Notre Dame Scholarship

Aoife McLoughlin, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Student

My name is Aoife McLoughlin and I am a Stage 4 Biochemistry & Molecular Biology student at UCD. During my third year, I had the opportunity to spend a semester studying at (opens in a new window)UC Berkeley. UC Berkeley is one of the world’s leading research universities, particularly in the fields of biology and computer science. I took this opportunity to explore my research interests and found my passion for the world of systems of synthetic biology. 

When notified about the (opens in a new window)Naughton Fellowship at the (opens in a new window)University of Notre Dame, I was excited by the opportunity to further explore the world of academia in the United States and eagerly applied. I was thrilled when I found out I had been awarded one of the fellowships. 

Upon completing a project in (opens in a new window)Dr Tanja Narancic’s lab at UCD, where I used CRISPR/Cas3 engineering to help characterise bioplastic production in bacteria, I joined (opens in a new window)Dr Meenal Datta’s Tumor Immune Microenvironment & Mechanics (TIME) Lab. The TIME lab is part of the Department of Aerospace & Mechanical engineering at Notre Dame and explores the influence of mechanical forces on tumour growth and immune dynamics. I was involved in a project analysing clinical multi-omic and magnetic resonance data, seeking to identify molecular signatures of different glioma tumour geno- and phenotypes. Outside of this, I also gained experience with exciting lab-based techniques including fluorescence-activated cell sorting, tissue immunohistochemistry and digital microscopy. 

I presented a poster at a research symposium, where I was able to share my work with professors and other students participating in summer research programmes.  I also participated in weekly lab meetings where I presented my findings and heard about the work of other students in the lab. This included an exciting project in which cells are being sent aboard the International Space Station to harness microgravity conditions for the development of 3-D cancer organoids that can imitate the behaviour of cells inside the body. 

Outside of the lab, the university organised numerous activities for summer research students from all around the world. From academia and career-oriented workshops to ice skating and attending baseball games, these experiences were both socially and culturally enriching. Notre Dame is near Lake Michigan and a two hour train ride to Chicago, enabling fun weekend trips. 

Inspired by time at Notre Dame, I am continuing with interdisciplinary research at the University of Copenhagen where I am completing my Bachelor’s research project with the Microscale Analytical Systems Group developing a lectin-modified microfluidic chip for glycoprotein enrichment. 

The Naughton Fellowship is specifically designed for Irish students, and I was able to share this experience with six other STEM students from universities across Ireland. The fellowship is generously funded by the Naughton Foundation, which seeks to encourage Irish students to pursue careers in STEM. I would highly recommend students interested in research to apply to the programme and take advantage of this amazing opportunity. 

I am very thankful to the Naughton Foundation, UCD, and Notre Dame – particularly, Dr Datta, PhD student Maksym Zarodniuk and everyone at the TIME Lab! This experience helped define my future ambitions and I am excited to pursue a career in research.