This week, we had the privilege of learning about everyone’s projects through chalk talks: short whiteboard presentations. It was really interesting to learn about the wide variety of projects that BSURF fellows are conducting this summer.
One such project was David’s, which involves cell division. David studies Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (also known as Chlamy), a single-celled alga. He’s investigating how the division of chloroplasts is coordinated with cell division, as chloroplasts divide independently from the rest of the cell. Because Chlamy has a single chloroplast, it is a good model organism for this question. More specifically, David is studying a protein called ARC6 that may be involved in the process. Using techniques such as protein tagging and generating mutant crosses, he investigates ARC6’s location and function.
Overall, I enjoyed David’s chalk talk and found it engaging. The way that he drew Chlamy—kind of like a cute alien—made the board fun to look at, and his other graphics also served to make his points clear. I’ve learned about cell division many times over the years, and it was interesting to learn about what is still under investigation. I look forward to learning more during the poster session!
