Research Symposium

BIO

Sophia is a first-year student from Boca Raton, Florida interested in using scientific research to address public health disparities. Through this project studying the role of YBX1 in inflammatory signaling related to Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, she gained experience in molecular biology techniques and developed a stronger interest in applying biomedical research to real-world health challenges. This work helped connect fundamental research to broader goals in biotechnology, particularly in vaccine and drug development. Sophia is grateful to Dr. James Jordan for his mentorship and for the opportunity to work in the Jordan Lab, as well as the graduate and undergraduate students who supported her throughout this project. She plans to pursue graduate school and continue research focused on improving health outcomes.

Generating Hepatic Spheroids to Study the Role of YBX1 in Regulating Inflammatory Signaling

Abstract

Excess fat buildup in liver tissue can cause inflammation by activating signaling between liver and immune cells. This study investigates whether YBX1 regulates inflammatory signaling in hepatic organoids under lipid stress. Human hepatic organoids were cultured and exposed to a fatty acid mixture (oleate and palmitate) to mimic high-fat conditions. YBX1 expression was silenced using siRNA to evaluate its regulatory role. Gene expression was measured using mRNA analysis to assess changes in inflammatory signaling. It is expected that YBX1 silencing will alter inflammatory gene expression in hepatic organoids exposed to fat. This will help determine whether YBX1 plays an important role in regulating liver inflammation. These findings may improve understanding of liver inflammation and help identify new targets for treating fatty liver disease.

Keywords: YBX1; hepatic organoids; lipid stress; liver inflammation; siRNA gene silencing