Nyla Blagrove

• Developed top-level skills in keeping a lab notebook, collaborating with other undergraduates, and efficiency conducting cardiovascular related experiments.
• Conducted laboratory experiments on peripheral arterial disease using murine-derived satellite cells.
• Prepared collagen coated plates for cell culture experiments in the lab.
• Prepare F-10 Ham media with a supplement of 20% fetal bovine serum (FBS).
• Monitored and managed satellite cell plates by changing media, checking cells daily under a microscope, and splitting cells every 8-10 days.

Principal Investigator: Casey Gifford, PhD

Department: Stanford Cardiovascular Institute

• Assisted with 2D human induced pluripotent stem cell culture and differentiation.
• Conducted project presentations and journal club meetings about congenital heart disease and our findings in the lab.
• Prepared cell samples for analysis using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).
• Assisted with organoid staining and imaging
• Troubleshot and resolved experimental and protocol related issues.
• Operated a cryostat instrument to section cardioids used for staining.
• Electroporated gRNAs and plasmids into a a DOX-inducible cell line.
• Conducted fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS)on differentiated cells (cardiomyocytes).

• Performed qualitative & quantitative research on various projects with mentors from different institutions.
• Assessed data using scientific approaches such as reading literature while following important specifications.
• Attended 20+ meetings and presentations to learn more details about biomedical science and graduate school.
• Collaborated with team members from multiple colleges to discuss potential projects to research.
• Prepared research proposals and presentations to presented them at local, state and nation conferences such as Spelman research Day and ABRCMS.
• Gained and practiced R and Python programming skills.

01/02/2023-01/08/2023

• Collaborated with MIT PhD students to design applications systems to enhance research projects and design.
• Worked with Google software development team members to design and develop robust solutions to everyday tasks and scientific projects.
• Worked on various projects using knowledge gained in classes to resolve programming issues.
• Analyzed programming packages such as panda, R, and python, to determine the best use for each one.
• Created simulations to test outcomes of different scientific projects.

Principal Invesitgator: Brant Isakson, PhD

Mentor: Claire Ruddiman, PhD

Department: Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics

• Gathered, arranged and corrected cardiovascular research data to create representative graphs and charts highlighting results for presentations.
• Attended lab meetings and presentations to learn more details about factors related to cardiovascular disease.
• Planned, modified and executed research techniques, procedures and tests used to observe expression of specific proteins involved in the hearts function.
• Researched various subjects that were related to cardiovascular physiology and presented to the lab and Principal Investigator .
• Validated incoming western blot data to check information accuracy and integrity while independently locating and correcting concerns.
• Designed, developed, and modified research experiments alongside teams of researchers.
• Independently performed 10-15 western blots, and imaged using Licor Imaging.
• Aided in development of a graduate thesis for a Phd candidate in the lab
• Performed data analysis techniques such as quantification and re-normalization.

Principle Investigator: Tabia Akintobi, MPH, PhD

Mentor: Asia Rivers, MPH

Department: Community Health and Preventive Medicine

• Supported design and implementation of survey instruments such as telephone questionnaires and interview questions to obtain information about diabetes care management in minority communities.
• Conducted 10+ hours of diabetes care management research in the Georgia area.
• Worked closely with communities and hospitals to determine COVID-19 hot spots to help improve testing.
• Attended 5-10 community events promoting knowledge and understanding of COVID-19 as a comorbidity to diabetes and the importance of vaccinations.
• Determined how COVID-19 has affected diabetes care management since the start of the pandemic.
• Compiled data in 5+ visual reports using SPSS.