TRANSCEND Symposium

Anishinaabe Theater

Welcome 
Gary Schwartz, PhD, MPH, PhD

Opening Remarks

Keynote Presentation
The Neural Regulation of Cancer and Targetable Vulnerabilities
Paola Vermeer, PhD

Keynote Presentation

Year 1 Awardee Updates
Cornelius Dyke, MD
Ashley Fansher, PhD
Anna Finley, PhD

Dr. Dyke Presentation

Dr. Fansher Presentation

Dr. Finley Presentation

Year 2 Awardee Introductions
Gunjan Manocha, PhD
Nathaniel Johnson, PhD
Steven Westereng, PhD, LAT, ATC, CSCS

Year 2 Awardee Introductions: Part 1

Year 1 Awardee Updates
Ramkumar Mathur, PhD
Natasha Petry, PharmD, MPH, BCACP
Amy Werremeyer, PharmD, BCPP
Soojung Kim, PhD, MPH

Dr. Mathur Presentation

Dr. Petry Presentation

Dr. Werremeyer Presentation

Dr. Kim Presentation

Year 2 Awardee Introductions
Kumi Nagomoto-Combs, PhD
Andrew Williams, PhD, MPH
Sugong Chen, MD
Lauren Schaefer, PhD, LP

Year 2 Awardee Introductions: Part 2

Wrap Up/Closing Remarks

Gary Schwartz, PhD, MPH, PhD

CLOSING REMARKS

Tahmid Hassan Jeeshan; Ashley K. Fansher, PhD

Title: Exploring Rural and Non-Rural Disparities in Interpersonal Violence and Help Seeking Barriers Among North Dakota Women: Preliminary Findings

Abstract:

Interpersonal violence extends beyond physical assault to include psychological and emotional abuse that can produce substantial physical and mental health consequences. In North Dakota, however, rates and patterns of such violence have not been extensively examined, particularly comparing rural and non-rural contexts. This project examines rural versus non-rural differences in victimization patterns, treatment-seeking behaviors, and barriers to care among women engaged in North Dakota. An anonymous electronic survey was administered to adult, self-identified female patients in a regional health system. The survey included validated measures of multiple forms of interpersonal victimization (physical, psychological, and sexual), healthcare utilization, unmet healthcare needs, and perceived barriers to seeking help, along with indicators of rural versus non-rural residence. Preliminary findings suggest that interpersonal victimization is common among both rural and non-rural participants, with relatively similar overall prevalence. However, rural women exhibit distinctive patterns in reported barriers to treatment, including concerns related to privacy, self-reliance, and emotional control, even when victimization levels are comparable. By jointly considering violence type, rural versus non-rural status, and treatment-seeking experiences, this study highlights important differences between rural and non-rural North Dakotans. These preliminary patterns underscore the unique service and policy needs of rural residents and point to opportunities to tailor screening, referral, and support practices to better address barriers faced by rural women experiencing interpersonal violence.

Kevin P. Feltz, MD; Mikayla D. Montgomery, MD; Luke J. Hurley, MD; Robert E. VanDemark III, MD

Title: Best Practices for Orthopedic Skeletal Traction: A Quality Improvement Study

Abstract:
Background / Purpose: Skeletal traction is an orthopedic trauma technique used to stabilize fractures that are difficult or impossible to immobilize (e.g., pelvis, acetabulum, or proximal femur) or in cases of intra-articular fractures or dislocations, to offload the cartilage and decrease the risk of pressure-induced necrosis and damage. Inpatient nursing staff serve as the first line of defense against traction-related complications. In hospitals where traction is less frequently used, staff may be less familiar with caring for those patients, leading to stress, hesitancy to intervene, and lower quality of care. This study was conducted to educate nursing staff on the use of skeletal traction and to improve patient care.

Methods: This prospective survey study was conducted at a Level 1 trauma center. Nursing staff from several units were included. An educational program and reference handout were provided, along with pre- and post-education surveys to determine effectiveness.

Results: Pre-education survey results showed that 79% of participants were familiar with skeletal traction, and 56% had cared for patients with traction in the past. However, 77% had not received a formal education. Post-education survey results showed that 97% of participants had a better understanding of skeletal traction, and 97% found the training beneficial. The reported average confidence level increased after the education (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: A short educational program on skeletal traction for nursing staff increased overall understanding and comfort with the technique. Similar programs can be applied in the future to help improve nursing comfort and the quality of patient care.

Kevin P. Feltz, MD; Peter A. Bueide, MD; Thomas M. Seaver, MD; Conor P. Kleweno, MD

Title: Low Energy Pelvic Fracture Morphology: Impact of Sagittal Pelvic Alignment and Sacral Morphology

Abstract:

Background / Purpose: Low-energy pelvic fragility fractures are common in orthopedic trauma. Studies demonstrate that variation in pelvic morphology may pose challenges for intraoperative imaging and fixation. Little is known about the association between different injury patterns and morphology. The study objective was to assess differences in post-injury radiographic sagittal pelvic alignment between low-energy lateral compression and sacral U-type fractures.

Methods: This retrospective single-center case-control study included 78 adult patients between January 2022 and December 2023 who sustained lateral compression or sacral U-type pelvic fragility fractures treated operatively or nonoperatively. Patients with high-energy mechanisms of injury were excluded. Post-injury CT images were reviewed. Sagittal pelvic alignment, as indicated by pelvic incidence, sacral slope, pelvic tilt, S1 and S2 inlet and outlet angles, combined outlet angle, S1 and S2 inlet and outlet angle differences, sacral kyphosis, sacral dysmorphism, and sacral fracture zone were determined and compared between groups using two-way Student t-tests.

Results: Compared to lateral compression injuries, sacral U-type fractures demonstrated greater sacral slope (45.3° vs. 40.8°, p=0.02), pelvic incidence (67.8° vs 58.4°, p=0.001), S1 outlet (72° vs. 58.2°, p=0.001), S1-S2 outlet difference (15.9° vs. 8.0°, p<0.001), S1-S2 inlet difference (17.4° vs. 11.9°, p=0.01), and frequency of zone 2 sacral injury (21% vs. 5%, p=0.03), but less S1 inlet (10.9° vs. 18.9°, p<0.001).

Conclusion: There were significant differences in radiographic measures between fracture patterns. Preinjury imaging should be studied to assess if global pelvic alignment differences are the cause or effect of injury patterns.

Wade Hopper, DO; Jonathan Roberts, MD; Carter West; Jason Kells; Evan Halvorson; Megan Bowen, MD; Cecilia Benz, MD; Cornelius Dyke, MD

Title: No Delay to Rib Plating in Rural Patients Despite Greater Transfer Burden

Abstract:

Purpose: Rurality is associated with prehospital mortality and delayed definitive care after traumatic injury. This study sought to determine whether rurality influences operative timing or outcomes of surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF) at a dedicated chest wall injury center.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 173 consecutive patients undergoing SSRF at a Level I trauma center from 2016 to 2025. Patients were stratified by rurality, defined by Rural-Urban Commuting Area codes (urban 1–3, rural ≥ 4). The primary outcome was time to SSRF as measured from initial hospital presentation.

Results: Rural patients (n = 105) had no delay to SSRF, with similar median time to surgery (3.1 vs. 3.4 days, p = 0.95) and rate of SSRF within 72 hours (50% vs. 47%, p = 0.75) compared to urban patients (n = 68). This was despite rural patients having greater injury severity, more frequent interfacility transfer (50% vs. 21%, p < 0.05), and increased intensive care unit admission (53% vs. 21%, p < 0.05). Respiratory complications, length of stay, and 30-day mortality were not significantly different between groups.

Conclusion: No differences in operative timing or short-term outcomes were observed between rural and urban patients undergoing SSRF. These findings suggest dedicated chest wall injury centers mitigate geographic disparities in access to timely SSRF, although differing injury severity patterns imply that lower-acuity rural patients could face access barriers.

Jordan D. Shearer, MD; Alexander CM. Chong, MSAE MSME; Todd Pottinger Jr., BS; Bruce E. Piatt, MD

Title: Mechanical and Imaging Evaluation of Contrast–Permeated Suture Tape in Cerclage Fixation

Abstract:

Purposes: This study aimed to 1) report the feasibility of incorporating a commercially available iodine-based contrast medium into suture tape cerclage to render it radiopaque under fluoroscopy, and 2) assess the impact of this modification on key mechanical properties of the suture tape.

Methods: Contrast-permeated suture cerclage tape was prepared by soaking commercially available suture tape in an iodine-containing contrast medium for one minute, followed by removal of excess contrast through gentle manual wringing. Standardized fluoroscopy was performed under identical exposure settings. Radiographic visibility of contrast-permeated (n=4) and non-contrast-permeated (n=4) suture tapes were assessed using a cadaveric model simulating an oblique mid-shaft humeral fracture fixed in a cerclage fashion under three applied tension conditions (no tension, 50% of maximum tension, and 75% of maximum tension). Visibility was assessed using a standardized ordinal grading scale. Mechanical properties of the suture tape in both groups (n=12/group) were assessed using dynamic creep and ultimate load-to-failure testing.

Results: Contrast-permeated suture tape was radiopaque under fluoroscopy across all tension levels, whereas non–contrast-permeated tape remained radiolucent. Dynamic creep displacement was 2.3±0.6 mm for contrast-permeated suture tape and 2.1±0.7 mm for non-contrast tape, with no statistically significant difference (p=0.46). Ultimate load-to-failure was significantly higher for contrast-permeated tape (737±46 N) compared with non–contrast tape (642±59 N, p<0.05).

Conclusion: Iodine-based contrast–permeated suture tape is clinically feasible and improves fluoroscopic visibility without compromising mechanical performance, offering a practical alternative to visualize suture cerclage materials.

