Thesis - Honours
Recent Deposits
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Cranberry capsules for acute radiation induced cystitis: The Kathleen Kilgour Centre experience
Acute cystitis is a common radiation side effect in prostate cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy treatment which results from radiation damage to the bladder. Acute cystitis symptoms can occur within weeks of ... -
Investigating the Direct Role of Promoter DNA Methylation in Gene Expression using a Targeted TET1CD-dCas9 Demethylase Tool
DNA hypermethylation of gene promoter regions has long been associated with transcriptional repression. Furthermore, the establishment of dense promoter methylation within tumour- suppressor genes has been widely-characterised ... -
In situ expression of biomarkers in placenta in the context of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy
Overview: Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP), of which the most common is pre- eclampsia (PE), are a leading cause of maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite extensive research, no clear cause ... -
Structural and functional characterisation of glutamate racemase isoform 2 from Acinetobacter baumannii
Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen associated with high patient mortality within the Intensive Care Unit. The spread of antimicrobial resistance has resulted in some strains carrying up to 45 resistance ... -
Investigating the Influence of Metabolic Syndrome on Cancer Immunotherapy
Cancer is a significant cause of morbidity in New Zealand, with breast and colorectal cancers being amongst the most commonly diagnosed. Therapeutic research has moved into immunotherapies, harnessing the immune system to ... -
Regulation of cardiac ryanodine receptor 2 by protein kinase CK2
The cardiac muscle ryanodine receptor (RyR2) is an intracellular Ca2+ channel responsible for the release of Ca2+ during excitation-contraction coupling. It is also implicated in pathological store-overload-induced Ca2+ ... -
Expression of O-linked N-acetylglucosamine in the Rat Brain during Pregnancy and Lactation
During pregnancy, adaptations occur in the maternal brain and body to ensure optimal nutrition for both the mother and fetus. Over nutrition in the mother can lead to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). GDM in mothers is ... -
The forgotten arm of the fight-flight response: α-adrenergic control of the diabetic heart and interactions with Calmodulin Kinase 2
In Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) chronic metabolic stress and associated hemodynamic dysregulation result in a two-fold increase in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, making CVD a leading cause of death for T2DM patients ... -
Regulation of cardiac ryanodine receptor 2 by protein kinase CK2
The cardiac muscle ryanodine receptor (RyR2) is an intracellular Ca2+ channel responsible for the release of Ca2+ during excitation-contraction coupling. It is also implicated in pathological store-overload-induced Ca2+ ... -
Characterising the relationship between Legionella longbeachae and their amoebal hosts: Implications for Legionnaires' disease prevention
In New Zealand, Legionella longbeachae is the leading cause of Legionnaires’ disease, a severe form of pneumonia that often results in hospitalisation and an intensive course of treatment. Every year, during spring and ... -
Atherogenic Index In Plasma and Risk of Cardiovascular Events
As dyslipidaemia is a prominent CVD risk factor, improvements in its management are crucial, as dyslipidaemia (quantified by hypercholesterolemia and treated with statins), incompletely addresses the residual CVD risk ... -
Arterial Hypertension. Consume Carbon Monoxide?
Epithelial sodium channels (ENaC) are generally responsible for the passive movement of sodium ions through the apical cell membrane of salt absorbing epithelia. Canonical ENaC is composed of three homologous subunits, ... -
Characterisation of Arcuate Nucleus Projections to the Paraventricular Nucleus of Thalamus
The metabolic state (fed or hungry) has been shown to influence varying responses to food-associated cues. Recent studies reveal that the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) may play a critical role as it receives ... -
A Novel Oocyte Cryopreservation Method using High Pressure Freezing
Oocyte cryopreservation (egg freezing) involves freezing a female’s oocytes in order to preserve her fertility. These oocytes can later be thawed and fertilised in vitro when she is ready to begin fertility treatment. Women ... -
Bacterial regulation of early activation of mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are a population of CD8+ innate-like T cells that play an important role in the immune response to bacterial infections. Being characterised by the expression of a unique ... -
The α-Adrenergic System and CaMKII in Diabetic Heart Disease
The relationship between diabetes mellitus and heart disease is widely documented, with heart disease being the main cause of mortality in diabetic patients. Diabetes impairs the autonomic nervous system, leading to an ... -
The Role of α-ENaC and δ-ENaC in Breast Cancer Cell Migration
Breast cancer is an important disease worldwide, primarily affecting women, and is the most common and deadliest form of female cancer. This is reflected in New Zealand’s population as breast cancer has high incidence and ... -
Candidate Compounds for the Chemoprevention of Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer
Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC) is a cancer syndrome caused by germline mutations in the tumour suppressor gene CDH1, which encodes the cell-cell adhesion protein E-cadherin. Mutations in CDH1 lead to increased ... -
Validation and Characterisation of Novel miRNAs Identified in the E15.5 Mouse Brain
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding elements that downregulate gene expression and play an important role in maintaining robust neurodevelopment. Since abnormal expression of miRNAs has been associated with disorders ... -
uORF-mediated translational regulation of drought stress response gene MASP1 in Arabidopsis thaliana
Human-induced climate variability can subject global regions to water scarcity, prompting widespread crop failure. This calls for innovations that preserve global food security that do not further contribute to climate ...