Exploring the Role of Collagens (COL13A1, 14A1, 15A1) in Head and Neck Cancer

 Aisha Yousaf, Verrazzano Class of 2025, completed major in Biology

Conducting my research project on the role of collagen genes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has been an incredibly rewarding academic and personal journey. When I first began this project, I had a general interest in head and neck cancer biology and the roles of the collagen gene family and the extracellular matrix. I didn’t fully realize how much the tumor’s surrounding structure could impact patient survival, treatment outcomes, and even the future of personalized medicine. Through months of literature review, data analysis, and discussions with my mentor, Dr. Nancy Liu-Sullivan, I’ve come to appreciate how complex and dynamic the tumor microenvironment really is.

One of the most important things I learned throughout this process is that cancer research isn’t just about targeting the tumor itself but it’s also about understanding the complex environment in which it exists. I had always thought of collagen as a structural support protein, but through my research, I discovered that different types of collagen can either promote or suppress tumor progression. Investigating COL13A1, COL14A1, and COL15A1 helped me see how even small differences in gene expression can impact overall survival for patients with HNSCC. It was both eye opening and empowering to work with real world RNA-seq data and generate Kaplan-Meier survival plots to draw meaningful conclusions about cancer outcomes.

Beyond the science, this project taught me the importance of staying curious, being persistent, and learning from mentors. The support I received helped me think more clearly, ask better questions, and solve problems in a more thoughtful way. I now feel more confident reading scientific articles, working with data, and talking about cancer biology and treatment. Most importantly, this research has motivated me to keep studying how diseases work at the molecular level and explore how discoveries in the lab/research studies can improve patient care.

Investigating Impact of Differential Metabolic Gene Expressions on a Panel of Cancers

Rachel Tbeile Mann, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Psychology and minor in Biology

I have always enjoyed researching topics that interest me, and this project was no different. I had decided to graduate earlier than I expected to, so I was working on a shorter timeline but still enjoyed the process of researching and developing this thesis.

After taking radiation biology with Dr. Liu-Sullivan, I knew that I wanted to explore this topic further and reached out to her at the end of the semester about doing research. Initially, the focus of the research was going to be an investigation of drinking water quality of zip codes that are near the now closed Fresh Kills Landfill. However, the project had to be redesigned.

The Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) water quality database is only based on one water sample for all of New York, making a comparison of different zip codes impossible. As I had been a part of a research group, we decided to base our project instead on studying five types of cancers that are unusually prevalent among the Staten Island population. We each studied one of those cancers (I studied pancreatic cancer) and how varying levels of gene expression of three genes impact patient prognostics and overall survival.

To analyze the impact of gene expression on patient prognostics and overall survival, I used the KAPLAN-MEIER PLOTTER, which is a comprehensive database that provides information on differential gene expressions using Affimetrix, RNAseq, and DNA sets. This website provides figures that can then be analyzed to gain insight on differential gene expression.

The three genes I studied were: leptin, insulin, and insulin-growth factor. Insulin, which is secreted by the pancreas, controls blood sugar levels to maintain homeostasis. A regulatory protein called insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) controls growth hormones and stimulates the formation of new bones and tissues. Leptin is a protein hormone that is secreted by adipocytes and is vital to the body's energy balance. Leptin stimulates the growth of cancer cells, motility, and metastasis when a malignant tumor appears, although it is not always a cause of cancer.

It is interesting to note that while I expected differential levels of gene expression to have significant impacts on patient prognostic and survival in pancreatic cancer, that was not the case for all of the genes I had studied. Since my results weren’t what I expected, I feel like I gained even more insight on this topic than anticipated.

Through this thesis, I gained a better understanding of how research is conducted in the science world and learned that it doesn’t always go as expected. I also improved my collaboration and data analysis skills. Overall, I am grateful for this experience and especially for the unwavering guidance and support of my mentor throughout this process.

Malaria Drug and Cancer Treatment

 

Anas Owda, Class of 2021, completed major in Biology Health Science 

My Capstone is one of the most memorable experiences of my college career. My topic was about the treatment of cancer using a drug that has been used to treat Malaria.

Dr. Nancy Liu-Sullivan let me do research with her on the role of Artesunate in treating cancer. This drug has been very effective in the treatment of malaria, and a breakthrough has shown that it could possibly be effective against cancer.

I wanted some background information so I would not go into my research blind, so I read what I could about the topic. It was a bit difficult finding studies on the topic, because this was a new treatment used in the fight against cancer.

There has not been much research done but what has been done shows some promising results. I managed to get enough information to complete my capstone paper. This was a great learning opportunity if I do any research again. My research was hand-off this time, meaning that there wasn’t an actual experiment. It was strictly online research and looking at different studies. I hope my research is hands-on next time. Overall, this was a very pleasant experience.