I was able to participate in a research internship at Rice University under Dr. Mikos, specifically working with a MD-PhD student Katie Hogan, as a summer exchange scholar through NIH Center for Engineering Complex Tissues program. It was for the entire summer so I can learn what the current challenges are in the field of complex tissue engineering. I found this opportunity through the principal investigator in the lab that I work here at UMD. I want to recommend students to look through their email really well for this type of opportunity.
During my internship, I helped other members of the lab with their research, learning what was going on in the lab and their diverse projects. I also learned how to prepare key materials in the lab, such as nanoparticles and microparticles. I further learned how to perform various assays, where I had to learn how to prepare reagents and understand what conclusions can be made from the result of the assays. I was heavily involved in the bioprinting process and synthesizing microparticles towards the end of the internship.
I learned a lot of applications of basic science I learned in classes, from general chemistry, organic chemistry, to bioengineering classes. By asking questions and answering with correct data, we were generating new pieces of information that can be further utilized by other scientists to enhance our understanding for certain topics.
I learned a lot during this internship, but I also had a lot of personal growth. I’ve been involved in research even prior to this experience, but the research experiences for me were more like a technician, just doing what I was told to do. I was able to figure out I like being in the lab, learning new things, but not necessarily about conducting research and asking philosophical, meaningful questions. I realized that research is really applying what I have learned in my classes so far, which also increased my motivations in general.
Also, when I had to develop a protocol for microparticle synthesis, I had to go through quite a difficult process since the material was not studied as microparticle. I had to sit down and think critically about what each reagent does and how changing parameters will affect the product. Moreover, being curious in the lab made me ask questions related to microparticle and nanoparticle incorporated bioink. It ended up being not accepted, but I still think it was such a grateful experience where I was able to think by myself, and propose what I wanted to ask.
In terms of my future career and academic plan, I solidified my interest in research, and made me want to do an independent research project at my home institution, here at University of Maryland. I was a little unsure if I wanted to pursue research as my future career instead of fully medicine, but I found myself being happy in the lab and enjoying the process of exchanging thoughts in the lab along with the other members. In terms of skills, by doing a lot of literature review during the internship process, I gained skill of skimming an article really fast and understanding it. Also, being alone in Texas made me stronger and become more adjustable anywhere.