Just as Summer 2024 is fading into memory, it’s already time to consider how you might spend Summer 2025, especially if you’re interested in research experience.
Several microbiology students who completed internships last summer, as well as their faculty advisors, suggest looking for summer research opportunities in the fall. Diandre Slusarek (pictured above, center), for example, applied for an internship at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center in December last year and found herself with an all-expenses-paid experience at the Seattle oncology treatment facility.
Slusarek, Manjot Deol (above, right) and Dhatri Sangasani (left) shared thoughts on their experiences and why they recommend other students apply. Internships came at little or no cost to all three students, who described the rewards as immeasurable.
Where they went, what they worked on
At the Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Slusarek worked on a project called “Mucinase Activity in Bacterial Vaginosis-Associated Bacteria (BVAB): Identifying Key Players.” She and her team discovered that interactions among certain bacteria species worked to degrade mucin, and beneficial bacteria outcompeted pathogens by using the mucin byproducts.
Deol conducted research through the Summer Undergraduate Research Program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine’s Center for Vaccine Research. He investigated the replication kinetics of seasonal H1N1 influenza infection in alveolar epithelial cells. His experiments included culturing various cell lines, infecting those cells, performing plaque assays to evaluate the level of infection, and performing RT-qPCR to quantify genome replication.
Sangasani stayed on the ACPHS campus, working in the laboratory of Assistant Professor Dr. Vir Singh on her project, “Investigating if sulforaphane (SFN) can prevent reactivation of latently infected microglia.” She cultured microglial cells, infected the cells with SFN and performed PCR experiments on RNA and DNA, among other tasks.
Why they did it
Students were looking for experiences aligned with their interests that would be more immersive than what they could glean while taking classes — a deeper dive, a resumé builder or, if they were lucky, an eye-opening revelation about some avenue of study.
How they found suitable internships
This was the easy part: Students learned about the internships by approaching ACPHS faculty and conducting simple online searches. Deol recommended the Association of American Medical Colleges website in particular.
Lessons learned — about research
One key takeaway was about the unpredictability of research and the need to pivot to overcome unanticipated obstacles.
“You’re not going to get your expected data as often as you think,” Sangasani said.
Deol’s project was at one point in jeopardy because bronchial cells would not grow. “Instead of giving up, I talked to my research mentor, and we quickly shifted course by focusing on solely the alveolar cells and comparing them to another cell line,” he said.
Lessons learned — about being scientists
Another important lesson was that students could address the obstacles in their paths and take on more responsibility than they might have expected.
“Setbacks can actually be a part of the learning process,” Sangasani said. “Now, I’m way more patient and forgiving with myself, and I realize it’s totally okay not to have all the answers immediately.”
“Knowledge is nothing to be feared even if you're not experienced in that specific field,” Slusarek said. “There are always ways to improve yourself and your mind, especially in science.”
“After shadowing members of the lab and learning essential techniques from them for the first few weeks of my internship, I was able to spearhead my own project,” Deol said.
Return on investment
The three students reported significant ROI, both in immediate results and expectations for the future.
“This experience has already paid dividends, teaching me valuable laboratory techniques I am currently using on my capstone project,” said Deol, whose internship at the University of Pittsburgh’s CVR came with free housing, reimbursed travel costs and a $4,000 stipend.
Although Sangasani has worked for several years in the Singh Lab, taking a deep dive there last summer exposed her to new aspects of the HIV research being conducted. She noted that research is not always the extracurricular experience sought by pre-med students like her — but should not be overlooked.
“Research has taught me problem solving skills, troubleshooting, helps me understand research papers better, and has helped me in my application of my knowledge from class,” she said.
Slusarek’s summer experience has actually helped cement her goal of pursuing a doctorate in immunology or microbiology.
“This will definitely help me be a more competitive applicant for PhD applications,” she said.
Final Thoughts
The recommendation of these three students: Apply! Don’t miss out on an extraordinary opportunity for growth.
“I was shocked by what I learned and accomplished in just 10 weeks,” Deol said. “Beyond research, it was an incredibly fun time. I made a ton of memories with my fellow lab mates and other students in the program, and I also got to explore a whole new city!”