Abdallah Farhan Sher Summer Research Fellow 2022

"Novel Model for Tau Protein Expression and Function: The Honeybee Brain."

"Tau protein is highly implicated in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease. I will be exploring the use of honeybees, an insect with some unique properties when it comes to aging, to better understand the function of tau."

Q. FINISH THIS SENTENCE:   "I enjoy research because....."

A. "I love to learn! Growing up, I was always fascinated by sciences, and being able to research allows me to be at the forefront of new discoveries and breakthroughs."

Q. How did you first get interested in undergraduate research at UK?

A. "I did a bit of research in high school, and I knew that it was something that I wanted to continue at UK. The summer leading up to my freshman year, I looked around for labs that I was interested in and sent out emails!"

Q. What has been the most exciting aspect of your research experience so far?

A. "Definitely this summer research fellowship - this is my first chance to work on a project that is truly my own. With a bunch of help from my mentor, Dr. Rittschof, I was able to turn my idea into a reality."

Q. How has undergraduate research impacted your college experience at the University of Kentucky?

A. "It's helped me take off a lot of stress from my classes. It's really nice to have something to do which I enjoy that is productive."

Q. What advice would you give to UK students who are considering starting research?

A. "Don't be afraid to reach out! A lot of your professors are doing really cool research and might even talk about it in class. If you hear about something you might want to do, shoot someone an email! Everyone is way nicer than you might think."