Ayden Frohlich; Jeffrey S. Johnson, PhD

Title: Altered functional brain connectivity in binge eating disorder: A resting-state fMRI study

Abstract:

Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is the most prevalent eating disorder and is characterized by recurrent episodes of excessive food consumption accompanied by a perceived loss of control. New evidence suggests that dysfunction in neural systems underlying reward processing and inhibitory control may contribute to the development and maintenance of BED. Specifically, altered connectivity between the Default Mode Network (DMN), a network associated with self-referential thought and rumination, and the amygdala, a key structure involved in emotion and reward processing, may play a critical role in promoting or maintaining maladaptive eating behaviors. This study aims to assess this possibility by measuring functional connectivity between key nodes of the DMN and the amygdala in individuals with BED versus matched controls. A total of 100 participants (50 BED, 50 Control) were screened for the presence of eating-related pathology and underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) at Sanford Health in Fargo. Planned analyses will use a seed-based approach to assess differences in functional connectivity between key nodes of the DMN and the amygdala. We hypothesize that individuals with BED will exhibit altered connectivity between these areas, with the extent of the alteration predicting disorder severity. These alterations may underlie disrupted reward processing and diminished inhibitory control observed in BED. Findings from this study are expected to advance understanding of the neural mechanisms contributing to BED and may inform future interventions targeting dysfunctional brain networks involved in reward and control processes.

Rylie Webb; Aaron Mehus, PhD; Sarmad Al Marsoummi, PhD; Donald Sens, PhD

Title: Investigating the Role of the Transcription Factor Grainyhead-like 1 in Urothelial Carcinoma

Abstract:

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is the 6th most diagnosed cancer and ranks 10th for deaths in the United States due to cancer.  A defining feature of aggressive UC is the histological identification of squamous differentiation (SD) within the tumors. UC tumors with SD are characterized by expression of the basal keratins (KRT 5, 6, and 14). The role of grainyhead-like 1 (GRHL1) transcription factor in UC has not been elucidated but its expression is elevated in tumor vs normal tissue, and it is enriched in areas of SD. We hypothesized that GRHL1 is regulating genes that define the basal/squamous (Ba/Sq) subtype of UC. To investigate this, we generated GRHL1 knockdown (GRHL1 KD) UC cell lines using lentiviral transduction with shRNAs targeting human GRHL1 compared to scramble shRNA control cells. To confirm GRHL1 KD and evaluate effects on basal keratin expression, we performed qPCR and Western Blot analysis. We also performed luciferase growth assays, flow cytometry-based cell cycle analysis, and quantitative proteomics. The attenuation of GRHL1 had variable effects on basal keratin expression across the cell lines. However, GRHL1 KD cells displayed reduced cellular growth rates and had disrupted cell cycle progression compared to control cells. Proteomics identified decreased expression of ARL6IP1 (negative regulator of apoptosis) and increased expression of TXNIP and H2AX (positive regulators of apoptosis) after GRHL1 KD. The results from our study indicate that GRHL1 promotes UC cell growth by evading apoptosis and that therapeutic strategies targeting GRHL1 may be effective in reducing UC tumor growth and/or metastasis.

Mark Williamson, PhD

Title: An Experimental Radon Test Chamber for Translational Radon Research

Abstract: Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that has been implicated in a growing number of health issues ranging from cancer to stroke. However, most studies are observational in nature, so controlled experiments are required to determine true risk factors.

Purpose: We are constructing a radon chamber for use in controlled exposure experiments. The starting focus is on inorganic, plant, microbe, and invertebrate studies, with plans to expand into cell culture and in vivo mouse model studies in the future.

Methods: Four modular BCU exposure chambers (CH Technologies) with circulating air will form the basis of the chambers. An aerosol generator (TSI) will be used as a particle source. Radon gas (Ra-226) will be generated from sealed radium sources (Pylon Electronics) and circulated into the exposure cages. Radon within the cages will be detected with radon detectors (RadonEye) and general radon radiation levels at the room level with another RadonEye, as well as a Geiger counter (GMC). An air purifier will be used at the exhaust end (Winix) and vented out through a fume hood.

Results: The general lab space has been renovated and most supplies are assembled. Proof of concept tests will commence once the final safety features have been installed and approved.

Conclusion: The radon chamber is designed for researchers to run radon exposure experiments. It represents one of only a few in the entire world and will be an innovative driver of radon research, furthering cementing UND as a leader in radon.

Mark R. Williamson, PhD; Eric A. Whitsel, MD, MPH; Richard L. Smith, PhD; Jason M. Collins, MPH; James D. Stewart, MA; Su Yon Jung, PhD, MPH; Holly R. Harris, ScD, MPH; Marina Oktapodas Feiler, MS, PhD; JoAnn E. Manson, MD, MPH, DrPH; Lihong Qi, PhD; Gary G. Schwartz, PhD, MPH, PhD

Title: Increased Risk of Ovarian Cancer Associated with Residential Radon Among Postmenopausal Women 

Abstract:

Purpose: Few environmental risk factors for ovarian cancer are known; one is exposure to ionizing radiation. The largest source of ionizing radiation is radon gas in the home. We tested if radon increases risk of ovarian cancer in the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI).

Methods: 127,551 women with 1,645 incident ovarian cancers and 1,048 ovarian cancer deaths were examined, with main exposure from radon based on the USGS Radon Zones. Time-to-event (survival) models were run, adjusted for covariates (design, demographic, clinical, behavioral, and reproductive). Additional models examined serous vs. non-serous cancer, family history, and ovarian cancer mortality.

Results: The hazard ratio (HR) for all ovarian cancer incidence in high radon zones was significantly higher than in low radon zones (HR=1.33, CIs=1.11-1.54).  Similar findings were observed for the most common histologic type, serous cancer (HR=1.38, CIs=1.09-1.74). Ovarian cancer mortality was also significantly higher in the high radon zone compared with the low radon zone (HR=1.31, CIs=1.07-1.60), and was markedly elevated among women with a positive family history. Sensitivity analyses using alternate radon measures produced similar results.

Conclusions: In this large, prospective cohort of postmenopausal women, the risks of ovarian cancer incidence and mortality were significantly higher for women living in homes in the high radon zone. Residential radon is a ubiquitous and modifiable risk factor. This is the first epidemiologic study of radon and ovarian cancer among postmenopausal women to date, and its findings suggest a potential target for mitigating cancer risk.

Lillian Johnson, BA, MS3; Colin Bond, PhD; Benjamin Noonan, MD

Title: Quadriceps Strength and Knee Abduction Moment in Adolescent Athletes

Abstract:

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between isokinetic quadriceps strength and peak KAM during drop vertical jump landing in adolescent athletes.

Methods: The study design was a secondary analysis of previously collected data. Healthy adolescent athletes completed quadriceps strength testing using an isokinetic dynamometer and a biomechanical assessment during a drop vertical jump task. Quadriceps strength was quantified as peak concentric torque and the peak external KAM was calculated during the landing phase on the dominant limb. Both strength and KAM were normalized to body mass. Linear regression was used to examine the association between normalized quadriceps strength and peak external KAM on the dominant limb.

Results: The association between quadriceps strength and peak normalized KAM on the dominant limb was not statistically significant (β = −0.053 (95% CI [−0.137 to 0.030]), F(1,119) = 1.62, R2 = 0.013, p = 0.206). Quadriceps strength explained only 1.3% of the variance in peak KAM, indicating a negligible association between these variables in this cohort.

Discussion: Quadriceps strength was not associated with peak normalized KAM during landing, suggesting that frontal-plane knee loading during a drop vertical jump is not meaningfully explained by maximal concentric quadriceps strength alone. KAM appears to be driven more by multi-joint movement strategy and neuromuscular coordination than by the capacity of a single muscle group.

Dawn L. Denny, PhD, RN, FNAON; Loretta J. Heuer, PhD, RN, FAAN; Brian D. Helland, MPA; David F. Schmidt, MD

Title: Social Support for Aging-in-Place Among Older Adults in Small Rural Communities: A Scoping Review

Abstract:

Background: Social support or networks are essential to aging-in-place at home. Further review of the evidence is warranted to identify which social network factors best facilitate aging-in-place to prioritize improvement strategies.

Purpose: This systematic scoping review examined the literature for significant social support network interventions that act as enablers of aging-in-place among rural older adults.

Methods: Using the Joanna Briggs Institute method, five academic databases were searched for published study reports, supplemented through an internet search. Grey literature was included through ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. The initial search resulted in 1,093 articles from 2000 to March 2026, which was screened using the following criteria. Included original research reports: 1) discussed social support factors or networks (personal, environmental) for aging in place; 2) were specific to the rural setting; 3) the sample population was older adults age 60 or older. Studies were excluded if the purpose statement focused on the outcome of suicide, aging in facilities, or substance abuse.

Results: Our preliminary findings show the need for increased capacity of senior center services to support rural older adults to age-in-place, such as, transportation, meals, and caregiver services. Caregiving assistance was highly valued by older adults in rural areas.

Conclusions: This review highlights the critical areas of need for older adults aging in place in rural areas. Increased resources are needed for caregiver support to facilitate rural aging-in-place, through in-home care and transportation of rural residents, a role Senior Centers may be well-suited to provide.

Jani A. Western, BS; Anna J. Finley, PhD

Title: Social Integration and Contribution as a Moderator Between Military Self-stigma and Well-being

Abstract:

Self-stigma refers to the process of internalizing feelings of inadequacy that arise from negative messages within one’s social environment. Military self-stigma (MSS), a specific form of self-stigma, has been linked to a range of adverse mental health and well-being outcomes. However, it is unclear how social integration (i.e., sense of community) and social contribution (i.e., contributions to their community) may influence the links between MSS and negative outcomes, especially in populations with high exposure to trauma. The current study uses The Military Health and Well-Being Project, a nationally representative sample of post-Vietnam US military veterans (N=1,461), to examine these relationships. Results show that an increased level of MSS weakens the positive effects of social integration and social contribution on overall well-being, ps < 0.001. A better understanding of the moderators of the relationship between MSS and negative wellbeing may help veterans thrive as they transition back into civilian society.

Cole Purdy, MSIII; Ellie Gubbrud, MSIII; Mamoon Ahmed, MBBS

Title: Medically Refractory Diabetic Striatopathy with Delayed Radiographic Manifestation and Generalized Chorea: A Case Report

Abstract:

Background: Diabetic striatopathy (DS) is a rare manifestation of nonketotic hyperglycemia, classically defined by the triad of hyperglycemia, hemichorea-hemiballismus, and T1-weighted MRI hyperintensity in the basal ganglia. Traditionally considered reversible with glycemic control, emerging cases suggest greater heterogeneity. We report a case of DS distinguished by generalized chorea, initially silent neuroimaging, and a refractory course despite euglycemia.

