URNCST Journal Mentored Paper
The URNCST Journal team prides itself on its commitment to advocate for undergraduate STEM research. In our endeavours to promote undergraduate research, we have published a number of papers from undergraduate research competitions and case competitions. From these ventures, we have identified a couple of themes that were found to recur independently as follows: 1) undergraduate students are extremely keen to use their critical thinking skills to participate in research endeavours that recognize their valuable work and 2) there exists a subset of students who desire to contribute to undergraduate STEM research but due to one reason or another are unable to take part in such research or feel as if they may need closer guidance during the writing process. Despite this, many thousands of undergraduate students across the globe play crucial roles in making new discoveries every single year.
In an effort to provide undergraduate students with the opportunity to contribute to STEM research literature, we have established our novel Mentored Paper Initiative. Students that are selected to participate will have the opportunity to be partnered with a graduate student as they write a manuscript that is of peer-reviewable quality in the URNCST Journal. The topic of the manuscript will be in the graduate student’s area of expertise to allow them to more effectively guide the students throughout the writing process. Students will be mentored from the design stage to write up, and the final manuscript will be peer-reviewed by another graduate student, to allow the students to experience external-feedback. This opportunity provides undergraduate students with the chance to improve their scientific writing skills and experience the entire process of writing an academic manuscript, while working under the supervision of a graduate student. Those wishing to learn more about how the URNCST Journal Mentored Paper initiative was developed can read our published editorial.
Eligibility to Participate: The mentored paper is open to students who are enrolled in an undergraduate (i.e. BSc, BEng, BA, etc.) or professional-undergraduate (i.e. MD, DDS, PharmD, OD, RN, etc.) degree program.
About the Initiative: Undergraduate students participating in the URNCST Journal Mentored Paper are required to draft and submit an abstract on a topic that is of interest to them based on the questions provided below. This abstract must be in the format of either 1) a research protocol (i.e. a plan to conduct a study) OR 2) a review (i.e. a review of the currently existing literature); it is not acceptable to simply summarize a single study already published in the literature by an academic journal. Students may submit an abstract alone or in teams of up to 3. These abstracts will be reviewed for suitability (i.e. understanding of topic, writing ability), and accepted students will be paired with the graduate student who proposed the topic and will mentor the undergraduate (team) in drafting a manuscript that is of suitable quality to undergo peer-review by the URNCST Journal. As participants will be under the guidance of a graduate student, they are not required to have a complete understanding of the topic, but should have done their due diligence in reading about the topic online and have the motivation and dedication to learn from the mentoring graduate student.
Topics Available: Please see below for a complete list of the available research topics for the manuscripts. Please note that these are the only questions accepted students should write on and they are not subject to change.
Deadline to Submit Abstract for Consideration: Sunday, November 03, 2024 @ 11:59PM EST
Mentorship Period: Winter 2025 (January-April)
Update: The URNCST Journal's call for abstracts for the 14th Mentored Paper Initiative is now closed. Those who applied in advance of the Sunday, November 03, 2024 @ 11:59pm EST deadline should expect to receive an outcome on their submission by mid- to late-December. Should you have any questions about participating, please contact us at competition@urncst.com. For those who did not have the chance to participate, please stay tuned for the 15th Mentored Paper Initiative (Summer 2025) for which we anticipate our call for abstracts will open in Winter 2025.
For Graduate Students: We are always interested in identifying new mentors who are able/willing to help keen undergraduate researchers design, develop, and write a full-length study protocol or review. Eligible mentors must be enrolled in or a graduate of a graduate program (a Master's level degree at minimum) in any natural or clinical science or technology discipline. Please apply to be a mentor here.
After selecting a topic, please click "Learn More & SUBMIT ABSTRACT" below and follow the instructions provided.
Topics
MPI 14.1: What is the appropriate red blood cell transfusion strategy to manage patients with hematological malignancies?
MPI 14.2: What biomarkers can be used as surrogates of bleeding in patients with hematological malignancies?
MPI 14.3: How do red blood cell transfusions impact hemostasis and vascular function, more specifically endothelial integrity, inflammation, coagulation, and fibrinolysis parameters, in patients with hematological malignancies?
MPI 14.4: Discuss the similarities and differences between estrogen receptor (ER) positive and negative breast cancer metastasis.
