UTS Volume 12 (2021-2022) by Saltman Quarterly

Undergraduate Research Magazine

Volume 12 2021-2022

Editors’

LETTER

WE ARE

DEAR READER,

delighted to present to you the 12th annual Under the Scope magazine. Our teams of writers, illustrators, photographers, designers, and editors have all worked together to make this a reality, and we are so proud of their diligent work during difficult times. Amid repeated global crises in the past year, both in the realm of public health and in other areas, we bring to you stories of hope. Each of our featured articles shares a story of two undergraduate researchers working to solve a similar problem from different scientific angles. This year, one common thread between these articles is discovery and progress related to human health. Drawing on creativity and perseverance, these students are chipping away at the health concerns of today to contribute to a more equitable global society. In this issue, our cover story focuses on polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which affects one in 10 women despite being relatively unknown to the general public. Following the tradition of this magazine, writers Vidisha Marwaha and Meline Norquist break down this condition and show how student researchers are studying mice to pave the way for PCOS treatments pg. 7. We hope that this article can begin to improve gender disparities in health research by shining a light on one crucial women’s reproductive healthcare topic. Another disparity in healthcare research is lower funding for diseases that primarily affect those in developing countries. The next article, “Persisting Plagues” addresses this by highlighting the ongoing search for new antimalarial drugs and the exciting potential for nanoparticles to fight tuberculosis pg. 14. Continuing in the same vein of well-known diseases, “Your Ace of Hearts” covers approaches to find the genetic root of cardiovascular diseases pg. 20. Our final print article, “Gone Fishing,” discusses

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negative effects of alcohol use on the developing brain as well as a creative PHOTO BY Bridget Spencer new model organism for studying alcohol use: crayfish pg. 26. If you are curious to learn more about student research related to alcohol, head to sqonline.ucsd.edu to check out our final online-exclusive Under the Scope feature about post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol. You likely know someone who is directly affected by one of the common conditions discussed in this issue. As these articles developed, we were buoyed by these stories of positive advances in medicine, and we hope that you leave reading this magazine feeling lighter as well. If you are curious about those who make telling stories like these into a career, we also encourage you to listen in on our Q&A session with biology communicators pg. 32, including some alumni from the Saltman Quarterly program. With heartfelt hope, we present to you Volume 12 of Under the Scope. Sincerely,

Nicole Adamson & Anjali Iyangar Editors-in-Chief 2021-2022

Under the Scope

STAFF

PHOTO BY Bridget Spencer

Editorial Board Editors in Chief Nicole Adamson Anjali Iyangar

Features Editor Lina Lew

Production Editor Amber Hauw

Head Technical Editor Ishrak Ramzan

Technical Editors Gulshanbir Baidwan Nicolas Bello Max Gruber Varsha Mathew Irene Tsaur Maya Wallace Emily Wan Jody Wong

Features Design Editor Dhathry Doppalapudi

Head Illustrator Sara Kian

Head Advisors

Writers

James Cooke, Ph.D.

Rachana Balakrishnan Sevim Bianchi Leanne Dugan Elle Epstein Marcella Ku April Lin Vidisha Marwaha Meline Norquist Thrisha Praveen Roxana Shahmohammadi Malleeka Suy Emma Svendsen

Assistant Teaching Professor of Neurobiology

Evan Tucker

Head Photographer

Student Engagement Coordinator Division of Biological Sciences

Core Staff Editors

Faculty Advisory Board

Bridget Spencer

Alexandra Babakanian Anushka Bajaj Yukta Chidanandan Juliana Fox Tania Gallardo Anna Hakimi Jenny Namkoong Sharanya Sriram Megha Srivatsa Chetana Thappeta Caitlyn Truong

Elsa Cleland, Ph.D. Sara Jackrel, Ph.D. Ashley Juavinett, Ph.D. Lisa McDonnell, Ph.D. Alistair Russell, Ph.D. Chih-Ying Su, Ph.D.

Illustrators Hannah Abraham Vidisha Marwaha Diana Presas-Ramos Yichen Wang Christine Do Valarie Chan

Cover Illustration Kristiana Wong

Table of Contents Illustration Sejal Kini

Photographers Anne Marie Berry Andrea Farrell Adamari Martinez Umang Patel Sam Zilberman

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xtreme and continue past the expected awkward teenage years. Such was the case for a nd that she needed to be placed on birth control pills (BCPs). While on the pill, Rachel achel’s circumstance was chalked up to a coming-of-age experience and there was never

e her not being pregnant. She soon realized that the sheer magnitude and persistence iety, despite her having not significantly changed her eating habits. She saw two new ather than dismiss her. After explaining her story one last time, Rachel experienced of public awareness, but they agreed to work with her to create a treatment plan to

Polycystic Problems Mouse Models and Reproductive Health

PAGE 14

hat PCOS manifests, with differing miscarriage, according to the

ed to e or pport

PAGE 7

Persisting Plagues

TABLE OF CONTENTS Novel Treatments for Age-Old Diseases

PAGE 20

Your Ace of Hearts

The Genetics of Cardiovascular Disease

teristics of

development and develop-

rous. Mice were an efficient model system for this study because they consume each

bloodstream. Letrozole treatment of pubescent female mice resulted in the development of ding weight gain, insulin resistance, and elevated fasting blood glucose and insulin levels.

mice also had similar patterns of weight gain, which indicated a healthier pattern in insuinitial states.

lts implied that an altered gut microbiome has a possible causal link to PCOS symptoms. beyond the gut microbiome. In one particular lab, the subject of interest is cinnamon.

ctive disorder, PCOS is also a general metabolic disorder, where abnormalities in the ls. This condition, called insulin resistance, causes insulin and sugar to build up in the distributed weight gain that some PCOS patients, like Rachel, experience.

atments for insulin resistance. The researchers chose to focus on a commonly used spice

PAGE 26

Gone Fishing Alcohol Consumption and College Students

PAGE 32

Careers in Biology Communication Interviews with Saltman Quarterly Alumni

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MICE MODELS

Letrozole mice models mimic PCOS symptoms and are utilized to study the disease.

