As I begin to wrap up this summer of science, I am feeling lucky to have been selected for not only my Health Science Research Fellowship, but also for my lab and the learning and mentorship that have come along with it. My fellowship through the Frederick Honor’s College proved to me just how lucky we all are to have the opportunity to conduct independent research in fields that we passionately care about. Not all students find this passion, and even fewer have this opportunity.
When I began this fellowship, I found the stretch of “fill-in-the-blank” time that comprised the coming summer months quite daunting. This was the first time that I could really devote my full self to literature review, experimental planning, and data collection. I was excited that I could treat my research as my first priority and wasn’t mired down by a semester of difficult classes. I had a lot of hope for this summer, I hoped that I might feel I have moved from the preliminary data stages of the project to the full swing of hypothesis testing. I am happy to say that this hope became a reality.
My understanding of this process did change as I progressed, however. I learned that plans do not always pan out, especially when dealing with biological samples that tend to have a lot of variance. Repeating experiments when I hoped I could move forward to the next always felt like a failure. But I had to change my perspective and accept that this is part of the scientific process and I was learning something new at every bump in the road. I definitely found these failures and trouble-shooting to be the most valuable part of my summer experience.
My project involves a lot of moving components. I work with a cellular model of the blood brain barrier which is comprised of vascular endothelial cells that are the “blood” side, and microglia which are the “brain” side. Even developing this model and characterizing the cells was extremely time consuming. Once the model was set up, it was time to move on to my true project aims. These aims involve the application of ultrasound-targeted microbubble cavitation, a cutting edge therapeutic used in the treatment of many diseases across the body. After this treatment, I run a series of experiments on the cells, including immunofluorescence imaging and quantitative PCR, which measures gene expression levels. The most rewarding part of this process has been collecting novel data that has not yet been shown by other scientists. I think it is incredibly exciting to be able to contribute to scientific knowledge and fill in gaps in understanding.
Moving forward, I plan to pursue a post-graduate degree. I am currently deciding between a PhD or a MD, but either way, I know research will continue to be a big part of my life. I also hope that in the coming year, I am able to present the research that I completed this summer, and also write an undergraduate thesis. I hope to be lucky enough with data collection to also be able to write a manuscript for publication. I can’t wait to see what the next years in science have in store!