MPI 14.5: The concept of the tumour microenvironment (TME) in the context of cancer has been proposed in recent years, and several organ-on-a-chip platforms have aimed to mimic this environment to enable drug development and/or fundamental biomedical discoveries. Review and critically discuss recently developed microfluidic platforms that mimic the TME and any applications (drug development, mechanistic studies, commercial technologies, etc.) thereof.
MPI 14.6: Primary breast or prostate cancer patients previously deemed to be cancer-free can undergo metastatic relapse several years after remission due to the presence of dormant disseminated cancer cells, particularly in bone. What signaling pathways are responsible for cancer cell dormancy in the bone microenvironment? (or) How could we leverage physiologically relevant microfluidic platforms to model cancer cell dormancy in vitro?
MPI 14.7: Cancer nanomedicine has the potential to provide crucial roles in cancer detection and treatment, however, many challenges remain. What are some advantages of cancer nanotherapies based on preclinical studies, and their current bottlenecks towards clinical translation? (or) How might the delivery of nanoparticles be improved based on current knowledge of where nanoparticles travel in the body before reaching their targeted destination?
MPI 14.8: How can a combination treatment strategy be utilized in the treatment of AML, and is it possible to target leukemic or pre-leukemic stem cells?
MPI 14.9: How can new advances in single cell sequencing and multiomic technology be applied to understanding leukemogenesis?
MPI 14.10: How do epigenetic changes affect differentiation during hematopoiesis? How can these processes be targeted for the treatment of AML? "
MPI 14.11: How do maternal physiological systems adapt during pregnancy?
MPI 14.12: How does maternal immune tolerance contribute to the successful implantation of an embryo?
MPI 14.13: What is the impact of the maternal microbiome on the immune system and pregnancy outcomes? How may this affect the fetus later in life?
MPI 14.14: How does the gut microbiome contribute to chronic gastrointestinal disorders such as IBS and IBD?
MPI 14.15: How might the gut-brain axis contribute to certain neurological and/or neurodegenerative diseases?
MPI 14.16: How might the gut microbiome play a role in psychiatric comorbities observed in IBS/IBD patients?
MPI 14.17: How are extracellular vesicles involved in mediating tumorigenesis in breast cancer?
MPI 14.18: How are extracellular vesicles being used in therapeutics for breast cancer?
MPI 14.19: How does inflammation impact recovery post trauma?
MPI 14.20: What is the role of immune cells in the pathophysiology post injury?
MPI 14.21: What therapies can be used to modulate inflation or prevent inflammatory cell recruitment?
MPI 14.22: What is the impact of health care access on STBBI outcomes in Rural vs. Urban Areas?
MPI 14.23: How do cultural and social barriers to STBBI prevention in marginalized communities effect STBBI outcomes?
MPI 14.24: What is the impact of Public Health campaigns (policies and programs) on contraceptive use for dual protection (pregnancy and STBBI prevention)?
MPI 14.25: How is neurogenesis impacted in neurodevelopment disorders and injury?
MPI 14.26: What is the influence of microglia in the brain environment?
MPI 14.27: What are the various methods to study neurogenesis in the brain?
MPI 14.28: Exploiting synthetic lethality as a concept to determine genetic interactions has been remarkably useful in cancer research. The best example of this comes from the PARP-BRCA1 axis that has revolutionized breast cancer treatment. What other examples of synthetic lethality are there that might be crucial for cancer treatment?
MPI 14.29: Over the past decade, research into liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) has rapidly taken off. LLPS-derived organelles play important roles in cellular homeostasis. Summarize the latest research done on LLPS compartments in the context of DNA damage repair.
MPI 14.30: Spatial organization of the genome is suggestive of a certain order within the nucleus. Unlike what we are given to think, the nucleus has certain compartments within it. The inner nuclear membrane, for example, has demonstrated a potential role in DNA heterochromatin maintenance, yet the full extent of its importance remains to be unraveled. Discuss the importance of the nuclear envelope in DNA damage repair according to recent research.
MPI 14.31: How does racial underrepresentation in frailty studies impact the generalizability of findings?
MPI 14.32: How do racial differences influence the prevalence and progression of cardiovascular conditions?
MPI 14.33: How does epigenetic variation contribute to racial disparities in cardiovascular and cardiometabolic diseases?
MPI 14.34: How can adipose tissue vasculature effect adipose tissue health?
MPI 14.35: How does exercise influence the adipose tissue?
