My research began with a news article about PCB pollution in the Hudson River and its effects on a small bottom feeding fish called the Atlantic tomcod. Although this article was geared more toward evolutionary adaptations as a result of environmental pollution, I was drawn to its subtle elements of studying chemical exposure at the molecular level, and I continued to read additional articles and papers concerning toxicology and genetics … My research utilizes Saccharomyces cerevisiae, commonly known as yeast, to visualize differences in gene expression following exposure to various concentrations of lead. Yeast was chosen as an ideal model organism to study genomic level changes because it is a eukaryotic organism, and it is simple to culture, grow, and control. Most importantly, it shares approximately thirty-one percent (1895 genes out of 6116 genes) of its genome with humans and the fully sequenced yeast genome is readily available. Since yeast is the model organism, any changes in gene expression seen in yeast should model what would be expected in humans in the corresponding homologs of the genes analyzed. Changes in gene expression were visualized using RNA extracted from lead-exposed yeast, synthesis of cDNA, PCR, and gel electrophoresis …

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• Molecular Biology
• Chemistry