Published on July 29, 2024
The Cherng Summer Scholars program allows Honors College students at the University of Missouri to explore their passions through research projects aimed at questions they are interested in analyzing. Students who are accepted into the nine-week program participate in projects that are individually designed, with the support and mentorship of a Mizzou faculty member.
This year, there are 12 Cherng Summer Scholars. Meet Noelle Abend, a sophomore plant sciences major.
Question: Which faculty member are you working with on your research?
Answer: I am working in the lab of Dr. Antje Heese, an associate professor of biochemistry.
Question: What is the focus of your research?
Answer: My research focuses on a plant’s ability to respond to stress using the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. I am exploring the genetic interaction between RBOHD and the vesicular trafficking mutant, ves5, and how this affects components involved in photosynthesis.
Question: What interested you in this specific project?
Answer: Growing up in an agricultural community, I became interested in the mechanisms plants use to grow and adapt. This project works to understand such mechanisms, including how plants respond to stress.
Question: How nice has it been to be part of the Cherng Summer Scholars program?
Answer: The Cherng Summer Scholars program has been a wonderful opportunity to continue exploring plant science research while engaging in interdisciplinary discussion. The weekly meetings allow me to examine my project from a new perspective while learning about other ongoing research at Mizzou.