University: University of Wisconsin, Madison
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
NIH Research Project:
Characterization of Small Noncoding RNAs that Basepair with the 3' Ends of mRNAs
Mentor: Gisela Storz, Ph.D.
Cell Biology and Metabolism Branch
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
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Since I was young, I have always loved science. My high school science classes confirmed my interest in science and really pushed me into research.
Currently, I attend the University of Wisconsin at Madison. I work with Dr. Jorge Escalante in the Department of Bacteriology. There, I study the regulation of tricarballylic acid metabolism in Salmonella enterica. Tricarballylic acid is an organic acid found in certain grasses and can be toxic to ruminants. When ingested by ruminants, tricarballylic acid combines with magnesium and is excreted, causing a magnesium deficiency. This deficiency leads to grass tetany and ultimately death. Salmonella enterica can use tricarballylic acid as a carbon and energy source. Understanding the mechanism of metabolism of tricarballylic acid can ultimately help in the agricultural industry.
This summer as a UGSP Scholar, I am training at the NIH with Dr. Gisela Storz in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. This is my second summer in the UGSP training with Dr. Storz, and I study the interaction of small RNA and its target messenger RNA. Small RNAs have different mechanisms in regulating their target mRNA. Some small RNAs can stabilize their corresponding mRNAs through base-pairing. Understanding the function of small RNAs will help in understanding the organism as a whole.
After my summer at the NIH, I will continue and finish my undergraduate degree in genetics. I hope to become a well-trained scientist to help solve important problems.
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