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POLYCYSTIC PROBLEMS: Mouse Models and Reproductive Health Using mouse models to understand causes and develop treatments for polycystic ovary syndrome WRITTEN BY PHOTO BY ILLUSTRATED BY

Vidisha Marwaha & Meline Norquist Sam Zilberman Dhathry Doppalapudi & Vidisha Marwaha

nusual hair growth, cystic acne flare-ups, weight gain, and irregular periods are all uncomfortable hallmarks of adolescence. However, for some individuals, these experiences are more extreme and continue past the expected awkward teenage years. Such was the case for a UC San Diego student, Rachel, whose name has been changed to protect her privacy. Upon visiting her OB-GYN, Rachel was told that many individuals combat menstrual irregularities and that she needed to be placed on birth control pills (BCPs). While on the pill, Rachel continued to experience extreme fluctuations in weight gain and acne breakouts and noticed coarse hair

popping up in places like her chin. However, despite the alterations in her body, Rachel’s circumstance was chalked up to a coming-ofage experience and there was never any further investigation into the probable cause of these symptoms. Within only three months of going on BCPs, Rachel had gained over 100 pounds, had chronic acne, noticed a significant increase in facial hair, and her menstrual cycle had stopped despite her not being pregnant. She soon realized that the sheer magnitude and persistence of her symptoms went beyond normal adolescent changes. Seeking professional help once again, she visited her general practitioner, who

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insisted that she was simply overeating due to anxiety, despite her having not significantly changed her eating habits. She saw two new OBGYNs, who both regurgitated the same theory. Frustrated, she decided to make one last appointment with another doctor hoping they would understand the gravity of her symptoms rather than dismiss her. After explaining her story one last time, Rachel experienced a breakthrough with her doctor, who diagnosed her with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The doctor explained that PCOS is often misdiagnosed due to symptom ambiguity and a lack of public awareness, but they agreed to work with her to create a treatment plan to alleviate her symptoms. Finally, Rachel was able to begin learning about her body and demystifying the symptoms of PCOS.

DEMYSTIFYING PCOS

When PCOS was first described in 1935 by American gynecologists Irving Stein and Michael Leventhal it was considered a rare disorder. Today the US Office on Women’s Health reports that PCOS manifests, with differing symptoms and severity, in as many as 1 out of 10 people with uteri. PCOS is also a leading cause of infertility and is linked to an elevated likelihood of pregnancy complications including miscarriage, according to the CDC. Unfortunately, many physicians do not perform the necessary diagnostic tests or recognize that PCOS has broad and potentially devastating consequences. Part of the issue can be attributed to the varied ways PCOS manifests. A clinical diagnosis of PCOS requires meeting two out of three criteria: ovaries with cysts, heightened levels of androgens such as testosterone, and absence or irregularity of the menstrual cycle. The other complicating factor is a lack of public awareness. According to the non-profit support organization PCOS Challenge, PCOS awareness and support organizations receive less than 0.1 percent of the government, corporate, foundation, and community funding that other health conditions receive. Researchers are still unsure of the cause of PCOS; however, two notable labs at UC San Diego are currently using mouse models to

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push the frontier of PCOS research. The unusual characteristics of mice have allowed one lab to study the relationship between PCOS and the gut microbiome.

A KICK IN THE GUT

In the Thackray laboratory at the UC San Diego School of Medicine undergraduate researcher, Reeya Shah studied whether exposure to a healthy gut microbiome is protective against the development of PCOS symptoms. The gut microbiome is vast and complex, with around 100 trillion bacteria making their home in the average human intestinal tract. It is believed that the occurrence and development of a variety of endocrine and metabolic diseases, like PCOS, are affected by the dynamics of intestinal bacteria. The researchers used mouse models for the study. Models are often used in labs because obtaining permission for using humans to test scientific hypotheses is very difficult and often dangerous. Mice were an efficient model system for this study because they consume each other’s feces for nutrients, which means gut microbes can be readily transferred. To induce PCOS symptoms, the researchers treated mouse models with letrozole, a drug that inhibits the conversion of testosterone to estrogen, thereby increasing testosterone levels in the bloodstream. Letrozole treatment of pubescent female mice resulted in the development of hallmark symptoms of PCOS, including hyperandrogenism and polycystic ovaries. These letrozole-treated mice also exhibited metabolic dysregulation similar to humans with PCOS, including weight gain, insulin resistance, and elevated fasting blood glucose and insulin levels. The researchers then designed a housing space for the mice such that a letrozole-treated PCOS mouse was paired either with a healthy mouse or another letrozole-treated mouse. The researchers concluded that letrozole-treated mice that were co-housed with healthy placebo mice had testosterone, insulin, and abdominal fat levels similar to those healthy mice. The mice also had similar patterns of weight gain, which indicated a healthier pattern in insulin uptake that resulted in less fat storage in the body. Neither

P C

SYMPTOMS OF PCOS

PCOS patients present with a variety of symptoms of differing severities.

HAIR FALL ACNE

IRREGULAR PERIODS

UNUSUAL HAIR GROWTH

WEIGHT GAIN

HIGH TESTOSTERONE

CYSTS ON OVARIES

1 IN 10 WOMEN HAVE PCOS

SIDE EFFECTS OF BIRTH CONTROL PILLS

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Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

The Signs

A clinical diagnosis requires meeting two of the following three criteria.

Ovarian cysts An ovarian cyst is a solid or fluidfilled sac or pocket within or on the surface of an ovary.

Heightened androgen levels Total testosterone levels should be between 6.0 and 86 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dl) in assigned females.

Absent/irregular menstrual cycle The average menstrual cycle is 28 days long, but anything between 21 and 45 days is considered normal.

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the letrozole-treated mice paired together nor the healthy mice paired together underwent any significant changes from their initial states. Overall, co-housing letrozole-treated mice with healthy mice resulted in the improvement of PCOS symptoms compared with co-housing them with other letrozole-treated mice. These results implied that an altered gut microbiome has a possible causal link to PCOS symptoms. However, applications of this particular treatment to humans are still far on the horizon. Other labs have taken advantage of similar mouse models to study the effects of metabolic factors

SPICING IT UP

Undergraduate researcher Shiantel Chiang in the Zarrinpar laboratory at UC San Diego focused on the link between insulin uptake and PCOS. Although it is often perceived as a reproductive disorder, PCOS is also a general metabolic disorder, where abnormalities in the body disrupt metabolism. For instance, a contributing factor to some cases of PCOS is the difficulty for the body to recognize the hormone insulin, which tells the body to store sugars in cells. This condition, called insulin resistance, causes insulin and sugar to build up in the bloodstream. High insulin levels can increase the production of androgens. Elevated androgen levels are associated with increased body hair growth, acne, irregular periods, and unusually distributed weight gain that some PCOS patients, like Rachel, experience. Chiang was interested in methods to regulate PCOS symptoms by improving the uptake of insulin. Inspired by her previous experience with herbal medicine, Chiang looked into herbal treatments for insulin resistance. The researchers chose to focus on a commonly used spice that has a long history in medicine — cinnamon.

