Thesis Thursday

I am James Rozelle, a senior double majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology. I also love math so I decided to do a math minor while at the UofA. I work in the Beilstein lab which is interested in phylogenetics and genomic. Specifically I’ve been working on projects that investigate something called long non coding RNAs or lncRNAs for short. I’ve had a long time fascination with biological sciences, how things work biochemically, and especially how that understanding can help us better interact with the world around us to lead healthier and more aware lives. This summer I will be applying to medical schools but until then I’ll be working as the director of the UofA chapter of a non profit called Camp Kesem which organizes free summer camps for children impacted by their parent’s cancer. This and last summer camps had to be virtual but were still a blast. I also love to hike and play piano when time allows.

My name is Tissiana Vallecillo. I am a senior at the University of Arizona studying Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB), Pharmaceutical Sciences, Spanish and Information Science and Technology (ISTA). I am working with Dr. Joyce Schroeder to study the mechanisms driving the poor prognosis associated with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). I am particularly interested in the role and regulation of inflammation in TNBC progression. I will be continuing my research as a Master’s student in Dr. Schroeder’s lab after graduation. Ultimately, I intend to become a physician and serve my community in the clinical setting. In my spare time, I love to paint and make ceramics!

Tecoma stans angustata is in the Bignonia family Bignoniaceae and there are a bunch of species of Tecoma starting here in the borderlands with ours and heading south into the Americas where there’s maybe a dozen more, not to mention many cultivars. All with flowers that range from yellow to orange or red or even colors in between. Pretty tempting, huh? The genus Tecoma comes from the Nahuatl word tecomaxochitl…what a marvelous mouthful…and it’s a common name for a number of plants with tubular and usually yellow or golden flowers. Now you know. I don’t know when or where the common name esperanaza came into being, but I love it. I’m guessing you knew that. All my photos of esperanza are 35mm slides and I took a mess of them over the many pre-digital years. So the photo used here is from the website  https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/ and taken by the botanist Sue Carnahan. A big thank you to her. I promise to get some of my own photos soon...there are some beautiful tecomas in the Mule Mountains. Hmm, sounds like a quest to me.

Hiya, I’m Zoe Scott, a 20-something who from a young age has always fit in better with the geriatrics than the pediatrics, which has influenced my “stop and smell the roses” approach to life and motivated me to take advantage of my youth. After I received my Biology degree from the University of Puget Sound, until the pandemic put a halt on things, I was working and volunteering my way across the globe, from a Barista in Ireland to a sustainable agriculture researcher in Israel. Now being home-ground, in the place where I got my roots, Arizona, I decided if I can’t travel then the next best way to take advantage of my youth was to get my master’s degree. I am currently working on an Environmental Science M.S. and doing research with Dr. Channah Rock’s lab at the Maricopa Agriculture Center.

Hi everyone, my name is Viktoria Kirschnerova and I am a current junior studying Molecular and Cellular Biology, Biochemistry, and Psychology. I’ve been passionate about research since the first time I looked through a microscope in my high school biology class. I decided to make my passion true here at UofA by joining Dr. Sally Dickinson’s lab. We study prevention of skin cancer (specifically, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma). We are interested in how inflammation affects the progression of cancer, and whether pharmacologically inhibiting certain receptors decreases this inflammation after UV exposure, and helps protect high risk groups (such as people with chronically UV-damaged skin) from progressing to malignant skin cancers. When not in the lab, I like to investigate the effects of the sun more personally, by hiking the mountains and parks of Tucson, swimming, or catching up with my ever-growing bookshelf. You might also find me connecting with my Czechoslovakian heritage by speaking weird tongues and hilariously mispronouncing words like mandatory (man-DA-tory)

Hi, I am Anthony Kling, a graduate student in the Mathematics Department at the University of Arizona.  My advisor is Dr. Bryden Cais and my research involves investigating mathematical objects known as modular forms.  My research lies in the field of number theory which classically considers questions such as: How many integer points does a curve have?  How do we find these points?

I am also currently involved in Project FAMILIA under the direction of Dr. Guada Lozano.  Our goal is to develop a culturally relevant and asset affirming precalculus curriculum which is to be implemented in four high schools within the Tucson area.

As a hobby, I enjoy listening to an eclectic range of music and am constantly discovering new music.

is a postdoc in Dr. Donna Zhang’s lab in University of Arizona. He has worked in UA for over 4 years and his research is focused on the relationship between NRF2 signaling and diseases.

My name is Ashwin Siby and I’m a junior at the University of Arizona majoring in Molecular and

Cellular Biology with a minor in Biochemistry with the intent of going to medical school after

graduation. I currently work in the Bolger Lab and research a protein called Ded1. Ded1 is an

essential DEAD-box RNA helicase important for translation initiation in the yeast,

Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Mutations in the human homolog of Ded1, DDX3 have been linked to

several diseases and cancers. Outside of school I like to play video games, try new restaurants,

and spend time with my family. During the pandemic I started to hike and walk trails as new

hobby to relax but also be somewhat active.

Hello, my name is Dong Kyun Kim, a junior at the University of Arizona as a Molecular and Cellular Biology major. Working with Dr. Frans Tax in the Molecular and Cellular Biology Department, as a UBRP student, has allowed me to pursue my interest in genomics research. In the Tab lab, we work with the Arabidopsis plant and we focus on analyzing the phenotypes of plants mutant for individual or multiple receptors and study signaling networks anchored by these receptors. Among these receptors, I focus on XIP1/CEPR1, a receptor protein that is involved in sensing nitrogen levels and regulating lateral root growth in the Arabidopsis. I aspire to become a MD/PhD with a focus in human genomics. I believe that an MD/PhD degree is necessary for me to pursue research that characterizes genetic mechanisms in humans, like metabolism and growth, while being able to apply this knowledge to diagnose and treat patients in a clinical setting. In my spare time, I enjoy listening to hip-hop and RnB. I really enjoy thrifting and learning more about fashion

Makenna Aitken is a junior at the University of Arizona studying Biomedical Engineering.  She is currently working in Dr. Jennifer Barton’s tissue optics lab where she studies ovarian cancer.  She also serves coffee at Dutch Brothers!  After graduation, Makenna plans to get her master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering through the university’s accelerated program.  In Makenna’s spare time she loves to cook and play with her pitbull, Rocket.  Makenna’s favorite place to vacation is anywhere in California, particularly Disneyland.  She has been going there since she was 4-years-old and holds it near and dear to her heart.