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HHMI EXROP Students

2018

Tyler Blackwater

Tyler Blackwater

Institution: Brown University
Faculty Mentor: David Baker, Biochemistry

Tyler Blackwater is a rising senior studying Computational Biology at Brown University. His current research interests include better understanding the neuronal interactions and correlates that elicit human emotion and thought processes, as well as optimizing or creating faster and accurate methods for designing proteins. Tyler is working with Professor David Baker to design alpha-helical, mini-proteins to study the benefits and drawbacks of different design procedures. At Brown University, he analyzes behavioral and trajectory data in a Drosophila alcohol addiction lab. In his spare time, he practices being a better Mariachi guitarist, being an avid movie watcher (or anime), and playing video games.


Alexandra Gallegos

Alexandra Gallegos

Institution: Portland State University
Faculty Mentor: Maitreya Dunham, Genome Sciences

Alexandra Gallegos is a rising senior at Portland State University working toward a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. She is interested in biomedical genetics, particularly the genetic basis of disease, and plans on pursuing a PhD in the field. At her home institution, she conducts research investigating the transmission dynamics of a mitochondrial deletion in a nematode species, which has implications for human mitochondrial diseases. This summer, Alexandra is part of the HHMI EXROP program, where she is working in the Dunham lab at UW, helping characterize the functional impact of genetic variants in the CYP2D6 pharmacogene. Last but not least, she is a scholar with the McNair Scholars Program and a member of the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation at Portland State. In her free time, Alexandra enjoys traveling and is considering a graduate program overseas.