Undergraduate Research
Why do we age? The research performed in the Hood Lab examines how reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial replication error can cause cellular damage, aging, and disease. In particular, the lab focuses quantifying the tradeoffs between reproduction and longevity in the wild-derived mouse model, Mus musculus.
EXPERIENCES
Animal Husbandry
August 2020 - December 2022
Tasks: box changes, food and water upkeep, temperature monitoring, pregnancy checks, pup monitoring, pup weights, census, assistance in blood collection, blood proccessing
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As a new undergraduate in the Hood Lab, my first assignment was the upkeep and care of our colony house mice. Daily tasks included animal husbandry, cleaning, and collection of reproductive data. In research, it's extremely important to maintain a level of quality over controllable variables for reproducible data. This entails close attention to detail, precision, and consistency in all of the work performed in the lab.
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My introduction to the Hood Lab has required a level of accountability and diligence to which I had never been exposed to before. Compared to the classroom, the research setting is fundamentally different, and it presents its own unique challenges. What do I do when things don't go as planned? Through experience and exposure, the working has taught me how to troubleshoot effectively and take ownership of my work. It has been a lesson in creative thinking, as well as an opportunity to nurture independence and take initiative.
Skeletal Sample Accessioning
October - November 2020
Tasks: collected and measured femurs from ~100 mouse carcasses
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From early on, I expressed interest in getting more involved in the lab in other aspects of research. This tenacity afforded me the opportunity to gain experience in dissection data collection of mouse femurs. Learning how to perform femur extraction without breaking them was a complex and difficult task that I was excited to tackle. It was also an opportunity to get to know Dr. Hood and learn more about her research as we worked together to collect the necessary data.
Genotyping
January 2021 - Present
Tasks: ethanol DNA extraction, PCR, SDS-PAGE, gel visualization, genotype reading, lab cleaning and organization, preparing buffers
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As I have matured as a student and as a member of the lab, I have been trusted with more intricate responsibilities, such as performing genotyping. I am responsible for setting my own schedule to genotype our juvenile mice for the T-haplotype within the necessary turnaround time for our samples. This tedious, important work has facilitated a growth of laboratory confidence that I am grateful to carry forward into future projects. Experiencing wet lab work first hand in the Hood Lab has been an encouraging experience that has solidified my interests in research and molecular biology techniques.
PROJECTS
Bioinformatics
January 2022 - Present
Tasks: completion of an independent research project to then present at research conferences
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After 2 years in the Hood Lab, I expressed interest in taking on an independent research project in addition to my genotyping duties. Guided by Ashley Williams, a PhD candidate in the lab, I am working on a bioinformatics project that aims to identify mutations within three mitochondrial genes of interest from sequence data obtained from brain tissues of our mouse colony. The end goal is to analyze these mutations to predict their effects on protein structure, protein function, and mitochondrial or physiological disease.
I am currently learning how to use bioinformatics tools to detect, analyze, and represent genomic differences. To date, I have learned the following while working with Ashley:
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GitHub and Introductory Coding
Markdown
HTML
Bioinformatics Application Tools
ExPASy Translation Tool​
SWISS-Model for Modeling Proteins
DotPlots
BLASTp and BLASTn
Genome Viewers (IGV) and BLAT
Galaxy (Web-based platform for biomedical research)
RStudio
Skills and Project Management
Research organizational skills
Literature review​
Wheel Group Project
August 2021 - December 2021
Tasks: preparation and execution of project outline, creation of data sheets and instructions, data collection, data entry, data analysis
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The goal of this group project was to use bike odometers to measure and compare the wheel activity of reproductive and non-reproductive female mice from our colony. To do this, the cumulative time spent running on the wheel was measured daily throughout the reproductive and non-reproductive cycles. Working on this project was a lesson in troubleshooting and perseverance as we navigated issues with the odometer setup in the developmental stages.
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Excitingly, this project yielded statistically significant results. It was a gratifying experience to see our hard work manifest successfully in the end, and the process taught me how to work effectively on a team and solidified hard skills in data analysis and experimental design.
While working in the Hood Lab, I have gained a deeper understanding of lab organization and invaluable experience that will benefit me greatly as I move forward towards graduation. Alongside, experiencing lab work first hand has been an encouraging experience that has solidified my interests in research. After completing my undergraduate B.S. of Microbiology, I plan to pursue a PhD and continue to grow as a member of the scientific community. For now, I look forward to continuing my involvement in Hood Lab and learning more about the research experience!