Hi, my name is Giselle. I am currently in my Honours year at UWA, majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology. I was born in Indonesia and this is my sixth year living in Perth. I completed primary and middle school back in my home country and completed my last two years of high school in Perth, completing ATAR in 2020. I took ATAR in chemistry, human biology, maths methods, physics and English as a second language. I also recently completed my undergraduate degree here at UWA, majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology and in criminology. During my second year as an undergraduate student, I took part in the Barry Marshall MicroBlitz internship which focuses on science communication. In my final year of undergraduate, I had the opportunity to do a mini project in the Smith lab.
I think I have always been fascinated by science, even when I was still high school. Hence, it led me to pursue biochemistry for my undergraduate degree. As I progress through my course, I realise that there has been a lot of interesting discoveries within the field. I think what draws me into research was how rewarding it can be. Even the smallest discoveries made throughout the experiment can be very satisfactory. The ARC Training Centre provides a lot of opportunities and resources for a diverse field of research, making it worth to join the centre.
My current research project is on characterising and developing a 3D model of Epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP). This process is important in development, tissue fibrosis and wound healing. However, this process is also found in cancer progression. This process has been studied extensively in a 2D model, but there is a lack of study in a 3D setting. Thus, my project will develop a 3D model of EMP, to have a model that better represents the process in vivo. Additionally, changes in gene expression is one of the hallmarks of EMP progression, and one of the ways gene expression could be regulated is through the formation of non-canonical DNA secondary structures, G-quadruplexes (G4) and intercalated motifs (i-motif). Thus, I would like to see whether or not these structures can regulate the EMP process. G4 and iM structures have also been found in oncogene promoters. As EMP and the secondary structures are involved in cancer progression, understanding EMP in a 3D setting and its regulation using the secondary structures may implicate a potential therapeutic application against cancer.
I hope, by the end of my research, I gain many skill sets that can be used not only in research, but also in my day-to-day routines. I also hope that part of my research can become a stepping stone that can contribute to future studies that are impactful to society. The centre provides a continuous support for my research through opportunities, resources and network. Until today, I have met so many knowledgeable people in different fields through the training centre that helped me throughout my research by providing their expertise.
