Undergraduate Research Opportunities
| Genetic Engineering of Plants |
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Internship Description
One of the main overall goals of the Medford lab is to develop plants with new uses. For example, we are genetically engineering plants to detect substances of interest such as terrorist agents and environmental pollutants. Because plants have evolved elegant mechanisms to continuously sense and respond to their environment, they will make inexpensive and widely used biological monitors, or sentinels, for human threats and threats to the environment. This is particularly important because it is currently impractical to monitor large civilian areas such as cities, transportation hubs, and sports arenas for surprise chemical/biological attacks, or the accidental release of pollutants. Work involves genetic engineering, construction and analysis of transgenic plants followed by analysis of the novel function. Skills from chemistry, genetics, biochemistry and molecular biology are used. The specific project will continue analysis of a responsive gene promoter and its links via computationally designed inputs. Students will pickup the details: key characteristics are being smart and willing to work hard. Prerequisites Biology or Biochemistry Major, GPA >3.0 Contact Information Dr. Medford at medford@colostate.edu |
| Crustacean endocrinology |
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Internship Description
Molting and limb regeneration in crustaceans are regulated by the steroid hormone, ecdysone. The project studies the signaling pathway regulating the synthesis of ecdysone in the molting gland, with an emphasis on the role of nitric oxide and cyclic nucleotides as intracellular messengers. Prerequisites strong background in cell biology, genetics, biochemistry Contact Information Dr. Mykles at don@colostate.edu |
| Lobster muscle biochemistry |
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Internship Description
Crustacean muscles consist of three types of fibers (fast, slow-twitch, and slow-tonic) that differ in contractile proteins (e.g. myosin, troponin, tropomyosin). The project studies the expression of genes that give fibers their unique contractile properties using immunoblotting and RT-PCR. Prerequisites strong background in cell biology, genetics, biochemistry Contact Information Dr. Mykles at don@colostate.edu |
| Gene Regulation |
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Internship Description
Regulation of gene expression is fundamental to all aspects of growth and development of all organisms and their responses to environment. The Reddy laboratory is studying regulation of gene expression at the pre-mRNA splicing level and mechanisms by which pre-mRNAs are alternatively spliced to generate multiple transcripts from a single gene. Our research focus on the roles of a small family of proteins called serine/arginine-rich (SR) proteins in constitutive and alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs. We use various molecular, cell biological, genetic and genomic tools to understand the roles of SR proteins in pre-mRNA splicing. Contact Information Dr. Reddy (reddy@colostate.edu) |
| Signaling Mechanisms |
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Internship Description
Plant growth and development is highly plastic. Almost all aspects of plant growth and development are influenced by their environment. In addition, biotic and abiotic stresses limit plant growth and productivity. Calcium has emerged as an important messenger in transducing many developmental and stress signals. The Reddy laboratory has been studying calcium-mediated signaling mechanisms with special emphasis on calcium sensors and targets of activated calcium sensors. We have identified a number of cellular targets (e.g, motor proteins, transcription factors, ion channels and novel proteins) of activated calcium sensors. Much of our current research is focused on elucidating the functions of these proteins. We use biochemical, molecular, genetic and omic tools to decipher calcium signaling pathways and networks. Contact Information Dr. Reddy (reddy@colostate.edu) |
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