My name is Walter Hardesty and I am beginning
my fourth-year as an MIMG major. I’m one of the new MARCers, and am excited for
a productive summer of research in Dr. Kent Hill’s Lab who works with Trypanosoma brucei. For those of you who
are curious, T. brucei is a
unicellular, eukaryotic parasite that causes a devastating disease in humans
called African Sleeping Sickness. My work has been centered on a protein called
carbonic anhydrase and its role in social motility. I am investigating its role
by performing social motility assays on carbonic anhydrase knockdown lines at
different levels of carbon dioxide, and seeing what happens!
How cool is that! Anyway, that’s just a taste of the work I
will be doing this summer in the Hill Lab. Besides lab work, I’m also having a
great time working with the other graduate students and post docs. My mentor,
Edwin Saada, is great. He always pays close attention to my work in the lab in
an effort to guide me on my path. I can’t wait until he teaches me a new
technique in the lab called immunofluorescence!
Dr. Kent Hill is also terrific! He’s in his office in the
lab nearly 3-4 times a week, which is a whopping amount of time (compared to
what I’ve heard about other P.I.’s). We have meetings once in a while where he
provides me with direction in my project. All in all, his help and support are
excessive, and it feels great to know that I am at the forefront of science,
alongside one of the leading scientists in trypanosome biology!
Until next
time, later guys!
Here’s me at the lab! Keepin’ it reallllllll.
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