Wesleyan Blog
Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is known as an iron overload disease because too much iron ends up being absorbed from the diet and is stored inappropriately in many organs. Since iron is a reactive metal, this can be dangerous and cause failure of these organs. There are multiple types of HH which are caused by different … Read more
Zinc ions (Zn2+) are ingested through diet and can be found in a variety of foods – including the water supply. Zinc is the second most common transition metal ion found in the body (below iron) and is used as a cofactor in hundreds of proteins – including DNA-binding zinc-finger domains and carbonic anhydrase (converts … Read more
Parkinson’s Disease is a brain disorder which is caused by decreased levels of dopamine and the resulting degeneration of the neurons in the substantia nigra of the brain. Physical effects of Parkinson’s Disease include shaking, stiffness, issues with balance and coordination, memory loss and even dementia. As early as 175 AD, Parkinson’s disease has been … Read more
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that accounts for approximately 80% of all dementia diagnoses. As we age, it is normal to notice a slight decrease in cognitive ability, for example, we may forget where we place our glasses or where we park our cars. However, dementia is different than benign senescent forgetfulness in … Read more
Huntington’s disease (HD) is caused by a dominant genetic mutation which means that if one parent develops the disease there is a 50/50 chance of their child also having the gene responsible for causing the disease. This mutation involves the protein huntingtin and is an insertion of multiple glutamine amino acids into the protein sequence … Read more
ALS is a disease characterized by death of motor neurons and loss of motor function. There are two types of ALS; familial and sporadic, with sporadic ALS accounting for 90-95% of ALS cases. The familial form is associated with a heritable mutation in a number of genes such as superoxide dismutase 1, c9orf72, and many … Read more
Menkes disease (MD) is caused by an X-linked inherited genetic mutation of the Cu-ATPase ATP7A. Since, it is an X-linked disorder, predominantly affects to the male population. It is the fatal disease for the children which can cause lethality within first 3 years of life. The hallmarks of MD are unusual sparse kinky hair on the … Read more
Is always great to listen to Svetlana’s great science!
I had the honor to train Courtney McCann when I was a PDoc and she was an undergrad at WPI 10 years ago… Take a look!
Copper (Cu) is a redox-active micronutrient that plays an important role in many physiological processes, as a cofactor for several enzymes involved in energy production, antioxidant processes, and homeostasis of other metals. We acquire Cu from our daily diet and Cu absorption occurs in the gastrointestinal lining of the small intestine. In our body, Cu … Read more
