Genetics, Development and Cell Biology (GDCB) graduate student Abesh Bera was named a runner-up in the Graduate College’s Sixth Annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition held in late October. “Remote Spatial Coordination within Cytoskeleton Regulates Timing of Cell Division” is the title of his 3MT presentation.

Describing his research, Bera said, "When cells reproduce, they replicate their genes and divvy them up equally between the ‘parent’ and the ‘progeny’ cells. This process of gene segregation between parent and progeny is aided by microtubules — a flexible, dynamic, filamentous network of tube-shaped polymers that can randomly self-assemble and disassemble. My research focuses on how this seemingly random network of filaments works collaboratively to achieve the proper delivery of replicated genes in their respective destinations."

Bera’s major is microbiology, and his major professor is GDCB Associate Professor Mohan Gupta.

Watch Bera's presentation and learn about all of the 3MT awardees on the Graduate College website.