Transgenic Mice Subject of Undergraduate Honors Thesis

 Nicole Collette's senior year at UC Davis will be remembered for her year-long probe into the molecular genetics of mammalian development. Ms. Collette's accomplishment is special since she is the first student to complete an Undergraduate Honors Thesis in Animal Science. Under the direction of Professor Jim Murray, Collete learned how to produce transgenic mice. More specifically she worked on transferring a milk protein gene from cattle into mice. Her research was part of a larger project designed to genetically manipulate the protein composition of cow's milk to provide greater flexibility in food processing applications. Ms. Collette highly recommends the honors thesis “for students who want greater responsibility and independence in a research program”. She will begin a graduate program in genetics this fall.