ABSTRACT
First Person is a series of interviews with the first authors of a selection of papers published in Biology Open, helping researchers promote themselves alongside their papers. Alexandria Borges is first author on ‘ Maternal immune activation does not affect maternal microchimeric cells’, published in BiO. Alexandria conducted the research described in this article while a master's student in Naoki Irie's lab at The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. She is now a research technician in the lab of Keigo Machida/Linda Sher at USC Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA, exploring cellular interactions in the context of development and cancer.
Alexandria Borges
Describe your scientific journey and your current research focus
I have had the privilege to be conducting research in a variety of institutes, predominately in developmental biology. As an undergraduate at the University of California, Los Angeles and a graduate student at the University of Tokyo, I studied developmental biology using ascidians, zebrafish, and mice models, focusing on the embryonic/neonate development. An emphasis on immunology was incorporated during my time as a master's student exploring the enigmatic topic of maternal microchimerism. Following my graduation last September, I began a research technician position at the USC Keck School of Medicine where I work in an academic liver cancer lab and assist in managing a CIRM-funded project addressing the liver transplant shortage using swine. I find cancer research fascinating because there is a strong intersection with developmental biology, where both delve in exploring how cells grow and interact, with cancer often exploiting mechanisms fundamental to development.
I find cancer research fascinating because there is a strong intersection with developmental biology…
Who or what inspired you to become a scientist?
I was initially inspired to become a scientist because of my curiosity surrounding me and my twin sister. When I was younger, I always wondered why even though my sister and I have same place and time of origin, we were so different. Different not only in our personalities, but also physically, with a difference of over six inches between us. I was also fortunate to have adults in my life who encouraged asking questions about anything and everything, where now I attempt to answer and satisfy my curiosity bit by bit.
…we are all chimeric by nature
How would you explain the main finding of your paper?
Apart from our own cells originating from the fertilized egg, placental mammals receive small numbers of maternal cells called maternal microchimerism (MMc) that persist throughout one's whole life. Therefore, we are all chimeric by nature. Not only are varying frequencies of MMc cells reported in seemingly contradicting phenomena with positive and negative implications, factors biasing these MMc differences remain largely unknown. We tested if maternal immunological activation leads to differing MMc frequencies, based on our recent study that suggests that most maternal cells are immune-related. LPS-induced maternal immune activation did not show a significant difference in the number or ratio of maternal cells in embryos.
What are the potential implications of this finding for your field of research?
Our findings suggest that maternal microchimerism frequencies remain stable even under immune-activated conditions, implying a possible control system of MMc migration that persists even against changes in the immunological conditions. It would be of interest to explore other potential biasing factors, where MMc suppression models may be a useful tool. Understanding what may influence maternal cells could allow the potential use of their benefits while minimizing their potential harm.
GFP heterozygote transgenic mouse that ubiquitously expressed GFP. Embryos that do not express GFP were used to assess the GFP-positive maternal cell repertoire within them.
Which part of this research project was the most rewarding?
This project was the first time I was able to pursue my own novel idea and see it come to fruition. During this project I was challenged as a scientist to not only understand and become proficient in research techniques, but also undertake the conceptual challenges that come with being a scientist. Seeing this project through from start to finish has been a highlight of my entire academic career. I am especially grateful to Dr. Irie for his belief in my potential and for nurturing my scientific curiosity.
What do you enjoy most about being an early-career researcher?
Not only am I continuously learning new material from my academic supervisors, I am also gaining a plethora of knowledge from my colleagues and the students I mentor. Every experience is an opportunity to learn and foster growth in my scientific understanding. I also find it rewarding to see my experiences in research be applied across different fields, contributing to broader topics and questions.
What piece of advice would you give to the next generation of researchers?
I would advise the next generation to be open-minded and have a willingness to embrace new opportunities. I took a chance in pursuing a graduate degree in Japan, an environment that is vastly different from the United States. Not only did I strengthen my research abilities, but it also enhanced my ability to effectively collaborate with researchers from various backgrounds, where I now enjoy and appreciate the global perspective of science.
What's next for you?
In my current position, I have been exposed to direct clinical implications of research. I have found this environment to be extremely rewarding, giving me a deeper appreciation for the impact that research breakthroughs can bring to patient care. This experience, along with the guidance and inspiration from exceptional mentors, has inspired me to consider pursuing a dual MD/PhD degree and contributing to meaningful advancements in both the research and medical fields.
Alexandria Borges's contact details: USC Keck School of Medicine, 2011 Zonal Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
E-mail: [email protected]
