2016 Undergraduate Summer Research Program Participant

Home Department: Biology
Supported by: Anonymous Donor
Mentor: Aaron Gitler, Genetics

The neurodegenerative disease Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) has recently been associated with a genetic mutation that causes the expression of very long nucleotide repeats that are then translated to aberrant proteins. Very little is known about how these aberrant proteins are produced, so Tai will be performing genetic screens on a yeast model to determine the proteins that enhance translation of the aberrant protein products. This knowledge will be important in devising strategies to combat not only ALS, but other diseases associated with long nucleotide repeats.

Poster presented at the Stanford Bio-X Interdisciplinary Initiatives Symposium on August 24, 2016:

Designing Reporters for Repeat Associated Non-ATG (RAN) Translation in HEK 293T

Tai Dinger1, Shizuka Yamada1, Aaron Gitler1
[Department of Genetics1, Stanford University]