UROP Project
Measuring Changes in Glomerular Volume Due to Diet Induced Obesity
Imaging, neuroscience, Obesity, Neurodegeneration, Data analysis, Data science, programming, MATLAB
Research Mentor: dstorace@gmail.com Douglas Storace,
Department, College, Affiliation: Biological Science, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: dstorace@gmail.com
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Julia Won
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: Julia.won@bio.fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Department, College, Affiliation: Biological Science, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: dstorace@gmail.com
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Julia Won
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: Julia.won@bio.fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Looking for Research Assistants: Maybe one more
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience, Psychology, Biomedical Engineering (Open to Similar Majors)
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10 hours per week, During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Not participating in the roundtable
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience, Psychology, Biomedical Engineering (Open to Similar Majors)
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10 hours per week, During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Not participating in the roundtable
Project Description
The research project aims to look at how diet induced obesity shifts the anatomical and functional activity of specific cell structures in the olfactory bulb, called glomeruli in mice. These structures are the main unit for olfactory processing, and we aim to investigate how these cells shift in their activity and the known degeneration that occur with prolonged exposure to poor diets.Research Tasks: Research assistants will be expected to work on a laptop or lab computer to analyze structural morphology of glomeruli (cell structures) using downloadable imaging software. Assistants will also be expected to learn simple commands in MATLAB to support their analysis. Students (if interested) may also participate in the development of code to support the analysis that will be completed.
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Soft skills that will be necessary for this work include attention to detail, patience, critical thinking, logical reasoning and communication.
Assistants may already have and will develop image processing knowledge, basic programming skills, and an understanding of the biological context of their images
Mentoring Philosophy
My goal is to support you to become a confident, capable and independent researcher. My mentoring approach is a three-step process designed to help you master new tasks and concepts:Watch and Learn: First, I'll demonstrate a task from start to finish, explaining each step so you can see how it's done.
Practice with Guidance: Next, you'll complete the task while I'm present. I'll provide real-time guidance and feedback as you take the lead.
Independent Practice: Finally, you'll complete the task on your own. I'll be in the room as a resource, but the work will be entirely yours. I’ll review it at the end with you to ensure successful completion.
As you build competence, I'll step back, giving you more autonomy. You'll take ownership of your work, though I'll always be here to support you. I'll expect weekly updates and will review all your work to ensure we stay on track.