Location: Emory University - School of Medicine - Whitehead Biomedical Research Building

Department: Department of Human Genetics

Description: Summer 2022 was the first year of the program and it was a huge success. I participated in an in-person internship at Emory University each weekday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM from June 1st-July 8th. Over the course of five weeks, I learned about a lot of new information related to genetics, including the different modes of inheritance, Pedigrees, and about organoids. IFurthermore, I was introduced to new career paths, such as Genetic Counseling and Biomedical Engineering, and went on college tours at both Emory and UGA. I also sat in seminars with professional genetic counselors, epidemiologists, and college admissions counselors.

Article: NextGen gives high school students a peek at biomedical research

Imaging in Organoids

With molecular biology, imaging is the process of identifying certain structures within cell systems, in this case organoids. By defintion, an organoid is mini organism that can resemble a human organ if given the right signal. In the Sloan Lab, we used organoids to mimic little brains. The two pictures below identify cell nuclei, neurons, and astrocytes within an organoid but at different microscopic intensities.

Legend

Color: Antibody used for fluorescent staining = Structure being identified

Magenta: DAPI = Cell Nuclei ("control center" of the cell)

Yellow: TUJ1 = Neurons (a type of cell in brains that transmits messages)

Cyan: GFAP = Astrocytes (another type of cell in brains that wraps its endfeet around blood vessels, taking blood and then converting it into nutrients for other brain cells)