Adam Mohammed

Adam Mohammed

Biography

Adam Mohammed, born in Clemmons, North Carolina, is a rising junior at NorthCarolina Central University, majoring in biomedical sciences and chemistry, with interests in attending medical school or pursuing a PhD. He is currently participating in a summer research program at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology, under the guidance of the Mirny Lab, which focuses on unraveling the mechanisms of the human genome and its spatial organization. This marks his second summer in the program. Mr. Mohammed is an avid traveler who has visited multiple countries and seen wonderful sights. Some of his travels have taken him to locations where healthcare and science are underdeveloped. This has inspired him to strive for improvements in healthcare and medical science worldwide.

Abstract

Structural Characterization of Microcompartment Clusters through Simulation and Custom Analysis Tools

The human genome is a complex structure composed of DNA and its associated proteins located within the nucleus. Its complex structure allows different parts of it to touch and interact with each other. These folds and contacts are not entirely random; they play a crucial role in gene regulation, bringing distant parts of the chromosome together to regulate genes. My project focuses on a specific chromosomal region that takes part in this folding or compartmentalization. Small segments within this region, microcompartments, contain clusters of genes and regulatory elements. I utilize computational simulation tools and code to generate contact maps and visual models of how different genome parts interact. I test how changing the “stickiness” of chromatin to itself, as well as the properties of cohesin protein motors, affects the shape and number of microcompartments that cluster together. Previous modeling suggests that a stronger affinity might stabilize these compartments, whereas a weaker affinity might lead to fewer microcompartments in each cluster or less stable microcompartments. I aim to provide a clearer understanding of how the genome is constructed and how its structure influences disease and its associated functions. Understanding this could help explain how structural changes in the genome influence diseases. addition, public sense of security and crime reporting is also hypothesized to be lower in drug states. This research contributes to a greater study which will further explore whether judicial reform has increased the capacity of the Mexican legal system to combat cartel activities.