What is your role at Yale School of Medicine?
I am a PhD candidate in the Department of Genetics at the Yale School of Medicine and work in the Nicoli Lab.
Have you been involved in any projects that you are particularly proud of?
I'm involved in a couple of projects. One is mechanical transduction in the vascular endothelium. Blood vessels have to face many mechanical forces. They have to face the flow on the inside and the extracellular matrix on the outside, and they still need to maintain their integrity. I’m interested in how blood vessels maintain that integrity.
Our hypothesis is that when proteins are synthesized, they can be used to mediate rapid responses to different mechanical stresses. I'm currently studying local translation. I like to describe it as, “design with the end in mind.” If you bought a bed for a new apartment, it doesn't make sense to put the bed in the kitchen. The bed is too big and bulky.
Cells work the same way. The vascular endothelium must sense and respond to many mechanical forces. They can decide where they synthesize proteins in a way that helps you to achieve your goals in the most energy efficient way. The project we’re working on is a new function for a type of RNA molecules found in cells called mRNA. We often think of mRNA as specifically used to produce proteins, but recent work in the Nicoli lab, led by Stefania Nicoli, PhD, shows that mRNAs have a function without actually encoding for protein. So, the presence of the mRNA can actually change the cell’s environment.
I am excited to work on understanding the role of local mRNA translation in mechanical homeostasis in the vascular endothelium. Specifically, my project will focus on understanding the role of localized translation at cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix adhesions, and their potential to mediate rapid response to mechanical stimuli.
Why did you decide to work at Yale School of Medicine (YSM)?
When I was interviewing for PhD programs, I was truly inspired by the collaborative environment at Yale. I felt it was a place where I could excel academically while building a strong professional network.
How did you become interested in your line of work?
For my undergraduate studies, I conducted research at Xavier University of Louisiana as part of the NIH-Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) Initiative and McNair program. These programs were invaluable in my growth as a scientist as they allowed me to participate in laboratory research, attend conferences, and prepare for graduate school. While working at Xavier, I became passionate about increasing representation in STEM fields. I would love to help train the next generation of Black scientists. I ultimately aspire to start a lab at a historically Black university with an emphasis on science communication.
What is the most rewarding part of your work?
I am a huge Star Trek fan. Similar to Star Trek, I feel that in science, I am uncovering uncharted territory. When I stand at the bench, I sometimes imagine that I am at the helm of the USS Enterprise, setting a course to explore the unknown. I find it immensely rewarding to ask questions and push the boundaries of our understanding in biology. Most cardiovascular diseases are caused by problems with the extracellular matrix. And that's where we find the local translation to be occurring. So, if we can target the local translation, that could have a potential impact for the medical community.
What was most challenging about the transition from undergraduate to graduate school?
Graduate school is hard at times, so finding a community was critical for me. I went to a teaching school. Coming here to a new school where the focus is research, was one of the transitions that I had to make. I love Yale because I was able to find people that supported me.
I’ve had some challenges throughout my academic career. The resources here made that transition a little smoother.
Why do you love working at Yale?
I love the people at Yale. I have been able to build a community at Yale that I truly value and appreciate. I feel I have made lifelong connections here, that will support my academic endeavors and growth as a person in general.
What is a fun fact about you?
I am a classical oboist. I have a minor in music and have been playing for over ten years. I also love to crochet. This was a pandemic hobby that became somewhat of an obsession for me. My favorite things to make are bags and sweaters.