Plant Molecular Biology

我对分子生物学的兴趣使我在澳大利亚伊拉瓦拉健康与医学研究所（the Illawarra Health and Medical research Institute）进行暑期研究实习。它涉及犬嘌呤能受体P2X7基因外显子11的分子特征，以寻找丧失功能突变。我学会了如何扩增我感兴趣的基因区域，以及如何分析从测序中获得的数据。这是我第一次独立研究的经历，我觉得独立工作和专业的研究环境让我受益匪浅。在这次实习中，我的导师曾与我的家乡东安格利亚大学的一位教授一起工作，并向他推荐了我。这导致我在他的实验室完成了我最后一年的研究项目。本研究项目涉及研究小鼠血管内皮嘌呤能受体的功能药理学，试图确定哪些受体亚型被atp激活。我通过使用各种拮抗剂和比例钙染料来测量ATPevokedcalcium的反应来实现这一目标。我学会了如何维持我自己的哺乳动物细胞培养，以及如何进行和组织我自己的研究。我充分利用了这段经历，参加了期刊俱乐部，参加了讨论，并在实验室会议上发表了演讲。作为大学研究小组的一员，这段经历证实了博士学位是我正确的下一步。

My interest in molecular biology led to me undertaking a summer research internship at theThe Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (Australia). It involved molecularcharacterisation of exon 11 of the canine purinergic receptor P2X7 gene in search of a loss offunction mutation. I learnt how to amplify the region of gene I was interested in and how to analysethe data obtained from sequencing. This was my first experience of independent research, fromwhich I feel I benefitted from working independently and in a professional research environment.My supervisor at this internship had previously worked with one of the professors at my homeuniversity, the University of East Anglia, and recommended me to him. This resulted in meundertaking my final year research project in his laboratory.This research project involved investigating the functional pharmacology of purinergic receptors onthe mouse vascular endothelium to try and determine which receptor sub-types were activated byATP. I achieved this by using a variety of antagonists and a ratiometric calcium dye to measure ATPevokedcalcium responses. I learnt how to maintain my own mammalian cell culture as well as howto conduct and organise my own research. I made the most of this experience by also engaging inJournal club, joining discussions and presenting in the laboratory meetings. This experience, as partof a university research group, confirmed that a PhD was the correct next step for me.