“How do you eat DNA spaghetti?”
You use a replication fork. -Anonymous
Hello
and welcome to the blog!
My
name is Angela Hemesath. As a senior at BASIS Scottsdale in Arizona, I am
participating in one of BASIS’s unique programs: the Senior Research Project.
The Senior Research Project (SRP) is an opportunity for BASIS Seniors to use
their third trimester to explore a research question through an internship.
With
the help of my Faculty Adviser, Mr. John Nishan, and my On-Site Mentors, Dr. Dan
Riggs, Mrs. Victoria Garbitt, and Dr. P. Leif Bergsagel, I have been given the opportunity to intern at the Mayo Clinic in
Scottsdale (linked on the right). My research will focus largely on the genetic
components of Multiple Myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells (“Diseases and
Conditions Multiple Myeloma”). Studies have shown that the malfunction of a
certain gene, called the MYC gene, may be heavily involved in causing Multiple Myeloma
(Dib). Through my work at the lab, I hope to answer the following questions: “Can
the distance of one gene indeed affect another? Is multiple myeloma actually
caused by the translocation and subsequent dysregulation of the MYC gene? Will
a genetic study of medicine lead to individualized care?”
I
hope you follow me on my journey and I hope that I can entertain you a little
along the way!
Best
wishes,
Angela
Hemesath
If
you’d like to read more on my SRP, my proposal is linked on the right.
Sources:
Dib, Amel, Ana Gabrea, Oleg K. Glebov, P. Leif Bergsagel, and W. Michael Kuehl. “Characterization
of MYC Translocations in Multiple Myeloma Cell Lines.” Nih.com. NCBI,
3 Sep. 2009. Web. 16 Dec. 2014.
“Diseases and Conditions Multiple Myeloma.” Mayoclinic.org.
Mayo Clinic, n.d. Web. Oct. 2014.
I'm excited to see where this goes! I'm sure there will be an interesting conclusion to this research.
ReplyDeleteI like how you started your post with a quotation and image of spaghetti! I'm likewise excited to see how your research will impact the world of personalized medicine and multiple myeloma.
ReplyDeleteYou've already entertained me with the picture. I'm excited to see your results!
ReplyDeleteAngela you're engaging as always, but I do not understand the concept of dysregulation of the MYC gene or what the significance of this will be. I'm sure this will be answered in your project and I'm very excited to hear more about it.
ReplyDeleteEvery project should start with a pun.
ReplyDeleteIf your research determines that a malfunction of the MYC gene indeed has a hand in causing multiple myeloma, what path could there be to personalised treatment based on that? How much variation is there in the gene?
Angela: It is great that you are able to use some of the theoretical information that we did in class to a practical end. I am looking forward intently to reading about your progress
ReplyDeleteHi Angela,
ReplyDeleteI am very excited to see what you find in your research! Anything having to do with genes instantly captures my attention, as I find them a very interesting topic for study. There is always so much more we can learn about genes!