Name: Stephany Flores Ramos
Hometown: Kahului, Maui, HI
Hobbies: paint, draw, cosplay, dance
Lab: Amir Zarrinpar
Lab website: https://zarrinparlab.org
What do you study?
I study the small molecules that microbes make in our body. More specifically, I am searching for molecules that have been made or decorated by microbes in our gut in response to liver damage and/or obesity. This involves collecting samples from both humans and mice, running the samples through this machine called a mass spectrometer that breaks down the samples to very small, tiny pieces and weighs each one at the molecular level, and then interpreting the data!
Why is it important?
Obesity is a big problem in America and liver disease is right on up there with it. Different methods have been explored to address these issues but there is an untapped potential in microbes! Not only is my research helping us find solutions to these diseases, but it is also helping us understand the role that microbes play in our life.
What piqued your interest in science?
I’m not exactly sure what started it, I think that having science teachers that worked hard to make the topics fun and engaging for my class definitely played a role. I have also always been a curious child and science provided a way for me to methodically try to answer some questions I had about the world.
What do you like about being a scientist?
I like that as a scientist I get to solve puzzles every day! Puzzles that are the first step in discovering something that will be used to help us understand a disease or how to treat/cure it. I also enjoy that I am around like minded peopled who share my interest in science and beyond.
What are 5 general vocabulary terms someone should know going into your field of science?
Microbes, microbiome, metabolites, mass spectrometry, dysbiosis
What are 5 specific vocabulary terms someone should know about your research?
Bile acids, commensal bacteria, short chain fatty acids, time restricted feeding, circadian rhythm