Undergraduate Research at the Gomes Lab
Undergraduates are a core part of the lab.
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Undergrads do individual and group research projects and often present at the UC Davis Undergraduate Research Conference.
Undergrad Research 101: A Quick Dive into Lab Life
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Research is your chance to step into the unknown and be a creator of new knowledge. Every experiment you run, every question you ask, is a spark that could light the way to small, medium or major discoveries no one else has made. It’s not about having all the answers right away, but about curiosity, perseverance, and letting your passion guide you through challenges.
You'll fail spectacularly, discover accidentally, and occasionally stumble onto something that changes everything. You'll spend months chasing down dead ends that teach you more than any classroom ever could. The best part? You're joining a community of people who get genuinely excited about the weirdest things. People who will celebrate with you when your experiment finally works at 7 pm, who will brainstorm solutions over pizza.
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Most importantly, when you step into a laboratory, it is the only classroom where no one knows the final answers. That’s why research is such a trill.
My best advice to undergraduate researchers: Ask bold questions, learn from every failure, and let your passion drive you to explore beyond what’s expected. In time you will realize that curiosity is your greatest investment.
Awards won by our undergraduates:
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Benefits of Research Experience for Undergraduate Students
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Peer-reviewed data suggest that undergraduate students who participate in undergraduate research experiences (UREs) gain several benefits. These include:
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​Improvements in professional advancement, professional development, and personal development (Gilmore et al., 2016; Lopatto, 2006).
​Increased retention in undergraduate studies (Nagda et al., 1998)
​Increased career pathways for minority and underrepresented populations (Nagda et al., 1998).
​Increased interest in and entry into graduate school (Kremer and Bringle, 1990)
​Development of research skills including data analysis, communication, and presentation skills (Bauer and Bennett, 2003)
​Acquire great recommendation letters for future careers from a mentor that actually takes time to get to know you (Gomes, 2019 unpublished)
Great Articles for Undergraduates to read
The Importance of Undergraduate Research
​The Benefits of Undergraduate Research
​Special Feature: Science Careers for Undergrads
​A Simple Story Can Improve Students’ Grades in Science
​Undergraduate Research: Importance, Benefits, and Challenges
Need some help with procrastination and anxiety?
Recent Publications by Undergraduate Researchers in the Gomes Lab
Tiwari S, Mishra M, Newens J, Gomes AV. (2020) Gender-specific changes in energy metabolism and protein degradation as major pathways affected in livers of mice treated with ibuprofen. Scientific Reports. 2020; 10: 3386.
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Kazmierczak K, Liang J, Yuan CC, Yadav S, Sitbon YH, Walz K, Ma W, Irving TC, Cheah JX, Gomes AV, Szczesna-Cordary D. (2019) Slow-twitch skeletal muscle defects accompany cardiac dysfunction in transgenic mice with a mutation in the myosin regulatory light chain. FASEB J.33:3152-3166.
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Mishra M, Tiwari S, Gunaseelan A, Li D, Hammock BD, Gomes AV. (2019) Improving the sensitivity of traditional Western blotting via Streptavidin containing Poly-horseradish peroxidase (PolyHRP). Electrophoresis. 40(12-13): 1731-1739.
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Sander H, Wallace S, Plouse R, Tiwari S, Gomes AV. (2019) Ponceau S waste: Ponceau S staining for total protein normalization. Anal Biochem. 575: 44-53.
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Gomes AV, Kazmierczak K, Cheah JX, Gilda JE, Yuan CC, Zhou Z, Szczesna-Cordary D. (2015) Proteomic analysis of physiological versus pathological cardiac remodeling in animal models expressing mutations in myosin essential light chains.J Muscle Res Cell Motil. 36(6):447-61.
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Gilda JE, Ghosh R, Cheah JX, West TM, Bodine SC, Gomes AV. (2015) Western Blotting Inaccuracies with Unverified Antibodies: Need for a Western Blotting Minimal Reporting Standard (WBMRS). PLoS One. 19;10(8):e0135392.
Emily Eijansantos, Shuchita Tiwari, Andrew Johnson, Michael Chang, Sai Sahitha Somepalle, Anita Gunaseelan, Sahar Rahgozar, Meena Calaimany, Tiange Hou, Rong Pei, and Aldrin V. Gomes (2018) The Role of Post-Translational Modifications on the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System, Part I: E1, E2, and E3 PTMs. Ubiquitin Proteasome System: A Review and Directions for Research. Nova Science. Chapter 3. ISBN: 978-1-53613-518-3
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Rachel Plouse, Hannah Sander, Samantha Wallace, Colin Wang, Emily Eijansantos, Shuchita Tiwari, and Aldrin V. Gomes. (2018) The Role of Post-Translational Modifications on the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System, Part II: Proteasome PTMs Ubiquitin Proteasome System: A Review and Directions for Research. Nova Science. Chapter 4. ISBN: 978-1-53613-518-3
Nariman A. Dyab, Layan K. Afaneh, Emily Eijansantos, Nawaf F. Alsaadoon, Israa A. Aljawad, and Aldrin V. Gomes (2018) The Immunoproteasome: Structure, Function, and Role in Pathophysiology In Ubiquitin Proteasome System: A Review and Directions for Research. Nova Science. Chapter 5. ISBN: 978-1-53613-518-3