Monica VanKlompenberg
Monica became involved in her current research project when she was looking for an on-campus job that would help her in preparing for her future career. “I started in the lab working on things for other people and working on maintenance tasks but was really starting to enjoy figuring out research projects that were being conducted,” she explained. “I was then given an opportunity to work on my own small project that has developed into my own undergraduate research project.”
The focus of her research is to study the effects of altered gravitational force on receptors associated with lactogenesis, the secretion of milk proteins and enzymes associated with lipid metabolism in the rat mammary gland. Monica’s role in the project is to extract RNA from tissues that have been collected and then run polymerase chain reactions to study changes in gene expression levels due to environmental and physiological changes. Her project is currently being funded by NASA due to their interest in understanding the effects of altered gravity on physiological processes of the body.
In addition to improving her understanding of scientific research, Monica has gained public speaking and writing experience and increased her ability to conduct literature searches and use the information she finds. She also has enjoyed presenting her data at regional and national conferences. “These meetings have given me an opportunity to learn about other areas of research interest and about popular industry topics. They have also provided me with an opportunity to network with students, faculty, and industry professionals.”
