BIO
Originally from the north fork of Long Island, I grew up surrounded by potato and sod farms, most of which have now been transformed into vineyards. This rural setting fostered a love of the outdoors and curiosity about plants and the production of food. As a result, I headed to UVM and graduated with a BS in Plant and Soil Science. I returned to UVM to pursue a MS in Plant and Soil Science, focusing on the fascinating partnership between plants and mycorrhizae. After raising our two kids and teaching high school biology for several years, I am back at UVM once again, this time to pursue a PhD in Plant Biology. In my free time, I like to get outside as much as possible - skiing, running, biking, and hiking, as well as spending time with my family and friends.
The organization and movement of materials within cells is a precisely regulated process that requires specific mechanisms to ensure proper cell function. The observation of changes in phenotype, such as root morphology, can be used as a method to analyze the function of specific genes. Previous work in the Tierney Lab has identified changes in primary root morphology associated with the lack of function of specific proteins, including CCDC22 and CCDC93. The function of these proteins has been associated with the trafficking of materials in human cells, however their role in plants remains unclear. As a first-year PhD student, I am in the Tierney Lab for the fall semester working on a rotation project exploring the intersection of the function of each of these proteins and the major classes of plant hormones in the model organism Arabidopsis. The purpose of the study is to determine if these proteins are involved in the molecular pathways controlled by plant hormones. The results of the investigation will be used to probe further into the specific function(s) of CCDC22 and CCDC93.
Bio
Originally from the north fork of Long Island, I grew up surrounded by potato and sod farms, most of which have now been transformed into vineyards. This rural setting fostered a love of the outdoors and curiosity about plants and the production of food. As a result, I headed to UVM and graduated with a BS in Plant and Soil Science. I returned to UVM to pursue a MS in Plant and Soil Science, focusing on the fascinating partnership between plants and mycorrhizae. After raising our two kids and teaching high school biology for several years, I am back at UVM once again, this time to pursue a PhD in Plant Biology. In my free time, I like to get outside as much as possible - skiing, running, biking, and hiking, as well as spending time with my family and friends.
The organization and movement of materials within cells is a precisely regulated process that requires specific mechanisms to ensure proper cell function. The observation of changes in phenotype, such as root morphology, can be used as a method to analyze the function of specific genes. Previous work in the Tierney Lab has identified changes in primary root morphology associated with the lack of function of specific proteins, including CCDC22 and CCDC93. The function of these proteins has been associated with the trafficking of materials in human cells, however their role in plants remains unclear. As a first-year PhD student, I am in the Tierney Lab for the fall semester working on a rotation project exploring the intersection of the function of each of these proteins and the major classes of plant hormones in the model organism Arabidopsis. The purpose of the study is to determine if these proteins are involved in the molecular pathways controlled by plant hormones. The results of the investigation will be used to probe further into the specific function(s) of CCDC22 and CCDC93.