Home Department: Biology
Mentor: Jessica Feldman (Biology)

"Investigating Centriole-to-Cilia Development and Glial Regulation in C. elegans"

Cilia are hair-like organelles that allow cells to sense their environment and are essential for development. In humans, defects in cilia cause ciliopathies and premature death. This project investigates how cilia structure is established by two processes: internal remodeling of centrioles into cilia and regulation by neighboring glia. Using genetically engineered C. elegans strains and expansion microscopy, Victoria will visualize cilia assembly at high resolution and test how disrupting surrounding socket and sheath cells alters cilia length and organization. Understanding how internal construction and external cellular environments coordinate cilia formation provides insight into fundamental mechanisms underlying human ciliopathies.