2025 Cohort, The University of Alabama at Birmingham – Dr. Riddle’s Lab
Uncovering the Role of p53 in Aging: My First Dive into Scientific Research
Hello, my name is Luther Williams, and I am an Incoming Freshman at University of Alabama at Birmingham with hopes of majoring in Biomedical Science with aspirations of going to medical school one day. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been intrigued with science so that created a desire for me to pursue this REU opportunity of studying about aging with zero lab time. I was ready to soak in as much as possible and assist in any way necessary.
For this summer, our group examined sex-differentiated aging profiles of activity of a tumor suppressor protein p53 using a model organism of fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster. Although p53 is well known with DNA repair activity as well as with induction of apoptosis, its activity towards aging—particularly in male as well as female flies—had not been understood clearly. Our goal was to determine whether or not p53 knockdown would create a differential effect towards aging as well as DNA repair for both sexes.
We analyzed gene expression at the mRNA level with qPCR, p53 protein with Western blot, and DNA repair function with comet assay. We further intended to pursue RNA-seq and ATAC-seq to investigate gene expression as well as entire chromatin accessibility for young and older flies.
One of our earliest intuitions from our first datasets was that DNA repair function was substantially more attenuated after p53 downregulation in older females than in males. Although harder analysis would be required to establish this assertion, this would suggest sex-specific weaknesses of genomic maintenance with age that would be relevant for understanding susceptibility of age-associated disease. Aside from learning about science, this activity revealed much about the research process—and about myself. There were instances where I erred, felt insecure about my capability, or felt overwhelmed. Yet, soon enough, I realized that
erring is part of science. That doesn’t signify you are not passing; it simply means you are learning. My mentor was very patient as well as supportive, urging me continuously to pose questions, be analytical, as well as have faith in the process.
Summer highlights were groupwork. Even though you were given individual projects, you were not alone once you were with your lab. Every person in your lab was a teamplayer who took you into their group. Being with a group of people where each one’s contribution counted for each of them inspired you.
The past has only solidified more my passion for performing biomedical research as well as provided a boost of confidence to take challenges in situations where I am not quite prepared for. For me, research is no more an activity for “experts only,” but a learning place, thinking place, as well as problem-solving place.
I would like to express a thank you to both the REU program, my great mentor, as well as our benefactors for making this a reality. Thank you for all that I’ve learned—and am more eagerly awaiting what’s next.
