Isaac Hutchinson

ABOUT THE RESEARCHER

1. Who are you doing research with this summer and what kind of research project are you doing ?

This summer I am doing research with Dr. Jean Francois Jasmine (Dr. JF) on a type of brain cancer known as glioblastoma multiform. The type of research I am doing would be referred to as in-vitro meaning that I am working with cells in a dish as opposed to animal studies. 

 2. What do you find fascinating in the research that you’re doing ?

The most interesting part of this project is all the outside learning I’m doing to better understand why glioblastoma multiform behaves the way it does. Over the course of the previous couple weeks I’ve been sifting through various journals in an attempts to fill in the gaps in my knowledge of this disease. 

3. What skills are you learning through the USURF experience ?

Through my USURF experience I am better learning the skills of time management in addition to practicing all skills relative to my project. By the end of the summer I have no doubt I will be well adept in lentiviral infection and western blot assays. 

 4. What are the challenges you’re encountering in your research ?

The only struggle I’ve had during my research is dealing with results that I don’t understand. On occasion I’ve found myself following my experimental procedure to the letter and still not consistently getting the results I expected, especially with western blots. On the bright side, I’ve realized that this is just the nature of research. In my case every “failure” is another understood quality of the cancer. 

 5. How is your USURF experience impacting the way you view your field ?

Through my USURF experience my view of my field has shifted. I now better appreciate the work that goes into creating drug delivery devices. In the case of brain cancer it is harder to deliver drugs due to the presence of the blood brain barrier. People in the field of pharmaceutical sciences look to uncover routes through and around that barrier.

 6. Tell us something interesting about yourself.

Something interesting about me? Four years ago I was looking into UARTS and the Academy for Music and Dramatic Arts, now I’m doing grant funded brain cancer research. You never really know what kind of hand life is going to give you.