Experimental Design Combating PCOS Symptoms & Development Both the Thackery lab at the UC San Diego School of Medicine and Zarrinpar Lab at UC San Diego utilize mouse models to explore the gut microbiome’s influence in mitigating PCOS symptoms, and the role a cinnamon plays as an insulin uptake enhancer in insulin-resistant PCOS patients, respectively.

Combating PCOS with the Gut Commensal

Increasing Insulin Uptake

Thackery Lab

Insulin resistance, and consequently, insulin build up in the blood stream, is a contributing factor to some cases of PCOS. Herbal medicine spices such as cinnamon have been recognized as potential insulin uptake stimulators.

Zarrinpar Lab

PUBESCENT FEMALE MOUSE PUBESCENT FEMALE MOUSE Mice assigned to 1 of 3 groups

Letrozole

PCOS SYMPTOMS Co-house with either

PLACEBO-TREATED

LETROZOLE-TREATED

CINNAMON- & LETROZOLE-TREATED

Measure weight and blood glucose levels and observe PCOS symptom severity.

HEALTHY PCOS SYMPTOM Measure testosterone, insulin, and abdominal fat levels and observe PCOS symptom severity.

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Of all health research conducted

In a survey of 2,600 women with endometriosis and fibroids

2.5%

studies the reproductive health of all genders of women found their cases were not handled with dignity and respect whilst being treated.

97.5% covers other disciplines

of women were not satisfied with the information they received about treatment options.

of women weren’t told about the short or long-term side effects arising from these options.

There is 5x more research being done in the field of erectile dysfunction than in the field of premenstrual syndrome despite the fact that premenstrual syndrome affects nearly 90% of women, while erectile dysfunction afflicts 19% of men.

Female and Male Reproductive Health Demystifying Women’s Health Research on women’s reproductive system is essential in finding a cure to PCOS.

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Sources: All-Party Parliamentary Group on Women’s Health and The Guardian

According to a 2010 study reported in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, cinnamon mitigates insulin resistance caused by high fructose diets by enhancing the insulin signaling pathway. The researchers thus decided to study the effect and mechanism of cinnamon on PCOS using the letrozole mouse model. To test this hypothesis, the Zarrinpar lab designed a study with female prepubescent mice. These mice were randomly divided into three groups: a control group, a letrozole-treated group, and a letrozoletreated and cinnamon-treated mice group. The control group received a treatment of daily placebo supplement, which was not expected to have any metabolic impact. The letrozole and cinnamon-treated mice group received letrozole treatment along with a cinnamon powder supplement. The mice were weighed every two days, and their glucose levels were measured by blood sampling using a blood glucose meter for 20 days. The researchers found that the letrozole-treated and cinnamontreated mice groups showed improved symptoms of PCOS as compared to the mice treated solely with letrozole. The bodyweight of the mice in this group had declined, possibly indicating a healthier insulin signaling pathway. The blood glucose levels also showed a reduction in excess blood glucose, whereas the control group and letrozole-treated mice group showed no changes from their initial states. Reduction in body weight and excessive blood glucose helps reduce PCOS symptoms and depicts cinnamon as a possible alternative method of symptom management. Rachel’s negative experience with BCPs is not unusual; many patients experience side effects or a lack of symptom relief. Zarrinpar labs’ research could help such patients with managing their PCOS.

and Zarrinpar labs embody the scientific push to new frontiers and do especially important work by focusing on underrepresented patients and syndromes. According to The Guardian, less than 2.5% of publicly funded research has been dedicated exclusively to uterine health even though 1 out of 3 people with uteri will experience severe reproductive health issues in their lifetime. The issue stems not from any one individual acting in bad faith, but rather from a medical framework that has historically overlooked uterine health. In an interview with the New York Times, Dr. Janine Austin Clayton, director of the Office of Women’s Health, noted that male medical specimens and trial subjects have historically outnumbered females, and the inequity of information has led to dangerous outcomes in the field. For example, heart attacks are 50% more likely to be misdiagnosed in British women than men, according to a study by Leeds University. Medicine is a practice built on the foundation of rigorous studies, but the unequal historical focus results in modern medicine failing to serve the breadth of its patients. Increased research into PCOS from labs like the Thackray Lab and the Zarrinpar Lab represents one bright spot for the future of equitable and inclusive medicine.

Meline is a second year student majoring in General Biology.

WRITTEN BY

STRIVING FOR MORE EQUITABLE RESEARCH

Through the use of mouse models, student researchers at UC San Diego have uncovered that the gut microbiome may play a role in PCOS in some patients, as well as the possibility that cinnamon extract might improve outcomes for those with PCOS. Research labs like the Thackray

VIDISHA MARWAHA & MELINE NORQUIST Vidisha is a second year student majoring in Human Biology.

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PERSISTING PLAGUES

Analyzing recent developments for infectious disease treatments and technologies for malaria and tuberculosis WRITTEN BY PHOTO BY ILLUSTRATED BY

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Marcella Ku & Emma Svendsen Andrea Farrell Valerie Chan

or as long as people have existed, there have been diseases and treatments. Historically, viruses that have caused cold-like symptoms were deemed serious medical risks, but such diseases that ravaged communities were eventually eradicated by modern treatment techniques such as vaccines. Vaccines, antibiotic treatment for bacterial-caused diseases, and even common practices such as hand-washing were all medical breakthroughs that contributed to the prevention of illnesses throughout history. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, breakthrough medical strategies and technologies have been receiving more public attention and praise, such as: automated disinfection protocols, rapid viral load testing, and RNA-based vaccines. While technologies such as these are being developed more rapidly and efficiently than ever, the same cannot be said for treatment distribution. Despite the quick production of COVID-19 vaccines, many countries have struggled to obtain adequate supplies to protect their populations because other countries over-buy supplies or deliberately reduce access. Unfortunately, the same issue arises for the treatments of two other dominant global health threats: tuberculosis and malaria. Unlike their more manageable infectious counterparts, such as the common cold, malaria and tuberculosis have been prevalent diseases for thousands of years and continue to predominantly affect under-resourced countries. These two diseases, caused by parasites and bacteria, respectively, have medical professionals and scientists working tirelessly to eradicate them. But what new, long lasting treatment options are being devised to fight tuberculosis and malaria with higher precision and accuracy? Such issues are being researched today at UC San Diego’s Winzeler lab, which delves into malaria drug efficiency, and the Sailor lab, which analyzes nanoparticle drug delivery for tuberculosis treatment.

