I worked from June 8, 2015-July 31, 2015 in the University of Southern California Stem Cell Yu Lab which researches the mechanism of cancer mechanism of cancer metastasis, the major cause of cancer-related death. My work in this lab consists of working with circulating tumor cells (CTCs) isolated from mouse models, and using approaches of molecular and cellular biology, single cell tracing and modeling in these mice. I was in the Early Investigator High School program for students who are serious about pursuing a career in science or medicine. This life-changing opportunity enables future scientists to kick-start their careers in laboratories that are transforming the future of medicine.

Participating students work for eight-weeks at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for stem cell research at USC and the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. They receive career counseling from world-renowned scientists and learn first-hand what it takes to be a stem cell researcher.

More than just a summer program, EiHS turns high school students into polished stem cell scientists.

Laboratory #2

I worked from August 9, 2015 - August 14, 2015 at the Children’s Cancer Therapy Development Institute. There I was enrolled in a Pediatric Cancer Nanocourse located in Ft. Collins, CO.

The goal of the Pediatric Cancer Nanocourse is to train members of the public to act as informed liaisons between childhood cancer researchers and the community. Features of the course included: 1) A didactic overview of childhood cancer treatment, biology, pathology and clinical trials: 2) An introduction to the scientific research process: how research works, what barriers exist, and how to overcome challenges and make process on rare childhood cancers; 3) Lectures on epitheliod sarcoma (a non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcoma), XpII rental cell carcinoma, and hepatoblastoma; and 4) Daily mentorship and hands-on opportunities to shadow our research scientists in the laboratory.