Case Presentation: A 78-year-old female presented with altered mental status and severe hyperglycemia (glucose 1,091 mg/dL) without ketonuria. Following insulin therapy and stabilization of glucose levels, she developed generalized choreiform movements involving the trunk, limbs, and orofacial musculature. Initial brain MRI (Hospital Day 3) revealed only chronic small vessel ischemic changes. Symptoms improved but recurred two weeks post-discharge despite stable blood glucose (150-160 mg/dL). Repeat MRI under general anesthesia demonstrated asymmetric T1 hyperintensity in the right putamen, confirming a delayed radiographic manifestation of DS. The patient’s chorea was medically refractory, with minimal response to haloperidol, valproic acid, gabapentin, and tetrabenazine.

Discussion: This case illustrates key diagnostic challenges in DS. The delayed radiographic findings suggest striatal metabolic injury may precede T1 changes, making early negative imaging inconclusive. The generalized movements challenge the classic unilateral presentation, while the refractory course suggests that hyperglycemia may trigger persistent metabolic changes independent of glucose levels.

Conclusions: Clinicians must maintain a high suspicion for DS in hyperglycemic patients with hyperkinetic movement disorders, even with normal imaging or generalized symptoms. Early recognition is essential for prognostic counseling and consideration of advanced therapies like deep brain stimulation (DBS) in refractory cases.

Ellen M. Olson, BS; Kumi Nagaomoto-Combs, PhD

Title: University of North Dakota Behavioral Research Core Facility: Infrastructure for Advanced Behavioral Phenotyping of Laboratory Rodents

Abstract:

Behavioral phenotyping is a conclusive, and often observable, assessment of the effects of experimental manipulations, such as drug administration and genetic modification. The University of North Dakota’s Behavioral Research Core Facility (BRCF) is a full-service facility where investigators can conduct behavioral testing for both mice and rats using state-of-the-art equipment. The BRCF was established in 2015 to promote productivity, collaboration, and training in biomedical research by providing 1) well-managed and maintained advanced equipment; 2) methodological and technical expertise; 3) training in behavioral testing and analysis; and 4) interface for interaction of researchers to facilitate collaborations. Located in the Center for Biomedical Research, the AAALAC-accredited vivarium for the University of North Dakota, the BRCF is well-suited for behavioral assessment of laboratory rodents. A wide-range of test equipment available in the BRCF, as well as different types of behavioral modalities that can be tested in laboratory rodents at the BRCF, will be presented.

Y. Kang; E. B. Amoafo; P. Entsie; B. Layek, PhD; P. M. Grandgenett, PhD; E. Liverani, PhD

Title: Blocking P2Y12 and PD-1 in Tumor-Associated Macrophages reduces pancreatic cancer cell growth and migration through the TGF-β1/Smad2 pathway

Abstract:

Purpose: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a leading cause of cancer deaths, with an immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) that limits immunotherapy efficacy. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are key mediators of this suppression. While immunotherapy, such as PD-1/PD-L1 blockade, reduces tumor growth in mice, patient responses are variable. P2Y₁₂, an ADP receptor on macrophages, promotes phagocytosis when inhibited. We investigate whether combined PD-1/PD-L1 and P2Y₁₂ blockade enhances TAM-mediated anti-cancer activity.

Methods: We generated TAM-like cells in vitro by culturing THP-1 monocytes with PMA for 24 hours, followed by exposure to cancer cell-conditioned media for an additional 48 hours. PANC-1, BxPC-3, and patient-derived human pancreatic cancer cells (HPCCs) were used to induce TAM differentiation. We used BMS-1 to block PD-1/PD-L1, cemiplimab to block PD-1, and ticagrelor to block P2Y₁₂, alone or in combination. We investigated TAM phagocytosis, as well as cancer cell proliferation and migration, in the TAM-cancer cell co-culture. ELISA and Western blot were performed to investigate the underlying mechanisms.

Results: Co-treatment of ticagrelor and cemiplimab enhanced the ability of TAMs to phagocytose PANC-1 and BxPC-3, as compared to cemiplimab alone. The combination also reduced the TAM-induced growth and migration of PANC-1 and BxPC-3 cells than the single treatments. Similar results were noted with HPCCs. TAMs released TGF-β1, which promoted cancer cell growth and migration. Co-treatment of ticagrelor and cemiplimab decreased TGF-β1 secretion by TAMs, which diminished Smad2 phosphorylation in cancer cells.

Conclusion: Co-treatment with ticagrelor and cemiplimab successfully inhibits pancreatic cancer cell growth and migration by targeting the TGF-β1/Smad2 signaling pathway.

Philomena Entsie; Emmanuel Boadi Amoafo; Ying Kang; Glenn P. Dorsam; Elisabetta Liverani, PhD

Title: P2Y1 or P2Y12 receptor blockade prevents platelet sequestration and intestinal damage in female mice in intra-abdominal sepsis

Abstract:

Purpose: Intra-abdominal sepsis, a severe intestinal infection with high mortality, disrupts the immune response and compromises the intestinal barrier, resulting in excessive inflammation and tissue damage. Preserving barrier integrity is essential for restoring immune balance and improving outcomes. Platelets, as key mediators of inflammation, contribute to sepsis by releasing cytokines and modulating immune responses. Our prior research showed that blocking platelet P2Y1 or P2Y12 receptors reduced cytokine secretion and enhanced bacterial clearance in a sex-dependent manner. However, the role of platelets in intestinal inflammation and barrier disruption during sepsis has not been thoroughly investigated. To address this, we examined sex-specific sepsis treatments in female C57BL/6J mice.

Methods and results: Sepsis was induced using cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) or sham surgery, with platelet secretion inhibited via P2Y1 or P2Y12 antagonists. Analysis of intestinal tissue samples 24 hours post-surgery revealed increased damage in CLP mice, assessed through H&E staining, fluorescence

microscopy, and western blot analysis. Blocking P2Y1 or P2Y12 partially mitigated tissue damage, platelet sequestration, and altered protein levels.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that MRS2279 or Ticagrelor, a P2Y1 or P2Y12 antagonist respectively may offer a localized therapeutic strategy to ameliorate intestinal inflammation in female mice.

Junguk Hur, PhD; Lora Black, RN, MPH; Marilyn G Klug, PhD; Kent Ripplinger, MS; Jamie Scholl, MS; Miranda Leitheiser, MPH, ACRP-CP; Mitchell Lonneman, MS; Mark Williamson, PhD

Title: The TRANSCEND Research Design, Compliance and Data Management Core

Abstract:

The Research Design, Compliance and Data Management Core (RDCDC) provides expertise and infrastructure to support the design and conduct of clinical and translational research in North Dakota. The core’s main objective are to 1) provide comprehensive statistical support; 2) lead project management and clinical operations activities; 3) offer data management support, and 4) develop and cultivate training and connections. Our services include expertise in research design (including power analysis and appropriate statistical methods and education), project management and clinical operations support (covering the full spectrum of study conduct with a focus on training around research regulations and compliance, including IRB and human subjects documentation), and data management (including EHR access, data set curation, validation, storage, safeguarding, etc.).

Stephen Wonderlich, PhD; Paul Carson, MD; Kent Ripplinger, MS; Jamie Scholl, MS; Mark Williamson, PhD

Title: The TRANSCEND Professional Development Core

Abstract:

The primary goal of the Professional Development Core (PDC) is to provide comprehensive didactic training and mentorship in clinical and translational research. The intended recipients of PDC training and education are individuals who have received TRANSCEND research funds or are interested in enhancing their skills to pursue TRANSCEND funds. The fundamental elements of the PDC include a didactic curriculum focused on practical issues associated with clinical research. We also have a multifaceted mentoring program that utilizes individual, group, and consultation mentorship to provide mentees with comprehensive guidance tailored to their needs and background in clinical research and professional development. The overarching goals of the PDC can be characterized by the following specific aims.

Aim 1: integrating clinical and scientific resources from the Sanford Health system with two North Dakota universities to propel clinical research training in the region.

Aim 2: creating a comprehensive clinical and translational didactic training program that relies on a variety of modalities for clinical research teaching.

Aim 3: creating a multifaceted mentorship program for early career scientists and clinicians interested in enhancing clinical and translational research skills.

Ashley M. Snyder, PhD, MPH; Ashley Bayne, MPH

Title: Public Health Student Expectations and Beliefs on Career Outcomes: A Thematic Analysis of Qualitative Survey Results

Abstract:

Purpose: Higher education provides knowledge and skills for career advancement, but job availability in public health may lead to mixed views on the usefulness of public health education. This qualitative study assessed current public health students’ expectations and beliefs regarding public health career outcomes.

Methods: An anonymous online survey was sent to administrators at 20 randomly selected Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)-accredited public health programs/schools with a request that the survey be sent to their students in public health degree and certificate programs.

Results: Thematic analysis of 37 surveys uncovered themes of 1) desire to be in public health to support the broader community and society, 2) using public health programs to prepare for further education, 3) job prospects (or lack thereof) from public health, and 4) challenges encountered within public health education programs. The results indicate mixed feelings about the usefulness of public health education in the current societal climate. Many students retained a positive view of public health regardless of recent changes to the field, though some students felt they would not pursue public health again if they had to start over. Job availability was a limitation mentioned by several students.

Conclusion: Public health students need further guidance on career prospects for their field. Some students may benefit from further advising on specific concentrations within public health and how their concentration relates to their career goals. This study will inform development of a mostly quantitative survey of CEPH-accredited programs/schools more broadly.

Sreyasi Pal; Sovon Md Shafiqul Islam; Sahil Lohana; Connor Lukkari; Redemptor Zhou; Natasha Fillmore; Venkatachalem Sathish, PhD; and Sijo Mathew, PhD

Title: Obesity Induced Integrin Dysregulation In Kidneys

Abstract:

Purpose: Integrins are transmembrane receptors that mediate extracellular matrix (ECM)–cell interactions and regulate epithelial integrity, mechanotransduction, and intracellular signaling. Obesity-induced metabolic stress promotes ECM remodeling and renal dysfunction; however, its impact on renal integrin expression remains unclear. This study evaluates integrin regulation under metabolic stress and tests the hypothesis that high-fat diet (HFD) alters renal integrin expression.

