Margaret McCoy’s research project, Control of Meiotic Prophase One Progression in the Perinatal Mouse Ovary, focused on developing an in house method for analyzing meiotic prophase one. Margaret created a timeline of meiotic prophase one mice ages 17.5dpc to PND 4, and analyzed the effect estrogen deficiency and MEK inhibition have on meitoic prophase one progression.  One of the major challenges of her project was finding enough mice of the correct age to work with. Her capstone funding allowed her to obtain and care for the mice she needed to complete this research.

For Margaret, the best part of doing a Capstone was coming to truly understand a master a subject to her fullest ability. This came second only to the feeling of accomplishment when the project is complete! Her advisor, Dr. Melissa Pepling, and lab tech, Sue Getman, were an essential part of her endeavor.

Margaret’s parting advice to future capstone students is tried and true: write the capstone early!