Alan: Research at Perelman's Microbiology Department

Hey GlobeMed!

This summer I’m working in a lab in the Microbiology Department of the Perelman School of Medicine. The lab is dedicated to the study of how viruses interact with their hosts and lead to the production of tumors.

Recently, the interaction between the microbiome and cancer has been a topic of interest, as researchers have linked microbial dysbiosis (imbalance) to the development of diseases such as cancer. This promises to provide new diagnostic tools for diseases, allowing for insightful research into the prognosis of diseases and possibly the development of new courses of treatment. The goal of my research this summer is to try to implicate the microbiome of cancer patients to certain genetic pathways.

Through PURM, I was given the incredible opportunity to join this lab and interact closely with postdocs, research specialists, and other undergraduates. It’s has been incredible to use the fundamental understanding of scientific concepts afforded in science classes to probe questions we’re curious about and actually find answers! It has definitely fulfilled a dissatisfaction that I share with a lot of other students in not being able to personally explore questions. My lab is filled with kind people who are always willing to answer my questions and guide me through procedures and concepts that I’m sure are very simple to them, and for that I am very grateful.

My summer has been a wonderful combination of learning, hanging out with friends and family, and Netflix-infused downtime. I hope everyone else has had a wonderful summer, and I can’t wait to catch up/meet everyone in the fall!