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Body Cells and Parasites

Despite being around for thousands of years, treatments for malaria remain inefficient and somewhat convoluted. Unlike many familiar diseases like the flu, malaria is not caused by a virus but instead by the unicellular Plasmodium parasite, which is transmitted to humans through bites from infected mosquitoes. Inside a host, these parasites enter the liver, and once mature, they will leave and enter the patient’s bloodstream and infect red blood cells, thus causing anemia, fatigue, and a host of other critical symptoms. Since the disease is parasitic rather than bacterial, there is no set treatment that can kill the parasites while ensuring that healthy human cells remain intact. This is because malaria can proliferate either through the bloodstream or through the liver pathway, making it difficult to provide pathway-specific treatment. Because of this, there is a risk of the parasites developing resistance to common treatments, similar to how bacteria are often able to develop resistance to frequently-used antibiotics as analyzed by Kokwaro and colleagues in a 2009 study. The imminent threat of parasitic resistance combined with the need to kill as many parasites as possibl results in malaria treatments using combinations of several drugs rather than a singular medication. At UC San Diego, the Winzeler Lab is searching for a more effective treatment for malaria. Historically, it has been challenging to develop quality treatment that ensures the protection of healthy blood cells while also killing parasites in infected blood cells. For example, a popular drug commonly known as Malarone can lead to liver failure while removing parasites in liver cells. At the Winzeler Lab, thirdyear undergraduate student Sindhu Daggupatti and her colleagues are focusing their research efforts on the Malaria Drug Accelerator (MaLDA) project. MaLDA is a nationwide project in which 15 malaria-focused labs research efficient malaria drugs that minimize bodily damage and effectively target phenotypic markers. One of the key elements of malaria drug development is recognizing the Plasmodium parasite’s characteristics, with particular emphasis on areas within the body containing high quantities of Plasmodium. As Plasmodium are primarily found in the liver and

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blood, the health of these two areas is a key indicator of the effectiveness of possible treatments. If a treatment can kill the most Plasmodium while keeping most body’s own cells intact, there is a high probability that the medication would be more efficient and beneficial for longterm use than its competitors. On a typical day, Daggupatti analyzes the effect of diluted medications on samples of parasitically-infected liver cells that are then scanned to determine whether the drug is able to not only kill parasites but also keep the human body cell intact. A similar test is performed on blood samples containing Plasmodium under similar standards as the liver assays. The steps taken by the Winzeler lab and others like them are the critical first step to developing a more efficient treatment for this disease. Daggupatti’s efforts within the groundbreaking MaLDA project enabled further testing on drug efficacy and improved predictions of parasitic gene resistance to drugs. Such efforts are paving the way for potentially new indicative properties of malaria for new targets of drug efficiency.

Smaller is Bigger

While drug resistance is one of the leading issues that infectious disease treatment and technology faces, novel infectious disease labs at UC San Diego have been looking into alternative routes through the use of similar drugs transported to target body locations via targeted mechanisms. Drug resistance is not a challenge faced exclusively in the response to treatments against parasitic diseases; in fact, resistance is most commonly associated with bacteria. Scientists have begun to look into mechanistic alternatives for bacterial diseases such as tuberculosis that can allow for common treatment drugs to be used. Tuberculosis, one of the globe’s dominant infectious diseases caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is an airborne respiratory illness that requires long-term and consistent treatment. Tuberculosis is devastating for those who contract it and has the greatest impact on the least-resourced nations. The slew of medications and doctor’s appointments required to stave off the bacterial infection are often significant socioeconomic barriers for many impacted communities.

One of the most pervasive issues faced when treating tuberculosis is the proportion of antibiotic-resistant bacterial lesions — colonies of bacteria on the lungs with genetic immunity to typical antibodies. This can either be a result of a random mutation occurring in a colony of bacteria or developed over time through consistent exposure to the same antibiotics. When treating tuberculosis, several types of antibiotics are used, and each exposure to a new drug only increases the chances that the disease-causing bacteria will develop immunity. The Sailor lab at UC San Diego opens a new realm of possibilities for advanced disease treatments through nanoparticle research with the goal of precisely delivering medication to reduce the likelihood of genetic resistance developing. Third-year undergraduate student Rachel Lee from UC San Diego, a researcher at the Sailor lab, and

her lab partner Rachel Myers, a UCSD Materials Research Science Engineering Center Research Experiences for Undergraduates summer intern from University of Maryland Baltimore County, have worked on nanoparticle technology to deliver a commonly used antibiotic drug for tuberculosis, called rifampicin, in a more targeted manner into tuberculosis bacteria. This targeted treatment allows for direct loading antibiotics into bacterial lesions in the lungs. With a toxic drug like rifampicin, this nanoparticle technique is much more efficient than unspecifically loading the bloodstream. Rather than exposing and impacting the cells of the whole body and other possible bacterial populations, the medication is only exposed to the specific bacteria it is trying to kill, reducing the likelihood of antibiotic resistance and lowering the risk of harmful side effects.

Altered particle Hydrocarbon coating Particle

PEGylation

Target Lesion

TUBERCULOSIS NANOTECHNOLOGY TREATMENT The nanoparticle is chemically altered and coated with hydrocarbons before rifampicin, an antibiotic, is loaded into the nanoparticle pore. The nanoparticle is then PEGylated to prepare for the lung’s physiological conditions and is sent into the Mycobacterium-filled lesion.

Lung

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A GLOBAL INSIGHT As our ability to treat diseases advances, so too must our analysis of who gets treatment, where, and why.

In their experiment, a nanoparticle, which is a hollow sphere 100,000 times smaller than the diameter of a piece of hair, is utilized for a variety of chemical and biological reactions. It is first chemically altered and then loaded with the rifampicin drug to target tuberculosis-infected lesions. The nanoparticle pore is coated with hydrocarbons to allow for the antibiotic rifampicin to be placed inside and then PEGylated. PEGylation is a chemical process that synthesizes polymers onto the nanoparticle and increases drug stability, reducing the amount of required doses of medication.This sequence of chemical processes stabilizes the drug and ensures that the process and the medication will perform properly in human cells. During the rifampicin loading process, calcium chloride is added to reduce the time it takes to add the drug into the nanoparticle from 24 hours to around 12 hours. This multi-step technique of drug loading led to observed significant mass loading of rifampicin into the nanoparticle. Through the usage of this nanoparticle, the rifampicin antibiotic is able to be delivered to the tuberculosis-infected lesions more effectively as the drug is stabilized and the targeting route is more specific. This research project has inspired Lee and Myers to continue to pursue this mechanism of treatment for future infectious diseases as well. In the near future, they aim to characterize each step of the drug-loading process further in hopes of maximizing final rifampicin concentration in each nanoparticle.

