Garrett C
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at Emory University
Expertise
Cancer Biology and Genetics
Bio
I am particularly fascinated by how the genome is epigenetically regulated by chromatin remodelling protein complexes. My current project is focused on understanding the effects of specific mutations in these complexes and how they can promote tumor initiation in a rare set of pediatric cancers. I use both wet-lab techniques as well as computational data analysis to answer these questions. In my free time, I am a big time bagel enthusiast (particularly with egg, bacon, and cheese). I also enjoy taking my dog for walks around the nearby park or attending live concerts when I can! I have also been known to be a mediocre kickball player in the summer.Project ideas
How is your DNA organized?
If you took all of the DNA from one of your cells and stretched it out end to end it would be 5 feet long! There is alot of information contained within your genome, and your cells need a way to organize and access the important stuff only when necessary. Librarians are tasked with organizing thousands of books neatly in shelves but often they bring out a couple selected books to put on display for everyone to see. In a similar way, each one of your cells is a small librarian constantly filing and organizing large parts of your genome. When your cell sees a gene that it wants to use, it will open up your genome in a way that makes it accessible for transcription. This project will focus on studying how the genome is organized within a cell and would serve as an excellent inspiration for a review paper or presentation in a topic specific to your interests.
How will medicine become more personalized?
We often hear alot of buzz words like "CRISPR therapy" "personalized medicine" and "genetic sequencing" in the media today. What do these terms mean for the future of medicine, and how will it impact the patients. We are beginning to enter a world where you will bring your whole genome in a small flash-drive when you visit the doctor's office. The doctor will then use this information in your genome to diagnose, treat, and predict future outcomes. How will these changes affect patient care... good or bad? How will privacy be enforced for each patient? Will the predictions based on your genome be correct? This possible future raises alot of important questions that have yet to be answered. This project is great for someone looking to get into medicine! This would be a great topic for a blog (which I can help set up), or maybe a review article in an area of your choice.