Kaitlin running a centrifuge

Author: Kaitlin Callies | Major: Physics

Hello, my name is Kaitlin Callies and I am a physics honors major with a biophysics concentration and a math minor. I am currently working in Dr. Yong Wang’s biophysics lab. I started this research project over the summer of 2021 and will continue in the fall of 2021.

My research project is to measure the interactions between bent DNA and silver ions using fluorescent resonance energy transfer, or FRET. Understanding how DNA interacts with compounds and ions in the body is essential to understanding many diseases and finding new treatments. Silver specifically is important to study because it is toxic to DNA and can cause dissociation or hinder DNA repairs, which may lead to cancer. We are using FRET as opposed to previously used methods because the previous methods only showed us a snapshot of what is happening; however, FRET will allow us to examine these interactions as they happen over time. This will give us a better understanding of the dynamics of this interaction and provide us more information.

I decided to work on this project because of the previous work done on this topic in Dr. Wang’s lab. When searching for a lab to join, I found Dr. Wang’s website and began reading past published papers from his lab students. The work done by Jack Freeland on bent DNA as sensing amplifiers was very interesting to me. After talking with Dr. Wang, we decided I would work in his lab and build off of the previous project with bent DNA, but take it in a new direction using FRET.

I am not done with this project yet, but I have already learned so much from Dr. Wang and his lab. This project has expanded my knowledge of DNA and its interactions greatly and shown me how important an understanding of this topic is for the medical field. Working in this lab has also taught me how to use lab equipment correctly, interact with other lab members, and communicate efficiently. There is definitely a learning curve to understand everything and to get used to working in a group lab setting, but Dr. Wang has always been there when I have questions and has pushed me to be my best. Dr. Wang has been guiding me on this project while also giving me space to work through things on my own and come to my own conclusions.

So far, I have been working in the lab by using gel electrophoresis and FRET to get a better understanding of the interaction and to make sure I can prepare the bent DNA used in my project. The next step in my project is to move onto FRET at the single-molecule level. After making sure I am fully trained and can perform FRET correctly, I will begin recording data for my final conclusions. My data so far using gel electrophoresis and FRET, has been consistent with what is expected and the silver ions are causing the double stranded DNA to dissociate into single strands. I am looking forward to studying these interactions further and to sharing my findings next semester. I want to thank the honors college for this grant that allows me to do this research.