A New Promise

Such novel techniques, like these more effective drug therapies, illustrate many possible paths for future medications to reduce the risks of drug resistance and increase overall effectiveness. Costs could be lowered for research, development, and distribution of these life-saving treatments in the long term. For patients in medically underserved areas or those unable to consistently attend treatments, this kind of updated treatment regimen would drastically improve their ability to recover through equitable cost and distribution of these drugs. As these technologies become more refined, there can be higher

cost-efficiency in drug synthesis, leading to affordable treatment and medication for less socioeconomically developed nations. Recent developments in infectious disease treatment via alternative drug mechanism routes and new drug synthesis aid in providing new routes for effective, simplified treatment and serve as progress towards global, equitable treatment and technologies. Ranging from malaria drug synthesis to nanoparticle rifampicin delivery for tuberculosis, these promising therapeutics are on the forefront of new disease research that can help change how we treat dozens of bacterial and viral diseases or even change how medications are developed. In time, these research advancements could greatly reduce infectious diseases, which currently possess great power over many nations, as our technology becomes more advanced, and our people even stronger.

Marcella is a third year student double majoring in General Biology and Global Health.

WRITTEN BY

MARCELLA KU & EMMA SVENDSEN Emma is a first year student majoring in General Biology.

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YOUR ACE OF HEARTS The Genetics of Cardiovascular Disease Researchers investigate the world of genetics to discover what makes a diseased heart malfunction from the start WRITTEN BY Rachana Balakrishnan & Leanne Dugan Anne Marie Berry PHOTO BY ILLUSTRATED BY Christine Do & Dhathry Doppalapudi

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Under the Scope • Vol 12

n life, everyone must play with the cards they are dealt and hope for a good hand. Just like the cards that a player holds, one’s inherited genes are powerful indicators of what is in store. This might seem to imply that one’s fate is predetermined, but this is not necessarily the case — after all, games are transient by nature. Genes are subject to change, just like games; they change subtly over time, and eventually, the final product does not remotely resemble the predecessor. Before developing a life-changing treatment, researchers have to ask which genes lead to a disease. The quicker scientists uncover the mystery of genetics, the closer everyone is to understanding how to best play their hand. At UC San Diego, student researchers attempt to uncover this very mystery in the context of the human heart and the development of cardiovascular diseases. There are a myriad of complications in the heart that can lead to cardiovascular diseases, and the cause of these complications can often be traced back to genetics. As little as one alteration in the genetic “deck” can result in disease. Thus, by studying genetics, researchers are working towards understanding not just the intricate set of rules that govern genetics, but also how to change these rules.

2 3

Dealing Cards

Third-year student Anh Nguyen, a volunteer researcher in Dr. Xi Fang’s lab, studies the effects of a mutation in a gene called TAFAZZIN (TAZ), which is expressed in the walls of the heart. A mutation in TAZ is responsible for Barth syndrome, which is characterized by a weakened heart. This mutation leads to defects in the production of cardiolipin, a crucial component of the mitochondria in the cell. Dysregulation of these cardiolipins due to mutations in TAZ results in cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle. Cardiomyopathic hearts find it more difficult to pump blood to the rest of the body, ultimately leading to more serious complications such as heart failure. In a healthy heart, the ventricles and the septum, which separate the chambers of the heart, are strong and thick in order to pump blood to all the extremities. Contrastingly, cardiomyopathic hearts have thinner ventricular and atrial walls, leading to significant weakness compared to a normal heart. Throughout the course of the Fang lab’s research, Nguyen observed that the abnormal production of cardiolipin eventually leads to decreased efficiency at which the heart can pump blood. Since pumping blood is an energy-taxing process, this function cannot be performed without sufficient energy from the mitochondria. While mature cardiolipins regulate the shape of a healthy mitochondria, hearts that lack sufficient cardiolipins because of a mutation in the TAZ gene may possess mitochondria with an onionlike shape. Currently, Nguyen is evaluating whether these unusual, onion-like mitochondria contribute to weaker cardiac functions.

6 10

7 5

5 A

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In order to study the effects of the TAZ mutation on cardiovascular disease (CVD), the Fang lab is comparing mice that lack the TAZ gene in heart muscle cells — known as “TAZ knockout mice” — with mice that have the normal TAZ gene. They plan to investigate differences in the production of cardiolipin in heart muscle, heart size, and thickness of the walls at different intervals of time. Nguyen also examined the shape of mitochondria in mice’s hearts using an imaging tool. After two months, knockout mice’s mitochondria were longer and had more variation in size; after four months, they were smaller and longer. The images also captured the onion-shaped mitochondria in hearts that lacked the TAZ gene. Compared to the mitochondria in control mice, mice without the TAZ gene had higher percentages of abnormal mitochondria in size and shape. With upcoming data, Fang’s lab seeks to elucidate and confirm the correlation between the disfigured mitochondria and cardiomyopathic hearts. The current running hypothesis is that a deletion of the TAZ gene in cardiomyocytes of mice has resulted in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). DCM is a condition in which the left ventricle walls thin and the ventricle enlarges, preventing the heart from pumping blood efficiently. With this confirmation, the lab opens the possibility of future DCM treatments that save lives by adjusting a gene.

Ordering the Cards

The genes each of us are dealt are influential health factors. While it may seem that each person is entirely genetically unique, a lot of our genetic makeup is shared with people to whom we share no relation. These genes are often found in non-coding regions. But what are noncoding regions? Each individual’s genetic information contains unique codes that tell the body what proteins to make. Every single code is important — either explicitly or implicitly. Coding regions are portions of DNA that are directly transformed into amino acids and proteins. Vivian Phan, a third-year human biology major researching in Dr. Sebastian Preissl’s lab, instead analyzes non-coding regions in cells. These are portions of

ATAC Sequencing

Heart cells

Histone

TN5

DNA

ATAC-seq is an assay used 1 Closed chromatin to determine how accessible a DNA sequence is based on histone distribution at the 4 targeted sequence. (1) DNA is extracted from heart cells and is wound around histones. (2) Hyperactive transposase enzymes have two DNA tags (blue and red lines jutting out of the yellow component). 5 (3) Transposase enzymes bind Barcode primers to DNA fragments unoccupied by histones. (4) Fragments are isolated and purified (5) Barcode primers are tacked onto both ends of each fragment. Fragments are copied. (6) Sequencing identifyies the fragment composition.

