By FRANCIS PERROUD
My journey in Dr. Ewa Bielczyk-Mączyńska’s lab began in the summer of 2024, when I took part in the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program. During this 10-week internship, I was fortunate to work on a project that focused on the role of DHCR24, a key enzyme in cholesterol synthesis, in the progression of liver cancer. This project allowed me to gain a deep understanding of the function of enzymes in the cholesterol synthesis pathway and how their dysregulation can negatively affect cells and contribute to cancer. In addition to the scientific knowledge, I gained hands-on experience with laboratory techniques such as cell culture, gene silencing, gene expression quantification, confocal microscopy, and immunofluorescence assays.
Looking back, I feel compelled to highlight the outstanding mentorship I received from Dr. Bielczyk-Mączyńska. Even though I was just a summer intern, she made me feel like I truly owned the project. Every task I performed and every idea I shared was valued as an essential contribution. This reflects her unmatched dedication not only to research but also to mentoring, as well as her ability to lead and inspire others. Thanks to Ewa’s support and the encouragement from the program organizers, I left The Hormel Institute that summer knowing that it would not be my last time working there. I felt strongly that I still had more research and discoveries to pursue here.
Learn about The Hormel Institute's PACE Program.
Almost like a self-fulfilling prophecy, I returned in February 2025 to join the same lab, which shows just how much I had enjoyed the SURE program and how transformative that first experience had been for my career. This time, I joined as a Researcher 1 after graduating in December 2024. The position gave me the opportunity not only to continue the project I had started during the summer but also to engage with new projects, learn new techniques, and deepen my research experience. Between February and May, I expanded my skills by learning new laboratory techniques as well as animal work, including vivo experimental procedures.
However, after four months as a Researcher 1, I realized that I was losing sight of my original goal in coming to The Hormel Institute: to prepare for graduate school and explore different paths for my future career. For this reason, and in agreement with Ewa, I decided to join the PACE program. The promise of PACE was not only continued laboratory experience, which I was already gaining, but also professional development to strengthen my candidacy for graduate school. From day one in the program, I felt the same sense of support and mentorship from the program coordinator that I had experienced as a SURE intern. While the lab tasks remained largely the same and continued to expand, I now had the added benefit of structured guidance on graduate programs and career opportunities.
In terms of projects, I am currently involved in four different research areas, all connected by a central theme: metabolism and how specific genes and proteins influence the development of disease. My main project, which is the one I started during the summer of 2024, focuses on cholesterol synthesis enzymes and how changes in their expression alter the concentration of intermediate molecules. Many of these intermediates are bioactive and can promote the progression of liver cancer, specifically hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). For this project, I have worked with a high-throughput screening technique called CROP-seq to examine how the individual silencing of 31 genes in the cholesterol pathway impacts the transcription of the rest of the genome.
Beyond this, I am also part of a collaborative project in my lab that looks at syntaxin 4 (STX4). We are investigating how its role in protein translocation may influence the movement of alternative LDL-C receptors from inside the cell to the liver cell membrane. To study this, we use AAV8 vaccines to silence the STX4 gene, which allows us to track resulting changes in blood cholesterol, as well as gene and protein expression in the liver.
In addition, I contribute to two projects centered on the LDL receptor (LDLR). The first focuses on how silencing LDLR affects hypercholesterolemia, using a model to explore how the absence of LDLR interacts with statin treatment (a drug that blocks cholesterol synthesis) to impact gluconeogenesis, the process by which the body produces glucose from non-carbohydrate sources during low blood sugar. The second project examines how LDLR silencing influences adipogenesis, the formation of fat cells.
Having the opportunity to engage with such a variety of projects has given me a broad perspective on metabolic regulation and disease. Building on the foundation I gained as a SURE intern, I find my experience in the PACE program to be even more rewarding. I have been trusted with significant responsibilities, while also receiving invaluable guidance from my mentor Ewa, the PACE coordinators, and the rest of my lab team.
Although my journey as a PACE intern is just beginning, I already have high expectations for what the rest of the program will bring. I believe PACE is a unique opportunity for students considering a future in research or graduate training, whether in a PhD, MD, or MS program. I would strongly encourage anyone interested in science or research to apply and take part in the program when applications open for 2026.