Archive for category: Student Spotlight

Meet UCLA senior, Kevin Sun, who is double majoring in Human Biology and Society, and Asian Studies. Kevin recently published a paper titled, “A Mouse Model to Investigate the Role of Cancer-associated Fibroblasts in Tumor Growth” in JoVE Journal.

Kevin is a part of Dr. Hilary Coller’s lab in the Department of Molecular, Cell and Development Biology.

 

How did you first get involved in your research project?

I got to know my research project (and the lab, in general) through the biomedical research minor. Previously I was a volunteer research assistant for a different lab, so I had some research experience. But I wished to have more independence in terms of planning my own experiments and working on them by myself to better prepare myself for graduate school. So I asked the minor’s director, Dr. Ira Clark for advice. He informed me that my PI, Dr. Coller was recruiting undergraduate students back then and briefly introduced the projects to me, which sounded really fascinating. When I met with Dr. Coller, within the short period of time listening to her explaining the projects, I was able to tell that she is really committed to training undergraduate researchers. Her ability of breaking down the scientifically complicated projects and explaining them in a really detailed but understandable way really inspired me. And the active projects at that time fall perfectly on my research interest, which is basic/translational cancer biology. I met with my mentor on the same day and immediately started to work on the day after, which is so far the best decision I have ever made in college. With the help of my PI and postdoc mentors, I spent a quarter or two to learn the skills and complete the training, then started to work on experiments individually or even plan for my own experiments.

How would you describe your research experience at UCLA?

If I would describe my research experience in a couple of words, I would say “rewarding”, “intriguing” and “nerve-wrecking”. My lab works with many clinically relevant projects and many of our studies have clinically applicable significance. Therefore as an aspiring MD/PhD student, seeing any progress in our projects always feels really rewarding and makes me want to go back to lab right away the next day. On the other hand, there are so many unanswered questions in everyday research that constantly intrigue me (which also really stresses the importance of asking questions!). And in terms of nerve-wrecking, doing an important experiment for the very first time by myself always gives me a lot of stress. But again, these experiences are also extremely valuable for my future’s training and being able to do them is a really self-rewarding process itself.

What is one piece of advice you have for other students thinking about getting involved in research?

I would suggest everyone interested in doing research to read more papers! The ability to read and understand scientific literature is incredibly important, especially if you are planning to go to medical school or graduate school in the future. When you are planning to join a lab, reading some previous papers published by the principal investigator is the best way to catch up with their current research goals and familiarize yourself with potential topics that might come up during the interview with the PI. Reading a lot of papers after joining a lab is just equally as important as before joining a lab. There are numerous techniques that you would not be learning without the protocol papers. And there are also numerous updates in the field everyday that as a scientist you have to keep yourself up with. Therefore, I would suggest other undergraduate peers to learn how to interpret scientific articles and read a lot of them!

What are your future career goals?

Coming into UCLA as a pure pre-med student, my participation in research in the past three years really shifted my goal from just being a physician to a physician-scientist. I find the intersectionality of physician-scientists’ career truly attractive. Therefore in the long term, I see myself going into academic medicine as both a healthcare professional and a basic scientific researcher, likely in areas of cancer biology. And in the short term, I plan to work as a research associate during my gap years and then (hopefully) matriculate into a MD/PhD program.

Francesca DePrima is a UCLA senior, majoring in Environmental Science and minoring in Environmental Engineering. She recently published a paper titled, “Distribution of microplastics in soil and freshwater environments: Global analysis and framework for transport modeling” in Environmental Pollution.

Francesca currently works in Dr. Sanjay Mohanty’s lab in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering.

 

How did you first get involved in your research project?

When I first started the introductory course for Environmental Engineering taught by my Principal Investigator (PI) Dr. Mohanty, I had never learned about green infrastructure or its applicability. After hearing about his research on subsurface process, green infrastructure, and remediation in class, I wanted to learn more about the field and went to his office hours to talk more about his work and the opportunities for undergraduates in his lab. I was able to learn about some of the research projects in the lab, and I was particularly interested in the projects centered around studying microplastics as an emerging contaminant. I got involved in projects examining microplastics as a pollutant in stormwater biofilters and the project in which I was recently published as a co-author, a study on the global distribution of microplastics in soil and freshwater environments.

 

How would you describe your research experience at UCLA?

My research experience has been very rewarding. When I first started at UCLA, I was amazed by all the research opportunities available to undergraduates and knew I wanted to get involved with research, even though I did not know what my own interests were until I began taking courses for my minor. From my experience in Dr. Mohanty’s lab, I have not only learned technical skills in lab work and writing scientific research papers, but have also discovered some of my research interests in stormwater remediation that I will be able to take with me to industry and throughout my career. This is particularly because the lab has a large focus on mentorship and in teaching undergraduates.

