Designing Aggregation-Resistant Proteins

Cydney Martell is fifth-year PhD candidate in the Driskill Graduate Program in Life Sciences (DGP). She is a Chemistry of Life Processes Training Program Fellow and a PhRMA Foundation Predoctoral Fellow. 

In the laboratory of Gabriel Rocklin, PhD, assistant professor of Pharmacology, Martell examines factors that impact the stability of proteins to optimize their design to treat a variety of diseases.    

Where is your hometown?    

I was raised in Galesburg, Michigan.  

What sparked your interest in science or medicine?       

Growing up I was fortunate to attend the Kalamazoo Area Math and Science Center, an enriching environment that nurtured my curiosity for biology and sparked my love of computer programming. This foundation led me to join a lab at Kalamazoo College which used both experimental and computational methods to explore complex biological questions. This experience solidified my passion for research and my desire to combine computational analysis with bench science to explore biology.  

What are your research interests?   

I am fascinated by understanding how a protein’s sequence and structure determines its function. Specifically, I am interested in advancing this understanding to design proteins with novel and enhanced functions for applications in medicine and sustainability. 

What are you currently working on?        

My project focuses on understanding how we can predict and design proteins that are resistant to aggregation. While proteins have shown success as therapeutics, one challenge is their propensity to unfold and form aggregates which can decrease the safety and efficacy of the drug. I aim to address this challenge by generating a large experimental dataset on aggregation behavior and using machine learning analysis to investigate what features are important for protein aggregation resistance. In the future, our approach will inform the design of aggregation resistant protein therapeutics for treating disease.  

Please tell us about a defining moment in your education at Feinberg thus far.      

A defining moment in my education at Feinberg was joining a supportive, collaborative, and exciting lab environment. Being a part of a newly established lab gave me the opportunity to help shape its culture and contribute to its early development. I am fortunate to be surrounded by and learn from an incredible group of scientists with different backgrounds but a shared interest in protein biophysics. Outside the lab, I have enjoyed mentoring young aspiring scientists at the Chicago Boys and Girls Club through the program, Science club. 

What do you hope to do with your degree?  

I hope to continue to do research in protein engineering for applications in therapeutics or sustainability either in academia or industry.