Contributing to Current Immunology Research
By Julia Ryan ‘24This summer, I was an undergraduate researcher in the lab of Dr. Ruth Franklin (‘06) at the Harvard Medical School Department of Immunology.
The focus of the Franklin lab is to better understand how the innate immune system, specifically macrophages, participates in tissue repair and remodeling. For my project, I studied the role of a cytokine (signaling protein released by immune cells) called oncostatin-M (OSM) in the respiratory antiviral immune response. By exposing human lung cells to viral stimuli in combination with OSM, I found that OSM enhances expression of a pro-inflammatory antiviral cytokine called interferon and its downstream targets.
I’m so grateful for the opportunity to conduct collaborative research in the fascinating field of immunology and under the guidance of an awesome Bowdoin alum! I loved delving into the scientific intricacies of the human body and now hope to translate this to a career in medicine. I also gained more confidence in my wet lab skills and in my ability to investigate a question through experimental design. Thank you so much to the Franklin lab, CXD, and donors for making this possible.
Internship funded by the CXD Internship Fund.