What began as a basic science research project for Aude Peden evolved to a much more complex study to help people. Peden, a post-doctoral fellow with the department of biology, came to the U to identify new genes that regulate the nervous system using genetic screens and small roundworms as a modal system. Peden’s project revealed a natural byproduct that kills parasitic worms in sheep. Peden’s background is part of what drives her. She grew up in the western African nation of Gabon, where nematode worms affect everything from livestock to people.