6 Barcode primers

Amplify

the genetic code that are not transformed into proteins, making their importance and role more hidden and elusive. Though non-coding regions may not seem directly important, they regulate how much of a protein is produced and where it is produced, according to fellow Preissl lab member Jake Hocker. Enhancers are a type of non-coding region which “have an active role in regulating the expression of genes nearby on the same DNA sequence,” says Hocker, who argues that detailing enhancer regions can clarify “which proteins bind to those regions to control what happens in the disease.” Enhancers are short strips of DNA that tell proteins to start coding.

Accessible, open region

Next Gen Seq

By detailing these regions, Phan “hope[s] to use single cell analysis to reveal transcriptional regulators of gene expression programs in heart failure,” particularly changes that lead to ischemic heart disease, a type of CVD where blood flow is impaired due to the narrowing of blood vessels. Phan hopes that eventually, this could lead to viable treatment options.

Uncovering New Cards

When playing solitaire, cards are strategically placed in a predetermined order, laying out the deck in a way that is easy to the hand pile survey.

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The Heart Superior Vena Cava

Peric a

rdium

rta

Epicardium

Pulmonary Artery

Right Atrium

Left Atrium Endocardium

Right Ventricle Inferior Vena Cava

Left Ventricle Descending Aorta

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At the start of the game, this may appear to be a lofty and nearimpossible goal; however, when it seems all hope is lost, there is always hand pile, capable of furthering the game and revealing more secrets lying hidden within the deck. Once the player gets going, the pattern slowly reveals itself. A similar method of analysis on single cells is performed in the Preissl lab to display their genetic deck. Phan and Hocker’s method of choice for analyzing these open chromatin regions is ATAC sequencing, a method of profiling the chemical DNA alterations that are not reflected in the actual sequence. First, they obtain a very small sample of heart muscle from the left ventricle, chosen specifically because this is where the most amount of changes in gene expression occur. This makes it the most common part of the heart that is affected by heart disease. Many changes occur here because some regions of DNA are closed, or unable to be read, whereas others are open so that they are able to be read and expressed. When regions of DNA are open that means they are able to be translated into proteins and therefore have an effect on the development of genetic disease. ATAC sequencing analyzes only the open chromatin regions of DNA. With their goal of determining which transcription regulators play a key role in heart failure, Phan and Hocker use advanced DNA sequencing methods to determine which regions are open and which are closed. Next, they harvest pools of nuclei, the part of the cells containing DNA, which are placed in a 96-well plate, with each of the wells containing thousands of nuclei. They add an enzyme to each well that cuts up the open chromatin regions and attaches a unique barcode to each one. Then, they mix the contents of all the wells together and conduct PCR, which will attach yet another barcode unique to each well. Now, each of the open regions have a unique barcode combination. Using these unique combinations, they compare gene expression and open or closed chromatin regions from samples of hearts that experienced heart failure to those that did not. This method of analysis allows the Preissel lab to determine where each sample came from and which cells they belong to. In the past, labs have taken samples from many different regions of the heart and analyzed them all together, leading to certain cell types being

overrepresented. However, by only taking cells from the left ventricle, the Preissel lab will be able to more easily determine where the open chromatin regions are from and what their role is in the development of heart disease. Research on cardiovascular disease on the single-cell scale has not yet been done. “I like how the field is constantly changing and evolving,” says Phan, stating that though there are a lot of unknowns in this area of research, it is a promising approach to discover more about these diseases.

Winning the Game

Just as card players must find a winning strategy from their own hand, CVD can only be addressed by examining each individual’s genome. The prevalence of CVD research has expanded from industrialized nations like the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia to middle and low income countries. With each discovery on the genetic foundations of CVD, scientists gradually come closer and closer to developing treatments for heart-related disease and perfecting gene corrections using gene therapy. Certainly, there continue to be technical issues with the application of gene therapy since it is relatively new, but as the Fang and Preissl labs identify areas for future CVD treatments, it seems there are paths to victories in this game of life, so long as we learn to take them. Rachana is a first year student majoring in Neurobiology.

WRITTEN BY

RACHANA BALAKRISHNANA & LEANNE DUGAN Leanne is a third year student majoring in General Biology.

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GONE D FISHING Alcohol Consumption and College Students

Understanding the effects of alcohol consumption on brain development and behavioral patterns of adolescents to increase quality of life WRITTEN BY Sevim Bianchi & Elle Epstein PHOTO BY Adamari Martinez ILLUSTRATED BY Amber Hauw & Sejal Kini

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rinking-related health concerns have substantially increased throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has increased levels of anxiety, stress, and boredom, leading more people to turn to drinking as both a coping mechanism and a way to pass time at home. A September 2020 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association Network Open found that alcohol consumption in the United States increased 14 percent since 2019. Such elevated drinking habits can dramatically alter long-term health, potentially increasing the risk of health problems like high blood pressure, stroke, cancer, and liver and heart diseases. According to the Alcohol Rehab Guide, it is estimated that four out of five college students drink alcohol to different extents. Most see alcohol as a substance with minimal harmful effects and therefore, tend to associate drinking-related health problems with excessive drinking habits. Contrary to popular belief, the majority of people negatively affected by alcohol don’t have alcohol dependence — a chronic disease in which a person is unable to control their drinking — but instead are social drinkers and those who only occasionally drink. The recent growth in alcohol consumption draws greater attention to the occurrence of alcohol-related neurological and behavioral consequences. Undergraduate researchers at UC San Diego are helping uncover the effects of alcohol consumption on this generation.

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Normal vs. Alcoholic Brain

WHITE MATTER This type of brain tissue is found in the inner layer of the cortex and facilitates information transfer.

