Meet Sidra Shah
Major: Biology
Graduation Year: May 2016 Field of Study: Pediatric Oncology Abstract: Chromosomal translocations and other structural genome rearrangements are increasingly recognized as important drivers of human cancer. In particular, many sarcomas are known to be caused by oncogenic fusion proteins such as PAX3-FOXO1 in Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma and EWS-FLI1 in Ewing Sarcoma. Recent advances in RNA-Seq technology have begun to reveal large numbers of novel fusions, the functional significance of which is not known. The Delattre laboratory (Insitut Curie, Paris) identified the novel fusion gene HEY1-NCOA2 in cases of “fusion-negative” sarcoma. This gene has been seen to be recurrent in a specific type of cancer called Mesenchymal Chondrosarcoma. However the specific biological role of HEY1-NCOA2in the cancer has not been clearly identified previously. The focus of this study is to determine oncogenic mechanisms of HEY1-NCOA2 in sarcoma using a zebrafish genetic model. |
My Experience:
I heard about Green Fellows during my freshmen year at UTD and ever since then I had hoped to get a chance to participate in this amazing program. I was ecstatic to be a part of the 2015 Green Fellows and have an opportunity to work in Dr. Amatruda’s Pediatric Oncology Lab. I worked directly with Dr. Sarah Watson, a PhD student, who was working on determining the function of an oncogenic gene called HEY1-NCOA2. I have an interest in Pediatric Oncology therefore I was lucky enough to work directly with some Pediatric Oncologists. I was pushed out of my comfort zone and forced to be open-minded as I worked on tasks such as injecting Zebrafish embryos and performing experiments such as In Situ Hybridizations. In one semester, I was exposed to the realities and hardships of research, and I learned how to improve as a researcher. I enjoyed the pace of research and loved the excitement of getting good results. Fortunately, I worked in a very friendly lab where everyone was willing to help me whenever I needed it. Overall, I had a remarkable experience last semester! I learned that I truly do enjoy research and would like to incorporate it into my future career as a physician. |
My Advice:
My advice to an incoming 2016 Green Fellow is to take this amazing opportunity of being at UTSW and making the most of it by attending lectures, building relationships, and having fun! The first crucial step in the program is picking a lab that you will enjoy being in full time for one semester. Take some time to read about the lab and the PI. Look into what projects they conduct and if you are interested in the topic or not. I was fortunate to be placed in my first choice lab and I enjoyed working with the other lab members on my project. Working alongside extremely intelligent researchers can be intimidating, so it is okay to make mistakes and be sure to ask a lot of questions. Conducting your own research project is a huge responsibility and commitment. Be ready to work long days and have a few failed experiments. But that is the beauty of research! One learns from the mistakes made and then learns to come up with different ways to approach the problem. At the end of the fellowship, fellows create a poster to showcase their project and findings. DO NOT PROCASTINATE! Most fellows also complete a Senior Honors Thesis during the semester. Plan ahead and try to do both things well before the due dates to prevent last minute stress. And lastly enjoy this time! Befriend the other fellows and together learn from the unique pace of research. It will truly be an experience you will never forget!
My advice to an incoming 2016 Green Fellow is to take this amazing opportunity of being at UTSW and making the most of it by attending lectures, building relationships, and having fun! The first crucial step in the program is picking a lab that you will enjoy being in full time for one semester. Take some time to read about the lab and the PI. Look into what projects they conduct and if you are interested in the topic or not. I was fortunate to be placed in my first choice lab and I enjoyed working with the other lab members on my project. Working alongside extremely intelligent researchers can be intimidating, so it is okay to make mistakes and be sure to ask a lot of questions. Conducting your own research project is a huge responsibility and commitment. Be ready to work long days and have a few failed experiments. But that is the beauty of research! One learns from the mistakes made and then learns to come up with different ways to approach the problem. At the end of the fellowship, fellows create a poster to showcase their project and findings. DO NOT PROCASTINATE! Most fellows also complete a Senior Honors Thesis during the semester. Plan ahead and try to do both things well before the due dates to prevent last minute stress. And lastly enjoy this time! Befriend the other fellows and together learn from the unique pace of research. It will truly be an experience you will never forget!