2024-2025 USP Project
Fiber Monosaccharides and Uremic Toxin Levels in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients
Mentored by Dr. Taft
The University of Florida FSHN Department
Fall 2024-Spring 2024
For this project, I am researching the relationship between monosaccharide content of fiber and uremic toxin levels in chronic kidney disease patients (CKD), as well as how protein to fiber monosaccharide ratios are related to uremic toxin levels in CKD patients.The Davis Food Glycopedia (DFG) provides information regarding the structure of fiber. The DFG combined with automated self assessed 24 hour dietary recalls (ASA24) collected on CKD patientis can help me answer the question if fiber monosaccharide composition plays a role in influencing CKD patient uremic toxin levels.
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I have always been interested in how ones diet can affect their health. This project, specifically, can show how diet is directly related to health.
Weiss Research Building
at The Rockefeller University
My Research Projects
Ubiquitination Specific Protease 10 (USP10) Inhibition
Mentored by Aitor Garzia
The Rockefeller University Laboratory of RNA Molecular Biology
Summer 2024
I worked in Dr. Tuschl's Lab at The Rockefeller University in New York City. Here, I developed several cell based assays to test the potency and cytotoxicity of molecules previously tested in vitro to inhibit USP10 degradation. I quantified the ubiquitination by western blot, determining the EC50 of each compound. Additionally, I established a CRISPR knockout of Zinc Finger Protein 598 (ZNF598) in Vero cells. I purified the CRISPR plasmids, introduced them to Vero cells via lipofection, and sorted cells into single clones. I confirmed the knockouts by western blot and amplifying the CRISPR PAM site region of the genomic DNA by PCR, ligating into plasmids, and sequencing.
General Research Experience
Mentored by Dr. Taft
University of Florida FSHN
Fall 2022-Spring 2023
My first year in Dr. Taft's Lab, I worked on growing anaerobic probiotics for a study regarding Bifidobacterium survival on aerobic surfaces. Additional experience includes using RStudio to test for associations between beta diversity and later development of autisms in infants. Finally, I was part of a systematic review team, where I learned how to extract and review scientific literature for a project on the human milk microbiome.