Minjoo Kim, FCLC 2026

MAJOR: Integrative Neurosceince

BIO: Minjoo Kim is a cell and molecular neuroscience student originating from Seoul, South Korea. He is primarily interested in how substances affect developmental processes and molecular interactions, and the social implications of these effects. After graduation, he plans to earn a Ph.D in neuroscience and a degree in public policy to explore the intersections of these disciplines. In line with his interdisciplinary academic interests, Minjoo also enjoys playing double bass in his spare time.

PROJECT TITLE: Analysis of Orexin Receptor Homologs in Drosophila

MENTOR: Dr. Jason Morris, Department of Natural Sciences

ABSTRACT: Narcolepsy is a condition that affects the ability to control the sleep-wake cycle, which is caused by a deficiency of the neuropeptide orexin. This study aimed to analyze the functional implications of orexin receptor homolog mutants in D. melanogaster to assess the potential use of Drosophila as a model organism for studying type 1 narcolepsy. We used NCBI BLAST and FlyBase to predict disruptions within each mutant gene, where it was found that the mutations disrupted transmembrane helix sequences. RT-PCR techniques were used to assess if true null alleles were created by these disruptions. Finally, behavioral assays were conducted to assess the presence of bang sensitivity, a stress-sensitive paralytic phenotype, in the mutants. Results from this study suggest that disruptions to the TkR86C gene display bang-sensitive phenotypes, which suggests that this strain of flies may potentially be viable model organisms.