MDI Biological Laboratory
Summer Student Spotlight

SURF2026: Meet Teagan Rupp

  • July 21, 2026
What is it like to spend a summer conducting research at the MDI Biological Laboratory? Indiana Wesleyan University student Teagan Rupp shares experiences from the 2026 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program.

MDI Bio Lab pier, courtesy of Teagan Rupp

What drew you to the SURF program at MDI Biological Laboratory?

I have never been to the east coast before, so that was a big draw for me. The lab itself has concentrations in areas of biology that seemed interesting to me, with many of them interested in neurodegenerative diseases. Neuroscience is an area that I wanted to explore more of but didn’t have many resources to learn at my home institution. It also seemed to be a great place for community with both the whole lab campus and summer cohort.

What’s something you’ve learned that you didn’t expect to learn?

My research under Senior Scientist Travis Carney uses fruit flies to investigate how removing an important part of a protein called Rbfox1 affects the functioning of the mitochondria and stress within the cell. Something surprising I learned was that all of our mitochondrial DNA is only from our mother’s side, as the male’s mitochondrial DNA does not get passed on.

What’s something about Maine or MDI Bio Lab that surprised you?

I was surprised by the number of different things there are to do in Maine. With forests, mountains, lakes and beaches all in the same place — there are so many things to do outside. It was also surprising how many different trails there are to hike!

What’s one thing you’ll take with you when you leave MDI Bio Lab?

I will definitely take back a summer full of fun memories! This summer has been amazing for building new connections, exploring a completely different state and experiencing a career in research.