Trainee (Summer Student): Yuding Wang (2007)

My name is Yuding Wang; I am currently a third year Life Sciences student at Queen’s University. I had the opportunity this past summer to work in Dr. Holden’s Autism Spectrum Disorder laboratory. The goal of this lab is to find the underlying causes of autism, in order to understand the disorder, develop treatment by earlier detection, and eventually culminating in optimum outcomes. In order to do this, we used PCR procedures to look at specific regions of DNA identified in literature as potential sites for polymorphisms (mutations) associated with autism. Before starting in the lab, I thought the search for “this gene” would be simple and systematic. I had the conception that perhaps we were doing something similar to what the human genome project has done for deciphering the sequence of our DNA. However that was not the case. As I would latter understand, the search for the root cause of autism is not so simple.

For one, I learned that simply uncovering the sequence of a gene does not immediately determine what it does; similar to knowing the alphabet but really not knowing how to use it. I soon discovered that the research being conducted was more than just identifying the gene, but also understanding how the gene works and therefore postulating how it may contribute to the autistic condition.

Secondly, autism covers such a board spectrum with many interwoven characteristics that a single gene would unlikely be the only cause. So instead, many genes spanning across numerous chromosomes must be looked at simultaneously by the researchers taking part in the Autism Spectrum Disorders - Canadian American Research Consortium (ASD-CARC). Seeing these researchers share their ideas and findings via teleconferencing allowed me to experience the importance of collaboration extending even into research. It was a great feeling to be able contribute to this collaboration when Dr. Xudong Liu (my supervisor), Emilia Fantauzzi (lab partner and fellow summer student) and I prepared DNA samples (over 1000 samples) to be sent to researchers of the ASD-CARC.
    
Working this summer in Dr. Holden’s ASD lab also exposed me to the convergence of various disciplines of science. For example, during the summer, the research lab bought a mobile research laboratory in which various data collection tools can be equipped, so that our researchers can travel to the patients themselves to collect data. One hypothesis being tested on the mobile lab surrounds certain aspects of how autistic individuals move their eyes when engaged in gazing, suggesting perhaps a difference in various brain regions associated with vision. This idea requires the combination and collaboration of neuroscientists (cognition) to identify the brain regions at work, psychologists (behaviour) to study the behaviour, and finally geneticists (us) which take DNA samples and look for genes known for disorders concerning eye movement and perhaps try to match up these findings with those of autistic patients. I was lucky to experience this heightened level of cooperation, not only to learn how to work as a team, but to understand the picture as a whole by learning beyond my discipline.   

It was a great pleasure working with highly accomplished researchers such as Dr. Xudong Liu and PhD students Patrick Malenfant and Joe Hettinger. They have truly opened my eyes to the level of dedication and hard work needed to succeed in advanced research. While sharing an office with Patrick he introduced me to his cabinet; in it was a collection of articles on autism all of which he has read, a volume size surpassing the complete collection of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. I was only able to read a few of these articles during the summer, through which I gained a full appreciation of the time and effort it took Patrick, not just to read but also to understand each and every article.

Although, it was unfortunate to not have worked with Dr. Jeanette Holden directly this summer, her enthusiasm and passion could be felt in the lab. On the very first day of work, Dr. Holden spoke to us via telephone, even though she was at the hospital battling cancer, to tell us the importance of the research conducted in her lab and how it can change the lives of those suffering from autism. This message gave great purpose to the work I was about to start. It made me realize that each individual sample of DNA was in fact a person, and every set of samples -a family, who have entrusted in us their time, effort and literally a part of themselves. I could feel a sense of responsibility to not let them down.  

This experience has shaped my understanding of what it takes to be a researcher, but also the importance of teamwork and cooperation. I will use this experience as a guide for my future endeavours as a student and as a future researcher.