First and second-year students in the Grand Challenges Initiatives are pushed to develop research-based solutions for real-world problems. The ongoing opioid crisis is a major challenge for medical workers, pharmaceutical companies, and policymakers alike. One GCI team is bringing their diverse experiences together to contribute to solutions for this issue.
Angelina Sorensen (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2022), Maken Augenstein (Biology, 2022), Nayiri Alexander (Biology, 2022), Chella Barcia (Biology, 2022), and Anna Greene (Computer Science, 2022) decided to go big with their project. Every member of the team has a personal story tying them to the opioid crisis, and they decided their passion for science and medicine would make it the perfect challenge. They are working on developing a non-addictive opioid that will help patients manage pain without the side effects we are seeing from current opioids.
The team explained that opioids work by binding in two different parts of the nervous system, which creates the euphoric effects – and makes them extremely addictive. The team is specifically studying morphine, which binds to both healthy and injured tissues to provide pain relief. Due to inflammation of injured tissues, those tissues are actually slightly more acidic. The team is working to develop a drug that will only bind at more acidic sites, which will discourage binding in the brain (one of the reasons why opioids are so addictive). The drug would therefore still be effective at providing pain relief, without creating the other harmful side effects.
The group has found that this project draws on all their classes and knowledge to push them holistically as scientists. Sorensen says, “One of our favorite parts of the project has been watching it evolve as our education continues. When we started the project, we had also just started our first semester of organic chemistry, which is what led us to incorporate a more chemical-based approach at all. As we progressed through biochemistry, analytical chemistry, and now into medicinal chemistry, physiology, and biochemistry 2, we continue to learn concepts that refine our understanding of the project and allow us to connect concepts across all of our core subjects. It’s really exciting to see years of learning come together like this.” The group also has to do a lot of extra research, combing through scientific journals and reading about molecular pharmacology to push their experiment forward.
Drug development is a process that usually takes around 15 years. This timeline isn’t a problem for the group. “Even knowing this process is far from over for us, we see ourselves carrying out this project to completion. Seeing our bioengineered opioid in hospitals helping patients in pain while also allowing them to maintain their mental clarity and avoid susceptibility to addiction is the goal we have our sights set on,” shared Sorensen.
Angelina Sorensen currently work in a lab in Los Angeles that aids in workplace COVID-testing using PCR. She plans to move from lab administration to actual lab technician work after graduation while she prepares to apply to medical school in the coming years, continuing to conduct research in biochemistry and molecular biology as a physician.
Makena Augenstein is a pre-med student and plans on going to medical school after graduating from Chapman. This project has been very influential on her love for research and she plans on continuing to conduct research throughout her career in medicine.
Nayiri Alexander will be applying to medical schools and aspires to become a physician in the future. She would also like to incorporate research work alongside being a doctor.
Chella Garcia is currently a pre-med student. She aspires to become a plastic surgeon/dermatologist and hopefully, one day have her own practice. She plans on applying to medical schools a year or so after graduating from Chapman. She hopes to continue working on research throughout her career.
Anna Greene currently has an internship as a Software Engineer Intern for this summer and hopes to continue to pursue research in Neuroscience.
