Year in program: 2019
I was able to get my hands dirty with wet work, particularly through investigating c-elegan habituations. After observing their responses to air puffs, our lab was able to observe the phenomenon of neural plasticity within the simple nematodes. I was also able to further my understanding of neurodegenerative diseases, neuronal firing, brain anatomy, and the process of PCR with my lab section. I like to thank Dr. Grisham for allowing me to work with him and his wonderful team. I find neural plasticity and brain development very fascinating. I was intrigued to learn more about the neuronal pruning that results with age, and the molecular mechanisms that facilitate neuronal signal strengths. I was pleasantly surprised that my childhood video game character, Sonic Hedgehog, plays a critical role in the development of the human brain.