joi mclaughlin

* Organized and managed business-related office files for Department of Medicine Chair * Maintained Internal Medicine Residency Alumni record database * Assisted with department event planning

* Howard Hughes Vertically Integrated Partners Research Fellow * Studied fruit fly olfactory system to reveal why related flies reacted differently to identical odors * Used database to find DNA sequences for odor receptors and made complementary DNA probes * Dissected fly antennae, chemically treated antennae to insert probes and stained tissue for viewing * Viewed antennae with confocal microscope and captured fluorescent images of OR gene patterns * Used electron microscope to count and define shape of OR containing hairs on fly antennae

* Inputted data for New Born Epigentic (NEST) Study examining how environment and nutrition affect genes, in the womb and during childhood * Communications liaisons via phone calls by scheduling appointments and doing follow up surveys * Assembled study distribution packets with equipment for monitoring newborn and child health

* Studied the effect of the mitochondrial unfolded protein stress response on stem cell maintenance * Mated male and virgin female fruit flies with inserted DNA elements linked to stress response and targeted for expression in stem cells and developing stem cells * Dissected guts of offspring and stained guts for a protein active in a specific phase of cell division * Counted number of protein containing stem cells and developing stem cell and compared to cell development of flies not undergoing stress response * Developed screening method for mitochondrial dysfunction based on stem cell growth with UPRmt

* Examined the consistency of variation in reaction to carbon dioxide gas between two fly species * Executed 270 behavioral trials of fruit flies placed in separate carbon dioxide and oxygen gas tubes * Created complementary DNA probes for carbon dioxide receptor gene sequences in tissue cells * Dissected fly antennae, chemically treated antennae to insert probes, and stained tissue for viewing * Observed antennae with confocal microscope and captured fluorescent images of gene patterns

* Tutored nine students in groups and one on one * Communications liaison to students and families via weekly calls and emails * Designed science tutorial lessons for Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) Science and Technology/Engineering Exam prep * Trained in highly structured “no excuses” and data driven instruction