My name is Lamiya Tauhid, and I am rising senior at Tulane. This summer I am interning at LSUHSC in the genetics department. My lab is working on finding the vaccine for Chlamydia Trachomitis, a common sexually transmitted bacterial pathogen. I have been assigned my own project where I will perform a series of experiments to outline the cytokines that are related to Chlamydia and how these cytokines help facilitate infection of host cells. This summer, my five objects are:
- Learn to manage my time appropriately between work and studying for the MCAT
- Learn more experimental procedures while connecting big concepts learned in previous courses such as molecular biology, genetics, and biochemistry.
- Get further acquainted with the women in the lab and not be afraid to ask questions/seek help.
- Gain more confidence in my experimental tactics and ability as a scientist.
- Perform a western blot from start to finish on my own along with maintaining a healthy , uncontaminated cell line.
My internship helps women educate themselves because our main goal is to benefit women’s health in out all women’s lab. The environment is encouraging and uplifting, and I hope to become an active contributor to this setting. To prepare for my internship, I have read a series of research papers that discuss several different types of experimental procedures and methods that I could use in my own project. I hope to expand my horizons through trying different techniques used by different labs.
My internship excites me because it will give me a chance to continue my career in research while working alongside other intelligent, hard working women. I hope to learn more than research in the next few months. I believe that I will leave this internship with skills that reach beyond the scope of simply science.