Hello! My name is Erin Blake and I am a rising junior majoring in Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science at Tulane University. I am from Mobile, AL, just 2 hours away from New Orleans, but I couldn’t feel more at home than I do at Tulane. I am so fortunate and excited to have the opportunity to stay in New Orleans for the summer, and begin research in the BG&R Lab in the Tulane School of Medicine.
BG&R stands for the Biomechanics of Growth and Remodeling, and is led by Dr. Kristin Miller, principal researcher in the lab and professor in the Tulane Biomedical Engineering Department. The BG&R Lab focuses on studying the extracellular matrix, how it deteriorates and regenerates over time, and how it responds to biochemical stimuli such as aging, pregnancy, disease and injury. This research is done through a combination of experimentation and computational analysis, and focuses specifically on the ECM of the woman’s uterus and cervix. The lab analyzes these properties through two types of biaxial testing, force-length and pressure-diameter testing, which are then analyzed through a computer programming application called MATLAB. This summer, I will have the opportunity to work with Dr. Miller and PhD student Cassandra Conway to continue this research, and even begin looking at the soft muscle tissue of the ECM, which is a property the BG&R lab has yet to study. My role will be to assist Cassie in the experiments on the mice that are studied in the lab, along with working with MATLAB to determine the way to factor in the soft muscle tissue to our computational analysis.
Below you’ll find my 5 learning objectives that I plan to focus on in my internship this summer:
- To learn practical applications for computer science in problem solving in the medical community.
- To learn the meticulous process of experimental based research.
- To learn how to effectively work on a team focused in Biomedical Engineering outside of the classroom.
- To develop my skills of critical thinking and problem solving through practical application rather than just theory.
- To better understand the inner workings of the woman’s reproductive system, and thus help in the fight for better woman’s reproductive health care.
The opportunity to join Dr. Miller’s lab aligns perfectly with NCI’s mission to “educate undergraduate women for leadership in the 21st century” by providing me the opportunity to dive head first into two male dominated fields, Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science. This internship also focuses on NCI’s mission because Dr. Miller and her team are focusing on research that directly affects women’s health, specifically a condition called Pelvic Organ Prolapse. POP, as it is commonly termed, is a condition where the ECM of the woman’s reproductive system deteriorates and loses its elastic properties and strength. This can cause organs to “fall” into the pelvic cavity, causing extreme discomfort, incomplete bladder emptying, and an overall decrease in the quality of life for women. The most shocking part is that this condition affects 40% of women, and there is no research to this date to show why this condition happens, or proper ways to treat it. The work done in the BG&R lab tackles an issue that affects tons women, but has yet to be studied, which is not only enlightening, but inspiring as I begin my career in this field.
To prepare for my internship this summer, I have been studying the ECM, focusing on collagen, elastin, and soft muscle tissue, the factors we will be focusing on. I have also been reading articles and scientific journals to learn how to read and write scientific papers. I’m very excited to begin my work in the lab, and learn from the brilliant women who work in the BG&R lab. This will be my first experience working full time in a research lab, and this will be the perfect intro into the field of Biomedical Engineering. This will also be a great experience to combine my two fields of study in a practical first-hand way. The research Dr. Miller and her team are doing in the BG&R lab is groundbreaking to say the least, and I cannot wait to become a part of that work this summer.
