Internship

About the Internship

My internship site is committed to discovering innovative treatment strategies for bone and mineral diseases through comprehensive basic and preclinical research. Among our most significant projects are those focused on osteoporosis, a condition that results in decreased bone mass and density due to various genetic factors. We are also investigating Autosomal Dominant Osteopetrosis Type II, a rare disorder affecting 1 in 20,000 individuals, which is characterized by abnormal and excessively dense bone growth. Unfortunately, an affordable and effective cure for this condition remains elusive.

In my research project, I am examining the potential of Torin 1 through cell culture studies. Initial results show promise in enhancing the production of osteoclasts while effectively reducing bone density. This research could significantly advance our understanding and treatment options for these challenging conditions.

Since the start of September, when I first joined the team, I've had many successes that helped me develop as a researcher and a student. One time I felt successful was when one of my supervisors trusted me to feed my research cells by myself without her supervision because she believed that I already had the skills and expertise necessary to complete that procedure by myself. This moment is significant because I strive daily to improve at my internship by asking relevant questions, preparing myself by reading protocols and procedures before arriving at the office, and mentally visualizing what steps could go wrong in my research to prepare myself for future obstacles. Those experiences and learnings from my coworkers and supervisors have helped me improve as a researcher so I can achieve great results that can help ADO type II patients have a better quality of life. Another instance where I had success was finding a candidate drug for my research because this required a long process of reading scientific articles, carefully selecting articles that had relevant data and results, analyzing those results, and then scheming a research plan for testing the effectiveness of the candidate drug in increasing osteoclasts and alleviating ADO type II. This process took me around two months, so when I finally came up with an appropriate research scheme involving this drug to my supervisor that met all criteria and had his approval to move on and start my project, it was an incredibly gratifying moment for me, since it took me a lot of hard work while reading, analyzing hundreds of scientific articles, and coming up with a research plan.

Some of the struggles I've encountered so far include managing the time I'm clocked in more proactively so I can utilize my weekly hours more effectively, which is something I've been planning with my coworkers and supervisors so I can mentally prepare myself for what is coming next by setting my research priorities, dealing with them individually and asking relevant questions to my supervisors. Another challenge I've encountered was pipetting liquids accurately and precisely, which is something I noticed I had a hard time doing when we were going through a practice trial of my experiment and couldn't get the wells even with liquids. To improve my pipetting skills, I asked my supervisor for extra practice, which I've been completing throughout the weeks and improving daily.

Project Summary

LHSI Poster (1).pptx

Workplace

One of the transferable skills and strengths that can contribute to the internships I’ve selected is being an effective communicator, which I was able to develop in debate class while completing Mizzou Academy’s Dual Diploma Program. This would give me a solid basis for establishing a strong relationship with my peers and conducting oral assessments. In addition, my leadership skills developed while being on the basketball team during High School for three years would aid me in working with others and inspiring them to give their best. My goals after graduating are to get into medical school and become a medical doctor (MD), and being an effective communicator and having leadership skills would help in my journey since effectively communicating information related to patient's health is extremely important in the medical field, and knowing how to manage a team and be a leader of resident doctors as a resident instructor is also necessary.

I've been a reliable contributor and proactive learner throughout the year. Ever since I first stepped foot on Econs Lab, I've been eager to learn more than merely what my project required, which is why I have previously asked my supervisor for additional training sessions on how to handle IP injections on mice to learn more about what our team aims to do and how we test and discover innovative treatment through clinical research. Additionally, I've committed myself to completing and handling my assigned tasks with excellence and spent multiple hours during weekdays and weekends, committing to my research and making my best effort to ensure that I learned and knew how to replicate all required protocols. During the start of my journey at LHSI, I committed to learning and observing how the team operated. I spent a lot of time going through research studies to find a candidate drug to be tested, and I paid close attention while asking relevant questions to demonstrate how to execute each protocol involved with cell culture. As I gained confidence and trust from my supervisor and coworkers that I knew how to manage each assigned task successfully by myself, I became more hands-on, taking ownership of tasking and anticipating what could go wrong during each step of my project to ensure that I was ready to face and overcome any potential obstacle or adversity. Over time, I could execute and handle my project with proficiency, contributing to the team's goal of testing and finding innovative forms of treatment for Autosomal Dominant Osteopetrosis Type II. Although I have a small role in the Econs Lab as an intern, my efforts in completing my research to test a candidate drug as a new form of treatment for ADO II matter to those who suffer from this condition every day and wish that one day an affordable treatment may be available in the market to suppress and stop the mental and physical implications that come with having this condition.

Successes and Challenges

Since the start of September, when I first joined the team, I've had many successes that helped me develop as a researcher and a student. One time I felt successful was when one of my supervisors trusted me to feed my research cells by myself without her supervision because she believed that I already had the skills and expertise necessary to complete that procedure by myself. This moment is significant because I strive daily to improve at my internship by asking relevant questions, preparing myself by reading protocols and procedures before arriving at the office, and mentally visualizing what steps could go wrong in my research to prepare myself for future obstacles. Those experiences and learnings from my coworkers and supervisors have helped me improve as a researcher so I can achieve great results that can help ADO type II patients have a better quality of life. Another instance where I had success was finding a candidate drug for my research because this required a long process of reading scientific articles, carefully selecting articles that had relevant data and results, analyzing those results, and then scheming a research plan for testing the effectiveness of the candidate drug in increasing osteoclasts and alleviating ADO type II. This process took me around two months, so when I finally came up with an appropriate research scheme involving this drug to my supervisor that met all criteria and had his approval to move on and start my project, it was an incredibly gratifying moment for me, since it took me a lot of hard work while reading, analyzing hundreds of scientific articles, and coming up with a research plan. All of my successes have shown me that great achievements do not come without hard work, effort and repetition. Spending multiple hours reading articles improved my attention span and critical skills, which are two things that are relevant in any medical career as being alert to what patients are reporting and analyzing articles related to health are tasks that doctors are usually dealt with everyday. In addition, preparing myself by reading protocols and procedures before arriving at the office and mentally visualizing what steps could go wrong in my research to prepare myself for future obstacles were important in my journey to become a doctor because they enhanced my ability to think critically, anticipate challenges, and adapt quickly in a fast-paced medical environment. Developing this mindset during my internship is essential for my journey to becoming a doctor, as it mirrors the responsibility and proactive thinking needed in medical decision-making.

Some of the struggles I've encountered so far include managing the time I'm clocked in more proactively so I can utilize my weekly hours more effectively, which is something I've been planning with my coworkers and supervisors so I can mentally prepare myself for what is coming next by setting my research priorities, dealing with them individually and asking relevant questions to my supervisors. Another challenge I've encountered was pipetting liquids accurately and precisely, which is something I noticed I had a hard time doing when we were going through a practice trial of my experiment and couldn't get the wells even with liquids. To improve my pipetting skills, I asked my supervisor for extra practice, which I've been completing throughout the weeks and improving daily. My coworkers were very helpful and solicitable in helping me improve my pipetting, and dedicated hours to demonstrate how to perform and achieve succesful pipetting. They assigned me multiple tasks that required a lot of my effort to ensure that I was drawing the right amount of volume, and this was extremely relevant to my research because it set me up for success later when I had to feed my cells.