Week+of+10-11-09

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After meeting again with Dr. HG, we are narrowing down the type of project in bioinformatics that I would like. Given that my interest in biology is not so much biochemical or research but rather medical, I am leaning toward a project that would involve directly mutating NPC2 genes and using PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction, a technique used to replicate a sequence of DNA artificially) to create testable amounts of the mutated NPC2 proteins. This would have a sizable impact on research, as it would aid in elucidating the function of the NPC proteins. After all, nobody really knows how they function - only that when at least one of the two is missing, the disease results. By mutating specific regions, it would become more clear how the proteins function. To prepare for this, Dr. HG selected two papers for me to read, found here and here. I will include summaries of my own as I go on reading them. (I've been sick this week, so I haven't made much progress. I'll catch up by Monday though) So my internet was out over the weekend (again...), so I couldn't exactly do much. Naturally, I will continue in this week's log.