The seminars for this summer were highly useful—not only for us to hear about the various types of research that are being done on Duke’s campus, but also to see how very different the paths of research can be. There is no “Golden Guide to Getting into Research” that will make or break our careers. And there might even be room for – gasp—experimentation in the midst of it all? And not the ones that involve bacterial cultures?!
That seems like a pretty obvious statement. But, in the midst of all of the straight-arrow-like ambition present of Duke’s campus, a reminder is sometimes needed.
One of the seminars that stuck with me, though, was Dr. Ryan Baugh’s presentation on the nutritional control of animal development. The reason for this would be how the research relates to epigenetics—my interest in which being the beginning of my initial fascination with genetics.
What intrigued me especially about his research was how it pertained to the long-term effects of starvation across generations. Such an understanding could allow for greater understanding for the rise of obesity for one generation and a decrease in another. The applications of such a understanding , even if it’s just in C. elegans, could have a great implications for current populations and what we could expect of their health in the future.
