My current project in the Nakato Lab, University of Minnesota, focuses on the role of Chondroitin Synthase (Chsy) in Drosophila Organ Development and Stem Cell Control. My research will examine whether normal chondroitin sulfate (CS) biosynthesis is required for the formation of the stem cell niche, basement membrane integrity, and organ shape maintenance using the Drosophila molecular genetic tools as our model. With a long-term goal of understanding the molecular mechanisms of how CS regulates organ development, my project aims to elucidate novel functions of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs).
I received bachelor of science in biology from Boston College in 2014. Post graduation, I’ve conducted research in Systems Biology Unit, Laboratory of Cell Biology at the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health as a Cancer Research Training Award (CRTA) recipient until 2019. At the NCI, my research had the following objectives: (1) Developing synthetic methods to probe the relationship between oscillatory biological gene regulatory systems, specifically the p53 tumor suppressor system, and the regulation of the timing and level of downstream target gene expression. (2) Applying the principles developed in the preceding aim to probe methods for restoring p53 pathway function in mutated cancer cell lines as well as novel synthetic biological circuits.
