Hi everyone! My name is Marie Abboud, and I am a rising sophomore in the College of Arts and sciences. I’m majoring in Biochemistry and minoring in Psychology.
This summer, I will be doing research with the Braselmann Lab. The Braselmann Lab investigates the role that RNA localization has on cell function, particularly as it relates to health and disease. By engineering RNAs to give them fluorescent markers, it is possible to track the movement of RNAs in live cells. With this ability, it is possible to understand the role that non-coding RNA plays in cell function. Over the course of this summer, I will be learning how to use surface plasmon reference (SPR) to measure the binding affinity between Riboglow RNA (an RNA tagging tool) and a Cbl-fluorophore probe. In SPR, a mobile molecule (in this case the Cbl-fluorophore probe) will bind to a molecule that is immobilized on a metal surface (in this case the Riboglow RNA). When the mobile molecule is attached to the immobilized molecule, the refractive index of the metal surface changes. This change in the refractive index can be used to determine the binding affinity between the RNA and the molecule.
In the project I will do, the Riboglow RNA will be attached to a surface. This surface will be flushed with the Cbl-fluorophore probe to determine how effectively Riboglow binds to our probe. The binding affinities measured using SPR will be confirmed using another method commonly used to measure RNA-small molecule binding affinity, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). This experiment is important because it will determine how effectively Riboglow binds to its ligand, which it must do in order to fulfill its function (ie. tagging/tracking RNA).
I hope to become more familiar with hands-on lab work and develop my skills in a laboratory over the course of this summer. I am also very excited to get to know other participants in the Laidlaw program and talk to them about the research they are doing!