Written while I was studying abroad in Australia. This was submitted to the Undergraduate Research Center and received funding for the project duration until June 2026. Poster for research findings will be presented at the Student Signature Work Showcase in May 2026. Poster will be uploaded once completed in April.

For my master's thesis, I will dive into the evolutionary origins of cell adhesion and why sponge cell interactions differ from those of other animals. I will study the Aggregation Factor, a dimer proteoglycan complex that regulates interactions between cells. I have begun research on testing the effect of Mucinase (an enzyme that breaks down mucins) to observe mucin effects on cell attachment.