Claire JiangContact

Research Projects

Currently performing research focusing on Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis in the Bergen County Academies High School Cellular Biology Lab with mentor Dr. Ericka Smith at the Bergen County Academies, Hackensack, NJ


Effect of Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 on SW982 Synovial Sarcoma Cells as a Novel In-Vitro Model for Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Fibroblast-like Synoviocytes

(2024-current)

  • Research project utilizing in vitro cell culture techniques to examine the effect of BMP4 on SW982 to determine potential for a Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Fibroblast-like Synoviocyte cell culture model
  • Protein and mRNA expression and viability assays were performed independently: Vicell, ELISA, MTS, Next Generation Sequencing, RT-PCR, and RNA isolation 
  • Created research poster for ISEF Affiliated Regional Fair
  • Selected as Top 9 in whole fair, creating and presenting 10 min presentation to panel of judges







    Abstract:
    Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is the most common form of arthritis in children, causing painful inflammation in the joints. A lack of understanding in JIA disease etiology, impedes the ability to develop treatments. In JIA, one unique symptom is the damaging bony overgrowth caused by chondrocytes through endochondral bone formation (EBF). Chondrocytes will proliferate excessively, become hypertrophic and eventually die through apoptosis. Within the joint synovium, an understudied cell type are fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS), which support the cartilage and synovium. JIA FLS (JFLS) show a proliferative, inflammatory, and chondrocyte-like phenotype, mimicking the progression of chondrocytes in EBF. Although JIA progression differs from Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), literature has strongly correlated the in-vitro study of RA and JIA. Studies suggest the use of SW982, a human synovial sarcoma cell line, as an in-vitro cell culture model for RA. Thus, the capacity for SW982 to be used in JIA research cannot be overlooked. To emulate JFLS phenotype, SW982 was treated with Bone Morphogenetic Protein-4 (BMP4). BMP4 plays a critical role in EBF and JIA as chondrocytes and JFLS overexpress BMP4 when they progress to hypertrophy, promoting EBF. BMP4 treatment also promotes a chondrocyte-like phenotype in JFLS from patients with JIA. This study aims to characterize the proliferation of BMP4-treated SW982 and the gene and protein expression of chondrocyte markers seen in JFLS. Results suggest that BMP4-treated SW982 displays a proliferative and chondrocyte-like phenotype. Further analysis will investigate the potential for SW982 to become an in-vitro cell culture model for JIA, increasing research accessibility.


Effect of Microenvironment on Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Fibroblast-like Synoviocytes

(2022-2024)
  • Research project utilizing online bioinformatics tools to identity the impact of a chondrocyte microenvironment on Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Fibroblast-like Synoviocytes

Abstract:
Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is a chronic inflammatory disease and the most common type of rheumatic disease in children. Unlike adult RA, some children enter remission with JIA, although with lasting effects.  A lack of understanding JIA etiology hinders the development of novel therapies for the associated joint pain and potential bone overgrowth. In JIA, accelerated bone growth can be seen in affected joints and is linked to chondrocytes, a cell type known to facilitate endochondral bone formation (EBF) through proliferation, hypertrophy, and apoptosis. Within the joint, however, an understudied cell type is fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) responsible for supporting the synovial fluid and cartilage. JIA FLS display an uncharacteristic proliferative, inflammatory, and chondrocyte-like phenotype. Because both synoviocytes and chondrocytes are located within the joint synovium, their interaction cannot be overlooked in JIA. The chondrocyte-like and proliferative phenotype of JIA FLS suggests the cell cycle may be affected by the bone microenvironment. Thus, microarray data was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GSE165626) and analyzed using Gene Set Enrichment Analysis with the Hallmark gene sets and FDR < 0.05. Deidentified limma analysis data was analyzed using Gene Ontology. JFLS and FLS cell types both in Ch media demonstrated a proliferative phenotype with JFLS representing a chondrocyte-like phenotype. Results suggest the proliferative chondrocyte phenotype of JIA FLS may contribute to the excessive JIA EBF.  Further understanding of the JIA FLS in the joint microenvironment can build knowledge of JIA etiology and the development of therapies.




  Awards and Presentations




  • Presented at ISEF Affiliated Research Fair; Symposium Finalist and Placed Top 9 in entire fair 
  • First Place in Biomedical Health (2025) and Placed Third in Bioinformatics (2024)
  • Earned Third Place at 70th New Jersey Academy of Science Fair 
  • Won Genewiz Mini-Grant ($300) for Next-Generation Sequencing
  • Presented at the 69th New Jersey Academy of Science Fair Annual Meeting