S-STEM/TRAIN Scholar Kimberly Merrill's Blog

  Hello for the last time this semester everyone!     I wrapped up my project the way I had hoped. I really enjoyed working on the bat project and felt a lot more confident about my final paper this semester than last.  I have two classes I am taking virtually this summer: geology and statistics. In the fall, I will start at ASU. I think I have all my TRAIN transfer things completed.  As I've mentioned before, this summer I will be in Flagstaff working under Dr. Hofstetter on bark beetles in the Colorado Plateau. I was warned to bring a lot of rain jackets. So, it looks like I need to do some shopping. I don't even own an umbrella. I am really excited for the lab work but equally excited for the field work.  I think I've finished out the semester with A's. I'm still awaiting grades on two of my classes. I took chem, sustainability, geography, and physics. Let's just say, I am happy the semester is almost over. Also, I took the echo meter out last weekend an...

 Hello Everyone! It is almost poster time. I feel so much readier to present this semester than last.  Here is my conclusion for my paper: The specific genetic markers in the MCH protein, 3aa and 5aa, increase bat’s ability to host viruses asymptomatically. MCH proteins are necessary molecules for the functionality of multiple mammalian immune systems. However, included in the complex are receptors that cause inflammatory responses and release of killer t-cells to destroy invading pathogens. Although further research is necessary to understand how, the presence of 3aa and 5aa alleles in the peptide chain of the MCH protein of bats and the absence of these markers in humans explain the disparity in inflammatory response to viruses.             Biologically it would appear disadvantageous to lack immune response to invading pathogens. Conversely, bat’s contain similar MHC receptors as humans but contain genetic markers tha...

Greetings and Happy May! Wow, did this semester fly by for you all, too? It has been by far the busiest, most challenging semester. I think I am taking 16-17 credits, have been working part-time, applying for scholarships, getting set-up at ASU, trying to collect bat data, and get everything in place for my REU in Flagstaff this summer. Also, I have almost finished a full-year helping/partly teaching Mia's first year at Kindergarten, which has likely been the hardest thing, thus far.  That being said, it is Teacher's Appreciation Week. Thank you so much Dr. Chapman, Josh, and Matt for all of your guidance and support! I really value all of the knowledge and advice you've given me.  I'm so excited for this REU. My mentor will be Dr. Hofstetter, who I actually read about in one of my biology classes long before I saw he picked me to work under him this summer. We are going to be working with bark beetles, climate change, wildfire impact, etc. I've been buffing up on t...