Summer 2026
Caryn Biesecker
During this summer, I was provided the opportunity to gain undergraduate research experience in Dr. Daigo Takemoto’s Plant Pathology Laboratory at Nagoya University in Japan, under the mentorship of Maurizio Camagna. My research focused on understanding how solanaceous plants, like potatoes, tomatoes, and petunias, produce phytoalexins. Phytoalexins are antimicrobial compounds that help protect plants from pathogenic fungi. Specifically, I worked to identify a gene involved in the production of lubimin, a defense compound in the potato PVS pathway.
My primary role was to clone candidate petunia genes into expression vectors for future analysis of their role in lubimin production. In the laboratory, I designed primers and performed PCR, agarose gel electrophoresis, bacterial transformations, and plasmid preparations. I also learned more about and gained exposure to GC-MS, which can be used to analyze the compounds produced by the expressed genes. As I became more familiar with the laboratory protocols, I was able to perform many of these procedures independently.
Outside of the laboratory, I was able to travel to many places in Japan and experience different cities, regions, and cultural traditions. Exploring Japan independently allowed me to become more comfortable navigating unfamiliar environments and communicating across language and cultural differences. I was able to experience local food, historical sites, and everyday life beyond the laboratory setting, which gave me a greater appreciation for Japanese culture and perspectives.
