Liam Akroa

Saint Louis University Bio and Math | December 2026 | Amgen Scholar

St Louis, Missouri, United States

About

Undergraduate student studying Biology at Saint Louis University Undergraduate researcher working in regenerative medicine & longevity.

Experience

  • Undergradute Researcher at Washington University in St. Louis
    Sep 2025 - Present · 10 mos

    Mokalled Laboratory: This group focuses on characterizing the different cell types within the regenerating Zebrafish spinal cord, and uncovering the mechanisms that lead to successful spinal cord regeneration in Zebrafish. My project is focused on characterizing astrocytes and their contributions to spinal cord regeneration through snRNA-seq analysis, HCR FISH, IHC, and electrophysiology.

  • Summer Research Fellow at UT Southwestern Medical Center
    Jun 2025 - Aug 2025 · 3 mos

    Chan Laboratory Investigating the mechanisms by which SerpinE2 mediates 4T1-H2.35 cell competition, and the potential roles of TNFa and IFNy in this process. - Generated lentivirus constructs for transduction into 4T1 and H2.35 Murine cell lines - Utilized Immunostaining and Fluorescence Microscopy to determine outcomes of 4T1-H2.35 cell competition. - Established a protocol for utilizing a QuPath machine learning classifier to distinguish 4T1 cells from H2.35 cells in CoCulture

  • Undergraduate Research Volunteer at Saint Louis University
    Oct 2024 - May 2025 · 8 mos

    Lemaire Laboratory Establishing a CRISPR/Cas12 system to generate knock out lines in F0 Ciona Intestinalis - Generated lineage specific Cas9 constructs using OSO-PCR - Electroporated Cas9 and sgRNA constructs into Ciona Intestinalis zygotes Investigating allele expression bias of FoxF in Ciona Savigni-Intestinalis hybrid larvae - Performed 3D image analysis of Ciona larvae to determine FoxF expression in heart progenitor cells Transcriptional mapping of neural crest progenitor cells across larval development in Ciona Intestinalis - Generated reporter constructs for in vivo expression - Perfoemed image analysis of stained Ciona larvae to determine reporter construct expression

  • Course Developer at LongX | Longevity Xplorer
    Feb 2024 - Aug 2024 · 7 mos

    LongX is a non-profit devoted to improving education and access to longevity science for global student body. - Developed 2 course chapters: “Ethics of longevity” & “How we talk about longevity” - Presented live to a cohort of 20 fellows. - Moderated in-depth discussions between fellows on regulatory & societal impact.

  • Summer Research Fellow at Washington University in St. Louis
    Jun 2024 - Jul 2024 · 2 mos

    Chaney Laboratory Utilizing a novel antibody-radioisotope conjugate to track peripheral myeloid cell infiltration into the central nervous system as a prognostic marker of neurodegeneration - Collected mouse brain and spleen tissue samples via cryosectioning - Conjugated EDTA and EGTA to a novel anti-peripheral myeloid cell marker - Radiolabeled a novel chilator-antibody conjugate with Carbon-14 and Fluorine-18 - Utilized autoradiography and a mouse plasma stability assay to determine metabolism and localization of a novel chilator-antibody conjugate