About my current work...
My current research focuses on understanding how microRNA regulates the anabolic response to protein intake within skeletal muscle. A hallmark of the aging process is Sarcopenia, an age-associated acceleration in the loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength and/or function. Corresponding with these accelerations are the finding that elderly individuals require greater acute intakes of dietary protein to maximally stimulate protein synthesis in skeletal muscle. Previous work within our laboratory identified significant shifts in both circulating and skeletal muscle microRNA abundance within elderly subjects both at rest and in response to resistance training, a potent anabolic stimulus. My work looks to characterize the role specific microRNA species play in skeletal muscle’s anabolic response to leucine, an essential amino acid, and how shifts in these microRNAs’ abundance may mediate that response.
CRN's impact on me...
The CRN Day of Science and Annual Conference acted as a catalyst for me early in my PhD to further explore the wide breath of opportunities available for PhD students within industry. The scholarship also provided an invaluable opportunity to network, ask questions and gain insight from a wide range of industry professionals, including other PhDs, on their respective careers and the industry in general, provided a level of detail that I could not have acquired otherwise. I have highly recommended the CRN Day of Science and Annual Conference to many of my peers, particularly late-stage nutrition PhDs, interested in joining industry as the ideal forum to connect with industry leaders.