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Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a severe neurodegenerative disease that is marked by the buildup and accumulation of toxic waste in the central nervous system. It is the most common cause of dementia and has one of the highest cases of death in America with no known cure. The progression of the disease has an early … Read more

Blog post Author: Arianna McDaniels December 2024 Diabetes: A Growing Global Concern Diabetes mellitus affects over 530 million adults globally and this number is expected to soar to 783 million by 2045.1  Diabetes occurs when the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin, completely stops producing insulin, or can’t use it effectively. The pancreas is an … Read more

Copper is a crucial metal in the body, involved in the production of red blood cells, supporting the immune response, and aiding in cellular energy production. The main dietary sources of copper include foods such as beans, shellfish, and potatoes. Copper is absorbed in the intestines, and excess copper is excreted by the liver. While … Read more

Cobalt is an essential metal which is crucial for many bodily functions, primarily neurological functions (relating to the nervous system) and hematological functions (relating to the blood). Interestingly, unlike metals such as zinc, cobalt is not naturally produced in the body. So, how is cobalt brought into the body? Cobalt is generally consumed in the … Read more

Iron is an essential metal that plays several key roles in the body. Most importantly, it helps transport oxygen by being a crucial part of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. Iron is also important for a healthy immune system [1,2]. Iron levels in the body are tightly … Read more

Aiden Parente Iron is a redox active metal that is found in the 2+ and 3+ oxidation states in human tissues. Though the toxic effects of iron overload have been well characterized due to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that hemochromatosis (iron overload) can cause. More recently an iron-mediated, pre-programmed, cell death pathway … Read more

Type 1 Gaucher Disease is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease, as both copies of the gene must be defective. Carriers have one normal and one defective gene. It is caused by missing the enzyme β-glucocerebrosidase that breaks down a glycolipid called glucocerebroside, which accumulates in the body. Symptoms can come up at any age … Read more

Type 1 Gaucher Disease is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease, as both copies of the gene must be defective. Carriers have one normal and one defective gene. It is caused by missing the enzyme β-glucocerebrosidase that breaks down a glycolipid called glucocerebroside, which accumulates in the body. Symptoms can come up at any age … Read more

It has long been known that over-exposure to copper leads to cell death. Until recently, however, the exact mechanism behind copper-induced cell death was unknown and assumed to be due to the accumulation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), which unbound copper produces, and causes damage to DNA among many important molecules in the cell. This … Read more

Ava Samson For many years, copper was overlooked as an important metal in biological processes. Researchers identified that too much copper was toxic, but it is only very recently that copper has been discovered to affect signaling pathways in cells. These signaling pathways are extremely important as they lead to proliferation of cells.  One of … Read more