The campus of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center is teeming with pristine labs. Within each of these labs, one will find a combination of intricate and expensive machines, samples of cancerous tissue, and scientists wearing white lab coats. Every worker, whether in the lab or an office, is decorated with vast amounts of knowledge pertaining to their study. With such high levels of skill, intelligence, and dedication, one may expect an intimidating atmosphere. However, after two weeks at Fred Hutch, I can confidently say that my highlight was having the privilege to interact with the employees around the campus.
Throughout the two weeks, my group and I had ample opportunity to attend panels and presentations in which workers from Fred Hutch would explain their job, involve the students, and talk to us. I found each employee to be as kind and warm as the next. A prime example of this attitude is found in Dr. Barry Stoddard who, despite working with complicated and expensive x-ray machinery, wears summery, plaid shorts and a loose fitting polo to work. He shared his field of research with us through a presentation. Working in the x-ray crystallography lab, he uses protein crystals to create 3d models and representations of proteins. With those models, scientists can develop drugs and solutions to other protein based problems. The interest in his work was obvious and his knowledge he had for the topic was extensive. He then took us to his lab and showed us the x-ray machine. All of the expensive machinery was contrasted by a disco ball hanging from the ceiling. Dr. Stoddard recalled “liberating” it with a friend while attending MIT. He talked about how it is used to relax and destress when frustration in his lab’s research inevitably surfaces. It is this playfulness and humor that makes Fred Hutch such a special place.
Another prime example of makes Fred Hutch so special is Dr. Mesfin Gewe, who is one of the most intelligent and nice people I have ever met. He works on Project Violet, which is a lab that uses naturally occurring proteins to fix human problems. An example of this is the use of Israeli death stalker scorpion toxins to mark and find tumors in the body. He engaged my group with a series of question and comments as we roamed his large lab. Each scientists we past was more than happy to share what they did and welcomed everyone with a smile. Dr. Gewe’s talk was engaging as it paralleled his impressive, vast pool of knowledge regarding his studies. Yet, the entire time, I felt fully welcomed.
The teachers and mentors that were part of the Explorers Program also showed the same traits of kindness and genuine interest in their work and my groups future. Throughout the program, each individual demonstrated their high level of education regarding microbiology. However, what was even more impressive was their desire to learn more. Every day, they would all take time out of their own days to answer probing questions that students asked. Each answer was complete and in-depth as they would often go down rabbit holes of research. It was evident that they all cared about the students and the cause of Fred Hutch.
In the end, I was pleasantly surprised by Fred Hutch. The research they do and advancements they make resonate on a global scale. Fred Hutch is a leader of scientific progression across the entire world, however, this does not stop them from shutting down any stigma of exclusiveness or haughtiness. I have realized that the people who make these advancements are not super humans, they are just normal people working to make the world a better place.
