Rice-A-Roni you ask? No, I write of yet another treat from the wonderful city of San Francisco -- the American Academy for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting, which attracted scientists from the world over. I was fortunate to be one of the attendees and presenters. The theme of the meeting was "Science and Technology for Sustainable Well-Being." One had one's choice of seemingly endless symposia to attend, my favorite being a presentation on Cancer and Evolution by three premier scientists in the field. I also enjoyed taking part in a live radio broadcast on National Public Radio (NPR). The show was Science Fridays and NASA scientists discussed the search for life on Mars and answered questions from the audience. No matter what your interests, there was a wealth of knowledge available from experts in any field and it was inspiring to experience their passion.

There was a purpose to this trip -- to present my poster in this scientific arena. At the undergraduate poster session, I presented my research on a cellular signaling mechanism known as protein S-nitrosation. Nitric Oxide (NO) modifies protein function through reaction with thiol groups, known as S-nitrosation. S-nitrosation plays a role in various biological functions, including gene regulation and cellular apoptosis. Many proteins are believed to be involved in S-nitrosation, similar in some respects to phosphorylation. Dr. William Montfort's Laboratory, where we utilize human fibrosarcoma cells as a model, is where I explore this process in vivo. It is an investigation, which requires tools and collaboration from multiple fields including analytical chemistry, molecular biology, and biochemistry. My presentation was well received by the judges and I enjoyed the challenge of presenting to those with little experience in this field. I'm truly grateful to UBRP for this unique life experience to combine a wonderful city with cutting edge science.

Patrick Vinck, UBRPer in Dr. William Montfort's Lab, Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics