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Seniors present research on genetic mutations that keep flies flightless
Seniors Slavina Georgieva, left, and Justine Miller pose by their poster at the 48th Annual Drosophila Research Conference
April 03, 2007
At a recent international conference for scientists who study the fruit fly, seniors Justine Miller and Slavina Georgieva unveiled their chromosomal map of two debilitating mutant genes that can leave some flies without flight.
Miller and Georgieva attended the 48th Annual Drosophila Research Conference in Philadelphia, Pa, gathering with other scientists who use the fruit fly, known scientifically as Drosophila melanogaster, as model organisms to answer molecular, developmental, genetic, behavioral and evolutionary biology questions.
Phillip Barnes, associate professor of biology, oversaw the research conducted by Miller and Georgieva. With Barnes´ support, they studied the "genetic and physical mapping of two spontaneous mutants that affect wing-beat frequency in Drosophila melanogaster." Their research essentially focused on two genes that, when mutated, debilitate a fly´s wing movement or render its wing-beat frequency too low to take flight. With their research, Barnes said, "Miller and Georgieva are opening more doors for scientific inquiry by describing new genes that affect the structure or physiology of muscles involved in insect flight. Knowledge of what these two genes do could enhance biologists´ understanding of how muscles are built during development or how they convert chemical energy to mechanical energy and movement."
Georgieva said that presenting her research at a professional conference was an incredibly rewarding experience. She added, "Having the opportunity to do undergraduate research has helped clarify my goals for the future by allowing me to experience something close to a real research environment, and the conference in particular has been an eye-opener, as it allowed me to see the diverse opportunities available in the field of genetics."
Both women were supported in their research by funds from the Phillip T. Barnes Research Internship, and their travel to the conference was supported in part by grants from the Associate Dean of the Faculty. Their participation in the conference complemented their already extensive on-campus research experiences, which for Miller includes two Independent Study research projects, and for Georgieva, the completion of a summer research internship and a senior Honors Study project.
- By Erin Burdett
For more information contact: Amy Sullivan (860) 439-2526; amy.sullivan@conncoll.edu