by Abigail Fassinger
Introduction
I spent the summer at Johns Hopkins Hospital in a developmental neuroscience/neonatology lab under Principal Investigator Dr. Raul Chavez-Valdez. I volunteered my time daily to do experimentation, primarily immunofluorescence, as well as other experiments or tasks the lab required.
Key Experiences
During my “internship”, I worked daily independently to do immunofluorescence experiments to look at transgenic mice brain tissue and different cell activation in response to neonatal hypoxia ischemia. I ran 6 different experiments using a protocol designed for each set of brains and completed experimentation on about 80 brains in total. Furthermore, I worked with other members of my lab-students, physicians, lab technicians, and others-to help with their experimentation or general required tasks. At first, it was hard to balance lab work and my personal life as well as studying. Eventually, I had meetings with my PI to discuss my progress, was open about how I was feeling and what I could handle with my supervisor, and found time to focus on my own personal development. Then, I also became close with other student lab members and was able to find socialization while in a professional and learning environment. The first day, I designed all the protocols and utilized data platforms like Excel to keep track of my experiments and what brains I had completed experimentation with and what others needed to be done in the future. Organization, open communication, and time management was key to this summer.
Figure 1: example slide of how to mount each brain after full primary and secondary antibody binding
Figure 2: example of assessment of microglial activation using confocal microscopy and Imaris analysis following immunofluorescence staining
Skills and Knowledge Gained
Through the practicum, I learned numerous technical and soft skills that I was able to apply immediately. Specifically, time management and goal-setting was important for my professional development and how I was able to accomplish all my experiments with a personal and lab deadline. In addition, we discussed communication throughout most of my small-group meeting and this was integral to me continuing my work this summer. I felt that we all valued feeling heard, identifying our limits, and how to openly communicate efficiently in a professional atmosphere. Identifying our limits is something that makes us feel vulnerable but I think it is something that is becoming more mainstream and accepted in a way that acknowledges we all are human with vulnerabilities and weaknesses. It also leaves space to become more personable in interactions and widely heard while remaining composure and a degree of sophistication. Furthermore, I think the personality test I took at the beginning allowed me to recognize my strengths and apply them to my lab work and outside personal relationships. My top strength was “learner” and this made me feel more confident when I asked questions during the lab and felt a genuine curiosity toward what we were learning without shame or fear of judgment.
Technically in the lab, I felt more independent in my ability to conduct immunofluorescence experiments as I did them alone this summer and put together each protocol without aid from my supervisor.
Impact of OKRs
The OKRs influenced my lab experience because it drove me to focus on attainable and direct goals which aided in time management and open communication as well as fostering a sense of confidence and comfort in what I was doing each day. I was able to complete one practice MCAT exam each Sunday and fully review it within 48 hours throughout the summer, achieving my first OKR. Additionally, I made my apartment feel “my own” and established my own sense of home while creating an area for self care each day. I also used Sunday’s to reset each week and focus on myself. I even started attending church weekly again, something I have not done since early high school. As for my third OKR, this is a goal that is ongoing, to obtain authorship on a paper for this summer’s lab work. The slides from my immunofluorescence must be examined by a confocal microscope which is an extensive and time consuming process but the next step in analysis. However, this process has begun, and after analysis would be identifying the findings and consolidating them into a paper, of which my work is one of the primary resources for data.
Lessons Learned
This practicum allowed me to learn efficient communication, use of my “strengths” without shame in everyday interactions, and a group of peers and professional relationships from the lab directly. I feel more confident in my experimentation skills as well as my ability to communicate my limitations and time allocated to lab work versus personal life. Finding balance was a struggle, but identifying goals for this summer and sticking to them created room for both professional and personal development. In turn, this resulted in growth as a student and a person.
Future Applications
Overall, my future goals have not changed, but the means of which I plan to accomplish them have been further developed and arguably enhanced. Identifying how to be vulnerable but also direct in professional settings is significant to personal success, which fosters success of the organization one is a part of. Furthermore, I plan to set small goals and use those to reach larger goals. As for self care, it has come apparent that it is more significant to everyday interactions than I previously anticipated. Therefore, I will strive to find balance daily to be the best student, friend, daughter, sister, and human I can be.