 

What is one piece of advice you have for other students thinking about getting involved in research?

Before joining a lab, it is very important to do your research on the work of different labs in departments you are interested in. By looking at some of the publications from the PI or members of the lab, you can learn about their work and get an idea of if it fits with your interests. After finding a lab you want to work in, it is also crucial to continue to show initiative in getting involved in a research project. Additionally, while I would tell other students to find a lab conducting research on something you are interested in or passionate about, I would recommend to jump in and take advantage of the opportunities available even if you are not certain about what you are interested in researching. As an undergraduate, you may not know exactly what you are interested in when first starting research, but through persistence to get involved and gaining experience in a variety of research projects, you can learn where your own research interests lie.

 

What are your future career goals?

After earning my Master’s, I plan to go into industry as a water resources engineer. In particular, I want to continue working with stormwater treatment systems and technology and researching emerging contaminants. Throughout my career, I hope to implement green infrastructure and new stormwater treatment technologies to diversify our water portfolio, more effectively manage our water resources, and work to reduce inequities in access to clean water.

Meet Roni Touboul, a UCLA senior majoring in Microbiology, Immunology, & Molecular Genetics. Roni recently published two papers titled, “YY1 expression and PD-1 regulation in CD8 T lymphocytes” in ScienceDirect and “Defective Natural Killer Cells in Melanoma: Role of NKG2D in the Pathogenesis and Immunotherapy” in Critical Reviews in Immunology.

Roni currently works in Dr. Benjamin Bonavida’s lab in Microbiology, Immunology, & Molecular Genetics.

How did you first get involved in your research project?

As a freshman in high school, I developed a passion for research and it became a dream of mine to one day “cure cancer.” However, it was my interest in immunology once I started college at UCLA that drove me to begin searching for research in the Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics (MIMG) department. After emailing some professors whose research peaked my interest, I began doing research with Dr. Benjamin Bonavida and quickly realized that this was something I could see myself doing in the future. With the help of Dr. Bonavida I have learned about the specific mechanics of cancer and cells, expanded and refined my ability to critically analyze data and research from related papers, mastered search engines such as Google Scholar and PubMed, and learned to extrapolate data to create my own figures in scientific papers. Through this experience, I was able to continue doing research on cancer related topics like the one I am working on now that explores the question of how RKIP regulates Onco-T cell immunotherapy.

 

How would you describe your research experience at UCLA?

I would describe my research experience at UCLA as extremely fulfilling in that I gained a wealth of knowledge and a mentor in the process. Both of which have been incredibly rewarding. I was able to see firsthand the multitude of opportunities undergraduates have available to them and personally utilized opportunities to publish studies, showcase my work, and apply new skills I have learned. In the process, I have become a better reader, writer, and critical thinker which are all skills that will take me further in both my professional and personal life. All in all, my research experience at UCLA is an excellent catalyst to achieving my post-graduate goals.

 

What is one piece of advice you have for other students thinking about getting involved in research?

My singular piece of advice is to follow your passions. When met with two research options, the competitive atmosphere at UCLA, and other universities like it, can lead you to pick the one that is the “better” resume builder. However when you are researching a topic you are passionate about not only will you be more excited to learn and do the work, but you will find that the research will be easier to do. Furthermore, I would also advise students to take the time to make sure their capabilities will align with what they are asked to do. In other words, not only should students research a topic that they’re passionate about, but they should look for a lab that, for example, matches their time commitments and capabilities.

What are your future career goals?

Immediately following graduation, I want to pursue a career in laboratory research. I want to take the time to perfect my research abilities and learn more about how I can conduct my own research in the future. After this I believe that I will best be able to apply my skills by attending medical school and specializing in general surgery. A dream of mine would be to take these skills abroad and continue doing research so I can fulfill both my passions of research centered and patient centered work. I aspire to be a doctor that helps underserved communities in both the lab and the hospital.

Meet Soumya Ravichandran, a UCLA senior majoring in Psychobiology. Soumya was was able to present her research at the Obesity Society Obesity Week 2020 conference. Recently, she was also published as a first author in Scientific Reports for her paper titled, “Alterations in reward network functional connectivity are associated with increased food addiction in obese individuals.”

Soumya has been conducting research as part of Dr. Arpana Gupta’s lab in the Division of Digestive Diseases in the UCLA Department of Medicine.

 

How did you first get involved in your research project?

