I am a senior studying molecular and cellular biology.  I work in Dr. Daniela Zarnescu's lab, which primarily focuses on Fragile X Syndrome, the most commonly inherited form of mental retardation.  We use the model organism Drosophila Melanogaster, and I specifically study the role of a tumor suppressor called Lethal Giant Larvae (lgl) that regulates the transport of the Fragile X protein FMRP along with mRNA during neural development.  While lgl has been shown to have a role in the migration of FMRP and mRNA during neural development, not much else is known of its function in the nervous system.  Therefore the primary purpose of my research is to elucidate the role of lgl in the nervous system by studying how it effects neural development at the neuromuscular junction. 

I had the opportunity to present my project at the 50th Annual Drosophila Research Conference hosted by the Genetics Society of America in the beginning of March.  At this conference I was submerged in the versatile world of Drosophila research and not only had the opportunity to learn of the latest and most exciting discoveries in Drosophila research, but since I was presenting my work as well at the poster sessions, I had the opportunity to obtain feedback from many of the scientists in various fields of biological research.

The conference was five days long and each day was filled with platform sessions where under a given topic such as gametogenesis/oogenesis or neurophysiology and behavior, scientists gave fifteen-minute talks each about their research.  There were also workshops on the different topics and plenary sessions in which four speakers gave thirty-minute talks on their current research.  The sessions were an interesting experience because each set of talks covered a wide range of research that had been published that was in the process of being published or that was still in the works. 

For me personally, I attended the neurophysiology and neural development sessions since the research I am interested in and currently studying is neural development.  I thought the neurophysiology studies of behavior were particularly interesting.  I learned of one specific gene that regulates the courtship behavior in males called sexytimes.  The mechanism by which this gene functions through is circadian rhythm.  I also had the opportunity to receive feedback and new ideas for my research.  The chance to talk to other scientists coming from a variety of areas of experience and study, whether in epigenetics, or human diseases, or neurobiology taught me more about my project. I thought of new directions to take my project that I had never thought of before to convey certain roles that lgl may have at the neuromuscular junction. For example, I had many people ask me about the influence lgl has on polarity at the neuromuscular junction.  Lgl is known to have a role in cell polarity but it has not been specifically studied in the nervous system before, therefore it would be interesting to determine what kind of influence lgl has on generating polarity during neural development.  In the cell lgl has functional partners that are also tumor suppressors by which it carries out some of its primary roles known as Scribble and Discs Large.  It would also be interesting to determine the effect these two particular genes have on neural development and whether they are comparable to that of lgl's. 

This conference was incredibly rewarding and beneficial.  It was the first research conference I have ever attended so it really opened me up to the full range of research currently being conducted and future directions of that research.  I am very thankful to UBRP for providing funding to present and receive such an awesome experience.

Aimee Littleton, UBRPer in Dr. Daniela Zarnescu's lab, Molecular & Cellular Biology