Utica College and the Masonic Medical Research Lab have teamed up to create a new learning opportunity for students.

Students of Biology, Chemistry, medicine and other life sciences will now have the chance to participate in hands-on research under the guidance of the trained and experienced staff at the lab.

By pairing the training students can get with the program with the curriculum at Utica College, students will be better prepared for their future career fields.

Recent UC biochemistry grad Heather McManus participated in the program this summer.

“Heather started with us in January as part of her senior research project at UC and continued with us through our Summer Fellowship Program," said Dr. Matthew Betzenhauser, Assistant Director of Research and Director of the Summer Fellowship Program at MMRL. "She has been isolating DNA from patient samples and looking for mutations in a gene that regulates the transient outward potassium current in heart cells. Alterations in this current are thought to contribute to Sudden Cardiac Death syndromes including Brugada Syndrome and Early Repolarization Syndrome.” 

 

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