Major: Neuroscience Research Department: Neuroscience Graduation Date: August 2020
Abstract: Pain afflicts many Americans nationwide. Nociceptors are localized pain neurons with free nerve endings that are responsible for encoding of thermal, chemical, and mechanical noxious stimuli. In utero, nociceptors develop along a timeline of 9.5-12.5 days after conception in the Dorsal Root Ganglions [DRGs] of WT mice. This study utilizes EDU, a thymidine analog which incorporates itself into newly synthesized DNA. With this technology, it is possible to evaluate which cell bodies in the DRG were synthesized at the time of EDU administration. This allows us to pinpoint an estimated time of birth for nociceptors presenting cell bodies and further understand when Nociceptors proliferate and differentiate. The models used are the IB4/CGRP, Trka/NF200, and TrpV1/TrkA models. They are nociceptor markers with the exception of NF200 which marks myelinated proprioceptive sensory fibers. EDU is typically expressed in the nucleus of the DRG soma. 2 models propose the birthdate time of nociceptive and proprioceptive fibers. The simultaneous birth model proposes all sensory fibers are born at the same time and differentiate respectively at a later time point. The differential time model proposes that births occur at varied TPs for different classes of nociceptors. No baseline evaluation of WT DRGs using EDU modeling conditions has been done and not much is known quantitatively about the pattern of nociceptor birth. This study aims to establish a control group for future analyses of DRG nociceptive development for EDU models. Email:[email protected]
What does research mean to you? Research is a means of communicating with the natural world. There is an embarrassing amount we do not know about how the world works, from the physics of how a bike can stand up without support while riding to how a person can feel emotions and store them as memories. Research is a way to question and receive answers from the unknown and it is a way that humans can help advance society. Research pushes the boundary of modern medicine, science, and technology, and at UT Southwestern’s Green Fellowship program, being a part of this experience was so humbling.
Tell us about your journey. Before I started at the Green Fellowship, I was told that the Green Fellowship would be the hardest but more rewarding couple of months in my life in terms of the project and academic component. While I can say that there was some truth to that statement, I also found a new angle to my experience- the friendship and personal relationships I built. Initially, I was paired with my lab mentor, and he really guided me through the process. My lab PI worked exclusively with me in order to help develop a project and guide my research in the time in which I was working. There was a large learning curve at first, but I powered through and was able to get the hang of things relatively quickly. As the semester picked up pace, I was able to start being more independent in the lab. When COVID-19 struck, the lab winded down and I had to wrap my project. I worked from home and I was thankful enough to have such a supportive circle of friends and lab members that were happy to give me continuous feedback on my poster. During the poster presentations themselves, I was able to give a presentation that I would be proud of. There is nothing better than the moment where you peers, family, and teachers see your presentation, a culmination of all the hard work you’ve done throughout the semester, and feel a sense of pride for you.
How did the pandemic affect me? Fortunately, I was able to complete most of my lab work prior to the pandemic. However, a crucial part of my project was imaging and data analysis using a confocal microscope. The pandemic surely shifted lab protocols for us, and we had virtual lab meetings and blocked off time slots where 1 person could be in the lab at a time. This definitely put a wrench in my plans, but I was able to present my poster with the data I had collected, even with a lesser amount of data points. At the end of the day, I saw resiliency and teamwork unmatched by any other institution when it came to the staff and faculty at UT Southwestern and I was really proud to be part of an institution that was not neglectful of the dangers of the pandemic.
Where am I now? I am currently completing my masters in bioethics and medical humanities at the Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Medical Education. It is a 1 year program and my Master's Thesis will focus on the decision making capacity of late-adolescent/young adult aged minors with life threatening neurological illnesses. Additionally, I am completing my post-baccalaureate certification in Neuromuscular Clinical Practice at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation through a program called the MOST fellowship. My future plans are to pursue an MD with translational research experience or MD/PhD in, hopefully, the Cleveland area!
Advice for Future Green Fellows
Albeit cheesy, I would advise the fellows to make the most of their experience. Study on the 14th floor sky towers or the medical school library, take the DART through downtown, eat ramen at Ichiro, network with your PIs and medical students, go to the Grand Rounds series for each department, and explore the UTSW campus. UTSW is an amazing institution that really motivated me to put my best foot forward. For me personally, I feed off of the energy of where I am; and the supportive, inquisitive, and intellectual nature of the UTSW staff and my Green Fellow peers really helped me achieve my goals! Work hard, play hard, and remember to make some friends to get you through the ups and downs.