Erika B
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at Cornell University
Expertise
Biology
Bio
I am currently a PhD candidate at Cornell University in the field of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology. I am interested in understanding a group of proteins that localize to a specialized compartment of primary cilia. Mutations in these proteins are known to cause a type of cystic kidney disease. I am using C. elegans as a model system to investigate the function of these proteins in vivo. I completed my undergraduate work at The University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, where I received degrees in Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology and in Biomathematics. My undergraduate research focused on determining the effect of oxidative stress on the subcellular localization of the microtubule stabilizing protein tau in cultured neurons.Project ideas
Protein structure and function
In this project, you will use PyMOL to visualize protein structure and connect structural observations to functional consequences. You will choose a specialized class of proteins to focus on (some examples include kinases or potassium ion channels), and learn the biochemical mechanism that results in a function unique to the protein class. By the completion of the project, you will write a review paper describing the relevant background literature, the mechanism of action of the protein, and the figures you generated throughout the project using PyMOL.
Using model organisms to study disease
You will learn about a diverse array of model organisms used in scientific research to study disease. For your project, you will choose a disease or group of related diseases that interests you, and investigate the current model organisms for the disease. By the completion of your project, you will write a review paper that gives an overview of the disease, descriptions of current models, and a critical analysis of the disease models (for example, what are the strengths and drawbacks of different disease models? What would the ideal model account for?).
Mathematical modeling of biological processes
In this project, you will learn the foundations of mathematical modeling strategies. To expand on this foundational knowledge, you will investigate a biological process that interests you (examples include modeling a particular disease or modeling the kinetics of protein interactions), and design a mathematical model for this process. By the completion of the project, you will generate a report of your model which will detail the relevant background information (including the specific question your model addresses), the rationale and equations for the model, and simulations of the model (with a summary of the information they provide).