Meet the SUPER Interns
Isabel Watson
Isabel Watson is an incoming second-year Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics major at UCLA. Her internship was at the Disteche Lab at the University of Washington, where she helped the lab study the role of the mammalian X chromosome in development and sex differences by performing staging, DNA isolation, PCR, and gel electrophoresis. After graduation, Isabel plans on going to graduate school and researching ways of using gene editing to possibly cure and prevent genetic disorders, which have plagued her dad’s side of the family. Her experience has been immeasurably valuable, as it strengthened her resume and provided her with skills applicable to other molecular and cell biology labs.
Abel Tesfaye
Abel Tesfaye was involved in the work focused on mouse embryonic development. This significantly increased his understanding and passion for computational biology and computational analysis. By studying the temporal expression patterns of genes in the mouse embryo, Abel gained valuable knowledge of the complexities of gene regulation during critical stages of the mouse embryo development. This research has not only enhanced his biological knowledge but also developed his skills in programming and data analysis using R and Python. This experience where he applied computational tools to real-world biological data has increased his ability to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. By analyzing complex datasets and visualizing gene expression dynamics, Abel developed a strong foundation in bioinformatics that will help him tackle real-world challenges, such as understanding human diseases. This project has empowered Abel as a researcher, by equipping him with the tools and confidence needed to contribute meaningfully to the field of computational biology.
Damisi Kayode
Damisi Kayode had the privilege of working in the Dekker Lab this summer where she learned how to perform basic research techniques to better understand the structure of human chromosomes. Damisi was able to successfully prematurely condense human chromosomes in the G1 phase, allowing researchers to eliminate the confusion of sister chromatids during Hi-C analysis. This experience allowed Damisi to hone her laboratory skills, enhance her analytical thinking, and deepen her understanding of molecular biology—all critical areas relevant to medicine. Collaborating with a diverse team of scientists also refined her communication and teamwork abilities. This internship has been invaluable in affirming her aspiration to pursue medical school, as it has provided insight into the importance of research in advancing medical knowledge and improving patient care.
Walid Ichcho
Walid Ichcho is a rising sophomore at Brandeis University, with a double major in Biology and Neuroscience. This summer, Walid had the opportunity to be an intern at the Duan Lab at the University of Washington, where he contributed to advanced genomic research, including mapping promoter-enhancer loops, performing Hi-C protocols, and working on tasks such as PCR, gels, and cell tissue culturing. His experience helped deepen his understanding of the intricate relationship between genome architecture and gene expression, which is essential for his aspirations in neuroscience. Walid’s passion for immunology and neuroscience continues to drive his ambition to become a neuroscientist or neurosurgeon.
Mansi Sharma
Mansi Sharma is a rising sophomore at the University of California Los Angeles planning to double major in Cognitive Science as well as Human Biology and Society. Mansi interned at the Danwei Huangfu Lab at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and focused on investigating transcriptionally competent chromatin regions controlling lineage gene expression in hESCs. This internship was a valuable experience for Mansi, she gained hands-on experience and critical insight into the field of developmental biology and hopes to explore more by continuing research in the future!
Frema Owusu-Ansah
Frema Owusu-Ansah is a fourth-year student at the University of Georgia, where she is pursuing a double major in Biology and Applied Biotechnology with a focus on Biomedical Science. This summer, Frem was an intern in the Diao Lab at Duke University. Her project was titled “Right place, Right time, Right amount: Developing Novel Cell-type Specific Tools to Study Human Heart Development”. Frema and her team focused on designing an inducible iPSCs cell line that could be used to understand the role and mechanisms of the non-coding DNA and cis-regulatory elements on congenital heart diseases via CRISPRi and CRISPRa dCas9 system.
As an aspiring physician-scientist, this internship has been instrumental in solidifying Frema’s career aspirations and planning her future steps. Frema gained exposure to a variety of new techniques and, under excellent mentorship, developed valuable skills in cell culturing, plasmid cloning, PCR and primer design, bacterial transformation, and plasmid preparation. After graduation, Frema intends to further hone these skills in a post-baccalaureate research program before applying to an MD/PhD program to advance her education and career.
Alex Belov
Alex Belov is a rising senior at Emory University studying Math & Computer Science and Biology from Wyckoff, NJ. He was an intern at the Leslie Lab at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City where his research focused on using machine-learning models to predict the Hi-C contact map from epigenomic data. Alex will continue working with the Leslie Lab as he pursues his honors thesis. The 4DN program sparked his passion for computational biology and genomic research through his exciting research project and the weekly lectures both at his host institution and through 4DN!
Jaden Mattison
4DN SUPER
4DN Summer Undergraduate Program for Excellence in Research
The 4DN Summer Undergraduate Program for Excellence in Research (SUPER) is a paid
summer research internship for undergraduate students. Students will be hosted by labs
participating in the 4DN program, studying the structure and function of the nucleus. The individual opportunities are experimental, computational or both, in labs using genomics, imaging or both. The NIH encourages the participation of individuals from populations that are underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral and social sciences (Notice of NIH’s Interest in Diversity). The internship will provide an opportunity for students to build connections, gain scientific skills, and conduct research.
The goal of the NIH Common Fund 4D Nucleome (4DN) program is to study the three-
dimensional organization of the nucleus in space and time (the 4th dimension). The program has been investigating the role of nuclear organization in gene expression in a variety of cell types and how it changes during development and disease. It has developed and published numerous technologies and tools and made available over 2,000 datasets as well as software packages, protocols, and reagents for researchers to use on the Data Portal.
Eligible students are:
• College Undergraduate Freshman through Seniors at a U.S. institution at the time of application
• Pursuing a major in a STEM field with a minimum 2.8 GPA
Inquiries or requests for more information should be directed to oh@4dnucleome.org.