Normal 43-year old Alcohol on the Brain At the UC San Diego Department of Psychiatry, the Tapert Laboratory focuses on understanding both risk factors as well as neural implications of adolescent substance use. Dr. Susan Tapert is the codirector and a site principal investigator with the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA), which aims to determine the effects of alcohol on the developing adolescent brain and examine brain characteristics that can be used to predict future problems with long-term alcohol use. Under the guidance of Dr. Tapert is fourth-year undergraduate researcher Tien Ho. Ho’s

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Alcoholic 43-year old main motivation for involvement in the lab stems from her interest in the investigation of the longitudinal effects of alcohol in the lives of adolescents. Ho conducts brain imaging scans of adolescent participants and searches for possible disruptions in brain development as a result of substance abuse. A recent project examined the effects of adolescent heavy drinking on frontal brain development. Frontal brain systems control higher cognitive functions such as memory, emotions, problemsolving, and motor function. This part of the brain also contains a significant amount of white matter, which consists of the insulated part of neurons called myelinated axons. Such axons are known as

communicative fiber pathways of the brain, carrying electrical signals that are vital for proper functioning throughout the brain. In the study, heavy drinking was quantified as a value greater than one on a four-point scale via a youth-adjusted Cahalan score, which is a self-reported metric for the quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption. To map the white matter in the frontal lobe, Ho and other researchers utilized diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) scans. Unlike traditional magnetic resonance imaging scans, which merely take structural brain images, DTI scans offer more details on the structure and function of neurons in imaged sections. DTI scans measure fractional anisotropy, which includes cellular density, myelination, and axonal size within nerve fiber bundles to determine the efficiency of communicative fiber pathways. The study found that heavy alcohol consumption among adolescents damaged white matter structures. Specifically, there was a reduction of fractional ansiotropy in white matter signaling pathways among individuals who consumed large amounts of alcohol compared to those who did not. DTI imaging showed less water diffusion ability, suggesting a disruption in neuronal fiber communication pathways due to a decreased presence of axonal signals. Such disturbance was most pronounced in the front and body of the corpus callosum, the largest white matter region of the brain that connects the right and left hemispheres of the brain and serves as the integration of frontal brain system communication. Damage to the corpus callosum can lead to loss of speech, movement control, and the ability to multitask. Since the white matter system expands and restructures from birth through adolescence, it is important for college students to understand the present yet unseen negative effects of alcohol on their brains, even if the neurological effects aren’t directly symptomatic. Ho believes her lab’s efforts bring more awareness to the issues surrounding early drinking habits and highlight the need for continued research to further define its effects. While such effects were observed within adolescents who drank substantial amounts of alcohol, future studies may explore whether moderate intake consumption in the general adolescent population has the same effects.

Cray-tive New Models Imaging studies are advantageous, yet they are not ideal for examining alcohol’s behavioral effects, so alternate scientific models are needed to study the effects of alcohol on behavior. In contrast to Ho’s research on the neurobiological effects of alcohol, second-year UC San Diego Paths Mentorship Program scholar, Celine Yang, focuses on alcohol’s behavioral and cognitive effects. Yang is an undergraduate researcher at the Taffe Laboratory, searching for new and innovative models to study the behavioral effects of shifting from casual to repetitive drug use. Yang, alongside her lab colleagues Dr. Arnold Gutierrez and research assistant Kevin M. Creehan, recently developed a novel crayfish model to study the effects of alcohol use on behavior. Historically, researchers have used mice as research subjects due to convenience and genetic resemblance to humans. However, crayfish are a cheaper alternative model that allow for an accurate neurological comparison to humans. This is because crayfish and humans share

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INTO THE LIGHT: A PERIPHERAL VIEW OF THE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Center brightly lit region Periphery dimly lit region

The light-dark test is used to monitor the anxiety-related behavior of animals in a two-chambered light-dark arena over a defined period of time. Under normal conditions, the animals generally tend to avoid brightly hidden areas. But under the influence of alcohol, they are more likely to enter the lit area.

Transition between dimly-lit periphery and covered dark periphery Covered dark periphery

Periphery

Center

Covered

Transition Center Periphery

controlling voluntary movement and reward pathways. In humans, the pathways allow dopamine to travel throughout the brain and body in order to relay reward-related behavior. For example, when an individual consumes alcohol, neurons release dopamine, thus producing feelings of pleasure. Regarding crayfish, researchers have recently found that their dopaminergic systems are useful for identifying the specific neural circuitry and neurochemistry of decision making that is not yet

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directly possible to measure in humans. As a result, studying crayfish can allow researchers to make predictions about human dopaminergic responses to substance abuse. Yang’s experiment used crayfish as test subjects and modeled previous experiments on mice. She used a popular research method known as a light-dark box test where crayfish were placed in an arena with a dark periphery and an illuminated central area. Since crayfish are a prey species, they generally avoid brightly lit areas to stay hidden from predators. However, once intoxicated, the researchers hypothesized that crayfish might be more active in the illuminated area due to the acute anxiety-reducing effects of alcohol consumption. The crayfish were administered low to moderate concentrations of alcohol: 0.0 M, 0.1 M, 0.5 M, and 1.0 M, resulting in different blood alcohol concentrations (BAC), which indicates the percentage of alcohol in the bloodstream. The 0.5 M dose resulted in a BAC of approximately 0.02 g/100mL in crayfish, which roughly translates into the BAC of a person who has had one standard drink such as a 12-ounce can of beer. At this BAC, people often experience mood elevation and some sensory or cognitive impairment; however, it should be noted that BAC in humans is highly variable and depends on many factors, primarily weight and gender. The highest alcohol dose of 1.0 M in the experiment translates to a BAC of 0.046 g/100mL, which equates to approximately two standard drinks for humans and is often associated with the sensation of being “buzzed.” For humans at this stage, cognitive skills are impaired and behavioral changes may occur, such as feelings of euphoria and increased self-confidence.

As expected, Yang found that the control group who were given 0 M of alcohol tended to occupy the dark periphery of the arena. However, crayfish with increased levels of alcohol consumption between 0.5 M and 1 M traveled towards the arena’s lit center. This dramatic change in behavior reflects decreased anxiety levels induced by alcohol consumption. Since the crayfish were less anxious and more assured of their safety while “under the influence,” they moved away from the dark periphery. These results parallel previous findings from traditional light-dark box experiments with mice, thus opening up the possibility of using crayfish as alternatives to rodents for other behavioral questions. Yang’s crayfish model is especially beneficial for upcoming research because it potentially provides additional insight into how alcohol affects behavior in a more cost-effective way compared to mice models. She plans to broaden her study of drug abuse by researching the behavioral effects of other substances, such as nicotine, on crayfish. The discoveries from the light-dark box test with both animals infer that alcohol can lower anxiety levels, leading to changes in behavior such as confidence enhancement. Such an increase in confidence is comparable to the response to alcohol seen in humans. However, while feelings of boldness may seem like a positive effect for shy college students at first, these enhanced feelings can also facilitate risky decision-making. Although the invertebrate subjects that were tested did not suffer consequences from moving into the light, reallife behaviors of following poor judgment have their consequences, whether it’s crayfish exposing themselves and being eaten by a water snake or an intoxicated college student getting behind the wheel. With researchers beginning to understand how alcohol can change behavior, college students can become increasingly aware of their conduct and how to stay safe after engaging in a night of drinking.

