Viruses are cool. From zombies to apocalyptic plagues, viruses have managed to capture our imaginations on a level few other organisms have achieved. Like many other kids, I dreamed of working in a fancy lab trying to save humanity from mother nature’s next big thing.
Well unfortunately (or fortunately), they don’t let anyone without a PhD hang around in the BSL4 Ebola labs. But as I have come to realize, the some of the most interesting pathogens are the ones we never notice. Staring my junior summer of high school, I began working in the Shair Lab at the University of Pittsburgh where I studied the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a ubiquitous gammaherpesvirus affecting over 90% of the world’s adult population. After two great summers in the Shair Lab, I decided to continue studying EBV as an undergraduate. During my first semester, I joined the Luftig Lab, which focuses on EBV in B-cells. My project – which is a continuation of work I began during the year – focuses on the characterization of adhesion protein CD226 through CRISPR-Cas knockouts.
Although I had a bit of a head start in my research experience, I see this summer as a chance to get fully acquainted with the lab and solidify my understanding of EBV. Doing research during the school year is a wonderful opportunity, but classes and other extracurricular activities leave little room for true science. When you’re rushing to finish your cloning experiment before Orgo class starts, you don’t really have time to think about how your work fits into the bigger picture. During the summer, those distractions vanish.
Beyond the science, this summer should hopefully help me decide where I want to go with science. Like many Duke students, I came in and signed up for all the pre-med listservs and went to all the advising meetings. But as I’ve met new people and had new experiences, I’ve found myself attracted more and more towards basic science. This summer, I hope to evaluate my options and take the time to consider what path is right for me.
Regardless of how the experiments turn out, I’m confident that this summer will be a rewarding experience! Thanks to the Duke Undergraduate Research Support Office and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute for making all of this possible!
