Placement Presentation

2. Overview of SITraN
• Focused on translational neuroscience
• Findings from the lab Patients in clinic
• Dedicated to Motor neurone disease/Amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis because it:
1) shares similarities with other neurodegenerative diseases
2) makes a great model for evaluating all forms of
neuroprotective treatment.

3. Overview of SITraN
Epilepsy
Stroke
Parkinson’s
disease
Cognitive
decline and
dementia
MND/ALS
Spinal
muscular
atrophy
• No cures
• Most cases
are late
onset

4. Overview of SITraN
• Numerous research teams
• Multi-disciplinary
• Collaborative environment
• Working towards drug development
• State-of-the-art facilities and technologies
Zebrafish - GFP
Motor neurons - stem cells

5. Work done/my role
• RNA Biology lab
• Research technician
• Investigate RNA dysregulation
• MND/ALS and Parkinson’s disease
• My project
• Chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9orf72) mRNA in
C9orf72-linkedALS.
• Toxic proteins created?

6. My role
• Experimental work
• Tissue culture
• Gel electrophoresis
• Western blotting
• Microbiological work
• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
• Responsibilities
• Maintained stable cell lines
• Stocked the lab
• Mentored the MSc students
• Public engagement work

7. Why I think it was good value
• Gained a full year in a research lab
• Expanded my network
• Learned many techniques
• Enhanced multiple skills
• Advised to not do MSc, but apply for a PhD
• Work I did is going into a paper
• The research I was doing is aimed at saving lives in the
future.

8. Acknowledgements
• Dr Guillaume Hautbergue (My
Principal Investigator and Head
of RNA Biology lab)
• Dr Lydia Castelli (Post-doctoral
research associate and my day-
to-day supervisor)
• SITraN
• Sheffield Hallam University
• Sue Campbell –Visiting tutor

9. Any questions?