Portia R.

Hello! My name is Portia. I am a rising junior at Ballard High School, and I have been so appreciative to be a part of the Session 2 Research Explorers Program here at The Fred Hutch Cancer Center. It seems cliche to say that only two weeks out of my entire summer was an opportunity of a lifetime, but that is exactly what I believe. Every day we had the opportunity to learn about a wide variety of fields biomedical research, basic understandings of the development and growth of cancers, informative lecture about finding your own path in your future career, and hands on experience in a training lab working with sample techniques using DNA. On the first day of the program, I was nervous about how I would fit in. Little would I know, I would meet fifteen students, each from fifteen high schools that share science interests. Since then, we have grown into the most supportive, unique, and mutually respectful community I now belong to.

Our session on the second to last day in the training lab!

During my experience, I had the incredible opportunity to listen to a lecture by Dr. Raabya Rossenkhan and Dr. Paul T. Edlefsen. I was always uncertain about my future, specifically about my career pathway. Their lesson really resonated with me and changed my entire perception about the so-called mistakes and failures in life. Dr. Rossenkhan taught me about a Japanese concept; ikigai. Which means “A reason for being.” It taught me to focus on things I can truly enjoy in my life and mistakes in life can be seen as a redirection onto your right path. In other words, “Do whatever you do from your heart.”

Picture of C. Elegans under a microscope in the Bai Lab.

In our second week of the program, we toured numerous types of labs, from histology, genomics, flow cytometry, cryogenic electron microscopy, and x-ray crystallography. My favorite lab was the Bai lab. Its main focus is neuron communications, the foundation for cognitive and physical brain activities. We learned about the roles of model organisms in a research facility, along with focusing on bioethics specifically with the Three R’s in animal research: replacement, reduction, and refinement. The Bai lab showed us the C. Elegans that assist in their research. (As seen in the picture above!). The lab had an extremely welcoming atmosphere, with high school and undergraduate interns working as well, which I hope I can have the opportunity to be a part of in the future.

View from the rooftop of the Arnold Building at Fred Hutch

My Fred Hutch experience has taught me everything beyond my expectations that I will never forget. I am so lucky to have been a part of all the lessons and memories with the kindest alumni helpers, TA’s, professors, and researchers who welcomed us into their labs. Coming into this program I did not even know what a micropipette was, ran a gel electrophoresis, been inside a biomedical lab, or learned such in-depth knowledge about cancer research. I have been deeply inspired to grow and follow what I am interested in. Mistakes are not seen as failures, but a redirection towards the right path. Thank you to Dr. G who made this entire session possible, and to Eden for being so supportive of all of us in our journey.