Meet Anabelle Bergstrom ’25, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador double majoring in Political Science and Philosophy and minoring in Public Policy.

What is the focus of your research?

The areas of interest for my research are quite varied. During high school, I wrote a mock legal brief arguing in support of including women into the draft. For my Holster Scholar project, I examined how the experiences of ROTC cadets affect their career ambition. For my SURF research, I went back to my roots and conducted legal research into the influence of campaign contributions on state supreme court decisions. This academic year, I will be conducting philosophical research at the UConn Humanities Institute on the effects hyperconnectivity has on pragmatist theories of the self. I am excited to continue to broaden my horizons!

Why did you get involved in research?

I got involved in research because I enjoy the challenge it provides. Creating a viable hypothesis, writing grant proposals, conducting the research, and analyzing data all come with challenges. Some of these can be rather unexpected at times. It is in those challenges that I feel I excel. I enjoy the intellectual puzzles that must be solved to continue projects. I have learned the most about myself as a lifelong learner through my research which is why I continue to seek more opportunities. Continue reading →

Meet Romir Raj ’24, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) majoring in Biomedical Engineering.

What is the focus of your research?

The focus of my research is to understand the relationship between the structure of the genome and its function or if there even is a relationship at all between the two. Specifically, I am trying to deduce a relationship between chromosomal homolog pairing/interactions (genome structure) and gene expression or development (genome function).

Why did you get involved in research?

I got involved in research because I wanted to become involved in extracurriculars on campus. I have since grown to love research and have a passion for the intricacies of research.

What advice would you give to aspiring student researchers?

If you are interested in research, be sure to give it a shot! There are so many different labs that study many unique and different things – you are sure to find your place at one and find where you will thrive as an undergraduate researcher. Continue reading →

Meet Sana Gupta ’24, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) majoring in Statistics and minoring in Mathematics.

What is the focus of your research?

I am working on an IDEA Grant project in the Statistics department, focused on the imputation of compositional missing data. I am using a statistical programming language called R to test different functions on my dataset with percentage data to figure out a way to fill in the gaps in the data. I also help with data analysis and writing manuscripts in a lab in the Allied Health department.

Why did you get involved in research?

I got involved with research because I wanted to apply what I’ve learned in my classes to a project where I could learn and potentially develop something new. I also appreciate the opportunity to improve my research skills as I prepare to apply to graduate school.

What advice would you give to aspiring student researchers?

Don’t be afraid to explore outside of your department when looking for research opportunities. There are many unexpected places you could apply your skills and learn something new, and looking outside of the box can allow you to apply your coursework in unique ways beyond the scope of your major’s curriculum. This can also be an opportunity to explore interests you might have outside of your field of study, and college is the perfect time to foster those interests and grow your skills. Continue reading →

Meet Emma Beard ’24, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) majoring in Molecular & Cell Biology and minoring in Physiology & Neurobiology.

What is the focus of your research?

Broadly, my research focus is the Drosophila male germline. Previously, I looked at asymmetric stem cell division of male germline stem cells. During asymmetric stem cell division, newly synthesized histone H3 is inherited by the differentiating daughter cell, while preexisting H3 is inherited by the daughter stem cell. I worked on visualizing this asymmetric inheritance through live imaging of Drosophila testes, and also investigated the effects of perturbing asymmetric H3 inheritance. Currently, I am more focused on the later stages of Drosophila spermatogenesis. I am investigating the relationship between the expression of fertility factors on the Y chromosome and transposable elements in spermatocytes.

Why did you get involved in research?

I first became interested in research by hearing others talk about their research projects. I was really inspired by the passion people had for exploration in their field. I have also always loved lab classes, both in high school and college, so I thought the best way for me to get involved in research was in a lab. While I enjoy all aspects of research like reading papers and presenting my work, I will always be most fascinated by the techniques I get to use at the lab bench. Continue reading →

Meet Darren Lee ’25, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) majoring in Molecular & Cell Biology.

What is the focus of your research?

Broadly, I’ve been interested in studying the interactions between organisms and their microbial communities. During my first year, I worked on a Holster Scholar project with Dr. Jonathan Klassen from MCB on fungus-growing ants, which cultivate a co-evolved fungus as their main food source. Work from the lab showed that the ants responded to chemical signals from pathogens, so we wanted to understand how this response was communicated between the ants and fungus. For my project, I evaluated how the ants’ behavior was affected by whether the fungus was alive or dead.

I’ve also worked in Dr. Joerg Graf’s lab, which studies the bacterial community of the European medicinal leech. The leech is an interesting model system since its digestive tract contains a relatively simple microbial community. We experimentally evolved Aeromonas veronii (one of the dominant community members) to look for genetic changes that might confer an advantage in colonizing the leech, then made a mutant A. veronii with the changes we observed to see if they affected the bacterium’s ability to colonize.

