This section serves to introduce you to my career and the background of my career. It all started many years ago. As I made my way through high school I found myself pondering what I would like to do, what would I do for a living once I was put out in the working force.
I found myself in Mesa Junior College attending the general required classes. I enrolled in a basic biology class. It was within this basic biology class I realized what I wanted to do, what I actually would love to do for a career. I can only thank Pat Fry for her exciting, high energy teaching skills that allowed me to continue my studies with so much enthusiasm.
After spending many years attending various colleges throughout California I found myself at San Diego State University preparing to graduate and go into the working force. I search high and low for a means to gain experience within my field of interest before I graduated.
My search for experience leads me to what now has become my career of more than 28 years at San Diego State University. In May of 1983 I join a research lab. in molecular biology. I once again was allowed to gain even more excitement, enthusiasm by joining forces with a brand new faculty member, Dr. Bernstein. It was Dr. Bernstein enthusiasm, relaxed personality, which has allowed for a very positive long term venture for so many years.
Dr. Bernstein's research area has been directed towards the molecular analysis of Drosophila in respect to Muscle gene structure and function. My years of studies have involved the analysis of Drosophila and a specific muscle gene. The myosin heavy chain gene (MHC) is one of thousands of muscle genes in Drosophila and is the major protein responsible for muscle contraction. Some people have ask, "Do Flies have muscles?" The answer is, yes they do have muscles.
Muscles in the fly are needed for flight, leg movement and many other functions. Just as humans and other organisms, the fly uses these muscles for movement. These muscles such as the MHC are similar in all organisms. This similarity allows us to research areas that have been a serious health problem to humans, such as muscular dystrophy, without harm to humans.
Most of my efforts in this research have been devoted to: The analysis of muscle mutations and the characterization of the wild type muscle myosin heavy chain gene. Mutations within the MHC can result in a flightless fly. These same types of mutations could in effect be the same type of mutations that responsible for muscular dystrophy.
In gaining a better understanding of these mutations, one can hopefully alter the outcome of these mutations. In effect using such advances as gene therapy one can possible remove a "bad" gene and replace this with a "good" gene; thus restoring the normal functions and structure of a normal fly/individual.
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