Abraar is a Biological Sciences major who will graduate in May 2018.
How did you find the research opportunity? I became extremely interested in the topic of regenerative medicine after having taken Molecular Biology and Genetics. I decided to check out the different research labs available on campus and found that Dr. Lobo’s lab very closely fit my interests. From there I decided to contact and meet with Dr. Lobo, to discuss any opportunities available to work in his lab, and luckily enough I was granted a position in the lab.
Do you get course credit for this work? Paid? How much time do you put into it? This semester, I am fortunate enough to be receiving credit for my work. That said, I currently put in about 10-12 hours a week in the lab.
What academic background did you have before you started? Honestly, not much. I began working in Dr. Lobo’s lab in the summer after Sophomore year, at which point the only upper level biology course I had under my belt was Genetics. Fortunately, I was still able to attain the position, and as a result have learned an extensive amount of knowledge in my area of interest.
How did you learn what you needed to know to be successful in this project? I would say the biggest thing was having the help of my PI, Dr. Lobo, as well as my fellow research colleagues. I had to learn a good bit of knowledge with how things worked with the software used in the lab, but I always knew that I could go to Dr. Lobo for whatever questions I had. One thing that I really like about my PI, Dr. Lobo, is he holds weekly one on one meetings, where I can ask him any questions or concerns with any of the research tasks. From my experience, Dr. Lobo certainly does an exceptional job of making sure that his researchers are comfortable with their respective projects.
What was the hardest part about your research? The hardest part about my research was most certainly the fact that the lab was a bioinformatics lab. I had little to no experience with coding, so I was limited in what I could do in the lab. That said, I had to learn a lot about the software, Planform, before being able to do any work in the lab. Fortunately, I was able to catch on quick and help out the best I could. Luckily enough, I am able to work on the current project with a fellow colleague of mine, Junaid, making the whole learning process that much easier. Currently, I am excited about working with a new type of software, called Plangex, that the lab is near finished in completing.
What was the most unexpected thing? The most unexpected thing was the level at which I was able to interact and work with my PI, Dr. Lobo. I had always heard from my friends, who worked in other labs, how they wouldn’t get to work with their PI’s directly, but rather work with graduate students. That fact that I could directly go to my mentor, Dr. Lobo, and get help or advice so easily, was certainly a blessing. I think its agreeable amongst all the researchers in the lab that Dr. Lobo is the best mentor that we could have ever asked for.
How does this research experience relate to your work in other classes? My research in the lab closely relates to the topics of regenerative medicine and stem cells, topics that constantly appears time after time in upper level biology classes. Having conducted research on the matter, I have been able to develop a firm grasp of the topics, making the subject matter a breeze in class. Additionally, my research has required me to read a vast amount of academic literature. This, in turn, has taught the very important skill of being detail oriented. A skill that has proven to be invaluable in all my classes.
What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research? Don’t be afraid to get out there and get involved early on!! I remember when I initially started looking for research in my field interest, I was afraid of being rejected. Looking back, I see how unwise it was to think that way. Just because a PI may not have a spot for you in their lab doesn’t mean you should stop searching. If you really want to get involved in a specific area of study, you should stay proactive. No doubt, working in the lab has taught me skills that I wouldn’t have learned elsewhere. I couldn’t be happier that I decided to contact Dr. Lobo and move forward with research in his lab.
What are your career goals? I aspire to go to medical school, and hopefully help out as many people as possible in the future. If given the chance to do so, I hope to continue researching regenerative medicine down the road after earning a medical degree.
