Isabela
Isabela
Everett High School
Everett, MA
Mentors:
Brianna Silverman & Christine Danielle De Mata
Greka Lab
When Isabela joined the ӳý Summer Scholars Program, she was eager to explore how cell biology research could lead to insights with real medical relevance. Partnered with Rose in the Greka Lab, she investigated genes suspected of regulating TMED cargo receptors — proteins essential for moving materials between the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi. Disruptions in this system are linked to protein accumulation diseases.
Over six weeks, Isabela trained in core molecular biology techniques — tissue culture, co-immunoprecipitation, Western blotting, and iterative immunofluorescence (4i) microscopy. Using CRISPR, she knocked out her gene of interest in kidney epithelial cells, validated the edit with Western blotting, and observed a decrease in its binding partner alongside an increase in TMED9. High-resolution 4i imaging revealed changes in organelle morphology, suggesting altered protein trafficking. While co-immunoprecipitation did not confirm direct binding between the protein of interest and TMED9, her results support an indirect regulatory role, possibly through other signaling molecules.
Through this work, Isabela mastered techniques for studying protein interactions and learned to adapt when experiments didn’t go as planned. Her findings contribute to the Greka Lab’s efforts to map the molecular machinery of the secretory pathway, potentially informing future treatments for protein misfolding disorders.
“BSSP was a life-changing experience… I left this summer with more knowledge, confidence, and community than I ever imagined,” she said. The experience cemented her passion for biomedical research and gave her the skills to pursue it.
