Puerto Rico
Previous work using positron emission topography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging in Down Syndrome (DS) patients have hinted to Amyloid Beta (AB) having a role in cerebral cortex atrophy. Here, I expanded on this work by studying the relationship of PET-AB on cerebellar atrophy in patients with DS. Evaluated grey matter volume and amyloid-beta plaque deposition across the spectrum of DS patients and related these measures to analogous measures obtained in young control and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) individuals. This study will help further our understanding of cerebellum development in patients with DS, while giving us an insight into early AD progression. Principal Investigator: Julie Price, Ph.D.
Studied iron homeostasis in microglia, which is thought to play a role in Alzheimer’s Disease. I am also aiding in a project regarding manganese homeostasis in liver cells, which has been linked to Parkinson like disease's. Principal Investigator: Marianne Wessling-Resnick, Ph.D.
During my time at WPI I studied proteins that transport metals across biomembranes, especially Copper and Iron. While working in the laboratory I have assisted Post-doctoral fellows and graduates students conduct their research. Through their help I have learned several experimental techniques, which include molecular cloning, mutagenesis and bacterial membrane protein expression, isolation, and purification. Additionally, I have learned how to use Atomic Absorbance Spectroscopy and perform ATPase assays. Principal Investigator: Dr. Jose Arguello, Ph.D.
As part of this fellowship I studied Ctp-D an Iron transporter P1B-4 ATPase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Using the site-directed mutagenesis I mutated the metal binding sites in the conserved amino acid residues located in the transmembrane region of this protein. Principal Investigator: Dr. Jose Arguello, Ph.D.