UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #874

Submission information
Submission Number: 874
Submission ID: 14996
Submission UUID: 904685f7-8597-497b-8abc-1137f968cc27

Created: Mon, 08/19/2024 - 01:08 PM
Completed: Mon, 08/19/2024 - 01:10 PM
Changed: Mon, 08/26/2024 - 01:32 PM

Remote IP address: 144.174.212.120
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English

Is draft: No
Primary Research Mentor Name Shibu Adhikari
Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns Mr.
When potential research assistants are reaching out via email, what is your preferred honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) sa20ep@fsu.edu
Position Title Graduate Student
Faculty Advisor Name Robert Silvers
Faculty Advisor's FSU Email rsilvers@fsu.edu
FSU College (if applicable) Arts and Sciences
FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation Institute of Molecular Biophysics
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Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from above) Victoria Ogunkunle
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Pronouns
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) vogunkunle2@fsu.edu
Name of Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) (if applicable)
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Pronouns
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated)
Title of the Project Understanding the molecular interaction between RNA and La-Related Proteins using NMR.
Project Keywords RNA, NMR, LARPs
Are you currently looking for research assistants? Yes
Number of Research Assistants Needed 2
Relevant Research Assistant Major(s) Chemistry
Biochemistry
Biology
** Anyone with basic knowledge of general chemistry and biochemistry.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
If the project location is off campus, does the research assistant(s) need to provide their own transportation?
Please select the choice that most accurately describes your expectations for the research assistant(s): In-person
Approximately how many hours a week would the research assistant(s) need to work? 5-10 hrs
Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work? During business hours
Overall Research Project Description Our lab is focused in understanding the interaction between La-Related Proteins (LARPs) with RNA. LARPs proteins are found to have implication in different sort of diseases like cancer and so on. We, primarily, focus on the biophysical techniques to decipher the underlying the biochemistry of these RNA binding proteins. Eventually, we aim to structurally characterize these interactions using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance experiments.
Specifically, in this project, we would study LARP1 (La-Related Protein 1) which is an RNA-binding protein that is primarily involved in the translation and stability of mRNAs. Human LARP1(Hs LARP1) is found to play a role in post-translation regulation of 5’ terminal oligopyrimidine motif (5’ TOP), a cis-regulatory RNA component of the 7-methylguanosine cap of TOP mRNAs. The La-module of HsLARP1 has been shown to bind with 5’TOP and 3’ poly(A) motifs of mRNA compared to other LARPs. As LARP1 has been found to repress TOP mRNA translation via the C-terminal DM15 region, the role of the N-terminal La-Module in the regulation of TOP mRNAs is still ambiguous. Since it has been known that LaMOD in HsLARP1 has a folded LaM domain followed by an intrinsically unstructured region (IUR). Here, we investigate the dynamics of the unstructured region of human LARP1 along with its effects on the activity of La-module. We devised the constructs to express and purify IUR regions of humans LARP1 using a self-cleaving peptide N-pro EDDIE to study the RNA-binding mechanism followed by structure characterization using NMR experiments.
Research Tasks Literature Review
Setting Up Experiments
Data Collection
Scientific Writing
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Recommended:
Pipetting Techniques

** As a wet lab biochemistry research lab, skills will be trained along the way. One should be motivated to learn new techniques along with some background information on the particular experiment.
Mentoring Philosophy As a PhD student, I want to mentor an undergraduate research assistant because I believe in the value of collaborative learning and the profound impact it can have on both the mentor and mentee. Guiding an undergraduate student through the research process allows me to share the knowledge and skills I've gained over the years, fostering their growth, confidence, and passion for the field. Mentoring also challenges me to refine my leadership and communication abilities, as I translate complex concepts into accessible ideas and adapt my teaching style to suit the needs of the student. Moreover, working with an enthusiastic undergraduate brings fresh perspectives and new energy to my research, potentially leading to innovative ideas and approaches. I see this experience as an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the academic community by nurturing the next generation of scholars, helping them build a strong foundation for their future academic and professional endeavors.
Please provide a link to your publications, a video clip, or a website for your research project (if applicable):
Please add any additional information here (if applicable):
Are you interested in participating in the UROP Research Mentor Roundtable? No
Roundtable times and Zoom links
Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication Yes
UROP Performance Evaluation Yes
Materials Grant Yes
UROP Poster Presentation Yes
Faculty Advisor Confirmation Yes
Are you interested in attending in a UROP Research Mentor Workshop Series?
Year 2024
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