William Westermeyer gets instruction from Professor Kunal Chatterjee in a lab where they conducted summer research on a class of biomolecule called tRNA. Click on photo or to view complete photo gallery.
鈥渢RNA are required by cells to make proteins. William is trying to learn what happens when tRNA are not properly made 鈥� are they repaired and/or destroyed? He is also trying to discover the proteins that participate in this tRNA quality control mechanism,鈥� Chatterjee said.
In the Student鈥檚 Own Words:
鈥淚 had been doing research with Dr. Chatterjee during the school year and enjoyed the research, so I decided to continue during the summer. The best part so far has been learning everything! Having more time in the lab has allowed me to learn a handful of new procedures, furthering my knowledge in my subject. In the process, I have learned a lot about myself regarding how much I enjoy doing the research and working in a lab.
鈥淚 chose this research specifically because it is a continuation of Dr. Chatterjee鈥檚 post-graduate research and because of its complexities. I thought it would be fun to work on. Furthermore, with tRNA being as arduous to work with as it is, this research gives me a niche capability."
William Westermeyer, Class of 2026
Hometown: Loveland, Ohio
Majors: Finance and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB)