Zoya Syed: RESEARCHER OF THE WEEK!
I am investigating how MAPK15, an atypical protein kinase, contributes to the growth and metastasis of ovarian cancer. I hope to determine its mechanisms by purifying the protein and conducting experiments to observe which proteins it interacts with in an in vitro system. I am also studying the effects of MAPK15 overexpression in ovarian cancer cells through conducting
experiments that measure cell proliferation, adhesion, migration and invasion.
Because MAPK15 is commonly overexpressed in ovarian cancer patients and its
overexpression shows increased cell growth in vitro, it has potential to be a novel
therapeutic target.
Who is your mentor(s) for your project?
Dr. Achuth Padmanabhan from the Biological Sciences Department is my
mentor, and I was connected to him through my former PI after I expressed
interest in cancer research and cellular biology. Dr. Padmanabhan has an
exceptional work ethic, and his enthusiasm for driving research on ovarian
cancer as well as the fascinating research being conducted in the lab really drew
me to work with him. I am also grateful to be working under PhD candidate
Fatimah Alfaran, who has taught me how to not only be an effective scientist, but
a motivated and enthusiastic one.
How did you become interested in this project?
I had spent the previous summer at the National Institute on Aging conducting
research that involved cancer cells (specifically observing DNA damage in HeLa
cells) and became intrigued with the mechanisms by which these cells continue
to spread and circumvent numerous cellular checkpoints. My research up until
that point was predominantly in fruit flies, and although I admire those little bugs
for how easy it is to manipulate their genome, I found that the cell model
produced quicker and more easily interpretable results. I am also deeply
passionate about advancing women’s health research and wish to contribute to
improving patient outcomes for many women struggling with this aggressive
gynecological malignancy disease. For me, ovarian cancer research lies perfectly
at the intersection of my scientific interests and personal motivations for being a
scientist.
What has been the hardest part about your research?
The hardest part of working as a researcher is picking yourself up after numerous
failed experiments and reminding yourself why you are doing research in the first
place. It is easy to love research when everything is going smoothly, but often,
research is slow, repetitive, and does not work, and your hours spent toiling away
in the cell culture room or pipetting until your thumbs are numb can amount to no
tangible data. However, appreciating the process and letting your failures direct
you to new experimental paths is what makes a resilient scientist. It is important
not to confuse your experimental failures with personal ones–the two are
completely separate, and your worth as a researcher does not depend on the
data you produce or if your experiment succeeded.
What has been the most rewarding part?
The most rewarding part of research is being able to see your months of hard
work come together, whether it is in the form of a presentation, publication, or a
random late night “a-ha!” moment where all the dots in your project miraculously
connect. This reignites your spark for science and sends you down a path of
intellectual discovery (and often a literature rabbit hole).
How will you disseminate your research (URCAD presentation, conference,
publication, etc?)
I am presenting at ABRCMS 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. I will also present at
URCAD next year and write an honors thesis on my project.
What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research?
I would advise students to reach out to professors as early as they can and to
reach out to as many people as possible. I was very grateful to get my first
research position during my freshman year, and as a current senior, I can say
that it really enriched my college experience and made me a motivated student.
Don’t be afraid to hear a couple rejections before you land a position, it’s all part
of the process and you will end up where you need to be! Also, do not be afraid
to pivot to a new research direction or lab if your interests change.
What are your career goals?
I will pursue a PhD in cellular, molecular, and/or cancer biology, eventually
becoming the principal investigator of my own lab or pursuing an administrative
position in industry in which I can directly contribute to the advancement of
science!
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I am investigating how MAPK15, an atypical protein kinase, contributes to the growth and metastasis of ovarian cancer. I hope to determine its mechanisms by purifying the protein and conducting...
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Undergraduate Research
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Photograph of Researcher of the Week Zoya Syed working in the Padmanabhan laboratory in the Biological Sciences department.
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