The Fred Hutch Explorers Program has provided me with the utmost valuable introduction to cancer biology, biomedical research, and career pathways in biology-- over the past two weeks, I’ve constructed incredible connections with students, researchers, and educators at the center, and have developed a toolkit of research techniques and a strong understanding of the science behind them. This program has been highly formative of my interest in biological sciences and I am forever thankful for the love and passion the Fred Hutch community has shown me.
Me pretending to pipette into the gel electrophoresis machine
Group photo from our final lab
From extracting strawberry DNA to performing gel electrophoresis in order to diagnose CML (a form of Leukemia), every day was filled with fun classroom and lab activities to keep us continuously learning. I’ll never forget my state of surprise after learning about CAR-T cell therapy, a form of immunotherapy that involves genetically engineering a patient’s T-cells with chimeric antigen receptors that, when infused back into the patient's body, are programmed to locate and attack cancer cells. Overall, what made an impression on me was how interactive and all-encompassing the experience was, extending to bioethics discussions, skits, the intersection between art and science, and more.
An assortment of photos from various lab tours we received throughout the program
My personal highlight of the program was the tours of Fred Hutch’s countless buildings and labs as well as our tour of the Allen Institute across the street. Apart from the stunning artwork and architecture lining every hallway, exploring the different niches and projects occurring in research and meeting inspiring scientists sparked my curiosity, and I made sure to ask as many questions as possible to learn more about the biology and technology related to the lab. We all felt like part of the Fred Hutch community walking around with our lanyards and following our TAs and Dr. G around.
The most memorable lab experience for me was visiting Dr. Bai’s lab, where the neurons of C. Elegans, a worm species hardly visible to the human eye, are studied to gather information about their neural responses to external stimuli, as well as how the neural circuitry in the worms’ brains result in behavioral and motor responses. One of Dr. Bai’s goals is to gain an improved understanding of how the structure of brain cell proteins translate to their function. After viewing the complex machinery that allows Dr. Bai to track neural electrical signals by connecting electrodes to neurons, our cohort took turns examining C. Elegans under a microscope-- seeing them wriggling around was fascinating but made me squirmy! It’s incredible that humans share so many proteins and disease-related genes with such a tiny creature. Having the opportunity to speak with and ask questions to such a friendly and knowledgeable researcher further inspired me to pursue lab research and learn more about brain science!
An-Li and I being pipetting princesses!
Our Explorers cohort enjoying the view from the building balcony
The past two weeks have taught me that science is intricate and complicated in a way that I can’t help but be curious about-- I’m so grateful to have had this opportunity to be a Fred Hutch Explorer and the network I’ve discovered through my participation. I know my connections and takeaways from Fred Hutch will continue long after this program, and lastly, a huge thank you to Dr. G; our talented and lovely program director, Elana and Arjun; our supportive and knowledgeable TAs, Miah; our inspirational Explorers alum, and all of the researchers, the science education team, and other high school and undergraduate students that made this experience so special for us.
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