Methods: Male and female C57BL/6N mice were maintained on low-fat diet (LFD) until ~2 months of age and then assigned to LFD or 60% HFD (D12492) for ~6 months. Body weight, glucose tolerance, and insulin sensitivity were assessed to confirm metabolic phenotype. Kidney cortices were collected, and integrin β1 and associated α-subunits were analyzed by Western blot, normalized to α-tubulin.

Results: Integrin β1 expression was significantly increased in HFD mice compared to LFD controls in both females (P = 0.0349) and males (P = 0.0476). This upregulation occurred independent of major α-integrin partner changes, indicating selective modulation of β1 under metabolic stress.

Conclusion: Obesity-induced metabolic stress promotes early alterations in ECM–cell signaling via upregulation of integrin β1 in the kidney cortex. These findings identify integrin β1 as a potential early marker of renal stress and ECM remodeling, providing insight into mechanisms underlying obesity-associated kidney dysfunction.

Tehreem Lashari; Scott Garrett, PhD

Title: Role of CD133 in Cisplatin Nephrotoxicity

Abstract:

Introduction/Purpose: The kidney is highly susceptible to injury from nephrotoxic agents, resulting in both acute and chronic damage. Cisplatin, a widely used chemotherapeutic agent, is a major cause of acute kidney injury (AKI), affecting approximately 20–35% of treated patients. Renal progenitor cells co-expressing CD133 and CD24 play a critical role in tubular repair and regeneration. This study aims to investigate the role of CD133 in mediating resistance to toxic injury and enhancing regenerative capacity in renal progenitor cells using cisplatin as a model nephrotoxin.

Methodology: An in vitro study was conducted using HRTPT (CD133⁺/CD24⁺) and CD133 knockdown HRTPT cells. Cells were exposed to 1.5 µM cisplatin and subjected to serial passaging. Cellular pellets were collected at each passage for RNA and protein isolation, followed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and proteomics analysis to evaluate the expression of genes. Cell viability and proliferation were assessed using crystal violet staining and absorbance measurements over time.

Results: CD133-knockdown HRTPT cells exhibited significantly increased susceptibility to cisplatin-induced toxicity compared with control HRTPT cells, as demonstrated by reduced cell viability and slower proliferation across serial passages. In contrast, HRTPT cells maintained higher proliferative capacity and showed relative resistance to toxic insults, suggesting a protective role of CD133 under stress conditions.

Conclusions and Significance: These findings indicate that CD133 contributes to the protective and regenerative properties of renal progenitor cells under nephrotoxic stress. The differential response between HRTPT(CD133⁺/CD24⁺) and CD133-knockdown cells underscores its functional importance in cellular survival mechanisms. CD133 emerges as a promising biomarker for nephrotoxicity risk and a potential therapeutic target for renoprotective strategies in patients receiving cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

Jordan Giewat; Sarmad Al-Marsoummi, PhD; Donald Sens, PhD; Scott Garrett, PhD; Seema Somji, PhD; Tristan Darland, PhD

Title: Impacts of SGLT2 Inhibitors on Cisplatin Nephrotoxicity and Expression in Renal Progenitor Cells

Abstract:

Cisplatin is an effective chemotherapeutic, yet acute kidney injury is a dose-limiting factor in cisplatin therapies. Canagliflozin (INVOKANA®), a prototypical SGLT2 inhibitor, has demonstrated off target renoprotection against cisplatin, though it is poorly understood. It is necessary to investigate this phenomenon with an in-vitro proximal tubule model to elucidate the impacts of SGLT2 inhibitors in cisplatin-treated cells related to kidney repair. RPTEC/TERT1 is a commercially available immortalized human cell line with proximal tubule features, from which we isolated HRTPT and HREC24T populations, with progenitor features and more differentiation, respectively. We hypothesize SGLT2 inhibitor treatment to cisplatin-treated HRTPT cells will decrease cisplatin toxicity, attenuate previously observed cell cycle arrest and influence expression, and enhance recovery from cisplatin treatment. HRTPT cells were treated with SGLT2 inhibitors, exposed to cisplatin, and analyzed with a plate reader and digital cell counter to determine cell viability and recovery. HRTPT cells were also cultured in cisplatin and SGLT2 inhibitor-treated media and collected to assess SGLT2 inhibitor impacts on cisplatin-induced cell cycle arrest and identify key proteomic changes. Our results indicate SGLT2 inhibitors significantly affect cisplatin toxicity. Cell viability and cisplatin recovery in SGLT2 inhibitor-treated cells improved in a concentration dependent manner, and canagliflozin attenuated cell cycle arrest with unique proteomic changes. In conclusion, this suggests SGLT2 inhibitors demonstrate a unique ability to decrease toxicity and enhance recovery from cisplatin in a renal progenitor cell line. Moving forward, we will continue to investigate additional proteomic changes and how other SGLT2 inhibitors affect cisplatin toxicity in HRTPT cells.

Gavin Salisbury; Sarmad Al-Marsoummi, PhD; Seema Somji, PhD; Donald Sens, PhD; Scott Garrett, PhD

Title: Investigation of the Effect of Cell Surface Marker CD133 in Renal Progenitor Cells

Abstract:

The proximal tubule of the kidney is the main site of damage after exposure to toxins, hypoxia, or major injury. A renal tubular progenitor population is suspected to be responsible for the recovery and regeneration of the proximal tubule after injury. These renal progenitor cells are sparsely scattered within the kidney and identified by their co-expression of the known stem cell markers CD133 and CD24. The hypothesis of this study is that CD133 plays a critical functional role in stemness and self-renewal of renal progenitor cells. Using CD24+/CD133+ renal progenitor-like (HRTPT) cells isolated from the immortalized RPTEC/TERT1 proximal tubular cell line, we established a CD133 knockdown with a lentiviral vector expressing short hairpin against CD133. We assessed gene and protein expression of CD133 and select stem cell markers using RT-qPCR and Simple Western procedures. Self-renewal capacity was measured by nephrosphere formation in ultralow-attachment conditions and colony formation in a low-density seeding environment, while multipotent differentiation capacity was measured under adipogenic, tubulogenic, osteogenic, and neurogenic conditions. Results show a successful CD133 knockdown, a significant decrease in stem cell marker gene expression, reduced self-renewal capacity, and reduced differentiation capacity in tubulogenic and osteogenic media.

Our results indicate that CD133 is critical for stem/progenitor characteristics in HRTPT cells and loss of CD133 results in decreased ability to perform self-renewal and multipotent differentiation capacity, indicating the importance of CD133 as a potential therapeutic target to promote renal repair and regeneration after acute kidney injury.

Emily M. Johnson, MS; Jeffrey S. Johnson, PhD

Title: Memory Biases in Binge-Eating: The Role of Food Relevance and Eating Behavior Impairment

Abstract:

Cognitive models have posited a role for attention and memory processes in the onset and maintenance of the core maladaptive behaviors seen in eating disorders. While there has been extensive research on attention biases in disordered eating behaviors, particularly in binge-eating disorder, little work has examined the role of memory processes. The present experiment aimed to assess differences in memory for high-caloric foods and non-food items and their associations with scene images in individuals who report episodes of binge-eating versus controls. We hypothesized that individuals who binge-eat would exhibit superior item memory and increased formation of gist versus specific associative memories for high-caloric foods versus common objects. Contrary to our hypotheses, item memory was better for non-food items across both groups. Similarly, memory was better for non-food-scene associations in both binge-eating and control groups. Follow-up logistic regression analyses assessing the relationship between item memory and self-reported binge frequency revealed a reduction in the advantage for non-food versus food items as binge frequency increased. Interestingly, a separate regression analysis also revealed that memory accuracy increased for items that individuals reported commonly eating during a binge episode. Lastly, an exploratory logistic regression analysis assessing the relationship between performance and the extent to which the individual reported impairment or distress related to eating behaviors revealed reduced non-food item memory and reduced associative memory accuracy for both food and non-food items as self-reported distress increased. These findings demonstrate novel disorder-related memory biases related to binge-eating frequencies, relevancy, and impairment related to the behaviors.

Samarth Singhal; Donald Sens, PhD; Sonalika Singhal, PhD

Title: Multi-axis biopsy-RNA biomarkers for acute kidney injury demonstrate superior discrimination in a multi-cohort study 

Abstract:

Purpose: AKI remains difficult to define using routine clinical measures because creatinine-based assessment reflects kidney function rather than the molecular state of injured kidney tissue, and it can miss or delay detection of tubular injury. In biopsy studies, single-gene injury markers can also be unstable across cohorts and platforms. This work addresses that gap by building a compact biopsy-RNA classifier of AKI vs healthy that reports a single probability and four interpretable axes: aPT, aTAL, HRTPT-Up, and HREC24T-Up. The aPT axis reflects adaptive proximal tubule injury biology, while aTAL reflects adaptive thick ascending limb injury biology.

Methods: A L2-penalized logistic regression model was trained using four standardized RNA axes. HRTPT-Up was used to capture repair and dedifferentiation program intensity, while HREC24T-Up was used to capture distal/non-PT epithelial composition burden and repair-diluting context. The aPT and aTAL markers captured the adapted proximal tubule and thick ascending limb cell population.

Results: The four-axis model showed superior AKI discrimination compared with benchmarked single-gene injury markers. It achieved an AUC of 0.974 in cohort data, and external validation supported robust performance across independent biopsy RNA cohorts.

Conclusion: This study presents a compact, interpretable multi-axis biopsy-RNA framework with greater robustness and interpretability than single-gene injury markers. It may serve as a molecular adjunct for summarizing AKI-consistent tubular injury biology in heterogeneous biopsy settings.

Peyton Zaun; Yousuf Alam; Md Zahidul Hasan, PhD; Estelle Leclerc, PhD

Title: Effect of RAGE on T Cells in a 3D Melanoma Tumor Microenvironment Spheroid Model

Abstract:

The receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) is a cell surface receptor that promotes melanoma cell proliferation, tumor growth, metastasis, and chemoresistance. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is composed of blood vessels, signaling molecules, and immune cells, including T cells, B cells, and macrophages, which collectively support tumor progression. This study aimed to determine whether RAGE in melanoma cells influences the populations of T cells in the TME.

To reach our goal, we generated an in vitro melanoma spheroid co-culture model with murine splenocytes that mimic the immune component of the TME. Spheroids were generated from two B16F10 murine melanoma cell lines: parental RAGE-expressing cells and CRISPR/Cas9-engineered RAGE-knockout cells. Spheroids were formed in Nunclon Sphera 96 U-bottom plates using 250 cells per well in media supplemented with methylcellulose to promote aggregation. The spheroids were imaged daily, and diameters were quantified from brightfield images using ImageJ software.

