Antonio
Antonio
Lynn English High School
Lynn, MA
Mentors:
Salome Maldonado & Connor Anderson
ӳý Technology Space
Antonio joined the ӳý Summer Scholars Program with a strong interest in how technology can enhance biomedical discovery. He became part of the ӳý Technology Space (BTS), a platform that supports many of the institute’s single-cell sequencing projects. His project focused on improving quality control (QC) for single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) — a step that ensures scientists begin their analyses with reliable, high-quality data.
The challenge lay in the fact that BTS’s standard operating procedures still relied on older instruments, some no longer supported by manufacturers. To address this, Antonio compared three automated electrophoresis instruments — the Agilent BioAnalyzer 2100, TapeStation 4200, and Fragment Analyzer 5200 — assessing their accuracy, precision, runtime, and cost. His work required learning not only how to operate these machines but also how to integrate their results with the 10X Genomics workflow for generating single-cell cDNA libraries.
After mastering pipetting, aseptic technique, and QC workflows, Antonio ran PBMC-derived cDNA libraries across all three instruments. He analyzed fragment size distributions and concentration measurements, validating them against Qubit fluorometer data. His results revealed trade-offs: while the TapeStation 4200 was the fastest, its readings were more variable. The BioAnalyzer 2100 and Fragment Analyzer 5200 offered the most reliable fragment sizing, and the Fragment Analyzer was the most cost-efficient for large batches despite slower runtimes.
Through this project, Antonio developed technical expertise in nucleic acid QC, data validation, and process optimization. His work directly informs BTS’s recommendations for researchers, helping labs choose the instrument best suited for their priorities — speed, cost, or reliability.
“BSSP was a catalyst in fulfilling my scientific inquiry,” Antonio reflected, “and it allowed me to apply my collaborative nature into research while exploring endless scientific fields with ambitious scientists.” His contributions will shape how ӳý scientists perform quality checks for years to come, improving both efficiency and accessibility of single-cell sequencing.
