Women in Science Forum
22/07/2010
What is the Epstein-Barr virus ?

I'm a student in Tumour Immunology and I'm working on a therapy using T cells for the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (throat cancer) associated with Epstein Barr virus. This virus is from the family of Herpes. It is a major virus which affects 90 percent of the worlwide population. It is hard to detect because the symptoms are sore throat, flu-like symptoms and people get it when they are oung. The virus stays in the body by invading the immune systems but remains at a "dormant" stage. The Espstein Barr virus only comes out when the immune system is very weak, for example when peopel are immunocompromised. At this moment, it becomes active and lead to a transformation of the cells, which become cancer cells.
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Women in Science Forum
21/07/2010
What is cell therapy ?

I am interested in nose cancer because it is prevalent in my country and in South East Asia. I consider it an "Asian Disease" and it affects mainly people of Chinese descent. Although it affects a majority of males, it is important that more research is done to find an effective treatment option for people affected by this disease. Chemotherapy/radiation are currently the only options. However, the disease may recur and clinical response isn't sufficient. I hope to be able to be part of a team that is able to provide a good alternative treatment, this is why my researd are on cell therapy. This is a form of using cells from the body itself, mainly immune cells to target cancer cells. The method consists on taking cells from the patient's blood and isolate their white blood cells. We are looking for the T-cells in order to culture them and program them. After that, the cells are infused into the patient and we hope that the new cells will be able to target and kill the cancer cells.
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Women in Science Forum
20/07/2010
Carrier Development of a Woman Scientist

I would like to share my own experience with you as a women plant biotechnologist from Turkey. At the very beginning of my education, in high school, I was highly motivated student and fascinated with the idea of being in the laboratory and doing experiments. This was recognized by my biology teacher who is a woman and inspired me to be a researcher. After high school, I went to university. I graduated from Istanbul University, Department of Biology and I then went on to earn my Master Degree on plant biotechnology at the Molecular Biology Unit of the Biology Department.
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Science for a better future
20/07/2010
What are mycotoxins in food?

My research concern the ways of fighting against the contamination of food by special species of molds (Aspergillus flavus) which produce extremely toxic substances called mycotoxyns. Mycotoxyns are carcinogenic and multi-toxic substances which can be found in food and whose ingestion leads for the consumer to food poisoning or food disorder. The consequences are temporary or long-lasting disorders such as alterations in the liver, the loins, the nerve centres, the blood circulation or the digestive tract. The micotoxyns are neither visible to the naked eye nor detectable through taste. They are detected and quantified in food only through analysis in a laboratory. The contamination of food by mycotoxines is a real problem of public health which draws the attention of many researchers worldwide. The objective of my research consists in isolating ground samples with microorganisms (Actinomycètes) having the capacity to inhibit the growth of these toxic molds (Aspergillus flavus).
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Science for a better future
19/07/2010
What are bioactive molecules?

I am studying the biomolecules of marine organisms for biological interests of Archipelago of Comoros such as: ascidiums, soft corals, sponges and cyanobacteries. In fact, Comoros has a very vast marine economic exclusive zone in the west of Indian Ocean, but this zone is comparatively misread and unexploited in spite of the recent creation on the island of Mwali of a marine park. I want to initiate a study of the marine biodiversity of Comoros, to assess the potential which represents this biodiversity, to promote and to preserve threatened kinds. To promote this biodiversity and preserve threatened kinds, it is essential to identify species. For that it is important to record their chemical signatures and see if we can characterize new metabolites secondary "bioactive". I also study the different consequences that the influence of factors bio - and biotics – have on the production of the secondary metabolites. This research will be the first appraisal to constitute a point of reference for a possible monitoring and also an indicator of environment modifications.
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Women in Science Forum
16/07/2010
The Big Picture

Have you ever heard of Lutetia ? It’s an asteroid which has been on the top of the news lately. Why ? Because, Europe’s Rosetta space probe flew next to it this week and brought back a lot of images and other datas.
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Science for a better future
15/07/2010
What are stem cells?

My research is focused on the study of the patterns and processes of the regeneration and stem cell proliferation in a small group of marine free-living flatworms called polyclads. Despite all the efforts to understand how different organisms in the nature are able to restore or replace body parts such as limbs, tails or even heads, the molecular mechanisms underlying regeneration is still unknown.
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Science for a better future
13/07/2010
What is the therapeutic activation of muscle?

It was widely demonstrated that a regular and moderate physical activity reduces the incidence of type 2 diabetes, induces an oxidative muscle remodeling by restoring its oxidative capacities, increasing lipid catabolism and insulin sensibility of muscle. Such muscle remodeling is also obtained by a muscle-specific over-expression or pharmacological activation of a nuclear receptor called Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor β (PPARβ). Indeed, PPARβ has been demonstrated to be involved in many different biological functions such as lipid metabolism, mitochondrial physiology, and determination of skeletal muscle fiber type.
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Women in Science Forum
12/07/2010
Snapshot fellows
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Women in Science Forum
09/07/2010
My condition as a female scientist in Ukraine
In this challenging world, everyone has a tendency to look for the best way of living. A considerable number of people, especially women, feel gender inequality. However others hold on the contrary opinion believing that there is no case for worrying. I concede that often gender rights are abased and I would like to present my condition as a female scientist in my country, which I will illustrate with examples based on my own experience. - 3 Comments
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