It seems these days that so many people are feeling an acute sense of frustration per the seemingly chaotic state of the world. Most of us are asking ourselves what we could possibly do to feel like we are contributing to a sense of progress. At the University of Arizona, the UBRP program offers students a valuable opportunity to glimpse the great strides that are still to be made in scientific fields while simultaneously making great strides in their own scientific educations. Via working hands-on, side by side with graduate students in the laboratory of a faculty sponsor, the fortunate participants in the UBRP program are given the chance to recognize the mind expanding strides that are just waiting to be made, perhaps even by them, in the world of scientific discovery.

When most people think of nitrogen oxides, images of toxic and environmentally dangerous gases come to mind. However, thanks to the innovative ideas of researchers like The University of Arizona's Katrina Miranda, Chemistry, a new way of thinking about such dangerous gases has begun to evolve. Nitrogen oxides take many forms in the body, making their chemistry both fascinating and complex. In the past, research has focused on nitric oxide (NO). One important characteristic of NO is its ability to treat cardiovascular angina in patients who suffer from heart problems. In fact, the purpose of the widely prescribed drug nitroglycerin is to act as a donor of NO in the body! In the past, a whole library of such donors of NO have been discovered and characterized. Nitroxyl, having the chemical structure HNO, however, is of more recent interest. It has been shown to increase cardiovascular contractility without increasing heart rate. If one considers the heart as a complicated pump, this improves the efficiency of the pump without resulting in added stress or a heavier workload. This could prove to be ideal for patients suffering from heart failure. Accordingly, the lab of Dr. Miranda is attempting to create a library of HNO donors, much like the present library of NO donors.

The old adage "it is possible to have too much of a good thing" is certainly true for nitrogen oxides. When HNO is present in large amounts in the body, it tends to react with itself and oxygen to form products capable of damaging and cleaving DNA. This is the issue that UBRP student researcher Spencer Marshall is addressing. There are chemicals in the body appropriately dubbed "scavengers" that function to remove excess HNO, reacting with it before it reacts with itself or oxygen, in essence, blocking the formation of dangerous products. Spencer is investigating scavengers, such as Glutathione, a sulfur containing antioxidant present in the body.

Thanks to the willingness of experienced researchers, like Dr. Katrina Miranda and to program directors such as Carol Bender, to contribute to scientifically minded youth, America will continue to produce great minds that will contribute to an improved standard of living as well as to the overall well being of our nation and the world.

Marshall's work is supported in part by a grant to UA from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (#52005889).

Spencer Marshall, UBRPer in Dr. Katrina Miranda's lab, Chemistry