As I walked into the brightly lit room, I found the untidiness of the place unsettling. I had come to my sister’s lab, and my first thought was how quickly we could leave.
It wasn’t until I learned about my sister’s passion and dedication to her research that I started to become more interested in the lab. As I enrolled in biology classes at my community college, the once confusing concepts she explained started to solidify in my mind, inspiring my interest in biology.
My curiosity led me to an opportunity of a lifetime — an internship at a biophysics lab. As I stepped into the lab with anticipation on my first day, I had visions of experimenting with groundbreaking research, but our focus was on discovering the precise function of a small protein, something I've never heard of.
The first week was consumed by reading textbooks, research papers, and lab protocols. We then proceeded to the main part of the experiment: the cell cloning process. This procedure was full of challenges, demanding an extraordinary level of precision. My mentor and I embarked on the cloning process, with her guiding me through each step. Eventually, she extended me the autonomy to undertake cloning attempts on different samples. Many samples failed, which led me to take notes and analyze what I needed to change. Eventually, the sequencing results came in, and protein Bonsai had the best reaction to the cloning procedure. Beyond getting closer to finding out the precise function of this protein, I became more confident as a researcher and collaborator.
This experience, combined with my broader exposure to biology, has shown me the beauty of this line of work. Each day in the laboratory brings new challenges, yet it is this constant ambiguity that fuels my motivation. Building on all my experiences, my goal is to conduct my own research on medical disorders and delve into the components that underlie them. The possibility of uncovering something novel, even as small as a protein, serves as a profound source of inspiration for me.