Brandon Reagan is a postdoctoral researcher working in the lab of Federica Brandizzi at Michigan State University. He is a plant cell biologist studying how cells respond to stress and how plants establish a balance between growth and stress responses. In this Postdoc Portrait, he shares his research journey and how his current project incorporates his love of microscopy.
Falling in Love with the Living Cell
Q | How did you first get interested in your field of research?
While I was interested in biology broadly from a young age, it was not until I was an undergraduate researcher working in a lab at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville that discovered my passion for cell biology. I participated in a National Science Foundation-funded research experience for undergraduates and I studied cell division in Caenorhabditis elegans. During this program, I had the opportunity to use my first confocal microscope and got to watch a cell divide before my very eyes. As I watched the mitotic spindle pull the chromosomes apart, I fell in love with cell biology and microscopy in general.
Balancing Growth and Stress
Q | Tell us about your favorite research project you’re working on.
My favorite project that I am currently working on seeks to understand how specialized proteins that maintain the structure of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) regulate responses to ER stress and autophagy. I love this project because it combines my love for live cell imaging with various biochemical and molecular approaches to address an important, yet challenging biological question.
Q | What has been the most exciting part of your scientific journey so far?
The most exciting part of my career thus far has been having the opportunity to travel, meet, and work with scientists from around the world.
Q | If you could be a laboratory instrument, which one would you be and why?
I would definitely be a microscope. I have spent many hours looking through the eyepieces of different microscopes and I can honestly say that it is my favorite part of my job, and I hope that never stops.
Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
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