Unlocking Metabolic Mysteries One Antibody at a Time

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Jiamin Chen ('26), a Psychology major, conducted research on how high-fat diets impact metabolic health under the mentorship of Dr. Damaris Lorenzo (Department of Cell and Developmental Biology) through the Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program.

Food security is a privilege. The lack of access to fresh, healthy produce is one of the top causes of increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Foods that are readily available and cheaper are often loaded with high concentrations of sodium, saturated fat, and sugar. This insecurity has many social determinants of health connected to it. Families with limited income live in impoverished neighborhoods where fast food restaurants are the most financially sound option to reach satiety with high calories at half the cost. Additionally, grocery stores that sell higher-quality produce are often not built in these underserved communities. My own firsthand experience with the social determinants of health fueled my interest in exploring the biological mechanisms that underlie these health disparities.

A part of Dr. Lorenzo’s lab examines the specific role of AnkB in Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT) functions. AnkB is a scaffolding protein that helps to localize other proteins in different parts of the cell to perform their functions. My summer study investigates the effects of AnkB knockout on metabolic health in mice subjected to an 18-week high-fat diet, specifically the effects on lipid metabolism and metabolic health. Contrary to expectations, no increase in lipid accumulation was observed in the adipose tissues of AnkB knockout mice. While our hypothesis was unsupported, I had the invaluable opportunity to engage in full-time research, an experience that deepened my appreciation for the dedication and perseverance required in the pursuit of a MD/Ph.D.

I appreciate my mentor Ashley Aguillard for taking the time to explain the biochemistry concepts behind the experiments and tests that we run. Beyond the research, she has also become my confidant, supporting my career aspirations and helping me navigate any questions I might have as a first-generation, low-income student, where higher education is a foreign concept to me. I also want to thank my PI, Dr. Damaris Lorenzo, for fostering my interest in research when I had no prior experience whatsoever. Before coming to Penn, despite having taken courses like AP Biology and AP Chemistry in high school, I’d never seen or held a pipette. I’m very grateful that through the Lorenzo Lab, I was able to get hands-on training in qPCR, Western Blots, and histology. Through this opportunity, I also had the chance to converse and make friends with other undergraduate members of my lab, which I otherwise would not have had the opportunity to do during the semester.

This experience not only reinforced my passion for scientific inquiry but also strengthened my commitment to addressing health disparities. I aspire to become a physician who is both compassionate and empathetic, understanding the challenges my patients face. My own experience of being uninsured and encountering a language barrier has made me acutely aware of the financial and emotional burdens that can prevent access to medical care. I want to spend my career bridging the gap between science and the communities that need it most, ensuring that no one’s health is compromised by their circumstances.

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