Boulos, Rafik

BoulosQ. Describe your research project and its significance in 100 words or less.

A. My research project focuses on the genes responsible for cell differentiation in Volvox carteri (a multicellular organism) and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (a unicellular organism). I am currently constructing a plasmid containing  the RegA gene, which is thought to suppress cell differentiation in Volvox, to insert into Chlamydomonas.

Q. How long have you been working on this project?

A. I have been working on this project for almost a year.

Q. What do you like most about doing research?

A. The best thing about research is that there is no right or wrong answers because nobody has an answer for a given hypothesis.

Q. What do you like least about doing research?

A. My least favorite part about research is trial and error, with more failures than successes.

Q. What are your career goals?

A.  I plan on going to Dental school and hopefully have my own private practice in the future.

Q. What advice do you have for students who are trying to get into a research lab/group?

A. The key to getting into research is asking around. Worst thing a professor could say is “no”.