新澳门六合彩内幕信息

Undergrad Research: Exploring the Postal Service of Our Cells

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Baskin Research Award Winner Wenzhe Li stands with Assistant Professor Richard McKenney, Department of Molecular and Cellular Bi
Baskin Research award winner Wenzhe Li stands with assistant professor Richard McKenney, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. (David Slipher/新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis)

This story originally appeared on the . 

Part of the college experience is figuring out what you don鈥檛 want to do. Passion, like discovery, is found through trial and error. Biological sciences and psychology senior Wenzhe Li rotated through two labs at 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis before finding a muse in cytoplasmic dynein, a motor protein used for transport within cells.

鈥淒ynein is like the U.S. Postal Service of our cell, but it works a lot better,鈥 said Li, who conducts research in the lab of Assistant Professor Richard McKenney, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. 鈥淚t works a lot, lot better.鈥

The protein is important for a large variety of movements within our cells, McKenney said. Defects in dynein cause diseases of neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration. 鈥淎 fundamental understanding of how dynein motors work is of high interest for human health,鈥 she said.

In McKenney鈥檚 lab, Li studies the adaptor proteins that cytoplasmic dynein uses to ensure its Jill-of-all-trades functionality. Aided by her interest in psychology, Li aims to link cellular and molecular biology processes to mind and behavior. For her work, she was awarded the . 

鈥淲orking in a lab while taking classes for my two majors is not easy, and sometimes I become overwhelmed by the stress and self-doubt,鈥 said Li. 鈥淚 am grateful for the recognition I have received for my research, and I am motivated to work even harder as I start my next level of education as a graduate student.鈥 

Crossing the Pacific for 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis

 

Li traces her interest in molecular and cellular biology back to high school. Raised in Shanghai, China, she recalled taking an elective in the subject and being awed by an experiment where the class added a fluorescent tag to the bacteria Escherichia coli. The simple experiment illustrated to Li the power of molecular science and technology.

鈥淲hen I鈥檓 doing these experiments, I feel excited from the deepest part of my heart,鈥 she said.

When it came time to explore universities, Li traveled across the Pacific Ocean. Already interested in biology, she explored schools with a breadth of research areas in the life sciences. 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis fit the bill.

鈥淲hen I first came to college, I didn鈥檛 know what exact topic in biology I would be interested in,鈥 said Li. 鈥淭hankfully, 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis has outstanding resources in almost every biological field.鈥

Curious, Li traversed a few labs. She studied cichlid fin morphology with postdoctoral researcher Samantha Price in , Department of Evolution and Ecology, and worked for the , run by Professor Simine Vazire, Department of Psychology. The Personality and Self-Knowledge Lab aims to gauge how well people perceive themselves and others through interviews.

While neither topic tugged on Li鈥檚 research heartstrings, she found herself more and more intrigued by her molecular and cellular biology classes.

鈥淚 set out to find a research experience that would allow me to harness this growing interest,鈥 she said.  

Li attended McKenney鈥檚 鈥淩oad to Research鈥 presentation, part of a series hosted by the that showcases the research journeys of 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis faculty.

鈥淚t sounded like interesting stuff that I really wanted to explore,鈥 said Li. 鈥淪o I sent him an email.鈥

鈥淲enzhe came to the lab with no formal training, and she quickly picked up the molecular biology and biochemistry techniques we utilize for our experiments,鈥 said McKenney. 鈥淚鈥檓 very impressed with her determination and drive to succeed in the lab.鈥

An eye in the microscopic sky

Baskin Research Award Winner Wenzhe Li stands with Assistant Professor Richard McKenney, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. Li and McKenney investigate the molecular motor cytoplasmic dynein. David Slipher/新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis
Baskin Research Award Winner Wenzhe Li stands with Assistant Professor Richard McKenney, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. Li and McKenney investigate the molecular motor cytoplasmic dynein. (David Slipher/新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis)

In McKenney鈥檚 Lab, Li combines her training in molecular biology, biochemistry and single-molecule microscopy to investigate the mobility of cytoplasmic dynein.

鈥淲enzhe鈥檚 project aims to dissect the functions of one of the protein subunits that compose the dynein machine,鈥 said McKenney, noting that Li is creating dynein complexes that lack specific protein molecules and then gauging their functional output.

Li is particularly interested in two dynein adaptor proteins called LIS1 and NudEL/Ndel1, which are involved in central nervous system formation. At the workbench, she can watch how her experiments affect cytoplasmic dynein鈥檚 movement along the cell鈥檚 roadways, known as microtubules. Like a helicopter covering I-80 traffic, the single-molecule microscopy technique gives scientists a bird鈥檚-eye, high-resolution view into the molecular dynamics happening below. 

Li presented her research findings at the annual .

As a dual major, Li sees connections between biology and psychology. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fascinating because they鈥檙e both related, and they鈥檙e so different from each other,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he proteins I鈥檓 talking about, LIS1 and NudEL, are very important for neuronal migration, which means that it鈥檚 very important for neuron development, which means that it鈥檚 very important for your brain and your life.鈥

Preparing for future migrations

In McKenney鈥檚 lab, Li studies the adaptor proteins cytoplasmic dynein uses to ensure its Jill-of-all-trades functionality. David Slipher/新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis
In McKenney鈥檚 lab, Li studies the adaptor proteins cytoplasmic dynein uses to ensure its Jill-of-all-trades functionality. (David Slipher/新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis)

Like a molecular letter from the dynein post office, Li already has her next steps mapped out. She鈥檒l continue on at 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis as a biochemistry, molecular, cellular and developmental biology Ph.D. student in the fall.

Her decision to pursue a Ph.D. was influenced by the graduate students and faculty who helped shape her identity as a scientist. Lab skills are one thing, but Li was always awed by how graduate students and faculty keep the 鈥渂ig picture鈥 of an experiment in mind without getting lost in the nitty-gritty details.

鈥淚 can get submerged in papers,鈥 said Li. 鈥淲hen I鈥檓 doing my experiment, most of the time I talk with my principal investigator, and he can give me a really clear direction of the next steps I should take.鈥

Li wants to cultivate a similar understanding, but she also wants to explore different models for molecular and cellular research.

The cell is 鈥渧ery complicated and crowded,鈥 Li said. 鈥淚鈥檓 interested in exploring different labs using different model organisms because I find that they are really fascinating.鈥 

With the breadth of model organisms at 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis, she鈥檒l have no trouble finding new biological systems to explore come fall 2019.

"I see all the characteristics in her that are required for excellence in this line of work: curiosity, motivation and fearlessness to try new things,鈥 said McKenney. 鈥淚 have no doubt she will make a stellar graduate student and future leader in the STEM field.鈥


 is a science writer and communications specialist at the . 

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