Germ cells, such as those that give rise to sperm and egg, can be passed down from one generation to the next, indefinitely. This is in contrast to somatic cells, like muscle and skin cells, which die after a single generation. 

Using the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, my research in the lab of Dr. John Kim focused on deciphering the mechanisms that ensure the faithful transmission of germ cells through generations―the mechanisms that grant the germline immortality. The Kim lab found that a protein called MORC-1 is important for germline immortality. For my project, I designed and implemented a protein degradation system to study how MORC-1 is regulated by a protein called KIN-3. To learn more, check out my poster presentation on this project on the ‘Media’ page.