McNair Scholar 2020 Maddie Westenberg
Maddie Westenberg is a junior at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities majoring in biochemistry and minoring in astrophysics. She is interested in developing bioengineering techniques and synthetic materials for use in space exploration. Ms. Westenberg plans to pursue a Ph.D. in the field of biochemistry or bioengineering.
My dream is to conduct novel bioengineering research at the NASA Ames Research Center in California. I hope to study the evolution of life in the universe and how synthetic biology can address issues related to the exploration of space and environmental problems on Earth.
Research project
A Stochastic Model of Cell-free Protein Synthesis Using the PURE System
Abstract: Synthetic cells consist of a lipid membrane and encapsulated biomolecules to emulate the processes of cellular life. Synthetic cells are used in biosynthesis, personalized medicine, and origin of life research. A major focus is protein production, widely accomplished by a technique developed in 2001 called the PURE system. By encapsulating a mixture of enzymes, DNA, and RNA, synthetic cells can be used to generate proteins. Computational models can predict the effects of each PURE system component and broaden the overall usage of the system. However, research is still in the early stages and often cannot account for stochastic variations in translation efficiency. We created a model in SBML (Systems Biology Markup Language) to predict levels of protein expression while also accounting for the stochastic nature of the PURE system. This model will provide valuable insight toward future computational efforts and help support the optimization and expansion of this technique.
Faculty mentor
Dr. Kate Adamala is an assistant professor of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Adamala received an MSc in chemistry from the University of Warsaw, Poland, studying synthetic organic chemistry. She also received a Ph.D studying RNA biophysics, small peptide catalysis, and liposome dynamics from Harvard University. Her research specializes in developing synthetic cells for use in drug development, biochemistry research, and space exploration. She is published in multiple research journals and has presented her work at conferences nationwide. Dr. Adamala also co-founded the startup company Synlife and helps coordinate the international Build-a-Cell community.