Today, ASBMB visited and talked to us about undergraduate research opportunities. ASBMB stands for the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. They specialize in student involvement in medical research. This way students can make new discoveries, diagnose illnesses in laboratory work, and expand their resume for graduate school. It's good to get involved as soon as possible, so many like to start as early as high school. Current USA students explained their journey to finding their major and how they are accomplishing it.
Connor Holm, the ASBMB president, found his way into the medical world by volunteering at a cardiac clinic and has Cath lab experience. He is researching lung biology, and infection, and will later research eye health. Kyle Gaviria, the ASBMB secretary, started by volunteering in a chemistry research lab at the Michelle Cancer Institute of the University of South Alabama, earning a full-time internship, and is now researching breast cancer disparities, biochemistry, and lung biology. Cheyenne Strickland is researching physiology and cell biology, hoping to enter pre-medicine. She started off shadowing Dr. Taylor, who studies calcium signaling dynamics in atherosclerosis and lung microvasculature and joined a project recently with a Ph.D. student. While shadowing, Cheyenne learned small techniques, such as making buffers, tissue pinning, mouse ultrasounds, and mouse surgeries, and got to use a million-dollar microscope. Knowing my luck if I ever used one, I’d probably break it. Caleb Lopansri, the ASBMB treasurer, learned his passion for public health when he was in high school taking a health science class. Later, he shadowed an Organic Chemistry research lab and began researching. Caleb learned human anatomy and physiology in health and disease, as well as diazirine photoaffinity and Nresearchorcantharidin derivatives.
After they explained everything, we got to play a game. Everyone was given a bacteria-filled Petri dish, and we were supposed to match two white dishes with a reddish. In the end, we got to make our own bacteria-filled Petri dish, so we swabbed Tanner’s hand. Let's just say there was a lot of bacteria.
Almost all medical students have done research on their journey through the medical field. It helps them develop critical thinking, better writing, and laboratory skills. I hope to research on my medical journey. I just need to figure out what I want to do first.
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