Alejandra F

- Research Program Mentor

Project ideas

Dormant cancer cells: The force awakens

Did you know that cancer cells undergo a process called dormancy to evade immune surveillance? Dormancy is a mechanism by which cancer cells are not actively undergoing the cell cycle process, allowing them to remain "asleep" within a patient's body. The major problem with dormant cancer cells is that once they "wake up", they are highly metastatic and are resistant to treatment. Are you interested in learning more about this topic while also doing a project that excites you? If so, I look forward to working with you. This project could be conducted in multiple ways: a scientific blog, a review article, a brief video, or a podcast.

On top of genetics- Epigenetics in cancer

Mutations within a cell are a driving force in cancer; however, it is not the only way a cell could become malignant. In this project, you will explore how epigenetic modifications (ie. DNA methylation or DNA oxidations) can facilitate cancer cell survival. This project could be conducted in multiple ways: a scientific blog, a review article, a brief video, or a podcast.