“Our lab focuses on the role of mitochondrial DNA mutations in major human diseases, particularly cancer. Mitochondria are organelles inside of cells that are mainly responsible for generating energy. Most of your genes are contained in DNA in the nucleus of the cell but mitochondria also have a small amount of DNA with a few genes that are involved in energy production. In many disease processes, the functions of mitochondria become compromised and often we can detect mutations in mitochondrial DNA. In many of those cases, it is not clear if the mitochondrial DNA mutations are the cause or a consequence of the disease process. Summer Scholars Faculty Mentor: Dr. Warren Lushia, Vice Chair of Biochemistry and Genetics, Associate Professor of Biochemistry (Madeline Walker cont’d) unique and what works for someone else may not work for you. Be honest with yourself about how you best study, and if something that used to work for you is no longer doing the job, then don’t be afraid to try something new!
CELESTE R. GRACEY Hometown: Kirkland, WA
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Communications-Journalism, University of Washington Hobbies: Hiking, family bike rides, and baking/cooking. Research project title and role: An Investigation of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy within Rural Regions of North Carolina Why did you choose to participate in the summer scholars program and what did you learn? Summer Scholars is an amazing opportunity to get connected to the research community at Campbell and in North Carolina. My research is also on a topic that is near and dear to my heart. Not only has vaccine hesitancy in my home state led to measles outbreaks, but the first major COVID-19 outbreak in the US occurred in the neighborhood where I grew up. Vaccines are the most significant advancement ever made in medicine. Understanding why people are uncertain about them and learning how to address those concerns will only increase that impact. Advice to MS-I’s and future medical students: Change your definition of success. Perfect grades and high scores may have played an important role in making it this far, but you are about to enter a world where your success is not limited by what the people sitting on your left and your right are doing. While passing classes alone is truly a triumph, the deluge of information does not let up after an exam. Everything has to be done with sustainability 12 SPECIAL EDITION - 2021
The main focus of our lab is to develop a way for us to alter the DNA inside the mitochondria. This would allow us to examine if such alterations can cause human diseases, and potentially provide therapeutic options for treating such diseases. If successful, the technology we are developing would open doors for looking at the role of mitochondrial DNA mutations in many of the major diseases affecting people. There is also potential for developing the technology into “gene therapy” that could be used to treat people who have a disease caused by mitochondrial DNA mutations.” - Dr. Lushia on his current research project.