Home Department: Human Biology
Mentor: Joy Wu (Medicine - Endocrinology, Gerontology, & Metabolism)

“Assessing for Gene Set Associated with Osteoblast Differentiation and Bone Development”

In this research project, Kim will use a gene editing tool called CRISPR/Cas9 to study the role of specific genes involved in cell proliferation and bone mineralization. She will focus on genes that are responsible for transporting small cellular components called vesicles. By using CRISPR/Cas9 and other molecular tools, she will modify the expression of certain genes in cells and examine their impact on bone mineralization. Additionally, she will use programming to interpret the data and statistical analysis to draw meaningful conclusions. The findings could have implications for medical treatments by identifying the genes that are most important in bone mineralization and replicating them in stem-cell-based treatments.