Frances Murray '22

Major: Natural Science
Bio: Frances Murray came to study at Fordham University from Akron, Ohio. She started doing research with Dr. Vernon last summer and hopes to continue researching and eventually applying to Medical School. While she is interested in many topics, she is drawn to fertility and reproductive science, gastroenterology, endocrinology, and immunology.

Title of Research: American Lobster Hemocyte Profile
Mentor: Dr. Grace Vernon
Abstract: Our research focused on a comparative study of lobster hemocyte profiles. Hemocytes are the cells in lobster blood. Hemocytes are found in three types: large granular, small granular, and hyaline hemocytes. They are important in the innate immune system, so for our research we wanted to look deeper into their role in health and disease by studying what enzymes are present in granules of the cells and by looking at cell aging. In order to answer the question of the enzymes within the cell we used API ZYM tests to locate oxidases in the granules of the hemocytes. Many of the enzymes present in the hemocyte cells are lysosomal enzymes which support the theory that the hemocytes do have a role in innate immunity. Additionally, we initially studied hemocyte cell aging. Evidence of cell maturity was found with the presence of ß-galactosidase. In the future we hope to compare our results from this summer to hemocytes from lobsters with Brown Shell Disease, a bacterial infection that occurs in the pores of the exoskeleton.