Allyson Z.

The past two weeks at this program have been invaluable, from touring labs, attending symposiums, and listening to various lectures given by people from different parts of the Hutch. This experience has taught me so much about various lab techniques, career paths, and most importantly, the value of collaboration in science. Scientific discoveries are hardly ever made in isolation, and through everything we did and saw in this internship, that really showed through.

My favorite thing we did during this program was touring the Bai Lab. It was super interesting to see the research that happens and seeing first-hand the use of model organisms and importance of basic sciences. In Dr Bai’s lab we saw how they research neuron communication with C. elegans. Even though Fred Hutchinson is world renowned for its cancer research, this lab really showed me the importance of basic sciences in itself, and in cancer research, and how it’s groundbreaking in its own way. The lab itself was also a super welcoming environment, and Dr. Bai was extremely knowledgeable which made the experience so memorable.

C. elegans under a microscope in the Bai Lab (thanks for the pic Portia!)

Another thing I really loved seeing was the glassware sterilization facility with Ms. LaToya. It showed me that there’s so much that goes into making research happen, and seemingly small things like glass beakers or flasks require a lot of attention to keep sterile and make research projects possible. The glassware facility is undoubtably a backbone of Fred Hutch even if it might not come to mind when we think of groundbreaking discoveries. Ms. LaToya’s expertise, energy, and infectious joy also made this tour so fun!

 Ms. LaToya giving us a tour of the glassware facility and how glassware gets sterilized

Lastly, our talk with Dr. Raabya was super informative and opened my eyes to the diversity in careers in scientific research. She and Dr. Paul gave great advice about following your passion and not being afraid to make mistakes. It was very reassuring to hear that there’s no wrong path to research. Thank you also to Kat and Tomas for their advice on MD and PhD programs, hearing your experiences were reassuring and helpful!

Thank you to my entire cohort of Explorers Session 2 2026, you guys made this program unforgettable, and I’ll always remember our mafia games and impossible puzzles. A big thank you to all the labs and facilities that hosted us! Lastly, a huge thank you to our awesome alumni helper Eden, our wonderful TAs, Dustin, Adrianna, and Kat, and of course Dr. G and Dr. Jeanne for making this program happen and giving me this incredible opportunity!

Explorers in the lab!