Deans’ Summer Research Fellowship (DSRF) Story: Laila Khan-Farooqi

Author: Laila Khan-Farooqi

What was your major research question for the DSRF project and where do you hope this project will go?

My major research question for my DSRF project was: can we eliminate sodium-glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1) in the intestine to alter sugar preference and feeding behavior? This summer, I worked heavily with a transgenic mouse line lacking intestinal SGLT1, demonstrating that complete loss of this protein in the gut leads to glucose malabsorption and a failure to thrive. I also spent time investigating preference changes in mice on glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP1RAs). As a result, I was able to become significantly more comfortable working with live mice, and I feel that I gained a much more in-depth and holistic view of our research project. In the coming months, I will work to validate a more specific knockout mouse line and I will continue carrying out preference tests on different weight loss groups. The work I do will contribute to my thesis, as well as a manuscript that my mentor will submit for publication.

What challenges did you encounter during your research and how did you work through these difficulties?

When carrying out my project, I had to modify an existing protocol in my lab to fit the goals of my experiments. It took several weeks of trial and error, much support from my fellow lab members, and a lot of brainstorming to create a solution that accomplished all we needed it to. Another challenge I faced was my nervousness when doing more aggressive or invasive procedures on awake mice. It took a lot of practice and patience for me to become more comfortable handling the mice independently, but I feel that I have grown significantly in this regard. I had to trust in my abilities and the knowledge of those around me in order to fully overcome my worries.

What sparked your interest in this field?

I have always enjoyed the biological sciences, and when I first got to Duke I saw myself carrying out research in one of the many wet labs at this institution. After interviewing with my current mentor, I felt inspired by her dedication to her project and was grateful to receive an offer to join her team. What struck me immediately was the way we could visualize the machinery that carries out various processes in our cells and our body at large. This sparked my interest in biological science wet lab research, and I have remained in the lab ever since!

Curious about DSRF?

This project was made possible through the Deans’ Summer Research Fellowship (DSRF)—a unique opportunity for rising juniors and seniors in the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences to pursue funded summer research full-time!