Time Flying Away by Gurnoor Othie

Hello, everyone! These past 5 weeks have truly been a unique experience, and I’m so grateful to have had the chance to learn so much! My first task in the lab, the kickoff experiment, was to test whether circadian rhythms affect fly anxiety. This was done by testing whether St. John’s Wart, a common antidepressant, and constant darkness would impact the flies’ anxiety by conducting the Open Field Test. My results indicate that St. John’s Wart reduces fly anxiety as the flies that consumed the drug exhibited more movement within the petri dish, while flies that were stressed with constant darkness exhibited little to no movement, demonstrating high levels of anxiety. 

While I enjoyed conducting the Open Field Test during the kickoff experiment, for my independent project, I wanted to discuss the effects of Fenugreek and Shatavari on the female fertility of anxious flies. I was interested in stressing the flies by overcrowding the vials to make them anxious upon finding out that fertility rates in urban areas are less than fertility rates in rural areas. I wondered whether this was due to the population disparity between the two. ​

Moreover, I wanted to test if common herbal treatments, Fenugreek and Shatavari, which are known to regulate hormones and treat menopause and menstrual symptoms, would impact these results at all. What made me inclined to test these specific treatments was the fact that they are commonly used ingredients in Indian cooking, presenting a cultural connection that drew me to these herbs. I also wonder since these are common ingredients used in Indian cooking, a cuisine of the second most polluted country in the world, does the impact these herbs make on fertility contribute to the high population? 

I’m so excited to start my independent project next week and am so grateful to be surrounded by peers who are as enthusiastic about their projects as I am. I’m excited to go through this journey together, and can not wait to begin my experiment!