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Author: Abby Hunter | Major: Biology, Spanish | Semester: Spring 2024
Hello! My name is Abby Hunter, and I am a rising senior majoring in biology and Spanish and minoring in medical humanities and global studies. I am a member of the Honors College and Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. After I finish my studies at the University of Arkansas, I plan to attend medical school.
I have been working in Dr. Jeannine Durdik’s lab since my sophomore year. In Dr. Durdik’s lab, we are investigating the effects of fever on immune function and respiration in isolated rainbow trout macrophages. Rainbow trout exhibit behavioral fever, in which they induce an increased body temperature. Behavioral fever results in increased immune response, and is thus associated with increased survival. However, the mechanism of behavioral fever is not completely understood. Dr. Durdik and her lab assistants have previously completed projects that have assessed respiration rate, protein synthesis, nitric oxide production, and cytokine mRNA production in response to various treatments at certain times of interest. These results serve as indicators of immune response and metabolic function. In this project, we decided to assess these parameters again and add a new one: ATP production. We suspect that this addition will bridge previous gaps in the data and provide insight into the changes in respiration and how they subsequently impact our results. This past fall, I submitted a grant proposal, and the Honors College awarded us funds to complete our research over the next two semesters.
The summer after my freshman year, I knew I wanted to gain research experience, but I didn’t know where to begin. I reached out to a premedical advisor who put me in contact with Dr. Durdik, who is a professor of immunology. Dr. Durdik’s research was particularly intriguing to me, as someone who loves biology and physiology. It also presented me with an amazing opportunity to investigate topics that I would not have had the chance to explore otherwise. Dr. Durdik and her lab assistants have taught me so much this past semester. Before this experience, I had very little understanding of how research is conducted. I have been able to refine my skills in laboratory techniques, academic writing, grant writing, reading scientific papers, and interpreting data. I have learned that conducting research can be tedious and challenging at times, but the perseverance exhibited by Dr. Durdik and her team has been inspiring. I feel so lucky to have been able to observe and learn from such dedicated scientists this semester.
In the fall, we will continue our research. We will perform several more trials, and then compile and analyze the data. We hope to submit our findings to immunology conferences and potentially present them to other scientists. I will also be working on my senior thesis for the Honors college with Dr. Durdik. Honors College funding has allowed us to expand the breadth of our research, and I am so grateful to the Honors College for investing in the research pursuits of its students. It has allowed me to get outside of my comfort zone and promoted my intellectual and personal growth. I am so excited to see where our research takes us!