Hello, my name is Advaith Shyam, and I am a rising junior at Eastlake High School, Sammamish. In the summer of 2024, I spent two enriching weeks at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center. Here, I learnt and gained valuable knowledge and insights into the world of cancer research that I could not have obtained anywhere else. This experience at the Fred Hutch Explorers Pathways Program has been a wonderful opportunity to not only practice valuable skills used in the field, but also talk to many professionals and make new friends. I enjoyed every moment of the program, and here are the highlights I enjoyed the most.
As part of this program, I was able to conduct and participate in several lab activities. The most interesting to me was the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) of the B2M lab that we did. In this lab, I not only learned the correct process of how to carry out a PCR procedure, but also why it is so important in many labs. PCR is a process that helps scientists and researchers create many copies of a specific section of DNA. PCR is a lengthy process, but it includes three steps. This starts with denaturation which is where DNA strands separate. Then, annealing occurs when special primers attach to the DNA. Lastly, extension is where a special Taq Polymerase attaches to the primer and creates a new strand. In our lab, we used micropipettes to mix a combination of reagents that would allow the PCR to be carried out. We first added PCR-grade water which helped dilute the template DNA. We then added a master mix which consisted of Taq DNA Polymerase, Nucleotides (the building blocks), and Primers (the guides). We also included the template B2M DNA that was going to be copied. The last steps were to centrifuge the solution to bring it to the bottom and placing it in a glow box to visualize the DNA. Working with others and going to the dark room to see the DNA was a lot of fun.
Caption: This is a picture of the PCR lab. On the left is a microtube of the B2M DNA that had the PCR procedure applied to it, and on the right is a negative control microtube without any special additions. The SYBR rSafe solution helped us see the DNA in the glow box, which meant that our lab was successful.
In this program, I also enjoyed many of the lectures and presentations given during our time. My favorites were presented by Dr. Abizar and Dr. Raabya. I was really intrigued by the progression of cancer-detecting technology, particularly in the form of liquid biopsy. Through the detailed presentation given by Dr. Abizar, I found out how liquid biopsy can be used in many countries and is useful in detecting the metastasis of cancerous cells. Dr. Raabya’s presentation helped me realize how unique everybody is. I realized from her presentation how important it is to pursue what you love doing and explore different areas.
Caption: Here I am using a micropipette to get the exact amount of DNA from a microtube. I used this tool in many of the labs we did, and it was fun getting to practice with them. To get the experiment to be successful, I had to make sure I had just the right amount.
As Explorers, we certainly explored many different areas of Fred Hutch. Looking at many of the divisions and buildings showed me how diverse and committed Fred Hutch is to cancer research. I enjoyed seeing the Arnold and Eastlake buildings, as well as the Allen Institute.
Caption: A view of beautiful South Lake Union. This picture was taken from the Allen Institute where we learned about neurology and immunology efforts to combat cancer.
Caption: Some of the awesome people I met and friends that I made throughout the program. Working and learning together was a blast.
I really enjoyed this program and met many people who I admire and am great friends with. Through this program, I was able to learn many things about cancer research and get so many answers to my questions. I am extremely grateful to have this experience and get guidance from Dr. G, the TAs, and many others. I can’t wait to move forward with the knowledge I gained and look forward to coming back as an intern and potentially work here.
Comments