Upregulation of Neuronal Growth Genes During a Therapy for Rat Spinal Cord Injury

Three dimensional cell-derived scaffolds charged with neuronal growth factors are currently being evaluated as therapeutics for healing spinal cord injuries in rats (Total Record, Inc). To determine if specific neuronal growth factor genes are activated by the therapy, an in vitro model was developed in which cultured human SHSY neuronal cells were treated with the growth factors, and the upregulation of specific genes monitored by RT-PCR. The data indicate the therapy upregulates several genes known to promote neuronal growth

DNA Fingerprinting

The purpose of this IQP was to use the topic of DNA fingerprinting as an example of a new technology with a strong impact on society. The technical part of the project investigated what DNA is, how DNA fingerprints are performed, and recent standardized protocols for DNA evidence collection, while the societal part of the project investigated landmark court cases that set legal precedence for admitting technical evidence (including DNA) in U.S. courts, and the ethics of DNA databases