INSTITUTO UNIVERSITARIO POLITECNICO SANTIAGO MARIÑO

 EXTENSIÓN MÉRIDA
Chemical Engineering 
Virginia Quintero I.C 20.433.437;  Ely maireth Salas I.C 20.432.774
virgiquin12@hotmail.com; elymaireth@hotmail.com  

Formulation and Cell Lab

Formulation

    

        Simply put formulation is the mixing of compounds which do not react in order to get a mixture with the desired characteristics. Examples of formulations are adhesives, paints, inks, cosmetics, detergents and many pharmaceutical products.

        

Most formulations are done by measuring liquids by volume and solids by weight. A product may go to market without any chemical equations ever being written down.

Even though there are no chemical reactions involved, there are many aspects of chemistry present in a formulation. Some of the chemistry involved is thermodynamics of mixing, phase equilibria, solutions, surface chemistry, colloids, emulsions and suspensions. Even more important is how these principles are connected to adhesion, weather resistance, texture, shelf life, biodegradability, allergenic response and many other properties. 

Cell Lab 

 

       The goal of the Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology is to use stem cells to improve our understanding of the biological processes controlling of cell fate determination and tissue development. To accomplish this goal, the lab will use various types of stem cells to generate neurological disease models, in drug discovery, and for the development of replacement therapies for neurodegenerative diseases and disorders. The hope is that versatile stem cells may someday be a source of replacement cells for damaged tissues of the brain and other organs.

      One specific target for possible treatment with cellular therapies is Parkinson's disease, which causes the death of nerve cells in the brain that are needed for agile and controlled muscle movement. Symptoms of the disabling malady include hand tremors and an inability to walk. Dr. Rao, in collaboration with researchers at his previous position, developed methods to induce stem cells to transform into the type of nerve cells that are depleted in Parkinson's disease. These nerve cells produce dopamine, a chemical signal that helps deliver the brain's orders to the muscles. Their team was been able to derive such nerve cells from embryonic stem cells, and also from the modified adult cells, called induced pluripotent stem cells. These induced pluripotent stem cells can mimic the versatility of embryonic stem cells.