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My Academic Goals And Research Interests

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My academic goals and research interests have developed significantly over the course of my undergraduate studies at Susquehanna University. When I first arrived at Susquehanna I was a biology major and had dreams of medical school. However, by the end of freshman year, I began to develop an interest in neuroscience. Declaring a major in neuroscience allowed me to explore the components of biology I loved, while incorporating psychology and chemistry.
My research interests developed from my exposure to the various areas of neuroscience through my internships, research experiences and courses. I am currently working on a research project, with the goal of gaining a more thorough understanding of the genes involved in lateral glial cell differentiation in the central nervous system of Drosophila. I conduct genetic crosses to obtain the desired genomes and collect embryos for immunostaining. I examine the expression of a conceptual gene, cg31235, which is solely expressed in longitudinal glial cells, in the presence of the genes Pointed P1 (PntP1) and Reversed Polarity (Repo). Subsequently, I will then use immunostaining to examine the expression of PntP1 and Repo in order to determine whether they regulate the genes involved in the in the development and function of longitudinal glia. Last fall, I presented my research proposal, which was followed by a presentation at the Society of Developmental Biology this spring. These experiences have strengthened my desire to explore

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