While I had some exposure to research in high school, it was my interest in neuroscience that propelled me to join my current lab during my freshman year of college under my PI, Dr. Arpana Gupta. During my first few quarters in the lab, I spent my time learning the basics of neuroimaging modalities and performing literature reviews on the brain-gut axis. As I became more acclimated with the lab, my PI encouraged me to shadow another student who was researching sex differences in resting state connectivity in obese individuals. It was through this experience that I became fascinated with exploring the neural correlates of food addiction across males and females. With the help of my PI and research mentors, I decided to pursue this independent research project through the next year with the goal of finding sex-specific connectivity differences in individuals with food addiction that could clinically contribute to the variability seen in their response to diet interventions.

How would you describe your research experience at UCLA?

Extremely rewarding. Coming to college, I had no idea the extent of opportunities that undergraduates would be exposed to. With every step of the way in my project, my research mentors and fellow students have offered me such a strong support system by always offering new insights and constructive solutions to my research efforts. I am also extremely grateful to my PI for her constant encouragement, without which I would not have been able to experience such enriching opportunities such as presenting at a national conference or publishing a manuscript. In addition to deepening my own knowledge, being involved in research at UCLA has allowed me to grow as a writer, reader, and independent thinker; all skills that will carry with me onto future endeavors.

What is one piece of advice you have for other students thinking about getting involved in research?

Finding a lab that complements your research interests is incredibly important. Many students often jump into a lab for the sake of a resume boost or simply for the eagerness to get involved in a research project. However, rushing into a lab that you may not be fully interested in often leads to burnout or discouragement when faced with minor setbacks or difficulties. Taking the time to learn about the lab’s work and mentally checking if it is the right fit for you, prior to joining, can benefit you in the long run by making significant strides in your research much easier to achieve.

What are your future career goals?

I plan to attend medical school and pursue my goal of becoming a doctor after completing my undergraduate degree at UCLA. However, through this path, I plan to continue my research involvement and hopefully be able to translate the clinical implications of my research to create tangible improvements in patient care. Prior to my college, I had always thought of a career in medicine and one in research as two mutually exclusive paths. However, I now realize the interconnectedness of these two fields and the imperativeness of research efforts in order to improve the future of medicine with regards to targeted interventions, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic techniques.

Meet UCLA junior, Kelly Huang, who is majoring in Biology. Kelly recently had her abstract accepted and will be presenting at the California Society of Plastic Surgeons 2021 Symposium. Her abstract is titled, “Developing the Psychosocial Growth Chart: Prospective Longitudinal Psychosocial Functioning of Children with Craniofacial Anomalies.”

Kelly currently works in the lab of Dr. Justine Lee, at David Geffen School of Medicine, who specializes in Plastic Surgery and Pediatrics.

Kelly is also currently a part of the URC-Sciences’ Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP).

How did you first get involved in your research project?
I was shadowing in the operating room during the summer after my freshman year when I serendipitously observed a surgeon repurpose abdominal tissue to perform a breast reconstruction for a woman who had a mastectomy due to breast cancer. I became fascinated with the potential of reconstructive surgery to transform someone’s quality of life and started looking for opportunities to learn more about the field. Fortunately, during my study abroad at Yonsei University in South Korea, I had the amazing opportunity to shadow a reconstructive surgeon at the Severance Hospital. After learning more about the specialty, I returned to UCLA and reached out to Dr. Justine Lee at the David Geffen School of Medicine to study the intersection between surgical care and psychosocial functioning. It has been a transformative experience working under Dr. Lee’s guidance alongside supportive and inspiring medical students to evaluate the longitudinal psychosocial development of children with craniofacial anomalies to improve their standard of care.

How would you describe your research experience at UCLA?
Conducting research at UCLA has been essential in shaping my understanding of science and medicine and my career aspirations. I’m always thinking of how lucky I am to have such opportunities to work with amazing mentors and peers, many of whom have been important role models in my decision to pursue medicine and research. I have also learned so much from these experiences that extended beyond technical lab skills to other crucial skills like teamwork, communication, and critical thinking. It’s also incredibly enriching to explore the wide range of research activities, such as attending conferences, mentoring younger students, and receiving professional guidance.

What is one piece of advice you have for other students thinking about getting involved in research?
Find a topic you’re really passionate about, and don’t hesitate to reach out to the researchers in the field. It’s extremely important to be personally invested in the research you’re doing, as it helps you realize why it’s worth spending so much time working to discover novel mechanisms and solutions. It’s not always an easy process, but it’s a valuable experience that will drive you to grow both personally and professionally.

What are your future career goals?
I’m still exploring different career paths, and my current research has been a wonderful opportunity for me to immerse in the intersection between science and medicine. In the future, I would like to continue conducting research to improve quality of life and medical treatments, as well as directly provide these treatments to others.