Since this summer, I’ve been in Dr. Yanjiao Zhou’s lab at UConn Health where I’ve done some data analysis for several ongoing studies in the lab. So far, I’ve worked on a study looking at a walnut diet in mice—walnuts have a unique nutrient profile that’s been linked to several positive health effects, so we were interested to see if long-term supplementation would lead to lasting changes in the mouse gut microbiome and metabolism.

Why did you get involved in research?

I’ve been a gardener for the longest time, and this has really made me appreciate the idea that there’s a whole world beneath our feet that’s intricately linked with the plants and animals that we can see. When I came to UConn, I was interested in doing microbiology research to pursue this curiosity, and I would say that although it’s taken me in an unexpected direction, I’ve had a really enriching experience so far! Continue reading →

Meet Grace Vaidian ’24, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) double majoring in Molecular & Cell Biology and Drugs, Disease, and Illness (individualized major) and minoring in Psychological Sciences.

What is the focus of your research?

In the past I have done research on drug repurposing, which is the process of identifying new therapeutic uses for old / existing drugs. Currently I am involved in a project related to how personality may affect medication adherence. For this project I am working with Dr. Nathaniel Rickles from UConn’s Pharmacy department as well as St. Francis Hospital. Additionally, I work in Dr. John Salamone’s lab, which focuses on neuropsychopharmacology research.

Why did you get involved in research?

I was motivated to get involved in research because it allows me to have an outlet where I have the freedom to pursue my passions / interests. Research gives me a space to let my curiosity flow freely.

What advice would you give to aspiring student researchers?

The advice I would give to aspiring student researchers would be to take everything as a learning experience. You don’t have to be an expert on something to start pursuing research on that topic. Along the way you will learn the skills and information you need. Continue reading →

Meet Fariha Fardin ’25, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) majoring in Molecular & Cell Biology and minoring in Bioinformatics.

What is the focus of your research?

My research focuses on exploring muscle development and diseases of the musculoskeletal system through the use of mouse models and cell culture models. My current project, for which I received a SURF Award in the summer of 2023, delves into the effect of Acvr1R206H expression in muscle stem cells aka satellite cells on skeletal muscle regeneration, specifically in relation to the rare musculoskeletal disorder known as fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva or FOP in short. By investigating these intricate mechanisms, I aim to deepen our understanding of FOP and contribute to advancements in the field of musculoskeletal research.

Why did you get involved in research?

My involvement in research began as a natural extension of my lifelong curiosity with science. From an early age, I found myself drawn to science fairs and thriving in my science classes. Throughout high school, I actively participated in science fairs and relished the opportunity to explore my scientific inquiries. Competing at both regional and state levels, I felt fortunate to delve deeper into my scientific questions. During high school, I was able to secure an internship with the U.S. Army, where I had the incredible opportunity to conduct research for a summer. This experience further ignited my interest in research, solidifying my passion for scientific investigation. Upon entering UConn, I was determined to continue pursuing research and honing my skills. In general, my unyielding passion for science and my unwavering curiosity propelled me to embark on the path of research. Continue reading →

Meet Lina Layakoubi ’24, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) majoring in Biological Sciences.

What is the focus of your research?

I work in the Menuz Lab in the PNB department. The main focus of my research is to understand the molecular and physiological mechanisms in which insects detect and seek out certain odors in their environment. My current project involves finding receptors involved in ammonia seeking behavior which is one way mosquitoes find human hosts.

Why did you get involved in research?

When I first started looking into research as a freshman, it seemed intimidating, confusing and otherwise unattainable. I spent my first year at UConn with completely online labs and the thought of jumping to a real lab was terrifying to me. As I learned more about molecular biology and physiology in my classes, I developed a passion that trumped this fear. I knew that my time as a biology major would not be complete without experiencing the world of research. Not only did joining a lab give me the chance to contribute to something beyond my textbooks but it also immersed me in a world rich with hands-on learning and new challenges. To me, research has been fun, exciting and crucial to my experience as a student. Looking forward, I can’t imagine research not being a part of my career! Continue reading →

Meet Riley Beckham ’24, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) majoring in Electrical Engineering.

What is the focus of your research?

I am interested in learning more about strengthening electrical grids and making them more resilient against extreme climate events. My recent work involves co-authoring a conference paper which examines how changing/shifting the amount of electricity supplied to an electrical grid during an extreme weather event can help reduce damage to the wider electrical network.

Why did you get involved in research?

I wanted to find a way to apply what I was learning in my engineering classes and find real world examples of the concepts I was being exposed to. Research seemed like a great place to start, and it seemed to me to be a low-risk way to explore my interests. A lot of my good friends were involved in research in their chosen fields, and they seemed to be getting a lot out of it, so I figured why not give it a try?  I enjoyed the idea of being able to ask questions without having any clue as to the answer: it was a liberating feeling, and one I credit with reinvigorating my passion for engineering in the latter half of my time at UConn. Continue reading →