The End of My TRIP by Rowan Chetty

It’s hard to believe that my TRIP journey has come to an end. After presenting my research at the symposium and saying goodbye to my labmates, I'm excited to share my research on my final blog.

For my independent project I choose to look at the effects of the anti-stress drug, Ashwagandha, on fruit fly stresses.

 For my independent project I choose to look at the effects of the anti-stress drug, Ashwagandha, on fruit fly stresses. Ashwagandha is a plant-based supplement found in parts of Africa, India and the Middle East, and has anti-stress properties. As a three season athlete I often struggle to get a goodnight’s sleep. For my project I decided to stress my flies by sleep depriving them. I wanted to test the effects of sleep deprivation on both short and long term stresses so I chose to investigate the effects on both anxiety and depression. 

Although 12 weeks ago I dreaded having to wake up early to conduct my assays, I will miss the morning conversations with my lab mates. The opportunities and doors that have opened through this program are incredible. Not only have I gained hands-on lab experience, but I am also a more confident scientist. I’d like to thank Dr. Leystra, Dr. Valdes and Mr. Cozzone for helping me conduct my assays, conduct calculations, and understand my data. I’d also like to thank my TA’s Anoosha and Niki as well as my labmates for making the experience so much fun. Thank you!

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