Flying High! My TRIP Journey by Laasya Malneedi

​Hi everyone, welcome back! I honestly can’t believe it’s already been three months since my first day in the TRIP lab. I’m writing this right after getting home from the research symposium, and it was really rewarding to see everyone present their work! Over the course of this program, I learned so much, from making fly food and running assays to analyzing data and presenting results. TRIP completely changed how I see science. It’s taught me the value of asking questions, staying curious, and learning through the process.

​For my independent project, I studied the effects of NSAIDs, which are common over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen, on anxiety-related behavior and whether those changes are connected to gut health. I chose this topic because these medications are used so often, and with that comes the risk of potential overexposure. Some research suggests they may affect the gut microbiome and disrupt its balance. Since the gut can influence stress responses and behavior, I wanted to explore this connection. My research question was: do common painkillers affect anxiety and behavior, and is this linked to changes in gut health? I predicted that high NSAID exposure would decrease bacterial load and increase anxiety.

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To test this, I used fruit flies as my model organism and conducted both microbiome analysis and a behavioral assay called centrophobism to measure anxiety-like behavior. My results were both expected and unexpected. I found that overexposure to NSAIDs increased anxiety-related behaviors, which supported my hypothesis. However, bacterial load increased instead of decreasing. This made me think more deeply about the microbiome and how it’s not just about the amount of bacteria, but also the diversity and balance. These unexpected results challenged me and helped me grow as a researcher!

​Overall, TRIP has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my high school career. I learned how to think like a scientist, work through challenges, and communicate my findings. Not everything was easy. There were times when experiments didn’t go as planned or when my data didn’t make sense, but those moments taught me patience and problem-solving.

​What I’ll remember most are the people. From early Saturday morning conversations to all the fun moments in the lab, I made friendships that I’ll really miss!

​I’m so grateful to Dr. Austria for all the support and encouragement, Dr. Valdes for all the helpful advice, and to Dr. Maskaleno for always answering my questions. They all showed me firsthand what it means to think critically in science. And thank you to the TAs, Sabina, Hannah, and Martie, for making the lab such a fun space. I loved everything, from our conversations to making reels.  And to all my TRIP friends, thank you for making this experience unforgettable. I’m so excited to see what the future holds for all of us!!

​And thank you everyone for reading through my TRIP journey! Even though it’s officially my last TRIP blog, I promise I’ll keep making trips to research the unknown!