Research Mentor Information
---------------------------
Primary Research Mentor Name: Julia Wang
Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns: {Empty}
When potential research assistants are reaching out via email, what is your preferred honorific?: {Empty}
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated): julia.wang@med.fsu.edu
Position Title: Faculty
FSU College (if applicable): Medicine
FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation: Biomedical Sciences
Headshot (optional): {Empty}

Additional Research Mentor(s)
-----------------------------
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from above): Pamela Sanchez
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Pronouns: {Empty}
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Honorific?: {Empty}
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated): p.sandoval-sanchez@med.fsu.edu
Name of Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) (if applicable): {Empty}
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Pronouns: {Empty}
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Honorific?: {Empty}
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated): {Empty}

Overall Project Details
-----------------------
Title of the Project: Genetic Engineering of Cell Cycle Genes in Pancreatic Beta Cells
Project Keywords: CRISPR, diabetes, beta cells, genetic engineering
Are you currently looking for research assistants?: No
Number of Research Assistants Needed : 2
Relevant Research Assistant Major(s):
Biology, Biochemistry, IMS, Pre-med

Project Location:: On FSU Main Campus
If the project location is off campus, does the research assistant(s) need to provide their own transportation?: {Empty}
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?: 10
Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work?: During business hours
Overall Research Project Description:
Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the blood glucose is dysregulated mainly due to a shortage of pancreatic beta cells. There are two major types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is caused by the autoimmune destruction of beta cells which results in a decrease of insulin production. Type 2 diabetes develops when there are not enough functional beta cells to compensate for higher insulin demand often as a result of obesity.
Overall, there is a decrease in beta cell mass in both types of diabetes which can lead to other health issues. As of now, there are treatments to manage diabetes, but there is no cure yet. One of the approaches currently being studied is genetic editing to increase beta cell proliferation. If beta cells are replenished at a higher rate, the onset of diabetes will be delayed, and diabetes can potentially be reversed.
Adenoviral vectors have high transduction efficiency in pancreatic beta cells. Leveraging this system, in our previous research, we have established a high throughput cloning strategy to generate large-scale CRISPR knockout constructs. These constructs can be used for targeted loss-of-function genetic modulation in pancreatic beta cells. Specifically, we have designed these constructs to target known cell cycle inhibitors. Loss-of-function in these negative regulators of cell cycle is expected to promote beta cell proliferation. 
To complement this CRISPR knockout strategy, we are currently developing CRISPR mediated transcriptional activation system (CRISPRa). Instead of mediating targeted loss-of-function, the CRISPRa system mediates targeted gain-of-function. Using CRISPRa, we can target known cell cycle activators.  Gain-of-function in these positive regulators of cell cycle is expected to promote beta cell proliferation as well. Combining the CRISPR loss-of-function and the CRISPRa tools, we will be able to perform targeted genetic modulation in either direction to achieve maximal effect in promoting beta cell replication.


Research Tasks:
cloning of different CRISPR-gRNA constructs, transformation, plasmid isolation, transduction, adenovirus production, and cell culture.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need::
Basic molecular biology skills are recommended.

Mentoring Philosophy:
As a mentor, I endeavor to convey the message that research is a thrilling journey to seek the truth. I aim to promote students’ self-confidence and cultivate a sense of good scientific citizenship. 

Please provide a link to your publications, a video clip, or a website for your research project (if applicable):: https://www.jwanglab.com/
Please add any additional information here (if applicable)::
{Empty}


UROP Program Elements
---------------------
Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication: Yes
UROP Performance Evaluation: Yes
Materials Grant: Yes
UROP Poster Presentation: Yes

{Empty}
Year: 2023
update url: https://cre.fsu.edu/urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal?token=jOumWg47aFTjzwdWsWpQx3wcs5twQowyYvppJgNwfb0