Emily
Wheeler
Sponsor: John Morrison, Ph.D. MED: Neurology Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder whose early detection remains a critical clinical challenge. Altered activity and sleep rhythms have been identified as potential prodromal biomarkers of AD, motivating the use of continuous movement monitoring for early prediction. In this study, we analyze accelerometer data collected from rhesus macaques (N = 12) that received bilateral entorhinal cortex injections of an adeno-associated virus control (empty vector; N = 6) or expressing a double human Tau mutation (AAV-P301L/ S320F; N = 6), a validated non-human primate model of AD tauopathy. Unlike prior work characterizing predefined rhythmic parameters, we apply unsupervised machine learning techniques to classify distinct movement patterns directly from raw accelerometer signals without relying on predetermined labels. By tracking the evolution of these movement classifications over the course of disease progression, we aim to identify subtle behavioral shifts that may precede overt cognitive decline. This data-driven approach offers the potential to reveal novel movement-based biomarkers of early AD pathology that traditional parametric analyses may overlook, supporting more translational predictive frameworks from non-human primates to humans. Developing Multi-Protein Vesicles Using Cell-Free Protein Synthesis
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Emily Wheeler
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Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid composed nanoparticles released from all cell types in the body. EVs are decorated with a multitude of different surface proteins, which enable them to exhibit therapeutic efficacy. These different surface proteins, however, lead to heterogenous vesicle populations which makes linking protein presentation to function a difficult task. In our previous work, we utilized cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) to modulate liposomes to incorporate the desired surface protein in a bottom-up, single protein display platform. A CFPS platform where multiple different proteins are integrated on a liposome would greatly enhance our understanding of protein interactions and improve efficiency of therapeutic outcomes, such as wound healing and neuroprotection. In this bottom-up combinatorial study, we tested three different methods of demonstrating dual expression of CD99 and MMP14 proteins, one of which included filtration. Our results show that generating one protein using cell- free protein synthesis, filtering and reconcentrating these vesicles and utilizing them in a second cell-free reaction demonstrates the highest rate of dual-protein display. With this demonstration of the incorporation of multiple proteins, the CFPS platform can dramatically advance studies to better understand the inherent heterogeneity in EVs, ultimately resulting in more successful therapeutic outcomes. Can Friendship Network Diversity Compensate for Less Frequent Socializing? Implications for Emerging Adults' Perceptions of Social Support Katherine Wheeler
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UC Davis / Biomedical Engineering / 2026
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Emily Wheeler