Alexandra Gorham

In the Walt Lab, I work collaboratively on a project to develop a neurodegenerative disease diagnostic using extracellular vesicle (EV) analysis. To do so, I utilize single-molecule assays to test release protocols for immunocaptured brain-derived EVs from biofluids, optimize surface coatings and chemistry of immunocapture systems to minimize nonspecific protein/EV adsorption, and maintain glioblastoma cell lines and harvest extracellular vesicles from culture media. Additionally, I actively contribute to and generate figures for upcoming publications and assist with general lab maintenance.

In the Doloff Lab, I observe and measure foreign body response and rejection to biomaterial-encapsulated grafts transplanted in vivo, quantify biomaterial and graft responses using qPCR, flow cytometry, and Nanostring analysis, and organize and present experimental results to lab collaborators and team. Additionally, I perform and optimize in vitro assays evaluating the effects of candidate drugs on islet cells and had the opportunity to present my research at a poster session during the BMES 2024 Annual Meeting.

In the Franklin Lab, I designed a new pipeline for identifying tissue regions of interest using an immunofluorescence stain and Fiji macros, cultured, imaged, and quantified co-culture tumor spheroids to analyze the impact of immune cell origin on tumors, and presented findings in a slideshow for my lab team and poster for the entire summer program and guests. Through the Harvard Immunology Summer Program, I also completed an introductory immunology course, guest speaker series, and month-long scientific literature workshop.

Developed and manipulated assays to detect immunological compound migration across biomaterial membranes and ensuing effect on cell viability, researched and validated new flow cytometry and ELISA readouts for in vivo and in vitro assay applications, and designed my summer-long experiment and presented culminating results to the entire immunology team