Wanafunzi wa mwaka wa kwanza na wa pili katika mipango ya changamoto kubwa wanasukumwa kuendeleza ufumbuzi wa utafiti kwa matatizo ya ulimwengu halisi. Mgogoro wa opioid unaoendelea ni changamoto kubwa kwa wafanyakazi wa matibabu, makampuni ya dawa, na watunga sera sawa. Timu moja ya GCI inaleta uzoefu wao mbalimbali pamoja ili kuchangia suluhisho kwa suala hili. Angelina Sorensen (Biolojia na Biolojia ya Molekuli, 2022), Maken Augenstein (Biolojia, 2022), Nayari Alexander (Biolojia, 2022), Chella Barcia (Biolojia, 2022), na Anna Greene (Sayansi ya Kompyuta, 2022) waliamua kwenda kubwa na mradi wao. Kila mwanachama wa timu ana hadithi ya kibinafsi inayowaunganisha na mgogoro wa opioid, na waliamua shauku yao kwa sayansi na dawa itafanya changamoto hiyo kuwa kamilifu. "Wanafanya kazi ya kuendeleza opioid isiyo ya kulevya ambayo itasaidia wagonjwa kusimamia maumivu bila athari za upande tunazoona kutoka kwa opioids za sasa. """ Timu hiyo ilieleza kwamba opioids hufanya kazi kwa kuunganisha katika sehemu mbili tofauti za mfumo wa neva, ambayo hutokeza athari za msisimko <unk> na kuwafanya wawe na uraibu sana. Timu hiyo inatafuta morphine, ambayo huunganisha tishu zenye afya na zilizojeruhiwa ili kupunguza maumivu. Kwa sababu ya uvimbe wa tishu zilizojeruhiwa, tishu hizo kwa kweli ni asidi kidogo zaidi. Timu hiyo ya wataalamu ya dawa ya kulevya imesema kuwa dawa hiyo itaweza kuunganisha tu kwenye sehemu zenye asidi nyingi, na hivyo kuzuia kuunganisha kwa dawa hiyo kwenye ubongo (ambayo ni moja ya sababu ya dawa za kulevya kuwa na uwezo wa kulevya). Kwa hiyo dawa hiyo ingekuwa yenye matokeo katika kutoa upungufu wa maumivu, bila kutokeza athari nyingine zenye kudhuru. Kikundi hicho kimegundua kuwa mradi huu unategemea madarasa yao yote na maarifa ili kuwachochea kwa ujumla kama wanasayansi. Sorensen anasema, "Moja ya sehemu zetu favorite ya mradi imekuwa kuangalia ni kuendeleza kama elimu yetu inaendelea. Wakati wa kuanza kwa mradi huu, tulikuwa tumezindua tu muhula wetu wa kwanza wa kemia ya kikaboni, ambayo ilituongoza kuingiza mbinu ya kemikali zaidi. Kama tulivyoendelea kupitia biochemistry, kemia ya uchambuzi, na sasa katika kemia ya dawa, fizikia, na biochemistry 2, tunaendelea kujifunza dhana ambazo zinafupisha uelewa wetu wa mradi na kuturuhusu kuunganisha dhana katika masomo yetu yote ya msingi. Ni kweli ya kusisimua kuona miaka ya kujifunza kuja pamoja kama hii. Kikundi pia ina kufanya mengi ya utafiti wa ziada, combing kupitia majarida ya kisayansi na kusoma kuhusu molekuli pharmacology kusukuma majaribio yao mbele. Uendelezaji wa dawa ni mchakato ambao kwa kawaida huchukua miaka 15. Mstari huu wa wakati si tatizo kwa kundi. <unk>Hata tukijua mchakato huu haujaisha kwa ajili yetu, tunajiona wenyewe tukifanya mradi huu ukamalizike. "Kuona opioid yetu ya bioengineered katika hospitali kusaidia wagonjwa katika maumivu wakati pia kuruhusu wao kudumisha uwazi wao wa akili na kuepuka kuathiriwa na ulevi ni lengo tuna mtazamo wetu kuweka juu, ""alishiriki Sorensen." Angelina Jolie anafanya kazi katika maabara ya Los Angeles ambayo inasaidia katika majaribio ya COVID mahali pa kazi kwa kutumia PCR. Ana mpango wa kuhamia kutoka kwa usimamizi wa maabara hadi kazi halisi ya maabara baada ya kuhitimu wakati anajiandaa kuomba shule ya matibabu katika miaka ijayo, akiendelea kufanya utafiti katika biokemia na biolojia ya molekuli kama daktari. Makena Augenstein ni mwanafunzi wa kabla ya matibabu na mipango ya kwenda shule ya matibabu baada ya kuhitimu kutoka Chapman. Mradi huu umekuwa na ushawishi mkubwa kwa upendo wake kwa utafiti na ana mpango wa kuendelea kufanya utafiti katika kazi yake yote katika dawa. Nayiri Alexander ataomba katika shule za matibabu na anatarajia kuwa daktari katika siku zijazo. Pia angependa kuingiza kazi ya utafiti pamoja na kuwa daktari. Chella Garcia kwa sasa ni mwanafunzi wa kabla ya matibabu. Anatamani kuwa daktari wa upasuaji wa plastiki/daktari wa ngozi na kwa matumaini, siku moja atakuwa na mazoezi yake mwenyewe. Ana mpango wa kuomba shule za kitiba mwaka mmoja au zaidi baada ya kuhitimu kutoka Chapman. Yeye anatumaini kuendelea kufanya kazi juu ya utafiti katika kazi yake yote. Anna Greene sasa ana mafunzo ya uhandisi wa programu kwa majira ya joto na anatarajia kuendelea na utafiti katika Neuroscience.