Ava Tikekar
Pronouns: she/her
Research Mentor(s): Nils Walter
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Chemistry / LSA
Program:
Authors:
Session: Session 6: 3:40 pm – 4:30 pm
Poster: 51
Abstract
My research topic focuses on the simultaneous detection of different biomolecules in complex bio-environments by Single-Molecule Recognition through Equilibrium Poisson Sampling (SiMREPS) method. This method seeks to combine optical multiplexing with fingerprint kinetic multiplexing to create a more precise program to catch binding events between fluorescent probes and miRNA targets in tissue samples. Our research question pertains specifically to the prevalence of certain miRNA targets in certain tissues. We take different tissues from different body parts such as placenta, lung, prostate, and heart samples, and add the fluorescent probe to test if binding events will occur. The data that we are collecting for our research is both quantitative and qualitative. On the quantitative side, we record the mean bind times and the number of binding events that occur over a fixed period of time for each tissue sample. For the qualitative aspect, we observe the number of flashes on the microscope software and compare it to our blank or control sample. Most of our data is analyzed by the SiMREPS software through the images and film captured by the ONI microscope on the activity of the fluorescent probes and target miRNAs in the respective samples. Our research project produces quantitative results that can be analyzed into graphs for interpretation. While I am not at the level to directly interpret what our research means in a greater context of this field of research, I know that what we have found so far demonstrates that miRNA can be found in different frequencies in different types of tissues. The research being done in our micro group pertains specifically to improving detection technologies for cancer and other residual diseases. This can benefit medicine and research as a whole and is important in advancing medical technologies.
