Researching Rukobia and the HIV Life Cycle

Alyssa Costantino, Verrazzano Class of 2021, completed major in Psychology and minor Biology

I have been fascinated with science for as long as I can remember. As a biology minor, I have truly enjoyed every course I have taken as they have each provided me with valuable knowledge that I will carry with me in the future. When I first inquired about doing research, Dr. Nancy Liu-Sullivan proposed researching the role of Rukobia in infectious disease and I was immediately intrigued. This research allowed me to combine my interests in medicine and in the human body. I was fascinated with the mechanism of the drug Rukobia, and excited that I would be able to do further research to understand how it works in the body.
In the summer of 2020, I took Biology of Disease with Professor Yilmaz, PA-C. The course taught me a great deal about HIV, which I was thankful for once I began my capstone project. I spent the part of the spring semester of 2021 reading peer reviewed journals about HIV and its mechanism, as I wanted to ensure I completely understood my topic. Doing this widened my knowledge on research and finding credible sources. I continued to do research on Rukobia, glycoproteins, and the HIV life cycle. While challenging, it was a fun experience and I learned a great deal of new information. I even enjoyed creating my poster and being creative!
I appreciate everything I learned from my mentor as well as what I learned completing this capstone. I will carry this knowledge with me into my future as a Physician Assistant. I am grateful to be a member of the Verrazzano program and I am so proud of all of my peers!