Hello, my name is Elodia Caballero and I am a senior at Brentwood High School. I have previously worked with the distribution of invasive plant species and regeneration in a model organism. However, I feel that the Dávalos lab will introduce me to a different area of science I wish to explore more in my college endeavors. My current project is about assessing ribosomal genes in the malaria parasite, Plasmodium and its contribution to the ecology of 8 of its species, each infecting different hosts. Malaria is a lethal killer in poverty stricken areas and its resistance to drugs is advancing. Its success is attributed to a number of adaptions implemented to help it hide from its host immune system. Understanding the roles of ribosomal proteins in the variation among the species Plasmodium may provide answers to this problem. I hope to use this project to expand my knowledge in computer software such as utilizing Blast, R and Geneious. I believe this experience will aid me in becoming a self-sufficient individual who is able to question things and find its answer.