Big Passion for Small Compounds

Madrona Boutros, Verrazano Class of 2018, earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology.

The dynamic nature of Biology has continuously sparked my interest, and has allowed me to spend my undergraduate studies pursuing this field. This passion made writing my capstone seem almost effortless. I chose to work on taurine because of its numerous roles, both locally and systemically, in animals. taurine, an amino acid weighing just 125.142 g/mol has an importance in controlling the functions of almost all our biological processes. Ironically, studying Biology opened doors that did not seem related, and just like minuscule compounds like taurine, lead to extensive discoveries.

I worked with Professor El Idrissi, someone I shared a common ground with. We both have a passion and the patience to understand and grasp different parts of neuroscience, and it made the capstone experience a delightful one. He has helped me to understand crucial compounds such as taurine serve a greater purpose in regulating biological processes in order to ensure damage-free cells. 

Madrona did that!

My capstone experience has allowed me to grasp an in-depth knowledge about a topic that was mind boggling for me. How is a small molecule like taurine able to possess multitudinous functions in order to regulate important processes we cannot live without? Studying taurine in-depth has broadened my horizons in the field of Biology. It has allowed me to absorb what I have learned the last four years to aspire to become a medical malpractice attorney. Integrating both my passion and enthusiasm for Biology as well as my expertise is what will allow me to advocate and justify for patients involved in malpractice. During these past four years I have assimilated and absorbed not only basic knowledge in Biology, but also an in-depth and real world application to help me understand and aid my future clients that have been victims of medical malpractice. 

Madrona in the lab