Reeling it All In To see the full picture of alcohol consumption, progress towards understanding its adverse health effects requires different research

methods and experimental models to examine both biological and behavioral consequences of alcohol consumption. Brain imaging studies in humans shine a light on the dangers of drinking habits formed during development, whereas crayfish studies show that even little to moderate drinking has impacts on behavior. Understanding the consequences of alcohol usage is vital to promoting a healthier lifestyle for individuals just starting to enter adulthood. Since the damaging side effects of alcohol are primarily associated with excessive drinking, many may be untroubled by their own moderate consumption. However, this prompts further investigation of the consequences of moderate consumption on both neurology and behavior. Moreover, future research on how environmental factors may affect college drinking is needed to fully understand the most effective methods to reduce alcohol consumption. Alcohol usage is one of the most difficult habits to change because drinking is ingrained within American culture, especially in college life. College-age students continue to drink moderately, not fully understanding its potentially harmful effects. Such studies bring to light the direct effects of alcohol that college students should take into consideration when making their next Friday night plans.

Sevim is fourth year student majoring in Human Biology and minoring in Global Health.

WRITTEN BY

SEVIM BIANCHI & ELLE EPSTEIN Elle is first year student majoring in Cognitive & Behavioural Science.

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SHARING SCIENCE

Here are the stories of four science communicators, some of whom are also alumni of Saltman Quarterly. We hope to showcase the variety of roles within science communication at multiple career stages.

CAREERS IN BIOLOGY COMMUNCATIONS

“Every day I’m learning something new, whether it’s within the sciences or about some satellite topic and the application of science. I encourage people to look for ways they like to learn. I learn by doing, trial and error, trying it a different way, failing and doing something different, which is very ‘scientific method.’ I just didn’t want to learn in a lab, and I didn’t want to pipette nine hours a day.”

SQ Career Influence

“Pharmaceutical advertising is not really a role that you think about that exists. As a consumer, you’re aware of ads but you’re not actively thinking about it. Those pharma commercials, where a woman is running on a beach, and all these efficacy things in the back. Someone thought about that. Someone wrote that script and worked with a video production team to put together an advertisement. I was drawn to that because it was part of what SQ did. I was on SQ for three years, and when I was looking for jobs post-graduation, I didn’t want to go into medical school or graduate school. I wanted to join the workforce. There was a company at the career fair at UCSD that I talked to; they sent a healthcare communications agency. I told them what I did at SQ and got interviewed for an internship.”

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CLASS OF 2018

The Job

Senior Copywriter Havas, San Francisco

RITHVIK SHANKAR Interview by Lina Lew

SHARING SCIENCE

MONICA MAY Bachelor of Science, UC Santa Cruz, 2007 Master of Arts, UC Santa Cruz, 2009

Vice President of San Diego Science Writers’ Association Officer of Neurobiology at UC San Diego Health

“

With the age of content creation, every single

organization should have a content platform.

You can always create a social media platform and blog for different labs or organizations.”

CLASS OF 207

Interview by Jenny Namkoong

The Job

Getting Started in Science Communications

In her current role, May manages press releases and social media to highlight research and education efforts related to neurobiology. In addition to showcasing the latest advances in neurobiology, May also spotlights neurosurgeons.

“ You can always start your own blog too. Having clips to show your experience . . . having a history of what you’ve done is important.” “ Don’t be afraid to reach out and get experiences that give you a taste of this world whether it’s for you or not.”

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SHARING SCIENCE

Biomedical Visualization Graduate Student University of Illinois, Chicago

Interview by April Lin

“

It’s not just about creating just a visual representation, but it’s also about creating

material that meets people where they’re at and provides them stepping stones to understand

CLASS OF 2018

APRIL DAMON

complicated scientific concepts and how they impact their daily lives.”

Science, Art, and Social Justice “[Science and research] revolutionized and improved so many aspects of our lives. But with that too, unfortunately, limited and biased investigations have left these really massive scars that society is healing from. I think in a way, at least for me, art, social justice, and people’s everyday lived experiences will have an impact on scientific discoveries, on what we choose to investigate, and as well as who gets to participate and lead some of these pursuits.”

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Thoughts on Graduate School “It has been phenomenal to actually pursue something and have an entire program devoted to all of the things that I’m interested in . . . There are scientific writing programs, there are scientific illustrations programs, there’s also just data visualization programs too . . . [If] you want to focus a little bit more on the natural world and natural history, . . . scientific illustration is a little bit more geared towards that. And if you really like the medical side of things, biomedical illustration programs are great for that . . . When I was looking into programs I would just be looking people up on LinkedIn and sending them a message like ‘Hey, if you have time, could you talk to me a little bit about this?’ And everyone is so kind and responsive, so please just reach out, talk to people, and see what you can learn.”

CLASS OF 201

SHARING SCIENCE

ARYA NATARAJAN Interview by Malleeka Suy

Digital Engagement Specialist California Academy of Sciences

“

Science journalism specifically was where I found myself leaning towards, as I really liked telling the human side of science — how can I look for ways to tell the stories of the people in the field?”

The Job “The big picture is science communication in whatever form. I spend a lot of time looking through social media channels and creating content for them, like pictures or short videos, and I showcase animals on display, collections in cabinets, or I bring scientists to the camera to show that they are actual humans! Day to day it’s a lot of social media work . . . beyond the academy itself, to make resources more accessible and used by people.”

Developing an Interest in Science Communications “I wouldn’t be the writer I am now without SQ; the way we look for stories in my job was something I learned a lot from SQ. Like, looking at core parts from projects that are most important to communicate, and figuring out how to communicate without making it sound fakely cool or fabricating — letting it speak for itself . . . Intentionality in SQ is relevant in everything I do now.” “I started volunteering as a tide pool exhibit interpreter as a freshman, so I was on the public floor talking about exhibits and I loved sharing experiences with people and seeing them touch animals for the first time. Volunteering turned into a great mentorship and part-time job situation, where I was working with their exhibit development team to make exhibit content for the content floor. There was a project about sea dragons and a seahorse exhibit, and I worked with Scripps researchers on that.”

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Division of Biological Sciences UC San Diego sqonline.ucsd.edu