Elizabeth’s BioBlog

 During the next three semesters I will be working on a project called “Pathway to a synapse: Motor protein function at the onset of synaptogenesis”. My mentor is Dr. Franklin Carrero from the Department of Biology at UPR-Mayaguez.The purpose of this research is to identify a specific myosin protein (a type of motor protein) that is necessary to the process of synaptogenesis in a Drosophila embryo. This protein functions as an essential vehicle in cytoplasmic transport, and carries a set of proteins known as PSD95/Dlg. The presence of these proteins in the muscle cell’s myopodia (muscle filopodia) determine the formation of the neuromuscular synapses.  Our goal this semester is to be able to collect Drosophila embryos and study them under a set of conditions to identify the motor protein present in the myopodia.

       In the lab I have had several experiences that have helped me learn the process of scientific research. Our work group has had several meeting to present and discuss scientific articles that are somewhat related to our projects. I will have the opportunity, in a few weeks, to present an article I have been studying. The article is called “Muscle arm development in Caenorhabditis elegans” and it is deeply related to our project. This week I worked on a needle puller calibration, making egg laying plates, and transferring our Drosophilas into an egg laying cage. In subsequent blogs I will post my experiences in working with the extremely small embryos as I learn to manipulate them.