Six Weeks of Discovery: My Time So Far with TRIP by Nuha Maryam

It is hard to believe we’re already six weeks into our journey at TRIP! So far, it has been an enriching experience being exposed to the life of curiosity and the scientific method. We just finished the kickoff experiment and are about to dive into the next phase of the program: the independent project.
For my kickoff experiment, I studied the effect of red clover and sugar on female fertility. After a little research, I hypothesized that sugar would decrease fertility, and that red clover could possibly mitigate sugar’s effects. I used the female fertility assay, where flies lay embryos on a petri dish with a layer of grape juice solution, then the number of embryos laid per female is calculated. I used the assay to test each of my four conditions: the control, the red clover-based diet, the sugar-based diet, and the combination of both red clover and sugar. I analyzed my results and was surprised to find that red clover decreased fertility and sugar increased fertility, the opposite of what I originally hypothesized. Then, I presented my findings to my mentors and fellow students. The kickoff experiment was very insightful about the procedures in the lab and how to present results from an experiment.
Now we have started the independent project. I have chosen to explore the effect of sleep deprivation and curcumin on fly adult and larval mobility. Sleep deprivation is a condition many people suffer from at some point in their lives and causes fatigue and low energy. Curcumin is an ingredient of turmeric, a staple in my diet, which I consume on a regular basis. Curcumin is known to benefit muscle dystrophy and muscle health in general, so I am curious to see if it improves mobility as well.
I am excited to jump into my independent project next week.

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