I work with fluorescently labeled proteins to understand the way that magnesium is transported into and out of the cell. Magnesium is a critical component of cell function, serving as a cofactor for hundreds of different cellular pathways including DNA replication and protein synthesis. However, the processes by which magnesium homeostasis is controlled are poorly understood. The CNNM family of transporters are membrane proteins which regulate magnesium transport across the cell membrane. Their activity is regulated by the binding of small cytosolic proteins on the inner leaflet, namely PRLs and ARL15. Using fluorescently tagged versions of CNNMs and their regulatory proteins, these interactions can be monitored and quantified in human cell models. Over the course of this scholarship period, I will probe this interaction and potential upstream regulatory elements to identify how this system responds to changing environmental magnesium conditions to maintain magnesium homeostasis. Magnesium homeostasis is critical in its own right, however it is also associated with many disease states. Dysregulation of the PRL-CNNM regulatory axis in particular is heavily associated with cancer metastasis, and a better understanding of the relationship between these two proteins will help shed light on how to approach this disease state.

Emma will hold the Scholarship and perform her research in the lab of Dr. Kalle Gehring.