2019 Summer Updates!

Final Presentations: August 16th

Our student interns gave a marvelous presentation on their summer research projects this past Friday. We are so proud of their growth as not only scientists but also as young professionals. We wish them the absolute best in whatever they pursue in the future!

Personal Genetics Education Project: August 9th

We would like to give a huge shout out to pgED for facilitating a thought-provoking and educational presentation on personal genetics. We aim to expose our student interns to cutting edge research and hope to excite them about how fast science evolves. pgED aims to raise awareness and increase conversation about the potential benefits as well as the ethical, legal, and social implications of personal genetics. They strive to be inclusive of all voices in these discussions, regardless of socioeconomic or educational background, cultural, or religious affiliation, and ethic or personal identity.To learn more about them visit their web page at https://pged.org/ !! 

Spaulding Rehabilitation Center: August 2nd 

This past Friday the students visited Spaulding hospital. Here they met specialists in sports medicine, spinal cord injury, and amputations. They learned about a very important field of medicine that is often lacking representation. They were also able to have a Q&A with the chief resident who has an untraditional path to medicine. 

Special Guest: Dr. MeNore Lake: July 26th

On one of our Friday seminars, we had a very special guest. Dr. MeNore Lake is a Radiology Resident at Mount Auburn Hospital, one of the Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospitals. Dr. Lake is the youngest of 3 daughters to her parents, Dr. Gashaw Lake and Mrs. Leyuwork Makonnen. Her parents moved from Ethiopia for their education, and shared the Ethiopian culture in their home. She grew up with her sisters, Dr. AeuMuro Lake and Ms. WeyeNeshet Lake, in Frankfort, Kentucky. Her cultural upbringing instilled her interest in global affairs, which she has continued to cultivate. She came to speak to our interns about her journey to medical school and to introduce the field of radiology. The students found the experience to be extremely valuable as they were able to learn more about the medical school process and what it take to become a physician. 

Lab Visits

Last week we conducted lab visits to see in person the work environment of our students. Each student and lab host/mentor gave a tour of the lab and then we sat down to discuss the status of their summer project! Pictured below is Aby Lachapelle working hard in Dr. Lu's lab! Her summer project includes culturing cells to determine the protein profiles of mice afflicted with kidney failure. 

McLean Hospital Visit: July 12th

McLean Hospital kindly offered our students a tour this past Friday. We visited several facilities including a Neurobiology Laboratory that focuses on the science of fear, McLean's Imagining center, and their very own Brain Bank! Interns were able to observe and touch donated human brains at the brain bank. They were also able to see how an MRI machine works! 

MEDScience: July 10th 

Project Success student interns participated in a workshop with MEDscience, a high school STEM education initiative program that aims to inspire students to engage in medicine and science through a hands on experience. Interns were challenged with the task of taking on a medical case and solving it in order to save their patient! Not surprisingly, our intelligent and gifted interns were able to solve the case! Their patient was suffering from an asthma attack and was then able to provide the appropriate treatment to save them! We thank the wonderful facilitators for a memorable experience! For more information on MEDscience visit their web page at: http://hmsmedscience.org/

Orientation Events: June 24th and 25th 

2019 Project Success student interns kicked off their summer by learning about the field of pathology and interacting with mannequins at the STRATUS center. Dr. Robert Padera, a pathologist and researcher at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and his team joined them during their orientation to give hands-on exposure to human pathology. Student interns interacted with different human organs, diseased and healthy, such as hearts, livers, and lungs. They learned about the effects that alcoholism, tobacco addiction, and an unhealthy diet has on our body.

Roles were switch the next day when the student interns visited the STRATUS center at the Brigham. Simulation specialist, Patrick Sargent, and his team led an interactive tour where student interns were able to resuscitate and intubate a patient mannequin. They also prepped for surgery as they learned the ins and outs of an operation room. It was a memorable experience, motivating these students to continue their path to a health care career in either medicine or research.