Projects
Over the past 12 years, I have had the privilege of working in multiple different research groups and building a wide ranging repertoire of experiences and skills.
miRNAs in MLL leukemia
MLL leukemias arise as a the result of specific chromosomal translocations and are governed by a well-defined program of downstream target genes, including the developmentally important HOX genes and the miR-17~92 cluster. We examined the contribution of the miR-17~92 cluster to MLL leukemia through miRNA inhibition and observed a dramatic in vitro effect corresponding to several treatment regimens. We further demonstrated that miRNAs aberrantly expressed in MLL leukemia down-regulate PKNOX1, and that PKNOX1 expression has an inhibitory effect on MLL leukemia function. Within this project, I was a graduate student and was responsible for all aspects of the project.
functional examination of hADA3
hAda3 is a member of the STAGA complex, which is responsible for recruitment of acetyl transferases to p53 for post-transcriptional modifications that regulate nuclear import and protein stability. In this project, we examined the effects of loss of hAda3, through conditional deletion in a mouse model. Within this project, I was a research assistant, and was responsible for performing experiments, generating reagents, and maintenance of the mouse colony.
Examining the relationship between lin-12 and let-7 in C. elegans
The lin-12/Notch signaling pathway is conserved between humans and worms, and serves as a genetic model for investigation of Notch targets and relationships. We identified a regulatory relationship between lin-12/Notch and the let-7 miRNA and tested this relationship utilizing both genetic experiments and molecular biology techniques observing an increase in let-7 expression in worms with a gain of function lin-12/Notch mutation. Within this project, I served as a research assistant and was responsible for molecular biology experiments for the publication, generating reagents, and lab maintenance.