{"id":13647,"date":"2026-07-23T08:30:53","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T13:30:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/?post_type=campus_story&p=13647"},"modified":"2026-07-23T08:30:54","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T13:30:54","slug":"feeding-discovery-uwl-student-researcher-grows-proteins-to-study-gut-inflammation","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/feeding-discovery-uwl-student-researcher-grows-proteins-to-study-gut-inflammation\/","title":{"rendered":"Feeding discovery: UWL student researcher grows proteins to study gut inflammation\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Dylan<\/a>
Dylan McCathie, UWL junior and biochemistry major, grows proteins in the lab in the Prairie Springs Science Center.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Every day this summer, Dylan McCathie feeds his yeast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The UWL junior is not baking bread. He is growing proteins in the lab to better understand gut health and inflammation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

McCathie is studying alkaline phosphatase, an enzyme that plays an important role in the human digestive system. His research explores why this enzyme in humans and other mammals can be shut down by fatty, oil-like molecules, while a similar enzyme in bacteria continues to function normally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, he hopes to uncover what makes the human version structurally different \u2014 and more vulnerable. Understanding this could help scientists better explain digestive and inflammatory conditions, as well as how fat-like molecules influence gut health.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cResearch truly comes down to exploring something unknown in ways no one may have ever done before, which can be really exciting, though it does require an open mind and quite a lot of planning,” says McCathie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing proteins <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Dylan McCathie says the summer undergraduate research project is helping to build skills for the future \u2014 in particular hands-on experience in genetic engineering, microbiology and protein analysis.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To study the enzyme closely, McCathie needs larger amounts of it than the human body can easily provide. So he turns to yeast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By inserting the human gene for alkaline phosphatase into a yeast strain called Pichia pastoris<\/em>, McCathie transforms the microorganism into a protein-producing factory. Each day, he feeds the yeast small amounts of methanol, which triggers the cells to produce the enzyme. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once enough protein is produced, McCathie tests whether it is properly folded and functioning as it would in the human body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From there, he can begin experimenting. By making small changes to the enzyme\u2019s building blocks \u2014 amino acids \u2014 he can compare the human version to the bacterial version and identify which structural features make the human enzyme sensitive to fatty molecules. Similar to swapping parts in a machine to determine which component causes it to fail, modifications help pinpoint the regions responsible for the enzyme’s behavior. Even slight changes in protein structure can dramatically affect how a protein functions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alkaline phosphatase is important because it helps regulate how the intestines respond to bacteria and toxins. When the enzyme is inhibited, it may contribute to gut inflammation. Researchers also believe it plays a role in early immune system development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to understanding gut health, the research may also provide insight into how newborns develop protection against harmful bacteria.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That foundational knowledge could eventually contribute to future medical treatments and drug development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Skills for his future<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
McCathie and other UWL students showcase their research and network with industry professionals during the second annual Biochemistry & Careers Event in May at the Cleary Alumni & Friends Center.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For McCathie, the project is also an opportunity to build skills for the future \u2014 in particular hands-on experience in genetic engineering, microbiology and protein analysis \u2014 core techniques in biochemistry and molecular biology. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most challenging parts, he says, was the sterile technique needed for the research. This set of strict practices used to eliminate all microorganisms required new technical skills he hadn\u2019t yet learned. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe most helpful thing for me to overcome this was remembering that I\u2019m there to learn and that mistakes are bound to happen,\u201d says McCathie. \u201cThe most important thing is that you be honest with yourself and learn from those mistakes.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He plans to pursue graduate school and is considering a career in research or teaching. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis experience has been absolutely incredible,\u201d McCathie says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Written by UW-La Crosse University Marketing & Communications<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Link to original story: https:\/\/www.uwlax.edu\/news\/posts\/feeding-discovery\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Every day this summer, Dylan McCathie feeds his yeast.  The UWL junior is not baking bread. He is growing proteins in the lab to better understand gut health and inflammation.  McCathie is studying alkaline phosphatase, an enzyme that plays an important role in the human digestive system. His research explores why this enzyme in humans […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":13648,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","institution":[104],"story_category":[150,146],"class_list":["post-13647","campus_story","type-campus_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","institution-uw-la-crosse","story_category-featured","story_category-research-innovation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story\/13647","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/campus_story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13647"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13648"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13647"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"institution","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/institution?post=13647"},{"taxonomy":"story_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story_category?post=13647"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}