Hello, my name is Katie Pumayalli. I just finished the third week of my six-week internship at the Ye Lab at Scripps Institution in San Diego, California. (Can you believe I’m already halfway there!) I’ve been working with my amazing mentors, Cailynn Wang and Zhengyuan (Ben) Pang. I started my mentorship on Monday, June 17th, and immediately fell in love with the lab and everyone there. My mentors’ research focuses on using a technique called clearing-assisted tissue click chemistry (CATCH) to track hallucinogenic drugs within brain tissue. CATCH involves making brain tissue slices transparent by removing lipids (fats) from the cells, while still preserving the overall cellular structure. This technique allows for the precise visualization of where the drugs bind within the brain. This week was short because it fell on the Fourth of July week, so both Siena and I were given Thursday and Friday off, allowing us to enjoy a relaxing four-day weekend.
Brain slice in the vibratome
On Monday, our lab meeting focused on the role of the hypothalamus in regulating feeding behavior. We discussed how a specific region within this brain area reduces a mouse’s food intake when exposed to heat. After the lab meeting, I was empowered to independently slice the brain samples I collected on Friday using the vibratome.
Brain tissue before SDS wash
Mouse Livers and Liver tissue
On Tuesday, I continued replicating the full tissue processing workflow used by my mentors. I began by transferring the brain slices I prepared on Monday to a heated shaker containing a liquid solution with a heat-activated reactant. After a four-hour incubation, I stopped the reactions and transferred the tissue to a solvent containing a special detergent that facilitates tissue clearing. This washing step takes 48 hours to complete. In the afternoon, I learned how to slice liver tissue and spent the rest of the day on this task.
Brain tissue one day after SDS clearing. (The large brain tissue will take months to clear)
On Wednesday, I delved into researching a new drug we’ll be investigating soon. I also assisted my mentor by weighing the mice she sacrificed for brain and liver tissue collection. We weren’t certain where the drug’s effects would be most evident, so collecting both organs provides more tissue samples for analysis.
Flower from the San Diego Botanical Garden
While it’s a bit late to say Happy 4th of July, I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend! This weekend, I went to see some fireworks and drone shows from the neighborhood where I’m staying. Siena and I also visited the botanical garden and saw some beautiful and rare flowers from all over the world.
Fellow Pinterns (Left to right) Siena, Ian, Luka, Philip, and me.
Last Saturday, Ian, Luka, Philip, Siena, and I organized a pintern dinner to connect and build a small community among ourselves. It was a resounding success, and I feel like we’ve all found a bit of extra warmth and camaraderie. On Sunday, Siena and I explored various beaches in the area, soaking up more of the California sunshine.
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