Pragya Rawat

Abstract: Why do women have problems getting pregnant after a certain age?
In most sexually reproducing organisms, oocytes are arrested in prophase 1 of meiosis. In humans, meiotic arrest can last up to 50 years and errors in the meiotic maturation process can lead to issues in segregation of chromosomes during the anaphase stage of meiosis. C. Elegans are simple organisms that can be hermaphrodites, males or females. Oocytes in hermaphrodite C. elegans do not undergo meiotic arrest, however it can be induced by feminizing the worms. During my fellowship, I attempted to create a method to observe and record meiosis in aging feminized C. elegans using a confocal microscope so that it can be used to observe any issues in segregation of chromosomes during anaphase 1 of meiosis.

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What does research mean to you? 
To me research is all about asking the right questions and finding whimsical ways to answer them. As a child, I would always think that there was no more science that was left to be discovered and it had all been done decades ago. However, in the process of pursuing a career in research, I am always being surprised by the amount of things we still don’t know and how much we still need to figure out as well as how much we knew to be true but was actually false all along.  
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Tell us about your journey.
I discovered my curiosity of nature and the several organisms populating it in high school. My high school teachers inculcated my interest in biology and scientific research by pushing us to think intuitively and asking questions. I began the Green Fellowship with a year of prior research experience. However, going to UTSW and working in a lab there was still a completely new experience. The fellowship was challenging as well as extremely exciting. And it taught me more about research than I had anticipated. 

What was your favorite part about the program?
My favorite part of the program was that through this experience I got to meet not just students interested in research and wanting to pursue a PhD from UTD, but I also got to work and interact with graduate students from UTSW. All these people influenced me in certain ways that will help me make future decisions regarding my academic career.

What was the biggest thing you learned from the program?
The biggest thing I learned from this program was how your smallest discoveries every week contribute to your project bit by bit. Even though research might seem tedious, every small gel you run, the several PCRs you do or slides you make, they all contribute to the big question. And before you know it, your project starts to take shape.

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Advice for Future Green Fellows

​The green fellowship can seem very intimidating but don’t be scared! Everyone from the organizers to your PI to your lab members want you to succeed and they will always be there to support you in any ways possible, so don’t be scared to ask questions. Once you start, don’t let failures discourage you. Conducting research is a long process and even though the Green Fellowship is only a few months long, you will receive so many opportunities that you will soon find a routine that fits you.