Hi everyone! My name is Jiaan Xie. I am a rising senior majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Chemistry. In my free time, I sing in the Treble Choir Ensemble at Pitt as I love singing with the group and feel the power of voices that resonate together in harmony.

I am excited to join the Health Science Research Fellowship (HSRF) this summer and work under Professor Karl Herrup in the Neurobiology Department of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine to study DNA damage in Alzheimer’s disease. My project looks at the roles of microglia cells, which are the immune cells within our brain, and their response to oxidative stressors that primarily damage mitochondrial membranes. It is known that along with aging comes the accumulation of DNA damage in cells. Part of the reason for more DNA damage with age is that there is decreased efficiency of the DNA repair mechanism. Unexpectedly, DNA fragments resulting from DNA damage leak into the cytoplasm and trigger inflammatory responses of glial cells in the CNS that further contribute to neuronal death. In addition to the cell’s nucleus, DNA fragments can also get to the cytoplasm from the cell’s mitochondria. My research will use primary cultured mouse microglia as my model to test the effects of oxidative stressors (like hydrogen peroxide) on the cells’ growth with a focus of its influence on the accumulation of DNA fragments within microglia’s cytoplasm and the origin of those DNA leakages. It will be interesting to find out 1) whether increased levels of mitochondrial damage under oxidative stress trigger inflammatory responses in microglia, 2) whether mitochondrial and nuclear DNA in the cytoplasm trigger different responses, and 3) how the increased level of DNA damage in microglia relates to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease.

Currently, my professional goal is to pursue a neurobiology Ph.D. with a focus on either neurodegenerative diseases or the study of addiction. I hope to become a neuroscience professor in a college where I can teach students how fascinating the field of neuroscience is and also continue with my research interests. During my time at Pitt, I have been studying Alzheimer’s Disease because of the mystery behind the mechanism of its cause. My research has given me a great introduction to the field of neurodegenerative diseases and what life science research looks like. As my undergraduate degree is coming to an end in the next year, I want to take advantage of the support that the HSRF gives to not only expand my skills in life science research but also be prepared for my Ph.D. career in the future.