Ribosomal hibernation and suspended animation in C. elegans
Dengke Ma, Professor
UC San Francisco
Closed. This professor is continuing with Fall 2025 apprentices on this project; no new apprentices needed for Spring 2026.
Life requires a constant supply of energy, yet animals can adapt by slowing down or temporarily shutting off costly processes. One key strategy is ribosomal hibernation, in which ribosomes—the cell’s protein-making machines—pause activity to conserve resources. In the nematode C. elegans, ribosomal hibernation is linked to sleep-like states and to “suspended animation,” a remarkable condition where development and behavior can completely halt under stresses such as oxygen deprivation and pathogen exposure. This project will explore how ribosomal hibernation helps coordinate sleep and suspended animation, using genetics, microscopy, and molecular biology. Our goal is to uncover fundamental principles of how organisms preserve energy and survive extreme conditions.
Role: The undergraduate student will be learning experimental techniques and scientific methods in this project with postdocs, under the supervision of PI.
Qualifications: Curious mind, ideally with basic genetic and molecular biology skills.
Hours: 12 or more hours
Off-Campus Research Site: UCSF Cardiovascular Research Institute 555 Mission Bay South Blvd, SCVRB Room 214 San Francisco
Related website: http://malab.ucsf.edu
Biological & Health Sciences