This year, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute welcomed five second-year predoctoral students (Ananya Basu, Minrui Luo, Daniel de Castro Assumpcao, Amy Tang and Anthony Pulvino) to its NIH-funded Graduate Training Program, now in its tenth year, and renewed appointments for three third-year trainees (Dalton Huey, Meghan Masotti, and Xandra Barajas). The students’ research projects span disciplines and focus on uncovering new approaches for diagnosing, detecting, and treating conditions ranging from epilepsy, autism, autoimmune disease, to cancer.
Trainees are required to have dual mentors from both chemistry and the life sciences and to learn the methods and approaches of both laboratories. Throughout the two-year program, students engage in immersive, transdisciplinary laboratory training, and coursework in chemical biology methods and experimental design that will prepare them to tackle major challenges in human health and disease and learn about the development of new drugs and diagnostics.
In addition to exposing students to multi-disciplinary research opportunities, team science, and entrepreneurship, the Training Program helps strengthen communication skills and provides insights into different career paths. Improv workshops with Chicago’s The Second City faculty allow trainees to practice explaining and presenting their work to lay audiences. Research Forums enable trainees to present their research. The program also provides funding for trainees to invite visiting professors to Northwestern to give seminars. CLP career workshops enable trainees to interact with and ask questions of CLP’s Executive Advisory Board members, comprised of senior executives in pharmaceutical and biotech companies and other business leaders. The program also connects students with previous trainees who have graduated from the program and moved on to exciting careers in biomedical research.
“I am so fortunate to work with CLP’s graduate trainees during their time at Northwestern,” says Penelope Johnson, Program Administrator, Education and Development. “I plan activities for them to build their professional networks, learn about possible career paths, and practice their science communication. They work very hard in their labs, so I like to provide support to them through positive reinforcement and food. Always with food – that is their love language.”
Meet the cohort
Newly appointed second-year graduate students:
Ananya Basu
Department: Chemistry
Preceptors: Xiaoyu Zhang (Chemistry) and Curt Horvath (Molecular Biosciences)
Please describe your research project with your primary mentor.
Contemporary drug discovery revolves around leveraging innovative approaches to access previously intractable targets. Many clinically relevant targets, such as transcription factors upregulated in many cancers, are classically “undruggable” since they lack defined binding pockets for rational small-molecule drug design. Targeted protein degradation is an emerging strategy that employs small molecule “degraders” to exploit the cellular degradation machinery and degrade a protein of interest. This degradation may achieve the same therapeutic effects as chemical inhibition. The discovery of novel degraders will expand the druggable target space and broaden the reach of modern therapeutics.
Why did you apply for the training program and what do you hope to get out of it?
The dual-preceptor arrangement was one feature of the training program that was very attractive to me. Many of the most pressing research questions impacting human health lie at the chemistry-biology interface and require interdisciplinary solutions. The opportunity to receive complementary training in both chemistry and biology is invaluable and will be a great asset to me as an interdisciplinary scientist in my future career.
What do you like best about the program so far?
I really enjoy the sense of community with my fellow CLP colleagues. This training program unexpectedly helped me connect with students across different disciplines and provided the framework for me to both give and receive valuable feedback that will help me develop as a scientist throughout my graduate career.
Daniel de Castro Assumpcao
Department: Chemical Engineering
Preceptors: Danielle Tullman-Ercek (Chemical and Biological Engineering) and Neil Devaraj (UC San Diego Chemistry and Biochemistry)
Please describe your research project with your primary mentor.
We know how challenging a disease cancer is and how financially and emotionally burdening cancer treatments are for patients. Although current treatments are our best option, they are also known for harsh side effects. These occur because chemotherapeutic drugs circulate and interact with the patient’s entire body instead of only attacking the tumor site. In Professor Tullman-Ercek’s research group (my primary mentor), we are studying ways to trap the drug inside a “smart” shell that only opens after reaching its intended destination: the cancer cells. We are using a viral shell already found in nature as a starting point and making changes to its structure, seeking new shells with properties more suitable for the application. Professor Tullman-Ercek and Professor Devaraj (UCSD, my secondary mentor) are collaborating to make these shells “invisible” to the immune system, allowing them to circulate for long enough in the body until it finds the cancer cells. This past fall, I worked at UCSD working with Prof Devaraj’s group to create these shells using chemistry techniques and special amino acids, the shell’s building block.
Why did you apply for the training program and what do you hope to get out of it?
I applied for the CLP training grant to financially help my P.I. with the tuition costs of having me as a graduate worker. In addition to the funding, I am looking forward to gaining the perspective of biologists and chemists on different research questions. As an engineer, it is very interesting to learn how scientists with either background tackle the same health-research problem. Both worlds are completely new for me, so every research forum we have is a great opportunity to learn. I hope to combine both perspectives into answering my research hypothesis.
What do you like best about the program so far?
