Biology Student’s Research Focuses on Celiac Disease
Audrey O’Connor, a Biology major and Chemistry minor in St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, spent last summer researching Celiac disease as part of a 10-week research program at Colorado State University.
“The biggest takeaway from this experience was the improvement in my presentation skills,” Audrey said. “I had to learn how to talk about science and my research to a variety of audiences. I really learned to take the time to get to know my audience and it helped me make science more accessible to others.”
She was one of 10 students nationwide to participate in the Research Experience for Undergraduates, a program funded by the National Science Foundation that allows undergraduate students to work on specific research projects with a faculty mentor.
Partnering with Brad Reisfeld, Ph.D., Audrey’s research focused on Celiac disease and its effects on drug absorption and metabolism. At the end of the program, Audrey presented her research on the Fort Collins campus to her peers and the faculty. Audrey has Celiac disease and was motivated to better understand the ways it affects her daily life.
“The biggest takeaway from this experience was the improvement in my presentation skills,” Audrey said. “I had to learn how to talk about science and my research to a variety of audiences. I really learned to take the time to get to know my audience and it helped me make science more accessible to others.”
As part of her research, Audrey helped to develop a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model, which is a mathematical simulation that can be used to predict the amount of a drug in specific organs, tissues, and/or fluids over time. It allows the examination of the effects of specific dosing regimens and factors related to the patient’s anatomy, physiology, and health state on these drug concentrations. It is through their PBPK model that Dr. Reisfeld and Audrey demonstrated that those with Celiac disease exhibited different absorption rates and drug half-lives than those without Celiac disease.
Audrey, however, is no stranger to research. Under the guidance of Laura Schramm, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, and Director, Environmental Studies, she has been investigating the environmental contaminant Bisphenol A (BPA) and its impact on gene expression throughout her undergraduate career.
Audrey has also presented her ongoing BPA research at the American Society for Cell Biology annual meetings in 2022 and 2023. As a result, she is drafting a manuscript with Dr. Schramm to submit for publication.
“Audrey is a talented individual who will achieve any life goal she sets,” said Dr. Schramm. “Her selection to participate in the highly competitive National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Undergraduates is a testament to the quality and value of a St. John’s undergraduate education and faculty-mentored research opportunities.”
When Audrey is not examining ground-breaking research, she is on St. John’s Queens, NY, campus, serving as a Resident Assistant at the Seton Complex. She is also a member of the President’s Society—the University’s highest honor society—and a recent recipient of the Silver Key, an award given to outstanding juniors in each department.
Audrey plans to graduate in May and return to her hometown of Granby, MA, to continue building on her research experience. She hopes to work as a clinical researcher in the greater Boston area. Her long-term plans include attending medical school and specializing in sports medicine.
