Kamron WoodsSenior MICRO major and pre-MD/PhD student Over the summer I had the opportunity to perform basic science research through a Summer Undergraduate Research Award (SURA) through the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences. SURA is an interdisciplinary program that provides a stipend for students to conduct independent research with a faculty mentor. Over the course of the summer of 2021, I worked on an ongoing project in Dr. Yvonne Eisele’s laboratory at the Aging Institute. At the Eisele lab, we study an age-related protein misfolding disease called transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR). In brief, ATTR is caused by the misfolding and aggregation of transthyretin (TTR) into insoluble amyloid fibrils that deposit in organs, such as the heart, and tissues around the body. Misfolding can be driven by point mutations in the TTR and an age-related reduction in protein quality. If left untreated the progressive deposition of amyloid fibrils can lead to heart failure and/or polyneuropathy. My project focuses on characterizing several of the point mutations by inducing aggregation using in vitro methods such as low pH, high temperature, and exposure to metal ions. As part of the SURA program, I attended biweekly meetings with other members of the cohort and discussed different aspects of conducting and communicating research. I enjoyed hearing my peers’ perspectives on the topics we discussed and the strategies they used to talk about their projects to an audience that had little to no background knowledge. Our topics were usually based on the short, assigned readings we had to prepare for the meetings, but they were usually interesting. My group was mostly composed of students doing biomedical research and it was comforting to know that we shared many of the same struggles and frustrations with our projects throughout the summer, such as troubleshooting, back-ordered supplies, and getting results we couldn’t explain. My favorite part about the SURA program was being able to spend more time in the lab than I get to during the semester. I highly recommend that any student who is currently in research and looking for ways to continue their work throughout the summer apply for SURA! (Applications for summer 2022 are not yet up but are usually due February - March. Starting these applications is a great side project for winter break!)
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January 2022
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