Genetics Adaptation

Lifelong learner adjusts to rapid changes in both research and teaching

by Randy Weiler

Professor Rebecca Seipelt-Thiemann spends some of her downtime away from her work at MTSU learning to play the cello, splitting time in a weekly private lesson for the last three years with her high school daughter.

“I like learning new things, and it’s a pretty instrument, too,” said Seipelt-Thiemann, a Biology professor for 21 years.

Similar to her work as a researcher and educator in genetics and bioinformatics, those cello lessons moved from in-person to virtual in March 2020 because of the pandemic.

But learning new things has driven Seipelt-Thiemann for as long as she remembers, so, of course, she made the most of it for her students and her work.

Gravitating toward STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) at an early age, particularly biology, Seipelt-Thiemann expanded her interest in “learning new things” to medical microbiology and immunology while earning her doctorate from the University of Kentucky (UK). Then came postdoctoral studies in hematology and on the genetics of yeast. At MTSU, her expertise has led to major research grants in recent years totaling more than $501,000.

“It's always changing”

Seipelt-Thiemann uses molecular biology and bioinformatic tools to study gene expression in eukaryotes—organisms whose cells have a nucleus enclosed within a nuclear envelope—and to examine gene structure conservation in gene families. She also studies the development and utility of concept inventory assessment tools and hands-on models/ analogies for genetics education.

“It’s interesting—it’s always changing and [has] new things to learn. It keeps me excited about science,” she said when asked why genetics has been a passion since grad school.

Seipelt-Thiemann’s recent research, which has been collaborations with colleagues and often involves students, saw publication in scientific journals Virulence, MDPI, and Plos One in 2020. The Plos One study focuses on macrophages—the first line of defense against a yeast that causes the cryptococcosis pulmonary infection, which predominantly affects immune-compromised individuals and can result in life-threatening fungal meningitis.

Another current project involves RNA sequencing analysis of MRSA infection in diabetic mice with a Vanderbilt researcher. While lab research was affected during the pandemic, that opened doors to concentrate on writing and editing a variety of her projects, she said.

“For students, I have focused on entirely computational projects on genome annotation,” added Seipelt-Thiemann, who mentored three completed Honors thesis projects in spring 2021. “Two new master’s students just got started, and their projects will be at least 75% computational.”

A laboratory of love

The sudden transition to online learning in spring 2020 impacted Seipelt-Thiemann’s human genetics class, undergraduate research, and genetics lab—about 230 students, including five Honors students working on theses. Fall 2021 opened with new protocols, and she taught 12 hours and was a genetics lab coordinator for 270 students.

Over the summer, Seipelt-Thiemann redesigned the genetics labs for students to alternate coming to class every other week to learn lab skills, process samples, and generate data. On the other weeks, they were guided remotely to develop computational skills. “The quality of the lab experience that these genetics students are getting under these conditions is just as high as they would receive under normal conditions,” said Dennis Mullen, Biology Department chair.

Seipelt-Thiemann and four researchers around the country whom she’s never met in person also learned that their manuscript, “Teaching in the Time of COVID-19,” has been accepted for a science journal special issue. “I’ve learned so many new [technology] things,” she said.

As for the cello lessons, they’re a diversion she will continue to look forward to, virtually or—eventually—in person.

Connecting the Dots

by Emily Oppmann

This excerpt is from a graduate school essay by Emily Oppmann, a Buchanan Fellow, MTSU’s 2021 Provost Award winner and 2020 Outstanding Female Student, and a May 2021 graduate with a Biology concentration in Genetics and Biotechnology and minors in Chemistry, Global Studies, and Honors. She is pursuing a master’s in Genetic Counseling at the University of Alabama–Birmingham.

Looking back, the influences of both the people I care about and the experiences that challenged me have shaped me into the person I am today. I want to be a genetic counselor to be able to improve the lives of my patients and to make counseling more accessible to those seeking genetic advice worldwide.

I was introduced to the concept of genetics when I was 4 years old. While my mom was pregnant with my brother, her OB-GYN noticed abnormalities in an ultrasound. Our family was quickly thrust into the world of prenatal specialists, medical geneticists, and genetic counselors. After weeks of tests, we had a diagnosis: a genetic condition called Potter’s Sequence.

My brother, Patrick, had no kidneys and would not survive past birth. When my parents told me this, I first thought doctors could give my brother medicine so he would get better. The realization that there was nothing doctors could do to make him healthy was extremely difficult to grasp.

I enrolled in college uncertain of my career path but chose to major in Biology. A general genetics course, a random elective, caught my attention freshman year, and I enrolled. From the first day, I was hooked on genetics. I was intrigued by the rapid growth of the field, the amount of information yet to be discovered, and the important role that genes play in people's health.

I finally felt passionate enough to take a serious look into related careers. While discussing this interest with my parents, we had a candid conversation about my brother, but this time I was hearing it as an adult. They said of all the medical professionals they encountered, by far the most impactful was their genetic counselor. The compassion and support he showed is something they remember to this day.

Pursuing a career as a genetic counselor feels as if it is my purpose, something indelibly ingrained in me by the brief 23-minute life of my baby brother. If I had not experienced incredible loss and sadness, I might never have known how comforting a skilled genetic counselor can be to a grieving family. If I had never registered for genetics, I would not have gained all the knowledge and research experience. Looking back, I can connect all the dots that led me to this goal, and it feels as if I am home.