Brandon is a senior studying epigenetic inheritance for Dr. Upasna Sharma at the University of California, Santa Cruz. There, his research focuses on the ribonucleases that cleave t-RNAs into t-RNA fragments (tRFs).   As an Amgen Scholar at UCLA, Brandon is conducting research under Dr. Paivi Pajukanta in the department of Human Genetics. His research for the summer leverages preadipocyte single cell data to find novel cell-type traits linked to cardiometabolic disorders. Adipose tissue is important for maintaining homeotic functions in a range of organisms. Once adipose tissue is formed, primarily from preadipocyte cells, the tissue can be modulated by environmental, social, political and commercial determinants of health, among other external factors. Notably, the development and persistence of metabolic disorders like obesity and dyslipidemia depends on the ability of adipose tissue to store fat effectively. While the differentiation of adipocytes from preadipocytes is well established, the perturbations of preadipocytes that lead to metabolic diseases is not well understood. The lab hopes to uncover novel cell-type-trait links to cardiometabolic diseases through single-cell RNA-seq analysis. Brandon would like to thank the Amgen Scholars Program at UCLA for giving him the opportunity to mature as a scientist. He would also like to thank everyone in the Pajukanta Lab for their guidance.