I conducted research in Dr. Yi-Nan Gong’s lab under the mentorship of Dr. Frank Chao-Yuan Chang. My research focused on ferroptosis, a form of cell death that depends on iron and differs from more familiar forms of cell death, such as apoptosis. Some cancer cells can become resistant to treatments that rely on apoptosis, allowing them to survive despite therapy. Ferroptosis offers a potential way to overcome this resistance by using a different pathway to eliminate treatment-resistant cells.

Using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, I conducted a genetic screen to identify genes that may determine whether cells are sensitive or resistant to ferroptosis. By triggering ferroptosis, selectively turning off individual genes, and sorting the resulting cell populations, we can identify genes that may influence a cell’s ability to survive. Throughout the summer, I learned laboratory techniques including gel electrophoresis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and DNA extraction to process and analyze the cell populations. The samples collected and processed over the summer are now being sequenced to identify specific genes that may be involved.

Ultimately, the goal is to better understand how cancer cells resist treatment. Identifying genes involved in ferroptosis could eventually help researchers develop new therapies that target these pathways, providing additional treatment options when traditional therapies are no longer effective.