By Carolina Mora Solano
Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Biology
After Mac: Research technician,
Center for Immunology
University
of Minnesota
My junior year I took the course “Research
in Immunology” with Professor Devavani
Chatterjea. This resulted in the opportunity
to conduct my own research over
the summer and during my senior year at
Macalester. I investigated the role of mast
cells in pain.
Mast cells are granule-filled cells of the
immune system commonly associated with
allergy and anaphylaxis (extreme sensitivity
to a substance). In the past 15 years,
an astonishing body of information about
the newly found functions of mast cells has
been revealed, both beneficial and pathological
functions. In particular, mast cells
are involved in disease initiation in several
models of autoimmune disease, such as
arthritis, and some skin and colon cancer.
Pain is a critical component of inflammatory
pathologies. Pain, in general, directs
our attention to injuries, as a protective
mechanism. It also alerts us to harmful situations in order to prevent us from causing
serious damage to our bodies. But in some cases, such as arthritis, pain is present for no clear purpose, which drives researchers to investigate the mechanisms of pain and how it can be controlled.
Why mast cells and pain? The release of mediators (intermediary substances) from the mast cell granules ultimately has the potential to induce an inflammatory response and pain. My research
aimed to establish a model of pain that will enable us to determine whether mast cells are responsible for initiating the pain response. I have learned critically important skills, from understanding both the big picture and the minute details of my research to critically analyzing the results to determine my next step. I have grown intellectually and creatively, asking questions that I believe can have an impact on our world.
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