Hank Cardwell
Glencliff Comprehensive High School
Biology, Ecology

Jay Snoddy, Bioinformatics Department

My summer research experience with Jay Snoddy focused on compiling data on gene families and creating some web-based tools for the bioinformatics department. Specifically, I created a number of spreadsheets for Jay compiling data from several online databases regarding orthologues of particular genes. For example, I would create a spreadsheet containing a large range of information regarding the serotonin transporter gene in humans and all of the related genes on the various model organisms that have been sequenced. Then, I would create a text file with the amino acid sequence data from each gene in a particular format so that they were ready for computer analysis. Then, Jay had me help create a website using PHP software (Joomla) that he hopes will provide a useful template for online topical research sharing. To facilitate the model, I put most of my spreadsheets and text files on this site (http://bioinfo.vanderbilt.edu/notebook/). Next, I added some research pages to another Vandy bioinformatics research tool: Genepedia, which is a wiki-based editable program to provide useful genetics information to the research community. (example:  http://bioinfo.vanderbilt.edu/wiki/Case_Studies:_The_eye_and_a_few_lessons_
on_genomes_and_systems).

Hank Cardwell

Glencliff Comprehensive High School

Biology, Ecology

Jay taught me a great deal about current genetic research, computer-based gene analysis, and how to navigate the confusing medley of online research databases (Go to http://www.ncbi.nih.gov/ to check out what I mean).  I spent a great deal of time just asking him questions about his research and other topics of personal interest. He introduced me to several fellow researchers and even gave me a tour of Vandy’s sequencing lab. In addition, he has been guiding me along in doing some personal research on progressive cone dystrophy, which about half of my immediate family possesses. He has connected me with some doctors and researchers that I have been talking to regarding gene testing to characterize what may be a previously un-sequenced mutation. I have had to navigate through the gene research using the skills he taught me in the first two weeks of my placement, and have thus strengthened my technical skills and my understanding of how the research community operates. I appreciate the time and concern he has taken to help me with this personal and academic quest.

The curriculum I am creating for Dr. Stacy Klein-Gardner moves through the majority of our genetics unit using sickle-cell anemia as a lens through which to view the molecular biology of gene mutations and inheritance patterns. In my module, we will study topics from protein synthesis to blood structure and testing to Punnet squares to the epidemiology of sickle-cell itself. The module should take about two and a half weeks to complete, but it is my hope that it will pique an interest and deep understanding of sickle-cell so that I can bring it back out as a tool later in the year to look at evolution in terms of population genetics (malaria resistance) and molecular continuity (the near-identical hemoglobin genes in other mammals). I plan to field test my module in late January / early February of 2007.