My name is Nicole Doriguzzi. I am
a transfer student and upcoming senior about to finish my bachelor’s degree in
biology at George Mason University. In the spring I conducted research at the
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute through a new undergraduate research
opportunity between the Smithsonian and Mason. After interning under Dr.
Nucharin Songsasen and her post-doc students in the gamete lab at SCBI, I chose
to continue my research in this lab throughout the summer with the URSP grant I
have received from OSCAR.
Our research focuses on conducting studies to benefit the fertility preservation
in large, endangered carnivores with techniques such as in-vitro ovarian tissue
growth in order to produce viable oocytes (egg cells). We study domestic dog
and cat ovaries as they are ideal models for their endangered counterparts.
With thousands of vulnerable, threatened, and endangered animal species in the
world, experiment design and research in these techniques is incredibly
significant for species conservation and I am honored to be a part of this
process.
For the summer portion of
my research, myself and a post-doc student built off of my spring research. In
the spring I sought to establish a productive and efficient ovarian follicle
recovery method for the domestic dog. With a moderately successful method,
myself and my colleague focused on optimizing an in vitro culture method to
produce developmentally competent oocytes. Our research goal consisted of
increasing communication between domestic dog oocytes and granulosa cells via
increased cAMP levels amplified by PDE3 inhibitor (cilostamide) and adenylyl
cyclase activator (forskolin) pathways.
I am hopeful that my experience
conducting undergraduate research through Mason and the Smithsonian will
benefit my chances of getting into veterinary school or graduate school. I have
learned a great deal through this extension of my research thanks to the URSP
and OSCAR and am truly grateful for the opportunity to grow as a student and
scholar. After graduate school, I would like to become a
wildlife veterinarian with a concentration towards species conservation. Who
knows, I may even come back to conducting research!
