biomedical research as a career and a way of life rose deeter o’connor
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Biomedical Research as a Biomedical Research as a Career and a Way of LifeCareer and a Way of Life
Rose Deeter O’ConnorRose Deeter O’Connor
How I got here…How I got here… Interested in biology and medicine for many Interested in biology and medicine for many
years.years.
Received a microscope as a gift in 6Received a microscope as a gift in 6thth grade. grade.
Finished high school with a interest in biology Finished high school with a interest in biology and chemistry.and chemistry.
Received a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Received a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Lehigh University.Engineering from Lehigh University.
Decided that I wanted to be more “hands-on” Decided that I wanted to be more “hands-on” and began graduate school in Biological and began graduate school in Biological Sciences at the University of Delaware.Sciences at the University of Delaware.
Where I go when I leave the Where I go when I leave the classroom…classroom…
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://myweb.dal.ca/csinal/Tissue%2520Culture.jpg&imgrefurl=http://myweb.dal.ca/csinal/Facilities.html&h=289&w=432&sz=52&hl =en&start=12&tbnid=oFGAXNQ_1UEicM:&tbnh=84&tbnw=126&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtissue%2Bculture%2Blab%2B%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D
Main Lab
Cell Culture Facility
2 years
Regression
6 years
Pseudostationary
15 months
Plateau in development Rett SyndromeRett Syndrome
Reading the Genes in Bone-Forming Reading the Genes in Bone-Forming CellsCells
Mecp2
Genes important for regulatingbone formation
Which genes are being regulated by the Mecp2 protein?
Genes important for regulating bone formation
Mecp2
Normal Mice Mice Without Mecp2
8 Week Old C57BL/6J Littermates
Loss of Mecp2 leads to reduced Loss of Mecp2 leads to reduced skeletal size and kyphosisskeletal size and kyphosis
SummarySummary
Loss of Mecp2 leads to differences in the Loss of Mecp2 leads to differences in the skeletal size and shape of miceskeletal size and shape of mice
Primary dysregulation leads to changes on Primary dysregulation leads to changes on the molecular levelthe molecular level
Questions remain:Questions remain:– Which bone formation genes are regulated by Which bone formation genes are regulated by
Mecp2?Mecp2?– What happens to bone formation when these What happens to bone formation when these
genes are dysregulated?genes are dysregulated?
Where I am going…Where I am going…
Will pursue a traditional biomedical research Will pursue a traditional biomedical research post-doctoral fellowship.post-doctoral fellowship.
Interested in either career in research or in Interested in either career in research or in promoting the importance of scientific research.promoting the importance of scientific research.
Want to stay involved with science education at Want to stay involved with science education at the high school and college level.the high school and college level.