My experience as an Explorer at Fred Hutch was a once in a lifetime experience that I would do again in any multiverse. I was able to spend 2 weeks in an amazing community and lab setting where I got to perform experiments and connect with new people. Being an Explorer at Fred Hutch seemed intimidating from the second I submitted my application to the minute I walked in (late!) on my first day. I can positively say that I enjoyed every single second of my time here.
Throughout these past two weeks we explored different concepts within the field of cancer and biomedical research. We learned how to micropipette, make & fill gels, conduct lab experiments, and we got the pleasure of hearing from a few AMAZING guest speakers. During my last week at The Hutch I was able to hear a lecture from Jeff Armour-Rodgers about BMT & Immunotherapy. During this lecture I learned about how Bone Marrow Therapy Transplants are conducted and how they are beneficial to Cancer patients. Jeff also explained the purpose of immunotherapy medications and the continuous effort to make these medications universal.
Our cohort was able to explore the role of CAR T-cells (among other things) as a way to treat a patient's cancer. The CAR T-cell therapy is a really great example of immunotherapy and helped me understand why universal medications are necessary. For this therapy, a patients T-Cells (T Lymphocytes/one of our many immune cells) are engineered to bind to cancerous cells and kill them. Usually, the T-Cells are extracted from a patients blood but sometimes they aren’t healthy enough to produce enough of their own. Similarly to Bone Marrow Therapy there is an option for a donor transplant. Unfortunately with a donor transplant there is the risk of the patients body rejecting and attacking the foreign cells. If scientists were able to create universal T-Cells that would be accepted into the bodies of those who can’t produce their own, the CAR T-Cell therapy would be available and beneficial to a lot more people.
I truly enjoyed working at the Fred Hutch as an Explorer and I am incredibly grateful for the people who made this opportunity possible. The diversity and inclusivity was beyond amazing and taught me so much about what it means to be a scientist. I was able to see first hand the benefits of teamwork and in the process made some really amazing friends. Before this program I wasn’t sure what choices I had for the future as a student interested in science/biology but not interested in attending medical school. This program opened a lot of new pathways for me and I cannot wait to continue exploring.
My wonderful new friends and I posing with Dr. Kay while waiting for our lab results.
Explorers 2022 cohort #2
Picture from the worm lab we got to visit.