UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #576

Submission information
Submission Number: 576
Submission ID: 9151
Submission UUID: 5ca8d540-a161-4bd3-9256-20e643a7a5d7

Created: Fri, 08/25/2023 - 10:03 AM
Completed: Fri, 08/25/2023 - 11:08 AM
Changed: Wed, 09/20/2023 - 01:18 PM

Remote IP address: 144.174.212.100
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English

Is draft: No
Primary Research Mentor Name Elizabeth Brown
Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns She/Her
When potential research assistants are reaching out via email, what is your preferred honorific? Dr.
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) EBBrown@bio.fsu.edu
Position Title Faculty
FSU College (if applicable) Arts and Sciences
FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation Biological Sciences
Headshot (optional) Brown Headshot 2.jpg
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from above)
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Pronouns
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated)
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 Aging-dependent regulation of taste preference
Project Keywords Behavior, Aging, Taste, Chemosensory, Drosophila
Are you currently looking for research assistants? No
Number of Research Assistants Needed 3
Relevant Research Assistant Major(s) Biological Sciences, Neuroscience, related STEM fields
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? 8-10
Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work? During business hours
Overall Research Project Description Deficits in smell and taste are associated with healthy aging, as well as numerous neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). However, how these changes occur, particularly with respect to taste, remains largely unexplored. We use the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, as a model. We previously found that aging impairs taste response to sugars, but not fatty acids, revealing modality-specific deficits in taste. This decline in sugar taste response is associated with changes in gene expression within the neurons that are activated by sugars. Students joining this project will confirm these findings using quantification of gene expression, behavioral assays, and statistical analysis, with the ultimate goal of characterizing novel candidate gene(s) that function in these sensory neurons during aging.
Research Tasks Students will begin by learning care and maintenance of fly lines, executing behavioral experiments, and running statistical analysis. Advanced techniques include performing dissections, immunohistochemistry, and quantification of gene expression.
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: A broad understanding of the fundamental concepts in genetics and molecular biology is recommended. Students must be reliable and be detail-oriented. Training in Drosophila husbandry and techniques will be provided.
Mentoring Philosophy I am deeply invested in mentoring trainees and believe communication and common goals are key features of successful mentorship. While I initially plan to provide hand-on guidance and support to incoming students, they will be encouraged to become more independent and develop their own research questions over time. I will also encourage student(s) to learn from other members of the lab, as I believe peer-to-peer learning increases engagement and promotes collaboration. I am committed to creating a safe and inclusive research environment and encourage students typically underrepresented in STEM to apply.
Please provide a link to your publications, a video clip, or a website for your research project (if applicable): https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=2WBYd1oAAAAJ&hl=en
Please add any additional information here (if applicable):
Roundtable times and Zoom links Wednesday September 6 from 2:30 to 3:00 PM (https://fsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJArc-yrpj0rEtS2siVIUO9_rhnYmzUllymu)
Thursday September 7 from 2:30 to 3:00 PM (https://fsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJctde-rrD0rHtKXHzZzXpx0tID9okcaVQ13)
Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication Yes
UROP Performance Evaluation Yes
Materials Grant Yes
UROP Poster Presentation Yes
Year 2023
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