Determining the Role of microRNA During Early Embryonic Development

Student Name: Tony Hua
UCD Department: Animal Sciences
UCD Mentor: Dr. Pablo Ross and Juan Reyes

Researching the role of microRNA during early development of embryos. MicroRNAs are small RNA molecules that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally and play a key role in diverse biological processes, including development, cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Consequentially, altered microRNA expression is likely to contribute to human disease, including cancer and HIV. By studying the mechanisms that are caused by microRNA function, additional insight and a deeper understanding of related processes will allow for the pursuit of further research and possibly more efficient treatments or cures. Currently, the success rate of In Vitro Fertilization or fertilization outside the body is only at a 30% success rate for females age 35. By studying the regulatory roles of microRNA, processes such as In Vitro Fertilization could potentially benefit from increased success rates from a greater insight of correlated processes and techniques