While many student-athletes spend the summer recharging or training for their upcoming seasons, Charger women's tennis player, Payton Dugan, took on a challenge that blended academic curiosity with athletic discipline. During a five-week summer biomedical research program, Payton worked alongside four other students and professors Jamie Jukosky and Chery Whipple on a series of cell culture and regeneration research projects.
The primary focus of Payton's work was on Lumbriculus variegatus, more commonly known as the California blackworm—a freshwater annelid known for its remarkable ability to regenerate. "These worms can show blastema regeneration within just 24 hours," Payton explained. "They can be repeatedly bisected and still fully regenerate their cardiovascular and nervous systems."
Over the course of the program, the team bisected the worms and tracked regeneration across five different time points, measuring both blastema and cardiovascular regrowth. They also tested primers for potential use in quantitative PCR (qPCR) to analyze regenerative gene expression, extracted RNA for further study, and preserved samples for future research.
Their findings were compiled into a research poster, which the group presented at the NH-INBRE Conference at the Omni Mount Washington Resort—a culminating experience that brought their weeks of work to life. Alongside the lab work, the students participated in a weekly "book club," discussing current research papers and broader scientific issues.
For Payton, the summer didn't stop in the lab. "I tried to play as much tennis as possible," Payton said. "Jacob and Alex from the Charger men's tennis team were around this summer, so I got to hit with them quite a bit." Payton also practiced with the Kearsarge High School tennis team to help them prepare for their state championship and worked individually with their top player.
When not on the courts, Payton could often be found lifting at Hogan, running around New London, or spending time with fellow student-athletes who were working nearby at Dartmouth. "It was a really great summer—lots of time in the lab, lots of training, and a chance to keep growing both as a student and an athlete," said Payton.
Now, Payton plans to continue the California blackworm regeneration research as a capstone project, taking the lessons and data from the summer program into the academic year. Whether in the research lab or on the tennis courts, Payton Dugan continues to embody the balance of academic excellence and athletic dedication that defines the Charger spirit.
Colby-Sawyer women's tennis is competing in their first year with Conference New England and currently sits in third place.
