Research
If you are interested in a copy of my resume/CV, please see the contact page for e-mail and mailing addresses.
BOSS cohort and associated projects, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
During the summer of 2007, I worked for Dr. Visvanathan in a high-risk clinic. During my time there, I helped create and develop a Microsoft Access database of BRCA genetic-testing patients for the Breast and Ovarian Surveillance Study cohort and assisted in reviewing scientific literature and organizing patient records for the 600+ women currently enrolled in the study. I was given the opportunity to attend classes at Hopkins Medical School with Dr. Visvanathan, shadow high-risk clinic doctors, assist in a pathology lab and meet cancer patients in addition to my responsibilities in the office.
Cell Cycle and Cancer Group, Laboratory of Cell Regulation and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute
During the summer of 2006, I worked under the guidance of Drs. Lin and Dr. Rane on a project involving the roles of CDK4 and SMAD3 in the TGF-B molecular pathway in pancreatic beta islet cells. I cultured (split, transfected and harvested) several pancreatic beta cell lines with varying levels of TGF-B and analyzed cellular activity via luciferase and protein BCA assays. In addition, I assisted in experiments involving CDK4neo/neo diabetic-like mice.
Tumor Biology Section, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
During the summer of 2005, I volunteered under the guidance of Drs. Chen and van Waes on a project involving the development of a novel fluorescent construct to be used in studying squamous cell carcinoma. The mCherry fluorescent protein is a second-generation dsRed evolution product. I planned and executed the amplification and ligation of the mCherry gene into a pXP2 luciferase construct containing interleukin-8. I also conducted a presentation for the section journal club.
Metabolic Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
March 2004, Dr. Agarwal as mentor: This research studied the direct protein-protein interaction of the tumor-suppressor protein menin and the DNA-repair protein FANCD2 through a yeast two-hybrid system and ß-Galactosidase assay. Mutations in menin, a protein whose specific functions are relatively unknown, have been linked to endocrine tissue tumor development, and research into menin's interacting partners can reveal its specific method of tumor suppression and possibly novel knowledge about tumor formation and development. Two plasmids, one containing FANCD2 protein-coding cDNA cloned in-frame with the Gal4 transcription factor activation domain and another containing menin protein-coding cDNA cloned in-frame with the Gal4 DNA-binding domain, were transformed into yeast. A ß-Galactosidase assay was used to determine whether LacZ, the reporter gene regulated by the reconstituted Gal4 transcription factor, was expressed in the yeast, indicating that menin and FANCD2 interact. This study found that menin and FANCD2 do not directly interact, thereby suggesting that the proteins' method of interaction involves some kind of bridging protein. The possibility of menin's method of tumor suppression involving DNA repair is still viable, as shown in the protein's direct interaction with other DNA-repair related proteins, but requires further research.
This project won 2nd place for biochemistry at the Montgomery County Area Science Fair and the Sigma Delta Epsilon Graduate Women in Science, Omicron Chapter Certificate of Recognition.