer party, so TALK NERDY TO ME was born. Pubcrawls are a long and storied university tradition, filled with student camaraderie and booze. Participants were split into 12 teams and competed against each other at 6 different bars, facing various challenges.

Every team performed exceptionally well, with the Royal Blue team reigning supreme. TALK NERDY TO ME was a smashing success and we hope to see you all on the next crawl!

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PUBCRAWL 2014

November Events

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Upcoming Events Stay tuned for the official dates of these exciting upcoming events we are planning!

Ecology Series

Winter Semester

Gregor Fussman

Academic Events

(McGill University)

We are planning some very exciting academic events for next semester such as the Biology Career Fair and Biology workshops! Get ready to be super prepared for your life in Biology through our academic services!

Come check out the last weekly research seminar of the semester!

Light refreshments will be served.

When: Friday December 5th at 1:15pm Where: SP-S110

Winter Semester

PubCrawl Did you enjoy the insane fun that was the “Talk Nerdy to Me” pubcrawl this semester?! Come join us again for biology camaraderie and endless amounts of beer as teams compete for imaginary bragging rights in the winter semester! Ticket prices and dates will be posted on the BSA Facebook so stay tuned!

Winter Semester

Planetarium Field Trip Are YOU interested in experiencing the great enigmatic depths of outer space? Do YOU want to observe and learn about the oldest materials on earth? Then the field trip to the planetarium is for you! Come meet students within your department and start the semester off right! Look forward to hearing more from the BSA for details on date, time, and ticket pricing!

February—

Sexual Health Fair Sexual health is a very important aspect of our lives that everyone should be mindful of. We think that sexual health should also be fun and we want to provide you with a FREE event providing a variety of exciting booths that feature information on safe sex, condoms, Queer Concordia, fetishes, sex store materials, and more! Seminar speakers will also be present during the event to explore the realms of gender advocacy, sexual addictions, decriminalization of prostitution in Canada, and the rape of men and women. The date and time is still pending so stay tuned to the BSA Facebook for more details!

March—

Wine and Cheese Come enjoy a classy evening with your fellow students and even some of our Biology professors at the winter semester wine and cheese night! Dress to impress, network with your fellow biologists and professors, and have a magical night at our lovely university! Ticket prices, date, and time will be announced next semester!

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The BSA Team

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Room Number

SP-375.21 E-mail bsa.concordia@gmail.com Phone +1(514)848-2424 ext. 5499 See us at: www.bsaconcordia.com

From left to right: VP Academics Braeden Donaldson, VP Comms Kateland Simmons, VP Social Alex Baird, VP Internal Laura Bergeron, President Krutika Patel, and VP Finance JP Maillet.

COFFEE

Forget your lab coat or goggles at home?

Stop by during our office hours for a free coffee when you need a quick pick me-up.

Office Hours Mondays Biology students are eligible to free rental of CLEAN lab coat and goggles if you catch us in our office or during hours.

Tuesdays Wednesdays Thursdays Fridays

12:00 - 1:00 pm (VP Comms Kateland Simmons) 1:00 - 2:00 pm (VP Internal Laura Bergeron) 2:30 - 3:30 pm (VP Social Alex Baird) 1:30 - 2:30 pm (President Krutika Patel) 2:00 - 3:00 pm (VP Finance JP Maillet) 10:30 - 11:30 am (VP Academics Braeden Donaldson)

Feel free to stay for a chat!

Just provide name and I.D.

VOLUNTEER FOR US Come and volunteer with the BSA!  Become involved in your department;  Looks great on your CV;  Have fun and meet new people!  Get a reference letter from the BSA president.

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Looking for Writers If you are interested in writing for the newsletter, please email us at bsa.concordia@gmail.com!

It grows on you.