BLaST Scientist of the Month: Tristan O'Donoghue

May 11, 2021

Tristan O'Donoghue was able to present research posters as part of his BLaST Undergraduate Research Experience opportunity. Photo courtesy of BLaST.

Tristan O’Donoghue is the scientist of the month for May 2021 in the �� Biomedical Learning and Student Training program.

Tristan O’Donoghue graduated in May 2021 with a B.S. in biological sciences. O’Donoghue, a third-year BLaST Undergraduate Research Experience awardee since 2019, grew up in Fairbanks, Alaska. He is a member of the �� Honors College, a student AS�� senator, and holds an officer title in the Alaska Alpine Club. After graduation, he plans to visit nature parks famous for rock climbing, as he loves outdoor activities such as hiking and camping before entering graduate school.

O’Donoghue has been able to work in a student research position in Associate Professor Podlutsky’s cell and molecular lab since 2018 and worked on several research projects. O’Donoghue’s work focuses on cancer cell lines and their affinity to undergo DNA repair after being exposed to UV and X-ray radiation. O’Donoghue credits this interest due to learning about his own family’s long history of genetic disposition towards cancer and wanted to understand more.

“Dr. Podlutsky has helped me have a greater understanding of this biological phenomenon to a much deeper level and inspired me to consider a lifetime career in the field of medicine, more specifically in oncology," O'Donoghue said.

“These projects helped me expand my network of collegiate peers both at �� and throughout the country by being able to present at conferences such as the Western Regional Honors conference in 2019. Experiences like these are not normally found in classrooms so I consider myself lucky. It has led to an enhanced level of education and personal growth.”

O’Donoghue’s latest research project is entitled, “Gene-specific DNA repair in Hela and HDFa cell lines using the V-comet protocol.” Skills learned in the Podlutsky lab includes cell culturing and comet assay techniques. Three semesters of O’Donoghue’s URE has been spent on another research project, “DNA repair dynamics in colon adenocarcinoma cell lines,” where he was able to present his results at two �� events: URSA Research Day and the Midnight Sun Science Symposium, both in 2019, and the Western Regional conference at Montana State University.

O’Donoghue has been mentored since 2018 by Podlutsky, a past BLaST Faculty Pilot project awardee and associate professor at the Institute of Arctic Biology’s Department of Biology and Wildlife.

Tristan O’Donoghue worked in Associate Professor Andrej Podlutsky’s lab at ��. He was a peer mentor to another BLaST undergraduate, Meghan Reese, shown here in March 2020. Photo courtesy of Tristan O’Donoghue.

“I learned how to mentor others through the strong mentorship of Dr. Podlutsky," O’Donoghue said. "I have been able to train others in standard lab methods important to continuing research. It became far more apparent to me the difficulties of the mentorship role as I learned to be a mentor, and I have great respect for those who dedicate their time to educating students as the students develop their skills in their chosen careers.”

O’Donoghue also has been mentored by graduate student Robert Williams, who is also a past BLaST URE.

more information about the program or for a complete list of their Scientist of the Month recognition series. You can .

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