The research forums are the best part so far. When I present, the feedback I receive allows me to gauge if my vocabulary is adequate for the general audience of scientists. It is great to catch jargon I would not realize I was using if I were only presenting to my lab mates. The feedback I received also pointed me to different techniques I did not even consider using when trying to answer a specific research question. As an investigator, I can better understand the research mindset of a biologist and a chemist when tackling a research question – which is very different from mine.
Minrui Luo
Department: Chemistry
Preceptors: Thomas Meade (Chemistry, Molecular & Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Physiology, and Radiology) and Evan Scott (Biomedical Engineering)
Please describe your research project with your primary mentor.
The research project I’m working on involves the use of gold nanoparticles coated with alkaline phosphatase targeting ligand, which is a molecule that can bind to alkaline phosphatase. The purpose of the project is to use gold nanoparticles to deliver therapeutic agents directly to liver cancer cells or tissues in the body, potentially improving the effectiveness of the treatment and reducing side effects, while providing diagnosis in early detection.
Why did you apply for the training program and what do you hope to get out of it?
Applying for this training program can provide me with the opportunity to access resources and facilities that may not be available elsewhere, and the chance to collaborate with experts, such as my secondary advisor in other fields. Additionally, participating in this training program can help me develop valuable skills, such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication through various events and lessons. I hope that can be beneficial in deciding on a future career path.
What do you like best about the program so far?
Public presentations is the best part so far, although I’m always afraid of public speaking. Public speaking can help me build confidence, improve communication skills, and provide an opportunity to share ideas and knowledge with others. Additionally, public presentations can provide a forum for exchanging ideas and feedback, which can be valuable for refining and improving my project.
Anthony Pulvino
Department: Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Graduate Program
Preceptors: Katherine Amato (Anthropology) and Issam Ben-Sahra (Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics)
Please describe your research project with your primary mentor.
Our intestines are home to many different types of microorganisms. These microorganisms produce different chemicals depending on the environmental conditions host organisms are exposed to. In my work with Drs. Katie Amato and Issam Ben-Sahra, I am looking to understand how these microbially-derived chemicals produced in our intestines make their way into neighboring cells to influence the physiology of the host species. My work explores different primate gut microbes specifically within a mouse model.
Why did you apply for the training program and what do you hope to get out of it?
I applied for the training program because I knew my work with Dr. Ben Sahra would require metabolomic profiling. Metabolomic profiling is how we understand what sort of chemicals our gut microbes are producing in this case between different mice whose intestines have been populated with different primate donor microbes.
What do you like best about the program so far?
The people are what makes the program special! All of my cohort-mates do incredibly interesting research and all of them are exceedingly bright and enjoyable to learn from. The administration is also fantastic in CLP. Penelope and Sheila [Sheila Judge, Senior Director for Research, Education, and Administration at CLP] know how to make everyone in the cohort feel welcomed, valued, and important. I have heard Penelope described by others as ‘the glue that holds everything together’, but she does that and so much more in support of CLP trainees.
Amy Tang
Department: Driskill Graduate Program in Life Sciences
Preceptors: Deyu Fang (Pathology) and Xiaoyu Zhang (Chemistry)
Please describe your research project with your primary mentor.
My research focuses on determining the ubiquitin pathway in immune regulation and therapeutic targeting. The ubiquitin pathway is used for degrading (i.e. deleting) or stabilizing proteins. I study this pathway in the context of a type of immune cell known as T-cells. In particular, I’m focusing on T-regulatory cells which are one type of T-cell that can suppress or turn off the immune response. Dr. Fang and I are collaborating with Dr. Zhang, my secondary mentor, on a project which aims to find small molecule chemical compounds which can either boost or inhibit how much suppressive function T-regulatory cells have to treat either autoimmune diseases or cancer.
Why did you apply for the training program and what do you hope to get out of it?
My thesis project involves developing a small molecule that can modulate the functions of a specific immune cell known as a T-regulatory cell. My current lab is mainly an immunopathology lab that focuses on autoimmune diseases and cancer, so I wanted to gain expertise in chemical biology, chemical proteomics, and drug development. CLP’s trainee program seemed like a good fit for me as the program was very interdisciplinary, and I can gain new knowledge to help push my project forward. I hope to advance my skills in performing experiments as well as improve my oral and written communication skills through the different programs that CLP offers.
What do you like best about the program so far?
My favorite part of the program is Penelope! She’s been really helpful with answering any questions I have about the program and setting up the weekly events we have. In particular, I think the CLP Research Forums are the most interesting. I’ve gotten to have a lot more exposure to other areas of research that I would not have been exposed to if not for this trainee program.
Renewed third-year postdoctoral students:
Alexandra Barajas
Department: Chemistry
Preceptors: Milan Mrksich (Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, and Cell and Developmental Biology) and Evan Scott (Biomedical Engineering)
Please describe your research project with your primary mentor.
