Daniel J. Adams

Mentor: Dr. Jeffrey Destefano, Associate Professor, Dept. Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) evades the specific immune response and drug therapies due to its rapid rate of mutation. One major factor that contributes to HIV's high mutation rate is the high error rate of its polymerase, reverse transcriptase (RT), which focuses research interests toward its replication process. Individual steps of the replication process have been replicated in vitro; however, an entire replication cycle has not been replicated in vitro from start to finish because of RT's inability to transcribe over large stretches of DNA in vitro. The goal of my experiment is to design an HIV model genome that includes only the sequences necessary for replication, and to use this model genome to undergo an in vitro replication reaction. This model genome can be used in future research for studying the process of HIV replication, and is the first step towards replicating a wild type HIV strain in vitro for future study.

I was turned on to molecular biology research in high school, when I worked under a mentor at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research for several summers with antigens from malaria sporozoites and merozoites. I transferred to Maryland in my sophomore year, and at the time I arrived in College Park I knew I wanted to go to medical or graduate school. No matter which route I eventually take, I knew research experience as an undergrad would underscore my class work and prepare me for the next level academically, because I would be exposed to graduate level work and professional scientific papers. I also get credit from the Honors Program and paid from a grant, I find my research interesting and stimulating, set most of my own hours, and have connections with grad students and professors. For these reasons I am convinced I have the best student job on campus.

Choosing my mentor was easy. U. Maryland does not have a medical school in College Park, but I wanted to work under a mentor who's research interests may possibly be related to my career after med school. Dr. Destefano's lab stood out because HIV is a widely recognized pathogen, and I had already worked in an immunology lab with malaria. When I visited the lab, I got along well with the other students. It turned out that although everyone is very productive, the work environment in the lab at most times isn't too tense, even in the hardest parts of the semester, which I appreciate.

After I graduate, I plan to go to medical school and possibly study for an M.D./Ph.D. If I do not get into medical school I will probably apply for Ph.D. programs.