This week I started two more projects. I had my weekly zoom with Maddie where we discussed the new assignments and checked up on some ongoing ones. I continued to collect data and information from papers addressing the COL1A1/2 mutations for my own research summary paper. My first new assignment for the week was to make a pedigree for my family. A pedigree is a family tree that focuses on an inheritance of a trait or disease over many generations. Pedigrees are often used to show the relationship between family members and can help you identify individuals that are affected or carry the trait. For my pedigree, we decided to not have a specific genetic trait focus, but instead try to identify any genetic traits or disorders that are present in my family. This task meant reaching out to many of my family members to ask questions about their own genetic anomalies. This took a lot longer than I expected, but I learned more about my family history and had an excuse to chat with my relatives.
My families pedigree
The other project that I started was a PowerPoint presentation that lists the COL1A1/2 gene sequences and highlights where the common mutations happen in those genes. This ended up being a much harder and more demanding project, so we decided to push it out a week to give me more time to work on it.
Maddie also found a phone app called Dish Life: The Game. This is a mobile app that lets anyone step into the shoes of a stem cell researcher. You get to manage the daily life of a laboratory and grow your own cells. This game doesn’t perfectly recreate the experience of being in a lab, but it is a fun way to learn more about the basics of working in a genetics lab.
Dish Life: The Game
Outside of my internship, I spent the rest of the week working at the pool as a lifeguard and helping my dad with his catering gigs around town.
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