Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship

What was involved 

The past summer I have been researching under the mentorship of Dr. Jackie McAlees in the Lewkowich Lab. The lab investigated allergic asthma and significant factors in its etiology such as environmental, paternal, and maternal factors that can exacerbate allergic phenotypes. My project investigated if perinatal dysbiosis, or the alteration of the gut microbiome by the use of phthalate (a chemical found in plastics and cosmetic products) can increase the suceptibility of mice to atopic dermatitis (ezcema). We treated mouse mothers with phthalate through intraperitoneal injection which allowed offspring to be affected through breast milk. When the mice grew to a certain age, atopic dermatitis was induced through the skin by shaving their hair, placing a patch soaked in house dust mite (allergen) or PBS (control) and secured with a tagaderm bandage. After each week of patching, the severity of ezcema was assessed using a trans-epidermal water loss device which measured quantity of water loss. The data was acumulated over 4-5 patchings over the summer and analyzed for significance.

What I learned from the experience

My biggest takeaways from the experience were the planning and presenting stages of experiments. Although I had some logistics experience in the past, nothing could have prepared me for the logistics of working in a laboratory. To meet specific deadlines, experiments had to planned months in advance, in which various occurences could happen. I learned how to effectively plan my experiment and modify it in times of unexpected situations. Another aspect of the experience that I took away is the presenting aspect of laboratory work. I learned that presenting a scientific work is much like telling a story, each section of the poster flowing into another. At first, I did not know the order that information can be so important, but it can make or break a presentation due to clarity and how well it transitions. Like a story, different pieces of the plot cannot be told in different order.

How it impacted my life

The fellowship impacted my life by providing me with more exposure to laboratory research, allowing me to explore if I prefer this side of medicine or the clinical side instead. Over the past few months, I would say I have definitely grown a love for working in a laboratory although the clinical side of medicine still attracts me. Whether I pursue a MD or MD/PhD degree in the future, I know that I can still be involved in research and have made a strong network in a short 2-3 months of participating in the program. I will continue to find more opportunities for me to explore what I'd like to do in the future, perhaps involving myself in the more clinical side.