Research Experience
Genotyping Anaplasma phagocytophilum
Summer 2023 – Spring 2024
During my time at the New York State Department of Health Wadsworth Biggs Tick Laboratory under the mentorship of Melissa Prusinski, I gained hands-on experience in pathogen detection and surveillance. I designed an assay to differentiate between bacterial strains through PCR and gel electrophoresis, assembled samples for sequencing, and explored new protocols based on existing literature. This formative experience sharpened my ability to track pathogen patterns and contribute to public health efforts by helping inform the public when emerging trends indicated potential danger.
Exploring the Production of Immunomodulatory Compounds Produced By the Fungal Pathogen Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis
Fall 2024 – Spring 2025
Batrachochytrium Dendrobatitis (Bd) is a fungal pathogen infecting amphibians worldwide. Recent findings have identified three metabolites produced by Bd (methylthioadenosine, L-kynurenine, and spermidine) as having immunomodulatory effects during amphibian infection. The metabolites help inhibit lymphocyte growth, weakening the host’s immune response. We are studying how exposure to different treatments affects the secretion of these metabolites. For example, the quorum sensing molecule tryptophol has been shown to inhibit the growth of Bd cells, which our results have supported. However, Tryptophol’s effect on the metabolites is unknown. To answer these questions Bd cell cultures were grown to obtain a supernatant that could be analyzed through liquid chromatography. Understanding what affects the production of these metabolites can help us gain insight into the coevolution of host parasite interactions.
Molecular Analysis of Bacterial Isolates Near Historically Polluted Sites in Saratoga County
Spring – Fall 2023
In my first collegiate research experience, I was launched into the world of microbes, exploring metal resistance in prokaryotes in polluted areas of Saratoga County. During this experience, I learned the basics of successful research practices, which provided the framework to lead a project in Dr. Sylvia Franke McDevitt’s lab after earning a grant which allowed for deeper exploration into bacterial isolate resistance. In a project titled, Investigating Heavy Metal Resistance in Historically Polluted Areas in Saratoga County I performed heavy metal resistance assays, genomic sequencing, on bacterial samples isolated for field sites. Bacterial heavy metal resistance is critical in the study of bacterial evolution and subsequent implications for human health.
