Student NameChamara Gunaratne
Faculty Mentor NameOlga Guryanova
CollegeCollege of Medicine
MajorBiochemistry
MinorMathematics
Research InterestsCancer, Genetics, Biology, Biochemistry
Academic AwardsBenaquisto Scholarship Recipiant, National Merit Semifinalist
OrganizationsGenerational Relief in Prosthetic (GRiP), Neuromedicine Interdisciplinary Clinical and Academic Program (NICAP)
Hobbies and InterestsReading, Traveling, Exercising

Research Project

Effect of DNMT3A Mutation on Chromatin Dynamics

DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) is a commonly mutated gene in acute myeloid leukemia. Patients with this mutation often have a far worse prognosis with a higher chance of relapse. Most mutations in DNMT3A occur at the 882 amino acid as a single base pair mutation. My research will be focusing on the effect of this mutation on histone fluidity within the cell. This will give insight into how mutations in DNMT3A can lead to abnormal patterns of gene transcription and translation so we can better understand the causes of leukemia.