Safaa

Safaa
Revere High School
Revere, MA

Mentor: 
Chanell Mangum
Klarman Cell Observatory | Optical Profiling Platform | Farhi Group
 

Safaa applied to BSSP, hoping to find new interests within the biomedical field. This openmindedness told us she would be a great fit in the Optical Profiling Platform, where she could foster natural curiosity. Highly Multiplexed Immunofluorescence (mIF) staining is an invaluable molecular biology tool since it allows scientists to probe and visualize proteins across different tissue types using sequential rounds of antibody staining. Meanwhile, Cell Painting is a technique that uses six distinct dyes to highlight various components of cells. Researchers at the Optical Profiling Platform have been searching for ways to marry mIF and Cell Painting by using antibody analogs of cell painting dyes.The resulting antibody channels can be profiled with Cell Profiler to yield an unbiased morphological signature of each cell within the tissue. Safaa and her partner Alisha worked on expanding the capabilities of Highly Multiplexed Immunofluorescence by establishing the best dilution and staining conditions for the study of mouse colon tissue. By contributing to the optimization of developing a morphological profiling panel for Highly Multiplexed Immunofluorescence, scientists at the Broad Institute (and beyond) can inspect the cellular diversity of cells in much finer detail than ever possible. Safaa thrived in the research environment, and when she thinks back to BSSP, she says, “BSSP taught me the importance of collaborating and connecting with those around me to ask questions, learn, and build new skills. It introduced me to the world of research and a whole world of new experiences.”