MPI 14.36: How do experiences of maternal health care differ between Indigenous and non-Indigenous women in Canada, and what are the implications for health outcomes and healthcare delivery?
MPI 14.37: How do nurse-family care programs address the needs and challenges faced by vulnerable mothers in Canada, and how effective are these programs in improving maternal and child health outcomes?
MPI 14.38: How can fusion proteins drive oncogenesis?
MPI 14.39: How can in vivo models be used to study EVs and EV-mediated communication in cancer or other diseases?
MPI 14.40: What is known about the cell of origin and cell states in rhabdomyosarcoma tumours?
MPI 14.41: How does metformin affect mitochondrial-induced apoptosis and how does this influence tumorigenesis?
MPI 14.42: How can dysfunction in mitochondrial-associated apoptosis contribute to oncogenesis?
MPI 14.43: What is the role of transposable elements in pediatric cancer?
MPI 14.44: How can dysfunctional immune cells affect differentiation of nearby cells?
MPI 14.45: How can community organizations effectively collaborate with healthcare providers to implement social prescribing programs that address the social determinants of health for underserved populations?
MPI 14.46: What are the key components of a successful public health policy framework to improve the quality and accessibility of mental health services, particularly for marginalized communities?
MPI 14.47: What strategies can healthcare systems implement to better support resident physicians and mitigate burnout, while also addressing systemic issues that contribute to high-stress environments and suboptimal patient care?
MPI 14.48: How do disruptions in normal sleep patterns contribute to the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and what are the underlying mechanisms linking sleep disturbances to neurodegeneration and associated memory impairments?
MPI 14.49: How do GLP-1 and dual GLP-1/GIP agonists impact skeletal and/or cardiac muscle during weight loss?
MPI 14.50: What role do platelets play in the pathogenesis and progression of metabolic diseases?
MPI 14.51: How to effectively design experiments to study the impact of microbiota alterations on gastrointestinal health, and what are the best practices for using fecal biomarkers to track these changes?
MPI 14.52: How to evaluate the efficacy of dietary therapies and microbiota-directed treatments for gastrointestinal disorders, and how to interpret the impact of these interventions on gut microbiota composition and function?
MPI 14.53: How does nicotine intake impact functional neuroanatomy?
MPI 14.54: What is the relationship between smoking/ vaping and psychiatric mental illness?
MPI 14.55: Can the properties of composite materials be enhanced through the use of recycled fibers as additives, potentially reducing the reliance on metals in various applications?
MPI 14.56: Is it possible to study and enhance metallic or polymer composites for the infantry (on-ground soldiers) or military?
MPI 14.57: How can we manufacture and deploy bio-inspired materials or devices for medical applications that are inspired from nature and are also sustainable to be used?
MPI 14.58: Can 3D printing become a mainstream technique in medical industries by identifying areas where it can replace traditional methods, while also exploring sustainability aspects of this transition?
MPI 14.59: What is the role of histone modifications in regulating skeletal muscle gene expression to acute exercise and exercise training: A literature review.
MPI 14.60: Examining the role of the histone modification tri-methylation on lysine 27 of histone 3 (H3K27me3) in the induction of VEGFA to acute hypoxia and exercise in human skeletal muscle: A research proposal.
MPI 14.61: Review the current advancements and potential future applications of nanotechnology in drug delivery systems, imaging techniques, targeted therapies or another application of your choice.
MPI 14.62: Study on the potential risks associated with the release of nanoparticles into the environment and explore strategies for sustainable nanotechnology development.
MPI 14.63: Review of issues such as privacy concerns with nanoscale surveillance devices, equitable access to nanotechnology advancements, and/or the potential for unintended consequences of nanomaterials on human health and the environment.
MPI 14.64: Why are volatile organic compounds relevant in diagnostics and why does specificity matter?
MPI 14.65: Review of architecture and mechanism of non-invasive wearable biosensors
MPI 14.66: Review of fungi and mycotoxin detection in agricultural products: Mechanisms and device design.
MPI 14.67: How does changes in maladaptive eating behaviour from pre- to post-bariatric surgery affect nutritional outcomes?
MPI 14.68: How can nutrition education tools influence post- metabolic bariatric surgery dietary management?
MPI 14.69: How does adequate protein intake help with preventing nutritional deficiency in metabolic bariatric surgery?
