Cynthia Ding

Pronouns: she/her

Current Research Project: I work in Dr. Anita Disney's lab, studying the origins of phosphorylated tau in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Specifically, I work with monkey brain tissue, and I examine the locus coeruleus, an area of the brainstem that innervates higher cortical regions of the brain that are affected in Alzheimer's. I conduct experiments using immunohistochemical staining to characterize patterns of phosphorylated tau in monkeys of varying ages (from juvenile to adult) and different sexes. My research is important because findings can be extrapolated to determine where and potentially how sporadic AD can be treated in humans in early stages. So far, under the guidance of Dr. Disney, I have confirmed the presence of phosphorylated tau in the locus coeruleus, and the pattern differs between sex, age, and oxidative stress from anesthesia.

How she got involved with research: I had the honor of joining Duke's Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship last year! I had made a list of labs I was interested in, and joined Dr. Anita Disney's lab through this program. Previously, I had tried Muser and Bass Connections, and when I reached the interview stage for the labs, they either didn't fully align with my interests or my schedule. Through SURF, I was supported to conduct research in the summer, where I could dedicate ample time to read the literature on my research topic, learn wet lab techniques, and cultivate a mentor-mentee relationship with my PI. I also practiced and gained insights on how to give an effective research spiel, write an abstract, and present a research poster at the Summer Research Showcase.