Hai Le L&S Sciences
DNA Damage Checkpoint Activation in Heterochromatin
It is essential that the cell preserves the integrity of its DNA by initiating a proper response when there is damage to its genome. As a fellow of the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships, I am utilizing this summer and the senior academic year to study the DNA repair pathway in heterochromatin. Using Drosophila melanogaster as a model system, I propose to fluorescently tag different DNA repair proteins and conduct experiments to understand the kinetics of these proteins following DNA damage induced by X-ray treatment. This research is promising: knowledge of how cells repair DNA damage in heterochromatin can contribute to a better understanding, and therefore, potential treatments of diseases associated with damage to our genome (e.g., cancers).
Message To Sponsor
Being a fellow of the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships has been an amazing experience thus far. SURF has provided me an unprecedented opportunity to share with other young scholars my research interests, as well as to learn and appreciate from their works in return. I genuinely enjoy the intellectual challenge and creativity in research. Its a great feeling to be able to make a small contribution to scientific community.