I had a great time in the six weeks I lived and worked at the NIG. I want to first and foremost thank the Saito lab for hosting and welcoming me. Everybody in the lab was incredibly kind and made me feel immediately comfortable. Beyond getting a chance to learn many new techniques, I had a ton of fun!

While in the Saito lab, I focused on studying how the loss of certain tRNA modification affects tRNA abundance and degradation processes. Using Mettl1/TRMT10A knockout flies, I collected gonadal tissues, ran northern blots, and analyzed RNA-sequencing data. All of this was totally new to me, but my mentors Otsubo-san and Hassan were incredibly patient and stayed to guide me even late into the night. Without their help, I’d never have managed. Moreover, Saito-sensei was always happy to help me grasp the topic and decide my next steps in light of surprising results. I learned so much in such a short period, and the lab’s enthusiasm for their research has certainly rubbed off on me. 

Besides the lab, I met and became friends with many people among my intern cohort and the greater NIG community. In particular, I had a lot of fun climbing with other students and chatting at the NIG’s various gatherings. And Mishima itself is a very beautiful town (if a little sleepy); I did a lot of weekend sightseeing within the city and in other parts of Japan. Thank you to the NIG for creating this opportunity and supporting us throughout; I’ll look back on this experience fondly.