Amy Yan Rose Hills
Spatiotemporal dynamics of type II actin nucleation-promoting factors at clathrin-coated pits
Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is an intricately-coordinated cellular pathway that is crucial for cellular growth, maintenance, and nutrient uptake. Functionally, CME internalizes receptors from the cell membrane, and nucleation of the protein actin protein has been shown to provide crucial forces for this internalization process. While well-characterized in yeast cells, the exact roles of actin in mammalian CME still requires further investigation. Using CRISPR/Cas9 genome-edited human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), I will study the timing and regulation of branched actin network assembly by the proteins ABP1 and CTTN, which are type II actin nucleation promoting factors. I will also use the CRISPR/Cas9 system to generate a protocol for knockout cell lines to be used for future protein studies. This summer and beyond, I will build upon my skills in live-cell imaging microscopy, data analysis, and cell culture work. All of these experiments and studies will culminate in a fundamental understanding about the mechanisms for an incredibly important cellular process.
Message To Sponsor
Thank you so much to the Rose Hills Foundation for this research opportunity! It has been amazing coming back to work in person, and I am incredibly grateful for all the progress in my work and learning that was made possible by SURF. It was so rewarding seeing all the semesters of work come together as data this summer, and I was able to explore a whole new dimension in the world of research. Your support was not for just this summer, but also for my future growth as a scholar in this coming school year and beyond.