https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/317 2026-11-14T08:44:44Z 2026-11-14T08:44:44Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/151021 2026-11-13T13:40:28Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Evaluation of bone powder fragment size on osteogenic differentiation Abstract: Bone powder has seen an increased use in bone tissue engineering particularly in the areas of orthopaedic surgeries and dental reconstruction. Its potential to enhance bone regeneration can significantly improve outcomes in patients with critical-sized bone defects. Bone powder often derived from human or animal bone, can be incorporated within a scaffold to support the attachment, proliferation, and differentiation of bone cells (osteoblasts), as its natural composition promotes integration with host bone tissue. When sourced and processed correctly, bone powder exhibits excellent biocompatibility, minimizing the risk of immune reactions. This is critical for ensuring successful integration into the body and together with the release of bioactive molecules can stimulate new bone formation. Such properties can enhance the healing process in bone imperfections or injuries. Thus, the processing of bone powder should be able to retain the innate biological and biomechanical capacity to support osteogenic differentiation. In addition to this, pore size also plays an important role during cell infiltration which determines the efficacy of bone regeneration. This project will be looking at the various steps involved in bone powder production, particularly in relation to the generation of different fragment size ranges and the effect these have on selected osteogenic differentiation gene markers, namely Runtrelated transcription factor 2, osteocalcin and Dentin Matrix Acidic Phosphoprotein 1. To achieve this, osteoblasts will be cultured in the presence of bone powder of different fragment size ranges collected from consecutive stages of the process of bone powder production. Then after 14 days of culture quantitative polymerase reaction (qPCR) will be performed to determine any expression changes in osteogenic differentiation gene markers. Description: B.Sc. (Hons)(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/151020 2026-11-13T13:37:59Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The effect of valproic acid on the epithelial to mesenchymal transition in pancreatic cancer Abstract: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is an aggressive malignancy characterised by rapid progression and metastatic potential. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a reversible process that promotes this phenotype, since epithelial cells lose their polarity and acquire enhanced migratory and invasive capabilities. It is regulated by signalling pathways, transcription factors and can be influenced by epigenetic modulators such as histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors like valproic acid (VPA). This study aimed to investigate the effect of VPA on EMT-related gene expression in the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell line PANC-1. MTT assays were performed to determine the optimal foetal bovine serum (FBS) concentration and suitable VPA doses that maintained adequate cell viability without inducing excessive cytotoxicity. PANC-1 cells were treated with increasing concentrations of VPA (2 mM, 4 mM and 6 mM) and RNA was extracted following 24 and 48-hour incubation periods. Complementary DNA (cDNA) synthesis and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were performed to assess changes in the expression of key epithelial and mesenchymal markers. The results demonstrated that VPA treatment induced concentration-dependent alterations in EMT related gene expression. Epithelial markers CDH1, EPCAM and TJP1 generally showed downregulation. The mesenchymal markers ZEB1, FN1, CDH2, SDC1 and KRT17 displayed increased expression following treatment while VIM, NT5E, ANPEP and CD44 exhibited more variable responses. In conclusion, VPA appears to promote EMT-related transcriptional changes in PC cells, potentially contributing to a more invasive phenotype. However, the variable responses observed across different markers highlights the context dependent effects of HDAC inhibition. Further studies involving longer treatment periods, migration and invasion assays and protein-level validation are needed to clarify the functional significance of these findings. Description: B.Sc. (Hons)(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/151019 2026-11-13T13:08:41Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Automated DNA damage detection in spaceflight conditions Abstract: DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) can occur through endogenous mechanisms including DNA replication and repair as well as exogenous exposure to radiation and certain chemicals. All organisms suffer double-strand breaks (DSBs) in their DNA, mainly by the effects of cosmic rays including galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and solar particle events (SPE) present in space. On Earth, organisms have developed defence mechanisms against this kind of damage. Still, in space, the environment can affect DNA repair, leading to the buildup of serious DNA damage, resulting in development of repair foci in DSB regions. This prompts the research question of whether it’s possible to create a fast tool capable of identifying ionizing radiation-induced foci (IRIF) in cellular images with similar accuracy to manual labelling. In this study, irradiated mouse cell images were analysed using labelled markers and automated techniques, to detect DSBs. The research sought to deepen our understanding of the impact of cosmic rays on living organisms. By automating DNA damage detection, this work contributed to the broader goal of safeguarding astronaut health and stability during deep space exploration, with potential applications both in space missions and on Earth. Description: B.Sc. (Hons)(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/151018 2026-11-13T13:06:27Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Targeting lung tumours : phage display identification of single chain antibodies against c-MET and CD47 Abstract: C-MET (c-mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor) is a tumour-associated antigen that drives cancer progression through pathways like PI3K/AKT and Ras/MAPK, while CD47 (Cluster of Differentiation 47) functions as an immune checkpoint that enables tumours to evade immune surveillance via SIRPα interaction. Despite their therapeutic potential, the development of effective and selective antibodies targeting c-MET and CD47 remains challenging due to on-target/off-tumour toxicity and resistance mechanisms, highlighting the need for novel antibody-based strategies. This project aimed to identify single-chain variable fragment antibodies (scFvs) with binding activity against the NSCLC-associated targets c-MET and CD47 using phage display technology. A naïve phage-displayed scFv library was subjected to iterative biopanning against recombinant c-MET and CD47 proteins to enrich for target-binding clones. Binding activity and specificity were assessed primarily using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), including comparisons against relevant non-target controls. Selected monoclonal outputs were further evaluated to determine whether enrichment produced target-specific binders. Although Sanger sequencing and flow cytometry were originally intended to characterise promising antibody fragments, these downstream analyses were not pursued due to insufficient evidence of strong and specific monoclonal binding. Overall, the study assessed the feasibility of isolating c-MET- and CD47-directed scFvs by phage display and highlighted key experimental limitations affecting binder enrichment and validation. Future optimisation should prioritise improving monoclonal phage rescue and amplification. Refinement of helper phage infection conditions and phage purification may enhance monoclonal yield. In addition, downstream validation by sequencing, kinetic affinity analysis, and flow cytometry would strengthen future identification of biologically relevant c-MET- and CD47-specific scFvs for NSCLC-targeted applications. Description: B.Sc. (Hons)(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z