Support
As part of the Koski Family University Fellowship, I conducted research on neurodegeneration using the nematode worm C. elegans as a model to study α-synuclein aggregation, which is associated with Parkinson’s disease. Over the course of the summer, I developed an imaging and analysis workflow involving confocal microscopy, fluorescence imaging, and quantitative assessment using ImageJ and RStudio. I tested the effect of a mannitol-based treatment on α-synuclein aggregation by imaging worms at multiple time points (days 1, 7 and 14 of adulthood) and quantifying aggregate size, count, and fluorescence intensity relative to worm size. Mannitol is a sugar alcohol compound that has shown potential as a therapeutic agent due to its ability to inhibit protein aggregation and transiently open the blood-brain barrier. I also helped refine protocols for nematode growth plate preparation and live worm imaging, gaining experience in both wet lab techniques and data processing. This project deepened my interest in translational neuroscience and taught me how to design, troubleshoot, and analyze an independent experiment from start to finish.