C. elegans genetic studies and gene manipulation

What we do:

The goal of my study is to determine if a genetic mutation in c. elegans stops a sleep state near the time of hatching. The impact is an increased understanding of genetic relationships. C. elegans also have a similar genetic makeup to humans so there is a relevance to how human genes may interact. 

How we do it

The crossing of worms is done frequently in my study and in the lab. The goal is to create a new worm that has three mutations. This is done by bringing males and females with different genes together resulting in hybrid offspring. 

Our Goal

The goal is to see how a gene mutation affects a hatching arrest portrayal. The impact is expanding the communities knowledge base, and connecting the findings to humans from the model.

Interested in learning more

Email me at dgeorge@muhlenberg.edu. 

What research is like?

In the lab, a day in the life varies based on where in the project I am. Typically, I’ll come in and check on the various plates of worms I have. If needed, I’ll transfer worms to new plates with fresh food. Sometimes, I’ll be doing PCR or running a gel, and others, I’m crossing two types of worms to make a new multi-mutant.

Communicating our work

We communicate with other scholars through conferences, posters, papers, presentations, and reviews.