{"id":10598,"date":"2025-05-01T13:29:25","date_gmt":"2025-05-01T17:29:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neuroid.uprrp.edu\/?page_id=10598"},"modified":"2025-11-13T11:05:46","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T15:05:46","slug":"luna-c-segarra-alonzo-2024-2026","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/neuroid.uprrp.edu\/index.php\/luna-c-segarra-alonzo-2024-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Luna C. Segarra Alonzo (2024-2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tHome Research\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2> <\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n <\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Mentor\/s:<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Imilce<\/span> Rodr\u00edguez-Fernandez,<\/span> <\/span>Ph.D.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Project Title:<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Potential brain-specific activation of the transcription factor Nrf2 by L. plantarum in Drosophila larvae<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Project Description:<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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I joined Dr. <\/span>Imilce<\/span> Rodriguez-Fernandez\u2019s laboratory in my sophomore year to study the Gut Microbiota-Brain axis using <\/span>Lactiplantibacillus<\/span> plantarum (L. plantarum), an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory probiotic known to activate Nrf2 (in humans)\/<\/span>CncC<\/span> (in Drosophila). Our preliminary data shows that feeding L. plantarum to Drosophila activates Nrf2\/<\/span>CncC<\/span> in the intestine, fat body, and unexpectedly, in parts of the brain. My project aims to characterize this activation of Nrf2\/<\/span>CncC<\/span> in the brain of Drosophila larvae. After treating the larvae with L. plantarum, I dissect their brains, apply immunohistochemistry to label cell membranes and neurons, then image them with a confocal microscope. Next, I plan to perform functional genomics experiments to <\/span>determine<\/span> if this activation contributes to brain development.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tSummer Research\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2> <\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n <\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Mentor\/s:<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Erica <\/span>Larschan<\/span> , Ph.D. & \u00a0Kate O\u2019Connor-Giles<\/span><\/span><\/span>, <\/span>Ph.D.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Project Title:<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Investigating the Role of Dosage Compensation in Sex-specific Brain Aging in Drosophila<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Project Description:<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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At Brown University, through the Leadership Alliance SR-EIP, I worked with Dr. Erica <\/span>Larschan<\/span> and Dr. Kate O\u2019Connor Giles on a summer project investigating dosage compensation in the Drosophila brain across development and aging. We examined how precise gene regulation is essential for neural development and may influence age-related neurodegeneration. In XY species, the Dosage Compensation Complex (DCC) equalizes X-linked gene expression in males by doubling transcription from the single X-chromosome. Our focus was on the DCC <\/span>component<\/span> Maleless<\/span> helicase (MLE)\u2014known as RNA helicase A in humans\u2014using an MLE-CRY2 optogenetics system for targeted knockdown. We hypothesized that while dosage compensation (DC) is vital during development, its influence diminishes with age in males, potentially affecting longevity. Using optogenetics, RNA-seq, and imaging, we assessed differential expression of essential neuronal X-linked genes when DC is disrupted. We inactivated the DCC at various stages and <\/span>validated<\/span> the knockdown with qPCR, which showed reduced roX1 RNA transcripts after blue light exposure. Preliminary RNA-seq data revealed that MLE inactivation increased defective <\/span>eclosion<\/span> rates and reduced adult male longevity, underscoring DC\u2019s role in both development and sex-specific brain aging. I continue to work remotely on this project, performing RNA-seq analysis and differential chromatin looping analysis using Python.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tSummer Research\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2> <\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n <\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Mentor\/s:<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u00a0Chaolin Zhang, Ph.D.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Project Title:<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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RNA Editing by SnRNA-based Optimization of Spliceosome-mediated Trans-splicing<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Project Description:<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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PENDING<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Home Research Mentor\/s:\u00a0 Imilce Rodr\u00edguez-Fernandez, Ph.D. Project Title:\u00a0 Potential brain-specific activation of the transcription factor Nrf2 by L. plantarum in Drosophila larvae Project Description:\u00a0 I joined Dr. Imilce Rodriguez-Fernandez\u2019s laboratory in my sophomore year to study the Gut Microbiota-Brain axis using Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum), an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory probiotic known to activate Nrf2 (in … <\/p>\n

Read more “Luna C. Segarra Alonzo (2024-2026)”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-10598","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"NeuroID Program","author_link":"https:\/\/neuroid.uprrp.edu\/index.php\/author\/neuroid\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":null,"rttpg_excerpt":"Home Research Mentor\/s:\u00a0 Imilce Rodr\u00edguez-Fernandez, Ph.D. Project Title:\u00a0 Potential brain-specific activation of the transcription factor Nrf2 by L. plantarum in Drosophila larvae Project Description:\u00a0 I joined Dr. Imilce Rodriguez-Fernandez\u2019s laboratory in my sophomore year to study the Gut Microbiota-Brain axis using Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum), an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory probiotic known to activate Nrf2 (in…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/neuroid.uprrp.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10598","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/neuroid.uprrp.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/neuroid.uprrp.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neuroid.uprrp.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neuroid.uprrp.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10598"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/neuroid.uprrp.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10598\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11285,"href":"https:\/\/neuroid.uprrp.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10598\/revisions\/11285"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/neuroid.uprrp.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}