Name: Tegan Wharton
            University of lowa

Visiting Period: January 14^th (Tue), 2025 - February 11^th (Tue), 2025

Country: United States of America

Q1. Summary of the internship (Description of the research conducted, aim, introduction of lab, and things you learned)

I had the opportunity to intern in the Takizawa Lab for a little under a month to begin the new year. There are many projects underway in this lab, but I was assigned to our project investigating the role of Nfi family transcription factors in hematopoietic stem cell differentiation. This family of transcription factors has been shown to have implications in adult HSC trajectory determination, but we are excited to delve into its role for neonatal HSC differentiation into a few key subcategories, namely fast and slow cycling HSCs. Before my arrival, an Nfi overexpressing mouse system had already been created using LoxP sites. It is constitutively active until the creation of a Cre insert that can turn off the overexpression, which is where I came in. Over my few weeks here, I used molecular cloning techniques to create a Cre-containing destination vector that will be expanded and inserted into our mouse model for inducible overexpression silencing. I gained proficiency in the intricacies of this system, including bacterial expansion, PCR, and DNA purification methods.

Q2. What did this experience do for you with respect to your specific career development directions?

My internship helped me further cement my goals of a career in academic science. I learned about the variations in academia across different institutions and countries that will help me make decisions about going abroad or staying local to do science. My teammates gave me insight to the happenings of PhD student life, preparing me for the hard work and dedication that will be required of me. IRCMS values collaboration greatly, I had the opportunity to attend many talks and symposiums where I was exposed to some of the topics other labs are working on. I learned a lot about the field of HSCs and would love to continue investigating any of the various aspects surrounding hematopoiesis.

Q3. What did you enjoy about life at Kumamoto University (Kumamoto city or Japan)?

Kumamoto is a welcoming city with much to offer. With just a short walk or tram ride, I was able to explore some must-see sights. Suizenji park has such beautiful landscapes, I can only imagine what it looks like in the spring when the cherry blossoms have flowered. There were some great shopping locations like Sakuramachi and Tsuruya where I picked up souvenirs to take home to my loved ones. Of course, I had to stop by the infamous Kumamoto Castle. I learned so much about Japan's rich history inside the museum. Locals were so kind and accommodating everywhere I visited.

Photo1: Visited Suizenji Jojuen Garden

Message to prospective students

The IRCMS internship program is a great experience for any young students considering a career in science. Projects are designed to teach a breadth of techniques and instill a deep understanding of the experimental purpose. By the end of my four weeks, I gained independence in my tasks and had a feeling of accomplishment for getting one step closer to answering our research question. Coming to a new country can be very scary, but it is important to embrace changes and not be afraid to make small mistakes.

Photo2: Visited Kumamoto castle