Trenton Frisbie

Hi, my name is Trent Frisbie. I grew up in Redding California and went to California State University, Stanislaus in Turlock, California.  I graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology with a concentration in Genetics and a minor in Chemistry.

I’ve always had a passion for science. I truly enjoy learning about new and upcoming research that paves the way for biological discoveries and innovations.

Earning a PhD allows me to answer questions in the form of a research project. It provides a unique opportunity to take a project from start to finish. The creative aspect of research allows me to study something that nobody else in the world is researching.

I am interested in variety of research topics broadly associated with genetics, including molecular and medical genetics, developmental biology, cancer genetics and molecular diagnostics.

In terms of a career, I envision myself not only teaching science, but also doing cutting-edge biomedical research. Earning a Ph.D. in biomedical science would advance my education and skillset by adding to my skills, both critical and creative, in working with science on a daily basis. I see the doctoral degree as a challenge and an opportunity to make strides toward my career goals.

I decided to join the PREP program to gain high-level research experience along with a first-hand look at what life as a graduate student is like.

The support that I have received from everyone in the program has been unparalleled. All the resources provide a great opportunity for success. Both the faculty and student mentors are very involved and truly want me to succeed.

My Faculty mentor is Nancy Manley and my research mentor is John O’Neil.

a. My project describes the effects of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling in the development of the third pharyngeal pouch.
b. The third pharyngeal pouch is an endodermally derived primordium that consists of progenitor cells that differentiate into thymus or parathyroid cells.
c. Foxn1 is used as a marker for thymus specification whereas GCM2 is a marker for parathyroid specification.
d. BMP is expressed in ventral pouch while Sonic Hedge Hog (SHH) is expressed in dorsal pouch.

Hypothesis: We hypothesize that BMP is necessary for normal fate specification and patterning of the thymus. Ultimately, BMP promotes thymus fate and inhibits parathyroid fate.

a. I am testing this hypothesis using an inducible Gremlin strain of transgenic mice in a tissue specific Cre-Lox induction system.
b. Cre-Lox technology uses the enzyme Cre recombinase to recombine separated Lox P sites, which results in the expression of Gremlin.
c. In using these inducible gremlin mice, I am able to knock-down BMP expression inspecific tissues at various stages of embryonic development.
d. In early developmental stages I’m using Sox17Cre and Foxa2CreE to drive Cre expression in the endoderm. Wnt1Cre is used to drive Cre expression in neural crest cells.
e. At a later stage I will use Foxn1Cre to determine secondary roles of SMP in thymus development.
f. Throughout my project I will use techniques like immunohistochemistry, in-situ hybridization and fluorescence activated cell sorting to determine how BMP affects pouch development.

My name is Trent Frisbie and I am a PREP@UGA Scholar.