Sle1 (\u3cem\u3eaaa\u3c/em\u3e) and Alpha Hemolysin (\u3cem\u3ehla\u3c/em\u3e) \u3cem\u3eStaphylococcus aureus\u3c/em\u3e Antigens as a Potential Vaccine for Cows

Knowledge of Staphylococcus aureus is essential to understanding how this pathogen causes different types of infections in humans. It can cause skin superficial infections and gastroenteritis. It can also cause infections in the joints and wounds, therefore causing humans to be severely ill by causing sepsis or infection in the blood. It is also very commonly antibiotic-resistant. In the lab, we are working with this priority pathogen because of antibiotic resistance. Cows can get S. aureus from humans, and it causes mastitis. This affects the dairy industry which is very important in the United States, but also specifically important in Idaho. We are making our vaccine through what\u27s called a chimera, we are fusing antigen proteins from S. aureus to cholera toxin (CT). The antigens we are using is Aaa/Sle1; a peptidoglycan hydrolase and adhesin, and Hla, a hemolytic pore protein. We have performed PCR and cloned this gene into a vector for chimera expression. The importance of this research is to improve productivity and quality of life by preventing S. aureus in cows. Everything that we learn about developing a vaccine for a cow can also translate to developing a vaccine for humans

Biological Comparison Between Healthy, Aged and Worn Knee Cartilage

Knowledge of cartilage composition and structure in the knee is essential to understanding how the joint will be affected by mechanical loading. Biological, structural, and mechanical factors all play a role in determining how susceptible the knee may be to osteoarthritis and joint degeneration. The purpose of this study is to compare healthy cartilage, aged and worn cartilage that has recently undergone 1 M gait loading cycles. The importance of this research is to improve productivity and quality of life for patients at risk of osteoarthritis to minimize severe pain and stress on the knee. This approach has been used in our lab to investigate the comparison of the three different types of cartilage