The Baserga lab snack drawer is usually stocked with pretzels, chocolate, and other savory delights. However, until recently we had been unsatisfied with our choice of healthy carbohydrate options. We'd tried Triscuits, Ritz crackers, Goldfish, and numerous other "multi-grain snack cracker" type foods. However, none seemed to fit the bill. As the holder of the greatest prowess in genetic manipulation, Franziska set out to design a "Super Cracker." Really, what we wanted was a snack that "walked" so readily into our mouths, we wouldn't have to waste any extra time between experiments. After unveiling the structure Franziska used to solve our snacking dilemma, it was quickly snapped up for publication. The Yale publicity office immediately came over to interview Susan.
“It looks like a wheat thin with feet,” Susan said. “When you can discern structure, you can often figure out function.” And in this case, the function is making our tummies happy.
Check out the Yale Office of Public Affairs' story on the story here.
