Can we really call the presentations last week a chalk talk? I would say it’s more like a Expo® manifesto.
All (bad) jokes aside, I think the talks given were amazing. Everyone explained their projects extremely well, and I was surprised by the variety of biology topics presented. There wasn’t one project I wasn’t amazed by, and I am excited to in a cohort of such amazing individuals. One of the common themes was the world of epigenetic. As my project deals with these markers as well, I think a project that stood out to me was Michael’s “Differential Methylation of Shank 1 and DLG4 in THC exposed F0 -> F1 mice.” His project focuses on the transgenerational effects of THC on the methylation of the the Shank 1 and DLG4 genes.
THC is found in marijuana, and the doses that he uses on the mice are relevant to the doses that an average user of marijuana consumed. The two genes he is focusing on are important in the post synapsis, so this project can help us to see if THC can cause harm on the gametes that are exposed to THC. He studies male mice gamete, because it is extremely painstaking to see the effects on the female gametes. He will expose mice to chemically relevant doses of THC and measure the effects on the methylation of the gametes by using pyrosequencing and rt-PCR. With the movements to legalize marijuana in the US, it’s important to assess the risks of the THC in it.
