Discover What's Inside

Holland, Robin

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/74903 Copy

Description

Title

Discover What's Inside

Author(s)

Holland, Robin

Issue Date

2015-04

Keyword(s)

Microbiology

Abstract

Why pursue research? I am driven by discovery, the idea that I am exploring questions that have no answers, and seeing what has never been seen. Inside each of our cells there hides a beautiful network of energy generating powerhouses, the mitochondria. These organelles are intricately involved in a vast number of cellular processes, being a structure necessary for life. Although these organelles have been with us a long time (hypothesized 1.5 billion years), we have much to discover about what they are and what they do. Being necessary for life, some pathogenic bacteria have evolved to target their ancient ancestor to disrupt cellular function and promote infection. My research is investigating how a bacterial toxin disrupts mitochondrial function. For a large part of my work, seeing is believing. I have imaged thousands of cells, looking at mitochondrial structure, and sometimes, if I look closely, I can see the mitochondria spelling out what it is that I love to do, discover. Each letter of the word discover is a single mitochondrion imaged by fluorescence microscopy, with the cell they came from below each letter. Not only do I believe what I see inside these cells, but I love it.

Type of Resource

• text
• image

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/74903

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2015 Robin Holland

Owning Collections