Elena Ezhkova Laboratory

When I arrived in Dr. Ezhkova's lab, I was welcomed with open arms. Everyone was extremely friendly and willing to answer my never-ending set of questions. Katie Dauber immediately took me under her wing, teaching me more in my six weeks than I could have imagined. Not only did I learn a lot about the role of epigenetic regulators in stem cell control (more specifically, Merkel Cells), but also I learned a lot about the industry of scientific research as a whole. This experience was extremely valuable and formative for me; as my first of many internships to come in the future, my time in Dr. Ezhkova's lab helped me understand the lab environment and all that it entails. Despite my apparent interest in science, I was nervous to start for fear that the team would be intimidating and that I would be in over my head. However, within just hours of arriving, it was apparent that I would have a great experience—everyone was welcoming and the lunch conversation about Game of Thrones made me feel at ease. My experience at this lab reinforced my passion for science, and I am so grateful that Dr. Ezhkova was willing to take me as an intern and that Katie was willing to be my mentor!

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During my five weeks at the Ezhkova lab, everyone was so nice and always willing to help me and answer any questions I had.  My mentor, Katie Dauber, would do experiments and show me how to do the procedures.  She would explain to me why we were doing these experiments and the greater significance of the research. As time went on, I learned the protocols, and she allowed me to do the experiments with her.  Some of the things we did included making slides on the Cryostat, staining the sections we made, and looking at the stainings under the microscope.  We often did immunofluorescence stainings.  By the end of my time there, I felt like I had learned a lot about what they were researching and what it would be like to work in a lab setting.  I met a lot of interesting people and greatly enjoyed my experience there.

This summer I had the pleasure of volunteering at Atran Laboratory under the guidance of Carmit Bar. At that point she was studying the epithelial tongue tissue of embryonic mice with different mutations that would help her understand the mechanisms that determine the structure of the tongue. She allowed me to help her with this work by teaching me how to prepare tissue samples and quantify the data that came from those samples. This experience gave me an in depth view into an important branch of biological research and has sparked my desire to head into that direction during college. What I learned at Atran Laboratory will help me throughout my studies and will help me decide on my future career.