Student Kevin Rodriguez Investigates Biomarkers Associated with Intestinal Permeability
My name is Kevin Rodriguez. I’m an incoming freshman at the University of Pennsylvania, studying Neuroscience and Biochemistry as part of the Vagelos Molecular Life Sciences (MLS) Program. I’m currently completing an internship at Texas Biomedical Research Institute, where I am investigating biomarkers associated with increased intestinal permeability in non-human primate models. Increased intestinal permeability can affect elderly populations, as it can cause health problems such as painful indigestion, changes in bowel habits, and systemic inflammation. I’m seeking to better understand how aging and the weakening of intestinal junctions can be correlated with biomarkers that indicate the leakage of intestinal material, such as toxins and bacteria, into the bloodstream.
Coming from a first-generation, low-income background, I did not grow up around research or science. My parents came from a small rural town in Mexico, where the primary pipeline for employment was work as a farmer. During my sophomore summer in high school, I became part of the Valero Young Scientist (VYS) summer science program at Texas Biomedical Research Institute. The VYS program targets students with limited or no previous experience in biomedical research. This experience is where I learned a wide range of basic lab techniques, including pipetting, bacteria culturing, gel electrophoresis, bacterial plasmid modification using CRISPR-Cas9, and ELISA. During this program, I participated in a small research project investigating Zika, an infectious disease that causes microcephaly in babies born to mothers who have contracted Zika while pregnant. During my research project, I worked in collaboration with a small group of students to analyze existing scientific literature and formulate questions for researchers performing research on Zika at Texas BioMed.
The summer of my junior year in high school, I applied to and was accepted into the Short-Term Exploratory Research Opportunity to Unlock Potential (STEP-UP). The STEP-UP program is coordinated by the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, which helps connect students with mentors at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine as well as with mentors across other institutions in the US. The STEP-UP program targets students passionate about STEM and connects them with mentors who are conducting biomedical research. Unfortunately, due to changes in funding, the program was not able to continue. However, I was fortunate enough to also be invited back to the VYS program to be part of a select group of students assigned roles as assistant lab managers. Together, we helped mentor a new cohort of students performing many of the same labs we had completed during our first year in the program. Through this experience, I was able to get a better look at what it takes to teach valuable scientific skills to students who have little to no exposure before starting the program. As part of my new role, I helped prepare labs in addition to performing them. In labs where students inoculated bacteria on agar plates, I was able to guide students on the correct technique for inoculating the bacteria on the plate’s surface without tearing through the agar or overgrowing the culture.
This summer, I was granted the opportunity to be part of the Valero Bridging Internship, where I am working on a research project in a BSL-2 lab. I’m currently investigating the roles of TMAO and LPS in increased intestinal permeability and their correlation to health during aging in non-human primate models. Because marmosets can be used as models for human intestinal function, findings from my research project may suggest that similar patterns may exist in humans.
I am approaching my scientific inquiry using techniques including ELISA and mass spectrometry to detect the presence of biomarkers and determine the chemical composition of related sugars. Understanding what triggers physiological responses at the molecular level is essential for improving health at the population level. By identifying and understanding the relationship between biomarkers and physiological responses, I can help better understand the underlying mechanisms of diseases, develop new technologies that reduce health disparities, and strengthen outcomes for public health initiatives.
Ultimately, I enjoy working toward protecting public health through collaboration across many fields beyond just biomedical sciences and technology. At the University of Pennsylvania, I hope to conduct interdisciplinary research in neuroscience and biochemistry, with a special interest in infectious diseases and oncology. My goal is to help develop technologies that strengthen disease prevention, improve public health systems, and ultimately improve health outcomes for communities.
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Learn more about my research experience in this new podcast: Understanding Leaky Gut: A Student’s Introduction to an Emerging Public Health Concern
About the Author
- Kevin Rodriguez is an incoming freshman at the University of Pennsylvania studying Neuroscience and Biochemistry on the Molecular Life Science research track (MLS). This summer, he is investigating the role of aging in the weakening of intestinal junctions and using biomarkers associated with the leakage of intestinal material in non-human primate models to help advance the understanding of gastrointestinal aging and its translational implications to human gastrointestinal health and age-related disease prevention.
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