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Summary of Rotation Projects
My name is Pete Davidson and I've been a rotation student
in Tim Zacharewski's lab from February 1999 to May 1999. I'm
based in the Cell and Molecular Biology Program, seeking a Ph.D.
I was interested in working in Tim's lab because of the emphasis
on Toxicogenomics and changes in gene expression caused by exposure
to dioxin. During my rotation through the Zacharewski lab, I
was involved with three projects: (1) using in vitro fertilization
to study reproductive damage to male mice caused by pre-and
post-natal exposure to dioxin, (2) generating a database of
testis-expressed genes for use on a gene expression array, and
(3) cloning the promoter region of the human nucleolin gene
into a reporter vector in order to analyze the nucleolin gene's
responsiveness to dioxin.
The Zacharewski lab has provided me with an exceptional opportunity
to learn new techniques, and to be involved in cutting edge
research. My work involved the gamut of modern biological and
biochemical approaches, from laboratory experiments utilizing
cell culture and transfection to the use of computers to compile
and manage gene expression data (bioinformatics). The testis-expressed
gene database has been the most fruitful project of my rotation,
and currently contains approximately 2400 entries from a variety
of literature and on-line sources. Analysis of the human nucleolin
promoter's responsiveness to dioxin is still in progress.
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