Identifying Nuclear Membrane Proteins that Facilitate Chromosomal Mechanotransduction; The Technological Momentum of Cosmetic Procedures

The technical project is focused on Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), an end-stage lung disease that is mediated by force interactions within the lung epithelium. The current standard of care aims to reduce the symptoms of the disease through non-curative drug treatments or by lung transplantation. Our team aims to determine an additional upstream target that would reduce the progression of fibrosis. We hypothesize that LRP-130, CAPZ-α, and MATR3 are proteins that play a role in force mechanotransduction and ultimately IPF. To determine the proteins involved in the mechanosensitive signaling pathway, a magnetic precipitation technique is used that isolates the pathway and proteins from the rest of the cell. These proteins are then analyzed through proteomics techniques such as western blotting and immunofluorescence. A knockdown study was performed to determine the individual role the proteins play in YAP/TAZ nuclear translocation. LRP-130, CAPZ-α, and MATR3 have been identified as potential proteins in the pathway and have been identified in samples subject to force. The localization of these proteins has been linked to the nuclear membrane. Additional knockdown studies will be performed to determine the extent to the protein’s effect on YAP/TAZ nuclear translocation. Overall, we have observed that these proteins play a role in regulating the cellular response to force mechanotransduction. This work is significant to the future of IPF treatments as these proteins serve as potential targets for curative therapies.

The aim of the sociotechnical paper is to determine the factors that contribute to the momentum in cosmetic procedures, and whether these procedures are valuable for the public.With a 431% increase in cosmetic procedures in the United States since 1997, a gap has been created between the complexity of its technology and the simplicity in its measures for suitability and postoperative success (Richardson, Mattison, Workman, & Gupta, 2015). To clarify, there are no standardized measures to determine suitability of a patient for cosmetic enhancement, or whether the procedure was beneficial for the patient (Higgins & Wysong, 2017). Medical professionals have an ethical responsibility of beneficence, or having the best interest of the patient in mind. If there is not a uniform way for physicians to determine the maximum benefit for the patient, how can they uphold this basic ethical principle? Through the Actor-Network Theory (ANT) and technological momentum frameworks, cosmetic enhancement are analyzed both in terms of social factors that led to its rise and the ways in which technology continues its growth as a dominating medical field. With better understanding of ethical considerations for patients undergoing cosmetic enhancement, this research aims to emphasize the importance of proper technological usage and development so that optimal treatment is provided.

School of Engineering and Applied Science
Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering
Technical Advisor: Thomas Barker
STS Advisor: Bryn Seabrook
Technical Team Members: Allison Horenberg