Independent travel and the ability to interact with the world are two of the greatest challenges facing blind/ visually impaired (BVI) persons. Traditional tools, such as the white cane and guide dog, are limited and do not provide users with the information they need to navigate effectively and gracefully. I worked to develop an advanced electronic travel aid that uses ultrasonic sensors and LIDAR to provide BVI users with enhanced spatial perception through vibro-tactile feedback. The device was developed to equip users with a tool to overcome their social and navigational challenges and give users the confidence and comfort to explore independently.
Taking ABiTE out of Cancer: A Novel Aptamer based BiTE for Cancer Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a treatment in which the body’s own immune system is stimulated to fight diseases such as cancer.
One treatment, called Bi-specific T Cell Engagers (BiTE), consists of two antibodies linked together. One antibody binds to a T cell, while the other binds to a cancer cell, helping T cells recognize and kill the tumor. Unfortunately, BiTEs have several limitations. In a previous project I used aptamers – short single strands of DNA or RNA – to create a disease diagnostic tool. I wondered whether aptamers could make BiTEs more effective and reduce their side-effects.
I designed three different ABiTES (Aptamer based BiTEs) and then tested them on two types of breast cancer cells as well as healthy cells. Results show that ABiTEs are safer, cheaper and more effective than BiTEs.