Biology major Elena Kuypers has been interested in science from a very young age. 

“I had this wanting to understand things at a very cellular level, just how these tiny little pathways that happen can really affect the entire organism,” Kuypers said.

This summer, Kuypers participated in the VPRI Summer Undergraduate Fellowship and conducted research in the Libuda Lab. Kuypers will be continuing her research this school year. Her project looks at the sex-specific localization of proteins (moving proteins to their correct locations within a cell) involved with sperm and egg development and investigating potential mutations in these proteins. Kuypers joined the Libuda Lab, run by Diana Libuda, associate professor of biology, in January 2024. Her interest in genetics drew her to this specific lab. 

“I want to understand how these genes have such a profound impact on someone’s body,” Kuypers said.

Explaining the science 

She is specifically looking at a protein called ZFNX-1 that is important for gene expression in the germ line. The germ line refers to the group of sperm and egg cells, which pass on genetic material during reproduction. She is working with C. elegans, a microscopic worm species. Her project is part of a larger one run by Acadia DiNardo, a PhD candidate in biology.

“I’m working directly under Acadia and she’s looking into RNA pathways, which are really important for reproductive cells,” says Kuypers.

The pathways use the proteins Kuypers is studying to degrade recently transcribed mRNA, the RNA that tells your body’s cells how to make certain necessary proteins. Libuda says that the lab’s research centers around how genetic information is passed from one generation to another. The researchers mainly study DNA, the genetic material passed down, specifically looking into sperm and egg development. 

“The overall research of the lab is looking at double-strand breakages in DNA, which in humans can lead to cancer growth and miscarriages,” said Kuypers. 

The business of simply existing on our planet exposes all life to ionizing radiation from cosmic rays as well as both naturally occurring (for example, in soil and water) and human-produced sources of radiation (for example, X-rays), which damages tissues and DNA. The Libuda Lab is studying how DNA is properly repaired after it is broken. When DNA repair processes fail, our bodies develop diseases and other problems.

Kuyper’s research studies a stage of sperm and egg development when DNA breaks are intentionally formed. Our DNA normally incurs breakage in the cells involved in sperm and egg cells throughout their development; these genetic building blocks must be accurately repaired for the genetic information to be faithfully passed down. 

Benefits of undergraduate research

Kuypers hopes that this lab experience will help prepare her for future work in research and in other fields. 

“The techniques are really what I want to focus on and then hopefully apply later,” said Kuypers.

Beyond participating in science and in the formation of knowledge, undergraduate research opportunities can help students gain valuable experience through independent work and working with experienced mentors. Kuypers says that she values the learning experience that comes with working in a lab and the opportunity to gain new research skills. 

“What I love about science is that you just continue to add on and while you don’t know the people who publish these amazing articles, there’s still this team network and collaboration in the science field,” she said. “In my experience working in the lab, it is very much a team setting.”

Looking ahead

Kuypers hopes that her research will help other researchers further their discoveries someday. While Kuypers is interested in continuing with research after undergrad, she wants to have more outdoor-focused research experience. She hopes to explore other careers as well. Before becoming a biology major, she was interested in marine biology and she is interested in returning to that field. 

Her interest in science in general originates with her parents, who are both in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math)-related careers. Kuypers recalls doing science experiments from a young age and when she was 10, she began scuba diving. She immediately fell in love with the sport and has been diving ever since. 

“I see myself getting more certifications and maybe one day being a scuba instructor for a little bit because I don’t see myself researching for the rest of my years,” says Kuypers. “I would love to have a lot of different career opportunities, research definitely being one of them, but I want to be in the scuba world for a while too.”

Libuda feels that this mindset of wanting to experience new things and to learn from the world around you is inherently valuable, whether or not a summer research experience directly translates into a career path. 

“It’s my true belief that diverse perspectives improve science because we see the world from different lenses, which contributes to our overall perspective of how things work,” she said.  

— By Stephanie Metzger, Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation