🌟 Student Spotlight — Sarah Sun

We’re excited to celebrate Sarah Sun, a fourth-year Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics major whose undergraduate research experience in the Pernas Lab was recently featured by the UCLA Undergraduate Research Center—Sciences!

Sarah joined our lab after transferring to UCLA and proactively reaching out to faculty, ultimately becoming part of our team in September 2024. Her research focuses on understanding host–pathogen interactions between host mitochondria and the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. In particular, Sarah is investigating a newly discovered mitochondrial structure known as SPOTs (Structures Positive for Outer Mitochondria Membrane) and how these structures interact with other host organelles like lysosomes.

Sarah reflects on her time in the lab as supportive and collaborative, highlighting the strong mentorship and the opportunities UCLA provides — from summer research programs to workshops on scientific communication and graduate school preparation — which have supported her development as a young scientist.

She’s currently preparing to present her work at her first scientific conference this November, drawing on URC resources to help refine her poster. Looking ahead, Sarah plans to continue her scientific journey and hopes to pursue a career in academia, with the long-term goal of running her own research lab.

Please join us in congratulating Sarah on her accomplishments and in celebrating her dedication to research and scientific growth! 🎉

Lena Featured in UCLA Newsroom: How Mitochondria Help Starve Pathogens

We’re excited to share that Lena was recently interviewed for a UCLA Newsroom feature highlighting new research on how host cell mitochondria help weaken intracellular infections.

In the article, Lena discusses emerging evidence that mitochondria are not just passive powerhouses during infection, but active participants in host defense. By altering metabolic outputs and resource availability inside infected cells, mitochondria can effectively starve invading pathogens, limiting their ability to replicate and spread.

The interview highlights how pathogens depend on host nutrients to survive—and how mitochondrial remodeling during infection can tip the balance in favor of the host. These insights are especially relevant for intracellular parasites and bacteria that hijack host metabolism as part of their life cycle.

Lena’s perspective in the piece emphasizes the growing appreciation of mitochondria as dynamic signaling and regulatory hubs during infection, with implications for understanding disease mechanisms and identifying new therapeutic strategies.

You can read the full article here:
👉 “Scientists discover how cells use a secret weapon to fight off some pathogens” — UCLA Newsroom

We’re proud to see Lena’s work and insights featured, and excited about what this research reveals about the intersection of metabolism, organelle biology, and host–pathogen interactions.

Welcome aboard the lab (Summer 2025), Alen Poehlman!

Alen Poehlman
I am from the University of Washington in Seattle, where I am entering my third year majoring in Biochemistry. This summer, I am a part of the Amgen Scholars program, consisting of a 10-week mentorship, conferences, and workshopping events to prepare students for graduate school and their careers in research. This summer, I will be working with Amy Prichard studying dual infection with obligate intracellular pathogens, where we're looking to gain a better understanding of how pathogens interact with each other and their host in a shared cell.

CONGRATULATIONS TO MARTA OLSON on her acceptance into the PATH 2 program!!

Advanced Independent Research

Path 2 is intended for students who are interested in fulfilling their degree requirements by conducting independent research in a faculty mentor’s laboratory.  Undergraduates engage in at least two-quarters of letter-graded research (196A and 196B) and concurrently participate in research seminars (180A and 180B) designed to help students acquire in-depth and broad knowledge about their research project.