Building Bridges to Connect Genetics Classroom, Lab Lessons
February 24, 2025
What role does gene expression play in predicting whether someone prefers salty over sweet snacks, or tends to be more of a night owl than an early riser?
With buds and blooms beginning to dot campus, spring is in the air. Students are rushing to finish projects, and for some undergraduates in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS), this includes wrapping up their funded undergraduate research projects.
In the Espín Lab at Iowa State University, we study the early stages of blood development, particularly the birth of blood stem cells, which happens only once during embryonic development.
Summer is winding down, and while most students likely spent the past few months working part-time jobs, pursuing internships, or just relaxing, 13 students in Iowa State University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) participated in faculty-sponsored research projects. These students are the latest recipients of the LAS Dean’s High Impact Award for Undergraduate Research.
With data collection sheets in hand, Jamie Hefley (’23 biological pre-medical illustration) scuba dove into blue-green Caribbean waters off the island of Roatán.