A Scientific Method

YEAR 3 

THE 2015-2016 ADMISSION CYCLE

 

 

 

 

I always thought that I was a very focused and dedicated individual; I’ve known very specifically what I wanted for my future for the last eight years. I know the end goal, and the major milestones in the middle, but the details have changed ever so slightly as of late. Eight years ago I knew I wanted to work within medical research, the only questions were (1) do I also want to be a clinician and (2) what specifically do I want to study?

 

For several years the answers to those two questions were “yes” and “human genetics.” It was only after fate introduced me to Biomedical Engineering, my first year of undergrad, that things began to change. Now, the answers to those two questions are, with certainty, “no” and “the development of a cardiac patch for the regeneration of infarct cardiac muscle.” This is the culmination of eight years of work and self-reflection, even two years ago the answer to the second question was not so specific.

 

Moving to London and beginning a masters degree at MY BRITISH UNIVERSITY was a risk. While the university is one of the top in the world, it is not as widely known in the US. Ultimately, my year at MY BRITISH UNIVERSITY helped me to focus my goals and validate the decision to move outside of the US educational system. While these decisions were entirely my own, I owe much of my growth to the mentorship provided by DR. BLUNT-AND-OPINIONATED TEDDY BEAR. His blatant honesty and forthright nature encouraged each of the students on the course to question what we read and think critically. This trait is without a doubt the most treasured aspect of my experience.

 

I learned how to have opinions and defend my convictions. Entering the program, I knew I was interested in cardiovascular tissue engineering with stronger interests in the “cardio” as opposed to the “vascular” component.  This focus was the amalgamation of all of my favorite aspects of my undergraduate degree: fluid mechanics, the cardiovascular system, biomaterials, and the wet lab. Even with this information, I wasn’t entirely sure what aspect of the field I would most like to dedicate the next stage of my education.

 

Time showed me that I find the new and novel exciting. Discussions of Doris Taylor’s decellularized heart and preparing for my journal club presentation regarding the incorporation of porcine small intestine submucosa in cardiac constructs motivated me. A further review of the literature caused me to realize that I truly desire to work on the development of a cardiac patch, and not on valves or large scale vasculature.

 

Since I knew I had no desire to be a clinician, the corollary question I needed to answer was “where am I doing this work, in Academia or Industry?” This was the question of the hour. I suspected that academia provided a better fit for me, an idea confirmed while revising.

 

I was no stranger to teaching, I had taught religious education to elementary school children for three years and helped to initiate the development of a tutoring center through the School of Engineering at MY SMALL STATE SCHOOL. Even with all of this, it wasn’t until I created a revision packet for my coursemates that I felt confident in this choice. It was fun, I enjoyed going through my old notes and textbook from Fluid Mechanics, incorporating them with our Biofluids lectures. I relished the chance to help my friends and coursemates approach problems, and I gave them the tools to confidently tackle these problems on their own. This experience truly validated my choices; a future career in academia fit perfectly with my personality. It was almost as if everything I had done was leading to that exact realization.

 

The next thing I needed to validate for myself, was the fact that I planned on working in medical research. Until this point, I had little practical experience in a wet lab based research environment and needed to validate this aspiration.

 

During my undergraduate career at MY SMALL STATE SCHOOL, I had the opportunity to work on two similar projects with very different applications. The first project was a joint effort between DR. MIT EDUCATED CONDUCTOR in the Department of Music and DR. USED TO TERRIFY ME in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. Together with my partner, we developed a smart jacket geared towards detecting changes in biosignals as a correlation to musical performance. In addition to developing the jacket, and the circuitry for a low cost galvanic skin response sensor, we underwent a pilot study to monitor a range of musicians in an attempt to evaluate emotional and physiological changes correlated to events within the music.

 

The second project was also under the tutelage of DR. USED TO TERRIFY ME and involved the development of a smart vest for neonates in an effort to eliminate the need for adhesive electrodes. This study, due to ethical concerns, occurred on the macro scale and detailed instructions were made for scaling down the design for future work on neonates. Within this project, I took on several roles: I acted as project leader, worked on the LabVIEW program, liaised with nurse practitioners and neonatologists, constructed the vest, and worked with silicone for our electrocardiogram piece. These projects helped me to develop my ability to work in and lead a team as well as plan and manage my time.

 

As a portion of my masters degree, I was afforded three months to work in the lab on a research project and an additional month to prepare for this work through a literature review.  Through the mentorship of DR. BLUNT-AND-OPINIONATED TEDDY BEAR, I worked on the microencapsulation of cells using bio-electrosprays, his field of expertise. Within this project I was provided the opportunity to develop my wet lab skills and learn the basics of the bio-electrospraying, and thus the bio-electrospinning, technique. The major applications of my research are cell-based therapies, such as encapsulating cells as a bridge for transplant or therapeutic function as well as three-dimensional cell culture.

 

While my research has clear applications, the actual work was more “big picture.” I worked on establishing a timeline for two different cell types to breach the microencapsulate wall cross-linked with three solutions. I also worked on establishing the optimal de-gelling solution for all three cross-linking solutions. This used previously published de-gelling solutions with amended and optimized protocols. The whole idea was to obtain as much knowledge as possible for these two cell types within the alginate so that the best choices could be made for each therapeutic application. For example, if the ATTACHING CELL LINE cells were modified to produce a particular protein in vivo the engineer and clinician could determine the exact cross-linking agent necessary to keep the cells encapsulated in the body for the optimal period of time. The cells also tolerated the cross-linking agents differently, so the question of their viability could also come into play in this decision.

 

I loved every minute of my time in the lab. I loved it even when everything went wrong and the water bath broke on my first solo day splitting cells. I loved it even when the de-gelling procedure took longer than anticipated so I had to run across London to the Institute of Child Health to make my Flow Cytometry appointment. DR. BLUNT-AND-OPINIONATED TEDDY BEAR and I had spoken on several occasions of my future goals and the skills I wanted to get out of my experience at MY BRITISH UNIVERSITY. Through his mentorship, I learned a range of valuable lab skills, and met many people who might be of help in the future. DR. BLUNT-AND-OPINIONATED TEDDY BEAR helped me to see my goals not as some lofty thing decades away, but as a real and nearing option.

 

The DEGREE in BIOENGINEERING/BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING/RELATED TOPIC at TARGET UNIVERSITY provides a world of opportunities regarding establishing and realizing these goals on a continued global scale. While my laboratory skills are far more developed than they were a year ago today, I still have ways to go in transitioning from the instrumentation to the molecular biology side of medicine. I greatly enjoyed my experience at MY BRITISH UNIVERSITY and working with DR. BLUNT-AND-OPINIONATED TEDDY BEAR. The time I spent there helped me to grow and develop both personally and professionally, as well as validate my dreams.  The encouragement I received helped to enrich my educational experience, and I would not trade. This course presents the tools to continue my global education by fostering the forward and independent thinking encouraged during my masters and enhancing my Molecular Biology knowledge/laboratory skills.

 

Though my path may be slightly different than planned, my determination and ambition are clear. I will work in medical research within academia. I am passionate about cardiac patches, and I will work to realize my dreams. Eight years ago I thought I knew what I wanted. Today, I am unequivocally positive.