Immune cells were isolated from spleens of immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice. Baseline T cell populations (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+) were characterized prior to co-culture. Flow cytometry was performed using a Beckman Coulter CytoFlex S system.

We first evaluated whether splenocytes influenced spheroid growth. No differences in growth rates were observed between RAGE-expressing and RAGE-knockout spheroids in the presence or absence of splenocytes. Ongoing studies are assessing how RAGE expression affects T cell populations within the co-culture system.

Odalis G. Garcia, MS; Katherine A. Duggan, PhD

Title: Investigating the relationship between dreams, sleep, and autobiographical emotional memory reprocessing

Abstract:

Purpose: Following stress, nightmares and sleep disturbances become more common. Both nightmares and sleep disturbances are predictive of pathologies such as depression, anxiety, cardiovascular disease, and dementia. Notably, nightmares and sleep disturbances are hallmark symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Understanding sleep- and dream-dependent emotional memory processes co-occur helps us understand how they impact psychopathology.

Methods: In a 14-day experimental study we aim to understand how emotional autobiographical memories (word-cued to be positive, negative, or neutral) impact subsequent dreaming and sleep. Further, we aim to differentiate the effects of sleep and dreams on the reduced arousal of emotional memories. Participants undergo an imagery procedure with one of their retrieved memories as we assess their arousal (self-reported and heart rate). After a 90-minute in-lab nap (polysomnography-assessed) participants are once again asked to conduct the imagery procedure and 10 days later for a third and final imagery procedure.

(Anticipated) Results: Dream occurrence (in-lab and throughout study) is expected to be highest for participants in the emotional valence conditions. Furthermore, decreases in arousal across timepoints of the imagery procedure are expected to be predicted by dreams and, to a lesser extent, sleep. This would support theories that posit dreams preferentially consolidate emotional memories and reduce their arousal.

Conclusions: This study utilizes emotional-cognitive models to understand how nightmares and sleep disturbances are related to downstream psychopathologies. In particular, this research can inform our understanding of the early development of PTSD based on these intrusive and arousing symptoms.

Leia Lauer; Sofie Robinson; Elise Foell; Ramkumar Mathur, PhD

Title: Transcriptomic Analysis of Fucosylated and Non-Fucosylated EpCAM⁺ Epithelial Cells in Colorectal Cancer

Abstract:

Purpose: Altered glycosylation, including fucosylation, has been linked to colorectal cancer (CRC) progression and tumor aggressiveness. However, the molecular differences between fucosylated and non-fucosylated epithelial cell populations remain poorly understood. This study aims to identify transcriptomic differences between these cell populations and determine their potential roles in tumor progression and treatment resistance.

Methods: EpCAM⁺ epithelial cells will be isolated and separated into fucosylated and non-fucosylated colon cancer vs adjacent patients colonic tissue using cell sorting approaches. Bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) will be performed to identify differentially expressed genes and signaling pathways associated with each population. Candidate genes and pathways will be further evaluated for their association with tumor progression and therapy resistance in colorectal cancer datasets.

Results: We expect to identify distinct gene expression signatures between fucosylated and non-fucosylated EpCAM⁺ epithelial cells. Fucosylated cell populations may show enrichment of pathways related to inflammation, tumor growth, immune signaling, and therapeutic resistance. These findings may reveal molecular programs associated with aggressive colorectal cancer phenotypes.

Conclusion: Study will provide insight into how epithelial cell fucosylation contributes to colorectal cancer biology. Understanding the molecular differences between fucosylated and non-fucosylated epithelial cells may help identify biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets linked to tumor progression and treatment resistance in CRC.

Elise Foell; Hakan Celik; Sofie Robinson; Leia Lauer; Ramkumar Mathur, PhD

Title: Age-Stratified Machine Learning Analysis of Therapeutic, Immune, and Glycosylation Gene Signatures in Colorectal Cancer

Abstract:

Purpose: Colorectal cancer (CRC) shows important biological differences across age groups, but most biomarker studies do not consider age-related molecular variation. This study aimed to develop an age-aware machine learning framework to identify gene signatures associated with tumor, normal, and mucosal tissues in CRC.

Methods: Transcriptomic data from the publicly available GSE44076 dataset (n = 246) were analyzed by dividing patients into younger (<70 years) and older (≥70 years) groups. Three biologically relevant gene categories were investigated: Therapeutic, Immune, and Glycosylation genes. Machine learning models including Random Forest, Support Vector Machine (SVM), Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM), and KTSP were evaluated using repeated nested cross-validation. External validation was performed using the independent GSE106582 dataset.

Results: Top-10 gene panels achieved high classification performance, with balanced accuracy ranging from 0.94 to 0.99 and macro-AUC values up to 0.99. Smaller top-3 gene models also maintained strong predictive performance. Distinct age-related molecular differences were observed, particularly in immune signaling and glycosylation pathways. External validation confirmed the robustness and generalizability of the identified gene signatures, with accuracy values of approximately 93–97%.

Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that age is an important molecular factor in colorectal cancer biology. The findings support the development of age-informed biomarkers and highlight the value of interpretable machine learning approaches for precision oncology research.

Sofie Robinson; Leia Lauer; Elise Foell; Ramkumar Mathur, PhD

Title: Role of Fucosylation in Epithelial Cell Migration in Early- and Late-Onset Colorectal Cancer

Abstract:

Purpose: Early-onset colorectal cancer (EORC) and late-onset colorectal cancer (LORC) display important differences in tumor progression and aggressiveness. We have previously shown that epithelial cell fucosylation contributes to colorectal cancer cell migration. This study aims to comprehensively investigate how inhibition of fucosylation affects epithelial migration across different mouse age groups representing EORC and LORC models.

Methods: Colorectal cancer epithelial cell from young and old mouse models will be used to represent early-onset and late-onset colorectal cancer. Cells from colon cancer vs adjacent patients colonic tissue will be treated with 2FF, a pharmacologic inhibitor of fucosylation, to reduce surface fucosylation levels. Migration assays will be performed to compare epithelial cell movement between untreated and 2FF-treated groups. These experiments will be conducted comprehensively across multiple mouse age groups to evaluate age-dependent differences in migration behavior and response to fucosylation inhibition.

Results: We expect epithelial cells derived from older mouse models to exhibit increased migration compared with younger models. Inhibition of fucosylation with 2FF is expected to reduce epithelial migration, particularly in late-onset colorectal cancer models, suggesting that fucosylation contributes to aggressive tumor behavior and age-associated disease progression.

Conclusion: We will further define the role of fucosylation in colorectal cancer epithelial migration and determine how aging influences these effects. The findings may support fucosylation inhibition as a potential therapeutic strategy for reducing tumor progression in colorectal cancer.

Hannah Krier, BS; Ally Feland, BS; Aarabhi Gurumoorthy, DDS, MPH; Kayla Geyer, BS; Anu Gaba, MD

Title: Use of Oncotype Dx Assay and other risk factors vs. Breast Cancer Index to predict benefit from extended endocrine therapy in hormone receptor positive breast cancer

Abstract:

The Oncotype Dx assay can be used to determine if chemotherapy is avoidable in early-stage breast cancer (BC). The Breast Cancer Index (BCI) is also used to evaluate the necessity of extending endocrine therapy (ET). This study aims to evaluate if patients can avoid receiving the BCI 5 years after therapy.

This is a retrospective chart review from Sanford’s EMR. Participants include early-stage female BC patients, HR+ Her2 negative, who have received both the Oncotype Dx Assay and the BCI.

Of 107 patients, 28 (26.17%) had a low-risk oncotype dx assay recurrence score (RS), 61(57.01%) had intermediate risk and 18(16.82%) had high risk. Patients who received chemotherapy were more likely to have a BCI result predicting benefit from extending ET (p=0.0220). Patients with a high-risk RS were more likely to have a predicted benefit from extending ET by BCI when compared to those in the low and intermediate risk groups combined (p=0.0247). The Correlation coefficient between the risk of distant recurrence within 9-10 years after 5 years of ET from the Oncotype and the risk of cumulative distant recurrence from year 0-10 with 5 years of ET from the BCI was 0.55006 (p value = <0.0001).

Our analysis showed that those who received adjuvant chemotherapy with a high-risk RS had a BCI result predicting benefit from extending ET. This could exclude use of the BCI in a subset of patients and help providers use the Oncotype Dx RS alone to determine if extended therapy is needed.

Redemptor Zhou; Nushrat Alam; Emily Chinowth; Ying Kang; Jiha Kim, PhD; Elisabetta Liverani PhD; Natasha Fillmore PhD

Title: Cardiac effects of pancreatic cancer in a KPC mouse mode

Abstract:

Evidence has linked heart failure to cancer treatment. The relationship between Pancreatic cancer (PC), which is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths and has the highest mortality rate among major cancers and heart failure is underexplored. Interestingly, pathological molecular changes have been found in the heart of pancreatic cancer models. In our study, we utilized a spontaneously developing pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) mouse model (KPC mouse model) to investigate the potential implication of PDAC on cardiac function. KPC mice express LSL-K-ras^G12D/+; p53^R172H/+; Pdx1-Cre (KPC) and are expected to spontaneously develop PDAC. These mice are on a C57BL/6J background. We used the Vevo 3100 to conduct echocardiography at 8 and 12 weeks of age to monitor cardiac function. We noticed elevated % fractional shortening in KPC mice compared to controls (Pdx1-Cre) at 12 weeks. At 12 weeks, in KPC mice, % ejection fraction also showed an increased trend. Surprisingly, heart rate and left ventricular mass corrected were not different between KPC and control mice. Also, we did not observe a lower body weight in KPC vs Control mice within the 12 weeks period. Our data indicates cardiac changes occur during PDAC development in KPC mice. This increase in systolic function may be an early compensatory (biphasic) phase which has been reported in other cancers. Currently, we are exploring whether the results observed are chronic or transient, and whether it is due to a change in cardiac energy metabolism.

