Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
http://www.dana-farber.org/
The Center for Cancer Genome Discovery
http://www.dana-farber.org/Research/Integrative-Research-Centers/Center-for-Cancer-Genome-Discovery.aspx
Hello everyone! My name is Suzanne and I am a rising senior at Tulane University. This is my second summer interning at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) for the Center for Cancer Genome Discovery (CCGD) and I am incredibly excited to have this opportunity to return!
Dana-Farber is located in Boston, MA and provides adults and children with cancer treatment. A non-profit institution, DFCI is also one of the top cancer and viral disease research centers in the world. DFCI partners with Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Cancer Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Partners Cancer Care. CCGD is a lab within Dana-Farber that operates much like a core. CCGD collaborates with other researchers and clinicians, taking in their cancer samples and sequencing genomes. CCGD optimizes the analysis of single genes and whole genomes, discovering genetic alterations associated with cancer.
As this is my second summer with CCGD, this week has been all about “catching up:” with lab mates, new protocols, new technology, and new expectations. Last summer was my first time working in a lab, so I had a lot to learn in terms of techniques. Despite my lack of “lab skills,” the members of CCGD were incredibly willing and eager to answer all of my incessant questions, and went out of their way to ensure that I understood the dynamics of the lab and the science behind what seemed like the magical practice of DNA sequencing.
As an intern at CCGD, it is my job to offer the lab support and help where I am needed. This week, my fellow intern, Mikenah, and I finished curating the CCGD sample pathology collection. The information from these pathology reports could prove invaluable to future research. CCGD has hundreds of cancer samples from anonymous donors and pathology reports with details regarding the cancer/tumor types and demographics of each patient. When these samples are sequenced, the results could be added to other researchers collections to increase sample sizes and could be used to compare data.
This summer, I will also be training with the lab technicians in order to assist the head of research and development, Dr. Ling Lin. This will require bench training and an increased understanding of the sequencing protocols. Training starts tomorrow. Wish me luck!
