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Q: How can we prevent or
treat Alzheimer’s Disease?
• Prevent progression of AD by creating
devices that generate plaque
degraders (fibril deposits)
Amyloid beta-peptides
Neurofibrilly tangles
Device
Protein that degrades
tangles and deposits
• One way to treat AD is to regenerate
neurons
• Salamanders can
regenerate limbs, including
all motor neurons, muscle
and blood vessels.
• look for the genes that
specifically aim to
regenerate motor neurons.
• Create a device that
contains a part that includes
salamander regeneration
gene(s) to promote neuron
regeneration in the brain
http://www.cellscience.com/reviews2/Organ_Regeneration_Immune_Involvement.html
Q: Can we design an accurate
indicator for preterm labor?
• Screening for preterm labor is the first step in
the process of preventing preterm birth
• Fetal Fibronectin (fFN) in vaginal secretions
can really only accurately say if patient is NOT
in labor
• Need an accurate method to detect preterm
labor and prevent it
Fetal Fibronectin
http://www.ffntest.com/info/fetal_test/what_fetal.html
fFN is a glue-like protein that
holds the fetal membrane and
maternal membrane together. It
is released and found present in
vaginal secretions closer to labor.
Dilation of Cervix
http://www.mydr.com.au/files/imag
es/categories/pregnancy/cervix.jpg
• Dilation of the cervix is another
symptom of labor.
• Oxytocin is
contractions
responsible
for
INPUT
High Levels of fFN
Decrease in Progesterone
Increase in Oxytocin
Cervical Dilation
OUTPUT
Banana Smell
(MIT iGEM 2006)
Device
Progesterone
(to suppress contractions)
Goal: To create a device to implant in the vagina that senses four
symptoms of labor and expresses an aromatic gene as an
indicator of preterm birth.