White adipose tissue (WAT) participates in many essential processes within the skin. For WAT to successfully accomplish its roles in the skin, the generation of new mature adipocytes is necessary. Two distinct populations of adipocyte precursors give rise to mature adipocytes; adipocyte progenitors and preadipocytes. Using single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) we identified Sox9 as a potential factor driving adipocyte progenitor differentiation. Using qPCR and FACS, we determined that expression of Sox9 drives adipocyte progenitor differentiation, though its absence does not prevent it. Our results contribute to furthering the understanding of adipogenesis.

Dr. Guillermo Rivera-Gonzalez has been extremely influential as Carolynn’s mentor in the Morris Lab at WashU. He has pushed her to think critically, answered her many questions, and encouraged her to persist despite the challenges of science and academia. Carolynn greatly appreciates his patience and kindness through all the mishaps that undergraduates make. He has shown her that research and its environment can not only be difficult and demanding, but joyful, rewarding, and fun, too (that is what makes it worth it). She looks forward to continuing to work with him following her graduation. "