My Interning Experience: Working in a Medical Lab

Over the summer, I was lucky enough to be able to work in Dr. Jose Abisambra’s lab at the University of Florida. I shadowed PhD candidates and undergraduate researchers and learned about everyday life at a medical lab. Dr. Abisambra’s lab is focused on studying tau protein and its connection in neurodegeneration, whether that be through head trauma or disease. Each member of the lab had their own unique research goals, from investigating the role of tau in mRNA transcription to how the Keto diet affects recovery from traumatic brain injury.

While I got a sense of the “big picture” ideas, I quickly learned that research is much more focused on all the small pieces that allow us to discover the larger ideas. These daily lab tasks were where I spent most of my time. I became quickly familiar with running, developing, and imaging Western Blots, which is a technique used to detect specific proteins from a large variety in a sample. I also spent a lot of time in the cell culture room, learning to change media, be able to judge the health of cells on a plate under a microscope, and pass and harvest cells. This type of work is essential to performing experiments on controlled samples.

I attended seminars in which I was able to listen to different types of researchers discuss their career paths and give advice to the undergraduates. I was fascinated by how many different ways people can be involved in research, whether that be in an academic setting or a more professional, industrial type of lab. My biggest takeaway from these talks was that not knowing exactly where I want to take my life is totally okay, and doesn’t mean I won’t reach the goals I know I want to achieve. They all emphasized how many times their focus shifted and how they never expected to be where they are now.

Looking back, I am so honored that I was chosen for this amazing opportunity. I want to thank all of the NeuroResilience community, as I am confident this website and the connection and comfort it has fostered is a major part in why I was taken with seriousness. As a high school student, I was the youngest intern Dr. Abisambra had ever accepted into his lab, something I am truly proud of. I don’t regret a second of this internship, and am so happy that all of you made this a reality for me.