Research Experience

The study of KRAS allele and tissue specificity

Haigis and Park Labs

Jun 2018 – Present Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

Investigating the mutational relationships in colorectal cancer
With Dr. Giorgio Melloni in the Park Lab, I am working to understand why some mutations co-occur at a frequency above that expected by chance alone using a pathway-level approach.

Tissue specificity of KRAS mutations
In collaboration with the Gygi (Dept. of Cell Bio., HMS) and Lauffenburger (MIT) Labs, we are searching for the reasons underpinning the results of KRAS mutations in different tissues. The question we are asking is, “Why are some KRAS mutations only oncogenic in a subset of tissues?” with the desire to better understand the mechanisms by which KRAS mutations induce oncogenesis.

Publication
Poulin et al., 2019

Toxoplasma gondii disrupts $\beta1$ integrin signaling and focal adhesion formation during monocyte hypermotility

Lodoen Lab

Aug 2014 – Aug 2017 University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California

Research Summary
In the laboratory of Professor Melissa Lodoen, I investigated the patterns and mechanisms of dissemination by which Toxoplasma gondii, an obligate, intracellular parasite, infects a human host.

Publication
Cook et al., 2018

Loss of Magel2 impairs the development of hypothalamic anorexigenic circuits

Bouret Lab

Jun 2014 – Sep 2014 Saban Research Institute, Los Angeles, California

Research Summary
I studied the underlying causes of developmental disruptions within the hypothalamus that are characteristic of Prader-Willi syndrome under Dr. Sebastien Bouret.

Publication
Maillard et al., 2016

The role of hepatic stem cells in the development of Alagille syndrome and biliary atresia

Wang Lab

Jun 2012 – Sep 2012 Saban Research Institute, Los Angeles, California

Research Summary
Under the guidance of Dr. Kasper Wang, I researched the role of liver progenitor cells in these two rare, yet deadly, early onset diseases.