Winter 2022
Real World Application!
Classes:
CHEM 238: Organic Chemistry II
CHEM 241: Organic Chemistry Lab I
SPH 380: History and Practice of Public Health
BIOST 310: Introduction to Biostatistics
GEN ST 391: Research Exposed - Population Health Initiative
MUSEN 309: Concert Band
Joining the Deem Lab
UW Diabetes Institute
After constant searching (and much rejection...), I was fortunate enough to be accepted as an undergraduate under Dr. Jennifer Deem for the Diabetes Institute in the South Lake Union campus. This lab focuses on unveiling the neural mechanisms underlying thermoregulation and food intake in order to inform diabetes treatments.
This was my first introduction to animal based research, and I must say it has been an incredible experience this quarter whether it be because of the incredible mentorship Dr. Deem has provided me, to meeting other undergraduates in the lab! But the most surprising aspect of this lab to me was the fact that I had expected to be doing dishes for at least a quarter before I got to do the "big stuff", but by the second day I was already learning how to section slices of mouse brains! (Shown to the right). Since then, I have been involved with analyzing code used by the lab, hosting "Data Science Wednesdays" for anyone in the lab to join, and running fiber photometry experiments, which are devices that record neural activity in AgRP neurons (the "hunger neurons" in mice and humans) as we present food to them!
In addition to literature reviews similar to my work in Grey Matters Journal, SPH 380 was the first class I've taken that I've had the opportunity to explore two different forms of public health communication: public service announcements and op-eds (shown below). The topic I chose to explore was mental illness among healthcare workers by creating an infographic that could both educate the public and provide useful resources to people who need it. As someone who is hoping to enter the medical field, I believe it is important to also thoroughly understand the rougher sides of medicine. We see doctors as the people we go to for help, but because of this there is a stigma among both the general and medical community against reaching out for support when the doctors themselves need it. The op-ed that is linked to the right is the first opinion piece I have ever wrote, which I submitted to the Seattle Times and was (expectedly) rejected, but having gone through the process of creating it and submitting gave me a much better idea of how information is given to the public. Overall, the work I did in these projects showed that there are issues in medicine beyond finding treatments for patients, but also looking beyond to help the doctors, administrators, nurses, and other staff as it is needed.
A Heavy Topic: Physician Suicide
SPH 380