When our immune system is activated, what keeps it from staying activated and causing detrimental effects in our bodies? Some receptors exist on our cells that help tune an immune response which includes shutting down immune cells’ responses so that we don’t cause too much damage to ourselves. However, cancer cells can use these receptors to “shut off” an immune response and this allows them to grow unchecked. Scientists have developed antibodies to bind to our cells to keep cancer cells from communicating the “shut off” message to our immune cells. This will reactivate an immune response needed to destroy cancer cells. I am seeking to combine these antibodies into different formats to bind to all the different “shut-off” receptors for improved potency.
Why did you apply for the training program and what do you hope to get out of it?
I applied for the training program because I wanted support and guidance to become a well-rounded scientist.
What do you like best about the program so far?
I would say I didn’t know what skills were needed to be a better scientist other than increasing lab bench skills. One example is that I have improved my communication skills and I am exposed to other people’s work which rounds me and helps me build connections I hadn’t considered. But if I had to choose what I like best, it is the community that comes behind me to support and challenge me. Without that, I don’t know how I would have gotten to where I am.
Dalton Huey
Department: Driskill Graduate Program in Life Sciences
Preceptors: Alfred George (Pharmacology) and Julius Lucks (Biomedical Engineering)
Please describe your research project with your primary mentor.
I work in the laboratory of Dr. Alfred L. George Jr. in the Department of Pharmacology. One of our research interests is the genetics of childhood epilepsy, a condition of overactive brain activity in young children that often results in severe seizures. For some of these patients, their bodies do not produce enough of a protein that controls brain activity, and there is no available treatment that addresses this issue directly. In my early graduate studies, I have found that in the DNA sequence—or the recipe for this protein, there is a signal that functions similarly to the brakes on a car, reducing protein production. My current project focuses on whether I could release these brakes to enhance the production of this protein, bringing it back to healthy levels in patients who don’t make enough. In a joint project with my secondary mentor, Dr. Julius Lucks in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, I am looking to model the structure of these brakes, which will help with designing therapeutics to block their function.
Why did you apply for the training program and what do you hope to get out of it?
The project that I work on is quite different from a lot of the other work done in our group, so it became clear early on that we would need additional expertise from other researchers, particularly in chemistry. The Chemistry in Life Processes training grant appeared to be a perfect solution for this problem, due to its focus on training with a secondary mentor in a different field. This provides me with the opportunity to work in a chemistry lab and develop the expertise that we are missing for my project, which is much more valuable than a standard collaboration. I hope that by engaging in both research groups, I will be able to bridge the gap between biology and chemistry to address our research questions from a new and exciting perspective.
What do you like best about the program so far?
Beyond the dual-mentorship opportunity that this training program provides, I appreciate being given many opportunities to present my work to other students who have a strong background in chemistry. This trains me to present my research in a way that is accessible to the broader scientific community, allowing me to strengthen my presentation skills. Additionally, if I am successful in communicating my message, I can get feedback from people who have a more chemistry-focused viewpoint, often proposing new solutions that would otherwise not have come to our attention from a biology perspective. The training program also hosts several science communications workshops which have served as great opportunities to practice these presentation skills and to bring them to new heights. I have never been confident in my public speaking skills, but through repeated exposure to a wide audience from this program, I am slowly becoming more comfortable with presenting my work.
Meghan Masotti
Department: Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Graduate Program
Preceptors: Yevgenia Kozorovitskiy (Neurobiology) and Neil Kelleher (Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry, and Medicine)
Please describe your research project with your primary mentor.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that affects the structure and function of several parts of the brain. One of these brain regions, called the striatum, helps promote movement. Although we know that this region is changed in ASD, what remains unknown is the effect on the neurons that make up this region. I aim to better understand changes specific to these neurons by studying their proteins, or the tiny machines they use to function. I will investigate if changes to these neurons are specific to neuron type or have a developmental signature that may help us understand the formation of ASD and its symptoms.
Why did you apply for the training program and what do you hope to get out of it?
I applied to CLP for its cross-disciplinary training. My undergraduate degree was in neuroscience, but I always held a fascination for chemistry. Specifically, I was always interested in pharmaceuticals and how they interact with the brain. Despite this interest, I felt clumsy with chemistry-specific terms. CLP has helped me begin to use them more confidently and better understand their nuances. Further, my primary thesis project requires the use of chemistry-heavy techniques, and my CLP secondary mentor is an expert in these techniques.
What do you like best about the program so far?
The program has exposed me to several different job options after graduation. CLP brings in different panelists to speak to us about their time in graduate school and after graduate school. It has allowed me to better understand all of the options afforded me after graduation and expanded my view on what I can do with a PhD. Also, these panels are very student-informed. CLP admins are quick to hear suggestions and try to help us connect with the resources we need to be successful.
Main image caption: Back row (left to right): Dalton Huey, Ananya Basu, Minrui Luo, Penelope Johnson, Sheila Judge, Daniel de Castro Assumpcao, Amy Tang. Front row (left to right): Anthony Pulvino, Neil Kelleher, Meghan Masotti, Xandra Barajas
by Lisa La Vallee
