For my practicum project, I did research at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. More specifically, I worked in the Milton Aerobiology Lab under the supervision of Dr. Jennifer German. I found this site from looking at past practicum posters. Before COVID-19, this lab did research on flu transmission, which I saw listed on the poster. I emailed the supervisor from the past poster, and the supervisor redirected me to Dr. German. For future SGC scholars, I recommend looking at the projects past students have done because it is likely that the supervisor will be willing to mentor a student again. I think it never hurts to reach out to the supervisor listed and ask them if you can work with them or they might be able to connect you to someone else. I think looking at the old practicum projects is one of the best ways of finding positions or inspiration.
My research consisted of testing COVID-19 positive samples for co-infection with other viral or bacterial infections. We tested both saliva and nasal samples from each patient at different intervals from their first positive test. The main method I used was real-time qPCR to quantify the amount, if any, of different viral or bacterial DNA that was present in the COVID-19 positive samples. I pretty much did the same thing the entire summer I worked there, so it was a bit repetitive. The machine that quantified the DNA took about an hour and a half to complete its analysis. Once the machine was done, I used the CT values it produced to analyze whether or not the values indicated any co-infection. A really high or low CT value usually means that the information was invalid, and it should not be counted as a co-infection. In the end, we did not find much data that suggested that co-infection plays a role in the transmission or severity of COVID-19 since we only saw one case with a solid co-infection. The individual had a coinfection with coronavirus OC43, but this was not a trend.
Working in the Milton Lab, I learned about the transmission of COVID-19 and other aerosol diseases. The lab has a special machine that can be used to catch aerosol particles just from someone talking to test them for infections. Although I did not get to use this machine, I learned a lot about it and about how diseases are transferred through aerosol droplets. I also learned that there are still a lot of unknowns surrounding aerosol transmission. As well, I learned how to do nucleic acid extraction and real-time qPCR in the laboratory.
Finally, this experience has helped develop my future plans. I have officially decided that I do not enjoy lab bench research, and I want to work with patients. I would be interested in doing clinical research, but I know that I do not want to pursue any laboratory research. This is not to say it was not a good experience, this is just to say that it is not something I can see myself doing in the future. This project did help me develop an appreciation for the connection between science and the social sphere. COVID-19 made science a vital element in our lives because it became the only mechanism to stop the spread of the disease and return us to our usual social lives. This connection also made me realize that I want to work with patients because I want to make an impact in more of a social way than behind the scenes. Overall, this experience taught me a lot about myself and how I want to interact with science. I knew before that I wanted to have a career in the STEM field, but I was unsure in what capacity. Now, I am convinced that I want to work in patient care.