Major: Chemistry Research Department: Biochemistry Graduation Date: May 2021
Abstract: There has been increasing interest in the use of mRNA for the treatment of diseases. In order to utilize this option, there must be carriers to mediate the encapsulation and delivery of mRNA. My project involved the development of polymer-based nanoparticles that could perform as well as lipid-based mRNA carriers. The polymers were designed to incorporate ionizable amines and zwitterionic components, which were both found to be essential in stabilizing mRNA in lipid-based carriers. These polymers were then used to formulate nanoparticles which were then tested in vitro for cytotoxicity and mRNA delivery efficacy. All nanoparticles showed low cytotoxicity, but only nanoparticles composed of lower molecular weight polymers showed high delivery efficacy.
What does research mean to you? Research is like putting together a puzzle, except you do not know how many pieces there are and maybe you have extra pieces that don’t belong. The only thing you can do is to come back to it everyday and try out different pieces until something sticks. Research takes time and hard work but being able to discover something new is enthralling to me. Tell us about your journey. I started doing research in an organic chemistry lab at UTD the summer of my sophomore year. I loved synthesizing chemicals and being able to hold a few grams of my product in my hand. I knew I was interested in research as a career path, so being able to work full-time in a lab through the Green Fellowship seemed a great opportunity to test things out. This experience has solidified my love for research, and I plan to continue pursuing my dream of becoming a researcher.
How did the pandemic affect me? The COVID-19 pandemic cut my Green Fellowship experience short by 3 months, at least. Needless to say, I was not very happy about that. I had just started learning about biological experiments and I was about to receive a new project from my PI. When the labs shut down, all I could think about was how much learning and networking I was missing out on and feeling like I did not contribute anything during my time with my lab. However, after completing my poster, I realized that I had learned a lot in the short time I was at Southwestern. It took some time to remind myself that research takes time and the point of the Green Fellowship was not to have some amazing breakthrough. Rather, it is about testing the waters in a research career and meeting others who have the same passion and interests as you. Even though my time at UTSW was short, it was still an invaluable experience and I would do it again if given the opportunity. Thank you again to Dr. Ravnik, Erika, Deb, and the Siegwart lab for giving me this amazing experience and helping me through this tough time!
Where am I now? As for academic/career plans, I have accepted an offer from Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, PA for grad school to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry 🙂 🙂
Advice for Future Green Fellows
Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want! Your PI accepted you to be a part of their lab, so they will want to help you make the most of this experience. If you need anything, from lab coats to guidance, ask! Your mentor will try to help you in any way that they can. You are only here for 4 months, don’t waste any of it being too shy to ask for stuff! Don’t be afraid of talking to other members of your lab either! They probably have some great advice for you as an undergraduate and this is the chance for you to make lasting connections.