Carsten Paulson , College of Biological Sciences 08'
Drug resistance in Candida albicans
Major
Microbiology
Mentor
Judith Berman
Brief Bio
I am play in the Twin Cities Ultimate Frisbee league.
Future Plans
I plan to attend medical school.
Why Research?
I wanted to get exposure to a research environment in order to help me make the decision between going to medical or graduate school.
What Did I Get from Research?
I discovered that I enjoy research and learned a number of laboratory techniques. I also got a feel for the for the unique laboratory environment.
How Did I Start?
I spoke with my faculty advisor who suggested some professors that I could contact.
My Advice for Another Student:
I highly recommend getting involved in research. It is a very valuable experience, and can help clarify future career plans.
Research Summary
I am studying the mechanisms of drug resistance in the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans. This organism is part of the normal human flora, but can infect individuals with compromised immune systems, such as patients with AIDS or receiving chemotherapy. I utilize a variety of techniques including gel electrophoresis and Southern blotting to detect major genomic changes that correlate with resistance to drugs. I am also testing the effects of multi-drug treatments to determine if more successful therapies for Candida infections can be developed.