麻豆村

When neuroscience student Ronan McGuire arrived at 麻豆村, he knew he wanted to get involved in research. Over the summer, that interest led him to a project tackling a complex question at the intersection of neuroscience and microbiology: Could the gut microbiome help explain why autism affects people differently?

Supported by a Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF), McGuire spent the summer working with researchers in the labs of Kate Hong, assistant professor of biological sciences, and Zheng Kuang, Eberly Family Associate Professor of Biological Sciences. Together, the team is investigating whether differences in gut bacteria early in development may contribute to variation in autism-related traits.

McGuire joined the project through Hong's lab, where he had been conducting research during the academic year. He was particularly intrigued by the gut-brain axis, the network of communication linking the digestive system and the brain.

"I'd heard about the gut-brain axis in some of my classes previously, but we never really went into it. The novelty of the idea drew me in," he said.

McGuire is one of four undergraduate researchers from Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh contributing to the project. Working alongside faculty mentors, the students helped develop research methods and address challenges as the collaboration took shape.

Because the work explored new territory for both labs, students played an active role in developing experimental approaches, including building behavioral testing systems from scratch.

For McGuire, a student in the聽Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences's Department of Psychology, the experience has underscored the importance of approaching autism research thoughtfully.

"Autism is complicated and can look very different from person to person. It's important to approach autism research with respect and open-mindedness," he said.

Originally from Chicago, McGuire said he chose Carnegie Mellon because of its strong research opportunities. The SURF fellowship allowed him to remain in Pittsburgh over the summer and focus full time on the project.

"Using the resources from the grant, I was able to live here without worrying about sacrificing my finances to gain experience," McGuire said.

For Hong, the benefits of McGuire鈥檚 fellowship extended beyond student support.

"The SURF program provided the support that helped us start a new collaboration between the two labs that would have been difficult to pursue, as existing students and staff were already committed to other projects," Hong said.

McGuire continues to work on the project during the academic year through research for academic credit. He hopes to pursue a Ph.D. and a career in scientific research.

The collaboration continues to grow, with undergraduate researchers helping advance a new area of inquiry for both labs.

"The students are gaining valuable research experience, learning to work as a team and forming the foundation of an entirely new direction of research for both of our labs," Hong said. "Beyond what we can offer the students, the lab has also gained talented, budding scientists who are already making meaningful contributions to our research."