Major:
Biochemistry & molecular biology.
How I got this internship:
I was initially introduced to one of the VPs at Dana Farber through the director of Girls on the Run, a Lancaster, Pa., program I volunteered with for several years. I exchanged emails with him, expressing my interest in clinical research, and he invited me to apply for a research position at Dana Farber. After several interviews, I was offered a position in the Meyerson Lab!
What I do, day to day:
The lab I work in is focused on cancer genomics and is in the Department of Medical Oncology at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. I spend most of the week at Dana Farber; however, I also visit the Broad Institute (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in Cambridge for meetings several times per week. I work closely with Dr. Alison Taylor, a postdoc in the Meyerson Lab, and I have a genomics-based project, which I have worked on throughout the summer. In addition to my wet-lab and computer-based genomics work, I have two weekly lab meetings and have been able to attend several lectures given by visiting scientists.
Previous internships:
I had an internship at Lancaster Cancer Center, a cancer treatment center, during the 2014 and 2015 summers.
Most valuable part of this experience:
I have met so many brilliant people and world-renowned scientists through my position at Dana Farber; it's amazing how much I have learned this summer! Dana Farber, Harvard Medical School and the Broad Institute have incredible resources, and I've gained knowledge in research techniques I would not have otherwise encountered.
Advice for students considering internships:
Look to your network/connections both inside and outside of the Dickinson community to find opportunities.
Published August 3, 2016