This past summer, I did an internship at Georgetown University’s Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. The principal investigator for the lab was Dr. Moshe Levi and the PhD candidate I principally worked alongside was Dr. Bryce Jones. The goal of the project was to study Nicotinamide Riboside as a therapeutic agent for Chronic Kidney Disease. I aided in studying the benefits of this treatment as well as the mechanisms for which it acts in providing these benefits.
On a typical work day, my fellow interns and I would plan out what experiment we would be doing for that day. We often performed western blotting, which required us to make a variety of reagents and prepare several tissue samples in advance. These experiments often spanned over multiple days. Equipment typically involved an electrical blotting machine to run the gel and transfer it over to a paper-like membrane that would be later used in data analysis. Furthermore, we would have weekly lab meetings where we would discuss grant and manuscript applications and update one another on the current state and progress of our projects. The interns were able to share updates on their progress with the more senior members of the lab, and our PI offered suggestions for how we could further improve our experimental techniques.
While there are immense benefits and joy to be obtained from research, it does come with its challenges. The most prominent challenge involved funding. The lab often submitted grant applications but it was not guaranteed whether or not they would receive this funding. Therefore, it was of utmost importance to save materials and only run necessary experiments. In SGC, we repeatedly discussed how resources to combat climate change exist but are inaccessible due to financial constraints. Similarly, research into one of the most common conditions was limited in the lab due to funding. This has made me more aware of the growing financial needs of research and the manner in which to obtain funding.
This experience has taught me about my increasing interest in research, specifically kidney research. The kidney is a very nuanced and complex organ that has much room for growth of understanding. The research enabled me to practice my experimental skills and writing skills as I assisted in the creation of data and figures. This is a necessary component of research that I hope to keep fostering and building. To better prepare for the internship, I could have better trained myself in the computer resources required. We used numerous applications and programs, such as Prism, to make figures and display data. I was, at first, somewhat lost as to how to use these programs, but I was able to learn as the summer continued. I hope to gain additional experience, especially in kidney research, to build on what I have learned in the lab this past summer, such as through other internships. While I am not sure I want to specialize in the kidneys in the future, I hope this research is integral in my short term future in allowing me to gain additional research experience.
My work at Georgetown enabled me to work alongside other interns to work towards a common goal of generating data based on the assigned project. Each day, we delegated tasks and eventually generated statistically significant data. I helped delegate the tasks and assisted my fellow interns resolve any issues that arose with the experiment. This was definitely a familiar role as I have worked alongside others in similar manners in my lab courses, such as my general chemistry and organic chemistry courses. I would most definitely recommend this opportunity to future scholars as it helped me apply what I have learned in my coursework. Additionally, it allowed me to learn more about myself and what I would like to do in my career.