PAH Research
June 2019 - March 2020
I helped conduct research on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). After learning basic techniques, I performed and interpreted experiments involving TSC2, a tumor-suppressor protein, to gauge its role in the disease.
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Ideation
NEED FOR PROJECT
PAH is a rare but lethal disease characterized by vasoconstriction through excess endothelial and smooth muscle cell proliferation. The median survival is 2.8 years.
OBJECTIVES
My goal initially was to familiarize myself with techniques such as Western blots, genotyping, and immunohistochemistry / immunocytochemistry. As I became more proficient, I assisted with interpreting results and the design of genotyping experiments.
Process
Genotyping
Every experiment began with genotyping. Rats and mice were transfected with faulty TSC2 genes, and gel electrophoresis determined the efficacy of the transfection.
Western Blots
Once genotypes were confirmed, Western blots were used to measure amounts of different proteins present. These experiments helped conclude how TSC2 regulated its pathway.
ICC / IHC
Immunocytochemistry and immunohistochemistry were used to stain for specific cells and proteins, respectively. I imaged arteries and took measurements of arterial thickness and cell count.
Statistical Analysis
Various statistical tests were used to measure outcomes of experiments. Most common were the Mann-Whitney test and ANOVA.
Impact
My research contributed to an abstract that was accepted for a conference proceeding.