Junguk Hur, PhD

Title: Open-Source Research Informatics Resources Developed by the TRANSCEND Research Design, Compliance and Data Management Core

Abstract:

Purpose: The TRANSCEND Research Design, Compliance and Data Management Core (RDCDC) develops practical informatics resources to support research administration, regulatory compliance, and research data workflows. This project describes several open-source tools created to streamline operational tasks encountered in academic research environments.

Methods: Three software resources were developed using open-source web frameworks and AI-assisted document processing approaches. The applications were designed to support scalable deployment, institutional customization, reproducibility, and broad usability across academic research settings. Development emphasized usability within academic research settings, including support for peer review coordination, compliance documentation, and research literature organization. All tools were deployed as publicly accessible web resources with source code maintained through a shared GitHub repository.

Results: The developed tools address several operational needs in translational research administration and data management. The Asynchronous Study Section Platform (https://ignet.org/async-grant-review/) supports NIH-style peer review workflows through blinded reviewer discussion, reviewer assignment, structured scoring, and centralized coordination. The IRB Assistant (https://ignet.org/irb-assistant/) was developed to support protocol drafting and compliance documentation for institutional review board submissions. The Research PDF Renaming Assistant (http://hurlab.med.und.edu/pdf-renamer) automates extraction of bibliographic metadata and standardized file naming for manuscript collections and literature management workflows. Source code and related resources are publicly available through the TRANSCEND RDCDC GitHub organization (https://github.com/orgs/CTR-TRANSCEND/repositories), supporting collaborative development and institutional reuse.

Conclusion: Open-source informatics resources can help reduce administrative burden while improving consistency across academic research operations. The TRANSCEND RDCDC resource suite illustrates an adaptable approach for supporting research administration, compliance activities, and research data organization across academic research environments.

Hasin Rehana, MS; Hunter Row, MD; Junguk Hur, PhD; Marina Kim, PhD; Cornelius Dyke, MD

Title: A Literature-Grounded Artificial Intelligence Framework for Vascular Access Complication Risk Modeling in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Abstract:

Purpose: Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) is associated with vascular access complications (VACs) in 5-8% of cases, contributing to increased morbidity and prolonged hospitalization. Because vascular anatomy determines procedural safety, preprocedural Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) is routinely used to assess vascular access suitability. However, CTA assessment requires time-intensive expert analysis and is subject to inter-operator variability. This study presents an artificial intelligence (AI) framework integrating Large Language Model (LLM)-based biomedical relation extraction to identify vascular risk factors for VACs in TAVR patients.

Methods: An LLM pipeline with structured outputs was applied to approximately 500 TAVR-related publications to extract relationships between vascular features and VAC outcomes. Extracted relationships were aggregated into a vascular risk taxonomy and compared with preliminary statistical analyses from an institutional TAVR cohort. Identified predictors will guide development of a deep learning framework for CTA-based VAC risk prediction.

Results: Literature mining identified 177 unique vascular feature-outcome associations. Calcification, common femoral artery diameter, iliofemoral tortuosity, TASC score, vessel depth, and peripheral vascular disease emerged as the most consistently reported VAC predictors. Key predictors were consistent with preliminary statistical analyses of the Sanford TAVR cohort, supporting their use for feature selection and model development. These findings support ongoing development of CTA-based deep learning models for VAC prediction.

Conclusion: LLM-based literature mining provides a scalable approach for identifying clinically relevant vascular risk factors in TAVR. The proposed framework may support standardized CTA-based risk assessment and reduce dependence on specialist expertise, particularly in rural healthcare systems.

Elona Dhrami; Aimene Aihar; Kyan Barth; Abhinav Gudapati

Title: CNN-Based Binary Retinal Screening Under Simulated Non-Mydriatic Conditions: A Proof-of-Concept Study

Abstract:

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of a convolutional neural network (CNN) for binary retinal disease screening under simulated non-mydriatic imaging, using a dual-dataset strategy to reduce confounding between feature learning and disease prevalence effects.

Methods: Retinal fundus images (n=355) spanning 16 disease categories were sourced from publicly available repositories. A class-enriched training dataset (n=310) ensured representation of rare pathologies, while a Bayesian-weighted prevalence-representative dataset (n=100) was held exclusively for final testing to approximate primary care disease distribution. Images were processed through a standardized simulation pipeline incorporating field-of-view restriction and controlled image degradation to approximate non-mydriatic acquisition. A ResNet-50 model pretrained on ImageNet was fine-tuned using class-weighted cross-entropy loss. Given the limited dataset size, findings are considered preliminary.

Results: Multi-class validation accuracy was 55.77%, with stronger recall for well-represented categories (healthy: 83%, glaucoma: 80%) and near-zero recall for rare classes (n<5), which are statistically unstable. For binary refer/no-refer screening—the primary outcome—the model achieved an AUC of 0.989 (interpreted cautiously given sample size and class distribution), with 93% sensitivity and up to 100% specificity at selected thresholds. Results may be influenced by synthetic preprocessing and absence of real-world non-mydriatic acquisition.

Conclusion: This proof-of-concept supports the feasibility of CNN-based refer/no-refer retinal triage in a simulated setting. While binary discrimination between normal and abnormal images showed promising separability, findings are limited by small dataset size, class imbalance, and simulated imaging conditions. Prospective validation using larger, real-world non-mydriatic datasets is required before clinical application.

Tiffanie Magnusson; Luca Pupillo; Elona Dhrami; Claire Boynton

Title: Autonomic Pain Assessment Platform - Disentangling Pain from Physiological Confounders

Abstract:

Purpose: Objective pain assessment is limited by inter-subject variability and autonomic confounds in shared biosignals. This proof-of-concept study presents a confound-aware pipeline to isolate nociceptive physiological signatures from autonomic noise in chronic musculoskeletal back pain.

Methods: The PhysioPain dataset (Toktay et al., Data in Brief, 2025; n≈99) provided 48 subjects (31 back pain, 17 controls; 1,899 thirty-second windows). Electrodermal activity (EDA), blood volume pulse, and skin temperature were acquired at 4 Hz via Empatica E4; accelerometer data was excluded to isolate autonomic response. Twelve features (tonic/phasic EDA, heart rate, Root Mean Square of Successive Differences (RMSSD), and baseline-relative delta features) were input to a Random Forest classifier with 5-fold subject-level cross-validation.

Results: Binary classification (back pain versus no pain) achieved 45.7% ± 11.0% accuracy, 38.4% balanced accuracy, and macro-F1 of 33.6%. Severity grading across four Likert levels (scales 2–5) achieved 38.5% ± 13.8% accuracy and macro-F1 of 22.0%; Scale 5 (n=2 subjects) yielded zero correct predictions, reflecting critical class sparsity. High fold-to-fold variance confirms sensitivity to subject composition in this small cohort. Skin temperature and baseline-relative delta features ranked highest in importance.

Conclusions: These proof-of-concept baselines suggest the potential utility of autonomic wristband signals — without EEG or motion data — for chronic musculoskeletal pain discrimination. This pipeline introduces, to our knowledge, the first machine learning benchmark on PhysioPain. Limitations include a small single-site cohort (n=48), single dataset, no external validation, and severity class imbalance. Prospective, larger-scale, subject-independent validation is required before clinical translation.

Peter A. Bueide, MD; Alexander CM. Chong, MSAE MSME; Reese W. Anderson; Darin J. Ulness, PhD

Title: Gold Nanorod and Reduced Graphene Oxide Doped Acrylic Bone Cement: Mechanical Stability and Feasibility of Photothermal Therapy

Abstract:
Purpose: The purposes of this study were 1) to evaluate the in vitro feasibility of photothermal therapy (PTT) using gold nanorod (GNR) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) doped polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) bone cement, and 2) to assess the mechanical properties of GNR and RGO doped PMMA before and after PTT exposure.

Methods: Eighty-four PMMA tensile specimens were prepared, with groups representing control, GNR concentrations of 10, 50, and 100 µg/mL, and RGO concentrations of 10, 100, and 200 µg/mL (irradiated: 6 specimens/group; non-irradiated: 6 specimens/group). A 1064nm laser (2.85W/cm²) was used for PTT. Irradiated surface temperature and the time required to reach 70°C on the non-irradiated surface were recorded using thermal cameras. Ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and elastic modulus (E) were measured for each specimen. ANOVA with least significant difference was used to assess variables.

Results: Higher nanoparticle concentrations resulted in faster and greater heat generation. UTS and E did not vary between irradiated and non-irradiated specimens at any nanoparticle concentration (p>0.05). However, a statistically significant difference in E of less than 0.23 GPa was found when comparing the non-irradiated control group to irradiated and nonirradiated GNR samples.

Conclusions:  GNR and RGO doped PMMA bone cement is a potential platform for PTT. GNR and RGO doping PMMA does not produce any appreciable changes in UTS or E before or after PTT exposure under the parameters tested. Future work should focus on in vitro efficacy against bacterial and tumor cells and determining predictable experimental parameters for reaching desired target temperatures.

Gary G Schwartz, PhD, MD, PhD; David Schmitz, MD; Marilyn Klug, PhD

Title: Radon Testing via the North Dakota Tobacco Quitline

Abstract:                                                                                                                                                                      Purpose: Tobacco quitlines are found in all 50 US states and offer services like counseling, nicotine gum, and drugs to callers interested in quitting smoking. Radon is an invisible, odorless, tasteless, radioactive gas that accumulates in basements and is the leading source of residential exposure to ionizing radiation. Quitlines represent an opportunity to reach a population at elevated risk from radon gas. Radon is the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer (after smoking) and smokers exposed to lung cancer have a ten times greater risk of developing lung cancer.
Methods: North Dakota has high indoor radon due to high levels of uranium in the soil and cold winters. Two-thirds of homes in North Dakota have high radon, above the 4 pCi/L cutoff that the EPA recommends for remediation. Many houses may also exceed 20 pCi/L. Therefore, we worked with the ND QuitLine to provide radon information and services. Callers were offered a free radon test kit. We also measured demographics, interest in test kits, and test kit return rate.
Results: Over the course of 500 callers, 251 (50%) requested a kit and 75 (15%) sent it in for testing. We found that among callers, only 20% knew radon caused lung cancer. And for returned test kits, half had radon levels that exceeded 4 pCi/L.
Conclusion: Our feasibility study found that radon education and test distribution via a tobacco quitlin

Sydney Rea; Soojung Kim, PhD, MPH

Title: Radon Testing: Remember, it’s important!

