13:15 - 13:40 Noora Räisänen
The Impact of an Acute Exercise Bout on Immune Cell Subpopulations in Young Adults
Abstract:
Immune system provides the vital mechanisms for defending a body against various pathogens and it also recognizes and destroys cancerous cells and the body's own mutated cells. An acute exercise bout affects the number and composition of different immune cells in the blood flow depending on the type and duration of the exercise. Generally, the number of white blood cells called leukocytes increase in the bloodstream during exercise in a temporary phenomenon called leukocytosis. In this project the aim was to investigate how 12 different immune cell subpopulations react to sub-maximal oxygen uptake test made with bicycle ergometer. The study included in total 8 voluntary, healthy and young adults (4 female and 4 male). Blood samples were collected before and immediately after and 1 h after the test. Immunophenotyping was done with flow cytometry to analyse the sizes of different immune cell subpopulations during selected timepoints. The results of this research offered insights of how different leukocyte subpopulations react to exercise and this information is further used in the research Aging Immunity and Lifestyle Factors: Implications for Cancer Risk Lynch Syndrome (AgeCanLS).
Supervisors: Tiina Jokela, Janne Ihalainen
13:40-14:05: Aliisa Kangas
Calix[4]pyrroles in environmental and green chemistry applications
Abstract:
Calix[4]pyrroles are macrocyclic compounds that have gained significant attention for their ability to act as versatile supramolecular hosts. Their conformational flexibility enables selective host-guest interactions, particularly through anion-induced structural changes that promote cooperative ion pair binding. These properties make them promising candidates for applications in molecular recognition and environmental remediation. However, their poor water solubility limits use in aqueous systems, which are central to many environmental applications. This thesis focuses on improving the aqueous compatibility of calix[4]pyrroles by functionalizing them with hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chains. One PEGylated calix[4]pyrrole was successfully synthesized, characterized, and used in co-micellization with a non-ionic surfactant, resulting in supramolecular aggregates. The host capabilities of the compound were evaluated with pyridine N-oxides as model guests. The findings indicate that PEGylation is a viable strategy for enhancing water compatibility and facilitating the development of calix[4]pyrrole-based separation systems. Additionally, the thesis discusses synthetic strategies, emphasizing the role of green chemistry in minimizing environmental impact.
Supervisors: Kaisa Helttunen, Julia Naulapää
14:05-14:30 Noora Hasu
Deletion of DNA adenine methyltransferase by allelic exchange and quantification of N6-methyladenosine by UHPLC-MS/MS in Serratia marcescens
Abstract:
Bacterial epigenetics is based on methylation, and has been shown to affect many cell functions such as cell cycle, morphology, antibiotic resistance and virulence. Serratia marcescens is an opportunistic pathogen that commonly causes infections in immunocompromised patients. The aim of this work was to establish two existing protocols for S. marcescens to aid in the characterization of its methylome. UHPLC-MS/MS protocol for quantification of N6-methyladenosine was optimized with high sensitivity and standard deviation of approximately 5 %. The results will be compared to Nanopore sequencing. A protocol for deletion of DNA adenine methyltransferase using allelic exchange will also be adopted.
Supervisors: Ilkka Kronholm, Elina Kalenius
14:30-14:45: BREAK
14:45-15:05: Jesus Angel Toboso Saiz
Coacervates as an artificial system for mimicking quorum sensing-like communication
Abstract:
Macromolecular systems are essential due to their diverse physical, chemical, and biological properties. Some of these systems self-assemble spontaneously in nature and play crucial roles in many biological processes, which has motivated extensive research. One of these systems is coacervates, water-like droplets rich in macromolecules, suspended in a liquid environment. Coacervates are considered the primordial protocells because of the lack of a cellular membrane. This characteristic provides coacervates an interest in studying different bottom-up approaches in various disciplines such as medicine, nanoscience, and physical chemistry.
A key application for coacervates is in the biological field, where these protocells are studied to mimic the behaviour of bacteria. This project explores quorum sensing, bacteria's communication mechanism based on population density. This response covers reactions from gene mechanisms to photoluminescence phenomena in oceans. Quorum sensing is mimicked in this project with a well-established autocatalysis reaction involving the enzyme trypsin and its precursor from trypsinogen. The enzymes will diffuse from the coacervates to the surrounding structures. To keep track of the reaction, a caged dye molecule (BZAR) is used, which releases fluorescent Rhodamine 110 when the trypsin reacts with it. The fluorescence signal, and therefore the underlying autocatalysis reaction, was detected by optical spectroscopy and the confocal microscopy was used to observe the communication between coacervates over time and distance.
The results demonstrated that a reproducible protocol was established for preparing stable coacervates. The encapsulation essay was successful, the enzymes were encapsulated and able to diffuse through the coacervates outwards. Finally, the communication between coacervates was reliably detected, highlighting this system’s potential for later studies in the understanding of bacterial signalling and the future applications in medical chemistry.
Supervisors: Toni Kiljunen
15:05-15:30: Olli Raasakka
Blocking groups in aromatic synthesis
Abstract:
In organic chemistry synthesis one of the most important parts of the synthesis of aromatic compounds is wanting reactions to happen to intended reaction sites of the aromatic ring. However, due to benzene rings delocalized electrons the reactivity of aromatic rings at different sites is heavily influenced by the substituents of the aromatic ring. Because of these changes of reactivity of different sites of the aromatic ring sometimes reaction can happen to unwanted more reactive site of the aromatic ring. To prevent unwanted reactions happening to the more reactive site of the aromatic ring and enhance reactions to the intended less reactive site of the aromatic ring, the usage of so-called blocking group can be applied. Usage of blocking group in aromatic synthesis consists of three main steps: installation of blocking group to the more reactive site of the aromatic ring, doing the reaction to the intended less reactive site of the aromatic ring and finally removal of the blocking group. In this project, usage of a blocking group is applied in the final synthesis of Waltherione C quinolone alkaloid. The goal was to find an optimal installation method for the blocking group, optimized methods for final synthesis steps for Waltherione C as well as to find out if the blocking group is optimal for these final synthesis steps.
Supervisors: Petri Pihko, Pradip MondaI
