{"id":35605,"date":"2015-09-30T08:59:21","date_gmt":"2015-09-30T12:59:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/?p=35605"},"modified":"2015-09-30T13:12:42","modified_gmt":"2015-09-30T17:12:42","slug":"three-minute-thesis-finalist-looking-at-oils-and-fats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/2015\/09\/three-minute-thesis-finalist-looking-at-oils-and-fats\/","title":{"rendered":"Three Minute Thesis finalist looking at oils and fats"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hasam Madarati has an encouraging message to help ease pangs of guilt for those diet-conscious individuals who hanker for a burger and fries.<\/p>\n

Madarati is a MSc student in Biotechnology and he competed as one of five finalists in Brock\u2019s 2015 Three Minute Thesis\u00ae (3MT\u00ae) Contest held in April. As Madarati finished his 3MT\u00ae research presentation \u2014 with a few seconds to spare \u2014 he says: \u201cNow, I know I probably shouldn\u2019t be saying this but between you and I \u2014 you know that last burger or french fry you avoided the last time you were on a diet? Well, my research may take you a step closer to allowing you to have that without any worry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Hasam<\/a>

Hasam Madarati<\/p><\/div>\n

Madarati\u2019s presentation offers a quick science lesson to explain how our body processes all the oils and fats it produces. His research examines the transfer of cholesterol within compartments of wet cells \u2014 cells filled with water. He focuses specifically on the behaviour of a particular protein \u2014 the oxysterol binding protein or OSBP for short \u2014 and its important role within a wet cell to move greasy fats at a sub-cellular level to help the body remain healthy.<\/p>\n

The OSBP, says Madarati, attaches itself to compartments of cells. Then, comparing the process to the workman-like drumming of an Energizer Bunny, Madarati explains that the OSBP transfers cholesterol from one compartment to the other, where it picks up a lipid and returns to the first compartment to then repeat the process back and forth. Madarati\u2019s study has also tested other research findings on the impact of making a chemical modification to the protein.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the end, the goal of my research is to take us a step closer to better understanding how cholesterol is transferred within our body. And hopefully this translates into lowering cholesterol-related illnesses such as heart disease,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u2022\u2022<\/p>\n

FINALIST FACTS<\/p>\n

Hasam Madarati<\/p>\n

MSc student in Biotechnology<\/p>\n

Brock 2015 3MT\u00ae Finalist<\/p>\n

Supervisor: Dr. Jeffrey Atkinson<\/p>\n

Title: \u201cRole of Oxysterol Binding Protein (OSBP) Phosphorylation on Lipid Extraction\u201d<\/p>\n

Hometown: Mississauga<\/p>\n

Find out more about Madarati\u2019s research by watching the video below of his 3MT\u00ae presentation from the 2015 Mapping the New Knowledges Graduate Student Research Conference.<\/p>\n