Caroline Loftus , CBS 2009
Immunostaining of UV-Irradiated Murine
Dorsal Skin Treated with Topical 6-Gingerol
Major
Neuroscience
Mentors
Marna E. Ericson, Dermatology
Brief Bio
I am 19 going on 20 and am a home-grown Minnesota girl. I was raised in the suburb of Prior Lake, have spent much time in rural Minnesota at my grandparents’ farm, and am now living on the University campus. My junior year in high school, I had an allergic reaction to Tide detergent and developed a severe, body-consuming rash. Although painful, I found the rash to be a very interesting phenomenon. I have maintained a keen interest in skin ever since and am now involved in research in the Department of Dermatology at the medical school.
Future Plans
Travel, then medical school.
Why Research?
I initially did research to fulfill the requirements of a scholarship I received as a freshman. Now I do research because I am fascinated by the subject matter and stimulated by the environment.
What Did I Get from Research?
The opportunity to explore in the laboratory a topic of my own choosing. Knowledge of the scientific process.
How Did I Start?
I identified a strong interest of mine, researched this interest on the U of M website, and contacted the head of research in this area via e-mail.
My Advice For Another Student
Researchers at the University need and want your help, so just get in touch with someone working in an area that interests you and see how you can get involved.
Research Summary
We are looking into the ability of ginger to prevent skin cancer caused by sun exposure. More specifically, I am using a high-tech microscope to image skin tissue from mice that have been treated with a topical ginger cream and exposed to UVA light. There are two reasons why we suspect that ginger may prevent skin cancer caused by sun exposure. First, ginger is a strong antioxidant. Second, ginger is also thought to induce apoptosis, the programmed death of potentially cancerous cells.