Julia Fiedor, COL ’23, Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania
This summer, I conducted research in the Radiation Oncology department at the Perelman School of Medicine. I worked in the CSConn Lab, which focuses on cancer at the translational level. I started my own project, which researched Prostate Cancer in Response to Drug Treatments, specifically at the mRNA translational level. Although I first connected with the CSConn Lab during the school year, being here in the summer has really allowed me to immerse myself into research.
I learned and improved greatly as a scientist this summer, thanks to the wonderful mentorship of my Principal Investigator, Dr. Conn. I executed many new techniques and experiments, such as Western Blots, Cell Culture, Polysome Profiling, and Transfections. Everything I learned this summer has been so useful, and it even connects to many of my previous biology courses I have taken at Penn.
Along with getting wonderful wet lab experience, I also gained a greater understand of the field of research. I have learned the beauty, flexibility, and pace of science. Additionally, I make wonderful connections and friends within my lab. As I head into my senior year, I plan to present my summer research at the CURF Fall Expo and the RAS Poster Session for incoming Cancer Biology graduate students. None of this could have been possible without the generosity and funding of Career Services. Thank you for a wonderful summer!
This is part of a series of posts by recipients of the 2022 Career Services Summer Funding Grant. We’ve asked funding recipients to reflect on their summer experiences and talk about the industries in which they spent their summer. You can read the entire series here.