Abstract:
Purpose: This feasibility study tests the effectiveness of smartphone calendar reminders to increasing the borrowing and use of digital radon test detectors at Grand Forks Public Library. In collaboration with the library, downloadable calendar links will be promoted via its digital newsletter, website, and social media over three months. By leveraging existing resources with minimal investment, this study could offer a scalable strategy to improve radon testing.
Methods: We will provide a downloadable calendar invite that prompts participants to test their homes for radon after checking out a digital test kit from the Grand Forks Public Library, featuring recurring reminders at various times and dates with the library as the meeting location. This link will be promoted over three months via the library’s website, digital newsletters, and social media platforms. To assess the intervention’s effectiveness, we will compare checkout rates of the digital radon test kits before and after the calendar reminders are implemented.
Anticipated Results: Since April 2023, the Grand Forks Public Library's digital radon detector program has averaged a monthly circulation of 43 tests without waitlists. Outcomes include: (1) behavioral: monthly circulation and waitlist numbers, (2) analytical: click-through rates from promotional channels, and (3) qualitative: patron interviews.
Conclusion: If smartphone calendar reminders prove feasible for increasing radon testing, we can evaluate their effectiveness through clinical trials, develop tailored strategies based on geographic and lifestyle differences, and recommend this cost-effective approach to public health organizations to boost home radon testing rates.

Mark R Williamson, PhD

Title: Small-Scale Radon Reduction Experiments

Abstract:
Introduction: Radon is a radioactive gas and residential risk factor for lung cancer. While radon remediation is straightforward, the current gold-standard—active ventilation—can be expensive and involve extensive structural modification. Therefore, my future research goal is to construct high-radon sheds to test alterative radon remediation devices that are 1) low-cost, 2) flexible, and 3) efficient. To provide proof-of-concept data to support that research project, I have set up miniature radon chambers.
Methodology: I constructed four small acrylic radon chambers using granite chunks as radon emitters and continuous monitors for measuring radon. Each experimental run tested radon levels before and after treatment. Across experiments, I tested air circulation, Spanish moss, and activated charcoal. At the end of each experiment, the data was extracted from the radon monitors and analyzed, controlling for chamber variability.
Results: In Experiment 1, a combination of Spanish moss and an active fan significantly reduced radon. Conversely, in Experiment 2, neither Spanish moss treatment provided significant radon reduction, while activated charcoal did. In Experiment 3, activated charcoal significantly reduced radon levels with or without an active fan, consistent across two set replicates. For Experiment 4, while activated charcoal reduced radon, there was no evidence of a dose response, at least for volumes with the same exposed surface area.
Conclusions and Significance: The acrylic test chambers have proven to be a stable and cost-effective method of running tests with radon, building a body of experimental evidence that will assist with future scaled-up experiments for radon reduction.

Abdullah Reda; Jonathan Cortese; Sherief Ghozy; Aryan Gajjar; Dani Douri; Ramanathan Kadirvel; David F. Kallmes

Title: Can the clot meniscus and claw signs predict thrombectomy and clinical outcomes in patients with stroke? A systematic review and meta- analysis

Abstract:
The angiographic shape of an occlusion, like the clot meniscus sign and the claw sign, has been reported to potentially impact the recanalization rate and clinical outcome in patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic strokes. Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Embase and Web of Science databases. Patients were grouped into clot meniscus/claw sign positive and negative groups based on the definitions obtained from each study. Primary outcomes included technical success, with a meta- analysis performed using a random- effects model to calculate proportions and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (Cl). We included seven studies recruiting 1572 patients. The results indicated that the positive and negative groups had comparable first- pass effect (OR 1.95; 95% CI 0.76 to 5.01; P=0.167) and final recanalization (OR 1.36; 95% CI 0.81 to 2.27; P=0.248) rates. However, the rate of having a favorable functional outcome was significantly higher in the positive group than in the negative sign group (OR 1.91; 95% CI 1.25 to 2.92; P<0.003). Within the sign- positive population, the use of contact aspiration was associated with a significantly higher rate of recanalization compared with using a stent retriever (OR 0.18; 95% CI 0.07 to 0.49; P<0.001). This result did not translate into a clinical impact, as both stent retriever and contact aspiration showed comparable rates of functional independence at 3 months (OR 0.22; 95% CI 0.02 to 2.33; P=0.210). The presence of the clot meniscus/claw sign is not associated with recanalization outcomes after thrombectomy. However, it might be a good sign to predict which thrombectomy technique might be associated with better recanalization, although current evidence may need further confirmation.

Madhur Shetty; Chris R. Brown; Gary G. Schwartz, PhD, MPH, PhD; Marilyn G. Klug, PhD; James D. Foster, PhD

Title: Impact of Lead exposure on Dopamine Transporter Function: Potential link between Environmental Toxicology and Parkinson’s Disease

Abstract:
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disorder marked by the loss of dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons and dopamine (DA) dysregulation. Although most PD cases are idiopathic, emerging epidemiological evidence suggests that environmental factors, including lead (Pb²⁺) exposure, may play a significant role in disease etiology. Recent studies have linked lead (Pb²⁺) in drinking water, mobilized by acid rain, and the presence of municipal lead service lines, with increased PD prevalence. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear.
Our study focuses on the dopamine transporter (DAT), a presynaptic protein critical for clearing extracellular dopamine (DA) and maintaining DAergic tone. Dysregulation of DAT function contributes to neuropsychiatric conditions including depression, PD, ADHD, schizophrenia, and substance use disorders. Using a translational framework, we examined whether Pb²⁺ exposure in the drinking water of rats or in an immortalized DAergic cell line (N27) affects DAT activity, expression, and post-translational regulation via phosphorylation and palmitoylation.
ur findings show that a 30-day exposure to 1000 ppm Pb²⁺ in drinking water reduced DA uptake capacity without altering total DAT expression in rat striatal synaptosomes. A decrease in DA transport capacity was also seen in N27 cells exposed to relatively low concentrations (300-500 μM or 63-105 ppm) without significant cellular toxicity. In contrast to animals, reduced DA transport was accompanied by a decrease in total cellular DAT in cells but without any change in cell surface DAT expression. While palmitoylation of DAT was unaffected, phosphorylation at Thr53 trended upward in response to Pb²⁺ in both synaptosomes and neuronal cells.These results indicate that Pb²⁺ disrupts DAT function independent of surface expression or palmitoylation, with an upward trend in Thr53 phosphorylation potentially serving as a compensatory mechanism in order to maintain cell surface levels of DAT in response to overall decreased levels of cellular DAT. These findings suggest that reduced DA uptake efficiency offers a mechanistic link between environmental lead exposure and DAergic dysfunction in PD.

Anupom Deb Nath; Estelle Leclerc, PhD; Stefan Vetter, PhD

Title: Identification of Ligand-Specific Monoclonal Anti-RAGE Antibodies Using a Live-Cell NanoLuciferase Assay

Abstract:
Purpose: The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is a cell surface receptor that has functions on normal physiology and got upregulated in diseased conditions such as diabetes and cancer. The full-length RAGE protein comprises a variable-like (V) domain, constant type 1 (C1) and constant type 2 (C2) domains, a transmembrane segment, and a cytoplasmic tail. RAGE has multiple ligands such as AGEs, HMGB1, S100 proteins, amyloid β peptides etc. Targeting RAGE to block specific ligand interactions holds therapeutic potential across multiple diseases. This study aims to identify ligand-specific RAGE antagonists using a live-cell system.
Methods: The NanoLuciferase complementation system, NanoBiT, was utilized to investigate RAGE-ligand interactions. For this purpose, HEK293 cells were stably transfected with an LgBiT-tagged human RAGE (hRAGE) receptor. To complement the LgBiT, SmBiT-tagged S100B and HMGB1 were employed, as both ligands are known to bind RAGE. Following complementation of LgBiT and SmBiT, luciferase activity was measured upon the addition of furimazine substrate. Changes in luminescence signals were assessed to identify ligand displacement by anti-RAGE antibody binding.
Results: A stable cell line expressing the target receptor (LgbiT_hRAGE) was generated and characterized. SmBiT-tagged S100B and HMGB1 proteins were successfully constructed, expressed, and purified. The interaction between LgBiT_hRAGE and SmBiT-tagged proteins effectively reconstituted the NanoLuciferase enzyme. Furthermore, the NanoBiT system demonstrated the ability to detect competition with untagged S100B, and detected antibodies demonstrating specific RAGE-ligand interactions.
Conclusion: This system successfully identified ligand-specific receptor antagonists, paving the way for further characterization of receptor antagonists for therapeutic purposes.

Yousuf Alam, MS; Estelle Leclerc, PhD

Title: Effect of RAGE inhibition on vemurafenib treatment in BRAF mutated melanoma tumors

Abstract:
Purpose: BRAF mutations are present in over half of melanoma tumors, making vemurafenib a targeted treatment option for these patients. However, resistance to vemurafenib often develops within seven months during the treatment. The receptor for advanced glycation (RAGE) plays a critical role in melanoma progression by modulating cell proliferation, and tumor cell survival through the inhibition of apoptosis, and modulation of different signaling pathways regulated by PI3/AKT, STAT3, and SAPK/JNK. Moreover, RAGE has been implicated in therapy resistance through regulation of autophagy. We hypothesize that RAGE inhibition enhances the sensitivity of melanoma cells to vemurafenib by decreasing cell proliferation, modulating autophagy and the signaling pathway regulated by PI3/AKT, STAT3, and SAPK/JNK.
Method: We investigated the synergistic effects of vemurafenib in combination with the RAGE inhibitor FPS-ZM1 in the WM115 human melanoma cell line. Cell viability was assessed using Alamar Blue, and drug synergy was analyzed using the Combenefit software. Changes in the levels of the autophagic markers LC3-I/-II and p62, the signaling pathways regulators SAPK/JNK, PI3/AKT and STAT3 are currently being evaluated by western blot analysis.
Results: Our data suggest that RAGE inhibition sensitize BRAF mutated melanoma cells to vemurafenib, and we observed the strongest synergistic effects with 30μM vemurafenib and 10μM FPS-ZM1. Our initial Western blot results suggest that the drug combination reduces the autophagic flux.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that RAGE inhibition sensitizes BRAF mutated melanoma cells to vemurafenib.

