Madison McNeal-Martinis ’27, Molecular Biology

Madison McNeal-Martinis ’27

Major

Molecular Biology

Project Title

Using Solid-state Fermentation To Create Nutrient-dense Food

Presentation Link

View Madison's Presentation

Minor(s): African American Studies, Bioengineering

Anthropogenic climate change is one of the most important issues of our time. The food system is one of the biggest contributors to the greenhouse gas emissions that accelerate climate change, with animal products accounting for the vast majority of those emissions. Thus, in tackling climate change, it is essential that we consider ways to minimize our reliance on animal products by creating alternative ways to obtain the nutrients usually found in animal products. I worked with Mycsology Foods, a startup hoping to solve this issue through solid-state fermentation by growing microorganisms on a solid substrate to ultimately create nutrient-dense food ingredients. I helped quantify the protein content of several fermented samples using analytical assays and helped optimize a protein extraction method. I also helped develop methods to quantify amino acid content and B vitamin content in these samples using high-performance liquid chromatography. Overall, this internship introduced me to new lab techniques, increased my confidence working in a lab environment and made me excited to continue to pursue biological research as a career.