USU Student Finds Molecular and Cell Biology as Pathway to Ph.D.
Matthew Stinson recently graduated with a Ph.D. from the Molecular and Cell Biology degree program at the Uniformed Services University.
 |
Dr. Matthew Stinson, a recent Ph.D. graduate at USU's MCB degree program, presents his Research Days poster on macrophage migration through integrin binding to his father. (Photo courtesy of Matthew Stinson) |
June 13, 2024 by Vivian Mason
Matthew Stinson, a recent Ph.D. graduate of the Molecular and Cell Biology (MCB) degree program at
the Uniformed Services University (USU), has always been consumed with an insatiable curiosity for science. “I’ve always loved learning and have always been fascinated with trying to understand how things work.”
 |
Dr. Matthew Stinson, a recent Ph.D. graduate from USU's MCB degree program. (Photo credit: Tom Balfour, USU) |
Following his father's suggestion, Stinson applied to USU and was accepted. “I really liked all the students that I met, and it felt like a good fit for me.” Although initially uncertain about his specific area of study, his experience with cloning and molecular biology tasks pointed him towards molecular cell biology. Dr. Jeremy Rotty's presentation, featuring a captivating video of cells migrating inside a mouse’s ear, solidified Stinson’s interest in macrophages and immune response research.
Stinson's graduate research looked at a type of immune cell called macrophages and how they move around on fibrous proteins outside of cells. Macrophages play a key role in getting rid of harmful invaders and fixing damaged tissue. However, they can become harmful when affected by diseases, like in the case of tumor-associated macrophages that change the immune system to support tumor growth.
Stinson also looked at how physical forces that influence cell movement and shape in the body, like the tight spaces created by tissue structure, can be recreated in the lab. He and his team fine-tuned an experimental strategy that forces cells to migrate under an agarose gel barrier, to study how these tight spaces influence macrophage movement, making the lab conditions more similar to those in the body.
“By studying how the composition of the extracellular matrix and the physical forces it creates can influence macrophage behavior, we can better understand how macrophages can become dysregulated by disease states and lose their important functionality,” Stinson explains.
Looking to the future, Stinson acknowledges the many unanswered questions in his field. “It’s finding out the ground-level information that someone in the future could develop. We’re on the cusp of that.” His thesis, "Extracellular Matrix Composition and Agarose-Induced Confinement Extrinsically Regulate Macrophage Migration, Morphology, and Adhesion," was a significant milestone. “Honestly, it was kind of a big deal just to be able to sit down and put everything together from my past six years of study into a thesis and come up with a well-written, complete product.”
Stinson has co-authored several posters and academic publications, including a paper co-authored with graduate students Sophia Liu and Alexander J. Laurenson, as well as Dr. Jeremy Rotty, for the scientific journal Molecular Biology of the Cell titled “Macrophage Migration Is Differentially Regulated by Fibronectin and Laminin Through Altered Adhesion and Myosin II Localization.” This publication was also submitted for Paper of the Year by the journal. “That was a ‘wow’ moment that I could have never pictured happening for me,” Stinson remarks.
Stinson, reflecting on his time in the Rotty lab, appreciates the one-on-one training and mentorship he received. “I feel as though this greatly improved my scientific reasoning, experimental design, as well as my presentation and writing skills.”
Despite the expected and unexpected challenges, such as the difficulties of writing his thesis and retaking a programming class during COVID, Stinson found research exciting. “I’m posing new questions and performing experiments that have never been done before,” he says. “It’s rewarding whenever an experiment runs smoothly and there’s new data to interpret. Sometimes, things don’t always turn out as expected, but outcomes can be interesting and reveal more. It’s exciting – that possibility of helping to explain things that we don’t fully understand.”
By studying molecular cell biology, Stinson was able to examine a field that genuinely excited him, and allowed him to keep his options open for postgraduate work.
“In research,” cautions Stinson, “you're not always going to get the results you're hoping for. So, you have to put in the work to actually understand what it is you're trying to do and just keep on trying.”
He was attracted to USU because students were deeply involved in cutting-edge research. “Here,” Stinson says, “we can get hands-on exposure and experience to prepare us for future careers. There’s a very pronounced emphasis on the collaborative nature of the department, too. So, I knew it would be a supportive environment rather than a competitive one.”
.jpg) | |
After passing, Stinson and lab staff stand before the first slide of his public defense presentation of his Ph.D. thesis. From left: Dr. Jeremy Rotty, Matthew Stinson, Rohini Manickam, Summer Paulson, and Sophia Liu. (Photo courtesy of Matthew Stinson) |
Reflecting on his overall experience, Stinson values the collaborative community at USU. “I like getting to know people’s faces over time and not feel lost in a sea of research. They are very willing to talk and are very supportive. As I've advanced through the program, I still feel like I could reach out to any faculty member with scientific or professional questions. All of these things helped with my experience here…USU as an institution has provided me with opportunities beyond just my scientific development. I've become a more well-rounded person and scholar.”
Stinson found that the faculty, mentors, teaching staff, administrative staff, and students can be depended on whether your problem is a scientific one or not. He insists that, “It has made my experience as a graduate student a positive one.”
Looking ahead, Stinson is exploring postdoctoral positions to continue studying cell migration.
“Right now, I’m still kind of looking around for a postdoc position. I definitely want to continue in that direction to study cell migration in different contexts,” says Stinson. “I’m currently checking out different labs to apply to. That’s the direction I want to go in for now. Perhaps in the future, I’ll consider going into academic writing or the communications side of science.”
Stinson concludes, “Overall, I fully accept the path I’ve taken, and thank my USU family for their unwavering support and commitment to excellence. I’m very excited by the light at the end of the Ph.D. tunnel that guides me to my goals and dreams.”