Benjamin Roche, PhD

Title: Characterizing conserved G0 maintenance mechanisms to fight dormant cancers

Abstract:
Cancer research is making tremendous progress—yet a key challenge remains: the persistence of minimal residual disease after primary tumor treatment, resulting in relapse and secondary tumors with significantly worse phenotypes, prognosis and chemoresistance. Multiple mechanisms contribute to persistence, in particular equilibrium with the immune system and the phenomenon of tumor dormancy.
Dormant cancer cells, although rare, disseminate early to distant organs. Their exit from the cell cycle to a G0 phase (cellular quiescence) shields such cells from chemotherapy, which primarily relies on drugs targeting actively-dividing cells (such as DNA replication poisons), as well as from the immune system. Re-entry of G0 cells into the cell cycle results in tumor relapse and metastasis after months to years of sub-clinical disease, and these cancer cells can benefit from years of accumulated mutations conferring them further resistance to treatments. How can we address the fundamental need to find strategies to target dormant cancer cells and prevent tumor relapse?
Studies across eukaryotic evolution over the past decade have shown that G0 is an actively-maintained cellular state. Furthermore, our lab discovered that specific—and conserved—molecular pathways are required for cell viability specifically in model dormant cells, particularly involving RNA metabolism. This strongly suggests that there are dormancy-specific oncogene addictions in cancer cells, and is uncovering a panel of novel therapeutic targets to be used in combination with traditional approaches. As current drug screening protocols, both in vitro and pre-clinical studies, are not designed to identify drugs specifically active on dormant cancer cells, we are developing new assays with model eukaryotes to not only delineate the full range of targetable G0 pathways, but also start the first high-throughput screens to identify G0-active drugs. We aim to synergize this research with translational labs and approaches, to discover and test anti-dormancy cancer drugs.

Gavin Salisbury; Sarmad Al-Marsoummi, PhD; Seema Somji, PhD; Donald Sens, PhD; Scott Garrett PhD

Title: Investigation of the Effect of Cell Surface Marker CD133 in Renal Progenitor Cells

Abstract:
The proximal tubule of the kidney is the main site of damage after exposure to toxins, hypoxia, or major injury. The renal tubular progenitor cell population is responsible for the recovery and regeneration of the proximal tubule after these events. These renal progenitor cells are sparsely scattered within the kidney and identified by their co-expression of the known stem cell markers CD133 and CD24. The hypothesis of this study is that CD133 plays a critical functional role in stemness and self-renewal of renal progenitor cells. Using CD24+/CD133+ renal progenitor (HRTPT) cells isolated from the immortalized RPTEC/TERT1 proximal tubular cell line, we established a CD133 knockdown with a lentiviral vector expressing short hairpin against CD133. We assessed gene and protein expression of CD133 and select stem cell markers using RT-qPCR and Simple Western procedures. We measured self-renewal capability by nephrosphere formation under ultralow-attachment conditions and multipotent differentiation capacity by cell growth under adipogenic, tubulogenic, osteogenic, and neurogenic conditions. Results showed that CD133 knockdown in HRTPT cells caused a significant decrease in the expression of stem cell markers (CD133, OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, CD44, and CMYC) and reduced self-renewal capacity as indicated by reduced nephrosphere formation. In addition, CD133 knockdown significantly decreased the differentiation capacity in tubulogenic and osteogenic media.
Our results indicate that CD133 is critical for stem/progenitor characteristics in HRTPT cells and loss of CD133 results in decreased ability to perform self-renewal and multipotent differentiation capacity, indicating the importance of CD133 as a potential therapeutic target in acute kidney injury.

Jordan Giewat; Sarmad Al-Marsoummi, PhD; Donald Sens, PhD; Scott Garrett, PhD

Title: Attenuation of Cisplatin-induced toxicity and effect upon cell cycle arrest in renal proximal tubular cells via Canagliflozin, an SGLT2 Inhibitor

Abstract:
Cisplatin is a commonly effective chemotherapeutic, yet acute kidney injury is a significant dose-limiting factor in cisplatin-based therapies. Canagliflozin (INVOKANA®), an SGLT2 inhibitor, has demonstrated off-target renoprotection against cisplatin, though it is poorly understood. It is necessary to investigate this phenomenon by utilizing an in-vitro proximal tubule model to determine the protective effect of canagliflozin in cisplatin-exposed proximal tubule cells. RPTEC/TERT1 is a commercially available immortalized cell line from human cortical cultures with proximal tubule-like features, from which we isolated HRTPT and HREC24T populations, with stem-like features and more differentiation, respectively. We hypothesize that canagliflozin treatment to cisplatin-exposed RPTEC/TERT1 cells will decrease cisplatin-induced toxicity and effect cycle arrest previously observed in HRTPT cells. RPTEC/TERT1 cells were treated with clinically relevant canagliflozin doses and exposed to moderately toxic cisplatin levels for 48 and 72 hours to assess concentration and time-dependency of canagliflozin on cisplatin toxicity, followed by crystal violet staining to determine cell viability, and HRTPT cell culture in cisplatin- treated and canagliflozin-treated media to investigate the prevention of cell cycle arrest. Our results indicate that canagliflozin has a significant effect on cisplatin toxicity. Cell viability in canagliflozin-treated RPTEC/TERT1 cells improved in a concentration dependent manner, and canagliflozin attenuated cell cycle arrest in HRTPT cells. In conclusion, this suggests canagliflozin attenuates cisplatin toxicity in human proximal tubule cells at clinically relevant concentrations and cisplatin-induced cell cycle arrest in HRTPT cells. Moving forward, we will continue to investigate cisplatin-induced cell cycle arrest, and how canagliflozin influences gene expression in cisplatin-exposed proximal tubule cells.

Sunisha Tangpong; Fardad Azarmi, PhD

Title: Antibacterial Thermal Spray Coatings: The Future of High-Efficiency Sterilization in Biomedical Applications

Abstract:
Infection through surface transmission of bacteria is an ongoing concern surrounding the spread of disease. As bacteria accumulates on surfaces, biofilm forms as clusters of bacteria that are encased by a protective matrix. In the medical industry, mitigation of biofilm is a particularly difficult challenge due to its antimicrobial resistance characteristics, thus allowing infection to persist. Several medical interventions are currently used to treat device and tools-related infections, including long-term anti-microbial strategies and combinations of antibiotics and surgical revision. Unfortunately, these interventions carry the risk of re-infection, often at higher rates, and the development of antibiotic resistance. In this study, we try to avoid the formation of biofilms by deposition of metallic alloy coatings that exhibit naturally-occurring antimicrobial properties onto desired surfaces such as surgical instruments, tools, and containers. Thermal spray coating technology available at Hard Coating Research Laboratory (HCRL) at North Dakota State University is used for deposition of a well-known biocompatible metallic alloy “Ti-6Al-4V”. The deposited coatings not only protect surfaces against corrosion and wear but are also capable of releasing ions when in contact with microbes and germs. To this end, several coupon samples are prepared by culturing certain types of bacteria on coated and uncoated surfaces. The number of remaining bacteria after allotted time on each surface is counted to evaluate the capabilities of the surfaces in elimination of germs and bacteria. This method will reduce the need for excessive use of antibacterial agents and sterilizing materials before, during, and after every medical procedure.

Christianah Jemiyo; Brett A. McGregor; Hasin Rehana; Junguk Hur, PhD

Title: Racial and Geographic Disparities in the Health Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences: Evidence from 33 U.S. States

Abstract:
Introduction: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have been linked to a wide range of chronic health conditions in U.S. adults. While this connection is well documented, there’s still a pressing need to understand how these associations play out across different racial and ethnic groups. Early life adversity, coupled with structural inequities, may compound health risks in historically marginalized populations. This study investigates the relationship between ACE exposure and chronic disease, with a particular focus on racial disparities and geographic patterns across the United States.
Methodology: We used data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), spanning 33 states from 2019 to 2023. ACE scores were categorized into none, low (1–2), and high (3 or more). We applied log-binomial regression to examine associations between ACE scores and 17 health outcomes, adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, and education. Subgroup analyses were conducted by race/ethnicity, and state-level patterns were summarized.
Results: Among 359,507 respondents, 24.4% reported high ACE exposure. The most common ACEs were emotional abuse, parental separation, and living with someone who had a substance abuse problem. Individuals with high ACE scores had an increased risk of depression, smoking, coronary heart disease, and several other chronic conditions. Subgroup analysis revealed notable racial disparities: while white respondents with high ACE scores were significantly associated with many outcomes, American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) respondents showed the highest risk ratios for heart attack, coronary heart disease, and stroke. State-level analysis showed that ACE prevalence and related health burdens varied across the country, with Oregon and Nevada reporting the highest mean ACE scores.
Conclusion and Significance: High ACE exposure is consistently linked with poor health outcomes, but these impacts are not evenly distributed. Racial and geographic disparities point to the need for more targeted public health interventions. Efforts to prevent and address ACEs should be responsive to the lived experiences of different communities and take into account the broader social and policy contexts that shape the prevalence and impact of ACEs within these communities.

Michael Hill; Sarah Johnson; Sara Faraji Jalal Apostal, PhD; Sergei Nechaev, PhD; Damien Parrello, PhD

Title: UND Genomics Core: Sequencing Excellence and Analysis Empowerment

Abstract:
The University of North Dakota (UND) Genomics Core provides a large panel of sequencing services, along with an innovative cloud-based bioinformatics platform.
The UND Genomics Core offers a diverse set of sequencing technologies from Nanopore, Illumina, 10X Genomics, and NanoString. Leveraging these technologies, the Core provides various sequencing services including bulk, single-cell, or spatial RNA-seq, methylation analysis, targeted and whole genome sequencing.
Understanding the growing need of the great majority of biologists to independently analyze genomics data, the UND Genomics Core has developed an innovative bioinformatics platform, GenomEX. GenomEX provides fully personalized (adjustable CPU/GPU numbers & memory/storage capacity), dedicated (resources available 24/7 without any queue) and customizable (users have administrator rights) cloud-based high-performance computing environments. It enables biologists to seamlessly install over 13,000 bioinformatics tools, generate and execute custom code or command lines, and receive real-time guidance from an AI-based bioinformatics assistant—all through intuitive, one-click processes.
Overall, the UND Genomics Core is a center of excellence where state-of-the-art technologies and cutting-edge ideas converge to advance the field of genomics.