Mentor Areas
Cancer cells undergo a variety on oncogenic stress (nutrient, replicative, oxidative, etc.) that they need to adapt to for their ongoing proliferation and tumor progression. These adaptations become vulnerabilities of cancer cells that they become reliant on to maintain homeostasis. The Conn lab is interested in understanding how these adaptive stress responses are activated, the integrated signaling events both upstream and downstream, and the post-transcriptional regulation of the cancer genome that dynamically is rewired to modulate these activities during cancer progression. Our current research focuses on elucidating the roles of these adaptive stress responses on mRNA translation in the contexts of cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis.
Description:
Projects will vary based on background of the student and ongoing research. Projects generally are focused on studying mechanisms of cancer development and progression, adaptive stress responses, and monitoring oncogenic and tumor suppressor signaling in ex vivo and potentially in vivo (mouse/tissue) settings.
Typically, students will be paired with senior lab members to assist with ongoing projects of interest. All undergraduates will usually start by learning basic techniques such as cell culturing, Western blot, PCR, and cloning assays. As individual students become proficient in basic lab techniques, they may have the option to conduct their own independent thesis project after completing one full semester and or Summer.
Preferred Qualifications
Introductory/related courses on Molecular and Cellular Biology and/or Biochemistry.
Project Website
Learn more about the researcher and/or the project here. Conn Lab
Details:
Preferred Student Year
Second-Year, Junior
Academic Term
Fall, Spring, Summer
I prefer to have students start during the above term(s).Volunteer
Yes
Yes indicates that faculty are open to volunteers.Paid
Yes
Yes indicates that faculty are open to paying students they engage in their research, regardless of their work-study eligibility.Work Study
Yes
Yes indicates that faculty are open to hiring work-study-eligible students.