STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Meet Sofia Mirabal! Sofia is a senior majoring in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB) with a minor in Biomedical Research. She is currently conducting an independent research project that investigates how the availability of the methyl donor, choline, influences the chromatin structure of liver cells. Sofia has been involved in the National Science Foundation-funded Louis Stokes California Alliance for Minority Participation in Research program since June of 2024 and is working toward becoming an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN), open a clinic centered on women’s empowerment and comfort, and conduct clinical and translational research for real change in the women’s health sector. She is currently in the process of writing a paper about her independent research project for submission to the Undergraduate Research Journal and will be attending the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists this November to present a poster. One piece of advice Sofia has for students thinking about getting involved in research is to “be curious! Ask questions! Even if you think they are stupid, too simple, or even too complicated…Questions that seem silly will help you understand your work on a deeper level.”

1. How did you first get involved in your research project?

I consider it fate how I reached this point in my undergraduate research journey. Currently, I am conducting an independent research project that investigates how the availability of the methyl donor, choline, influences the chromatin structure of liver cells. Two years ago, Dr. Tara TeSlaa was one of the presenters in my Biomedical Research 5HA course. I thought her techniques of using heavy-labeled isotopes to trace and quantify metabolites in vivo along with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was revolutionary. Before her talk, I was already interested in metabolism and its connection to epigenetics and cell identity. I joined the TeSlaa Lab Liver Project in June of 2023. The project is building a metabolic flux model of healthy mice liver to understand perturbations that occur during metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). I became an expert in the project workflow from mouse handling, to dissection of an array of tissues, to extraction of polar metabolites from tissue and serum samples, and finally interpretation of mass spectrometry data. I expressed to Dr. TeSlaa that the project would benefit from adding an epigenetic aspect. She agreed and connected me with Dr. Debora Sobreira who has been teaching me how to conduct a bulk RNA-seq and assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with Next Generation sequencing (ATAC-seq). Bulk ATAC-seq can show the whole-genome chromatin structure and regulatory element landscape of genes and capture changes related to DNA and histone methylation. My project began this summer of 2024 and involves the induction of MASLD in mice using a choline-deficient diet for a set time and analyzing the harvested livers. Comparisons will be drawn between the mice given the choline-deficient diet and a control diet. The project has conducted a three-week diet and is now proceeding with a twelve-week diet for comparison.

2. How would you describe your research experience at UCLA?

I remember how daunting it was reaching out to esteemed professors, just hoping for a response, let alone an interview. The idea of research can seem ambiguous at first. However, once you pass that hill, you find yourself looking into a field of opportunity. Being a researcher does not mean you have to know everything, it is about having rigor and staying curious. Just like science evolves, so do you as a researcher. You start as an excited novice and once you get into the groove of things, you feel confident with your work. Being in research has greatly improved my confidence in science and nurtured my curiosity. I was never afraid to ask questions or inquire about pursuing my ideas. Science is all about opportunities. Science is all about communication whether oral, illustrated, or written. I have greatly improved my presentation skills so that now I genuinely enjoy the chance to present about the work I do. Being in the TeSlaa Lab has been pivotal to my growth as a first-generation Cuban-American in STEM.

3. What is your year and major?

I am a senior — go class of 2025! My major is Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology with a minor in Biomedical Research.

4. What is one piece of advice you have for other students thinking about getting involved in research?

One piece of advice I have for students thinking about getting involved in research is to be curious! Ask questions! Even if you think they are stupid, too simple, or even too complicated. I asked my lab technician what phosphate buffered saline (PBS) was because I wanted to know its purpose besides being step 5. Questions that seem silly will help you understand your work on a deeper level. You want to be purposeful with your experiments. If you are adding a reagent, question why you are doing that. If you want to understand the grand purpose of the project, dive into some literature about the real human implications. During a presentation, question the data being presented to you. Ask what the axes mean, the significance of the data, and the groups being studied. Ask why someone chose to use a particular method or interpreted their data a particular way. If you have a new idea, ask your PI if it has been done before and is feasible. It does not hurt to ask, it hurts more to not.

5. Have you attended a conference before? If so, can you describe your experience on preparation, presenting, etc.?

I will be attending the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists this November to present a poster for my independent project. The title of my abstract is: Investigating the Influence of Choline on Hepatocyte Chromatin Structure in Relation to MASLD Development.

6. Have you had your work published? Can you talk about what that process was like?

I am in the process of writing a paper about my independent research project for submission to the Undergraduate Research Journal.

7. What are your future career goals?

My career goals are to become an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN), open a clinic centered on women’s empowerment and comfort, and conduct clinical and translational research for real change in the women’s health sector.

8. Please list any URC/departmental programs you are/were involved in.

I have been involved in the National Science Foundation-funded Louis Stokes California Alliance for Minority Participation in Research program since June of 2024.

9. What was the impact of undergraduate research on your career path?

Research is one of my passions. I want to revolutionize women’s health practices by being a leader in clinical and translational research as an OB-GYN. As an OB-GYN, I could not allow myself to repeat the cycle of neglect and pain that women face in healthcare. I will become a champion for advocating for female bodily empowerment by investing in modernizing practices.