Austin Pothikamjorn, COL ’25, Boise, ID
During my sophomore summer, I had the incredible opportunity of continuing my work at the Schmidt Lab of Neuropsychopharmacology. The Schmidt lab’s core focus is GLP-1R agonists, a class of drugs typically used to treat obesity and diabetes. However, at the Schmidt lab we are studying it as a potential treatment for substance use disorders, which is prevalent throughout the country.
I first joined the Schmidt lab in January after first being introduced to the field of neuropsychopharmacology in one of my neuroscience classes that previous fall. At the time, I was working at a different lab, but I craved a more tangible end goal that could see true results in the human world, helping steer cutting-edge therapies and novel treatments. I was curious about the field of translational research, and thus I joined the Schmidt Lab.
This summer, my experience at the lab was nothing short of transformative. Working full time over the summer allowed me to dive even deeper into the intricacies of the lab’s experiments and greatly accelerated the growth of my technical skills and conceptual knowledge. My main focus this summer was on a project I wrote a grant for – a study that aimed to uncover the efficacy of a GLP-1R agonist in the central amygdala at lowering cocaine seeking in female rodents. Our lab had previously found that a GLP-1R agonist was able to successfully lower cocaine seeking after relapse in male rodents, but significant literature had cited that females had different addiction patterns than males, thus prompting this follow up study. As I only just joined the lab earlier in the year, I was excited to team up with a senior researcher in the lab, Riley, who was pivotal in the design and execution of the project.
As our main research method depends on an animal model, I worked closely with the rats everyday. Initially, I was nervous handling the rats, worrying that they might bite or react unpredictably. However, day after day, I gradually became more comfortable and confident in my abilities. I learned to read the rats’ behaviors, understand their cues, and, even, build trust with the rats. I was comfortably loading them into their operant boxes for experiments each morning and the once-daunting procedures such as administering treatments and performing surgeries became second nature.
In addition to the daily experiments, I also significantly increased my knowledge about the field of neuroscience. The senior researchers I worked with were always eager to explain the rationale behind the experiments and the broader methodologies employed in the field. Their invaluable guidance not only enhanced my understanding of our experiments but stimulated my intellectual curiosity to learn more. Furthermore, our weekly lab meetings always ended with a paper presentation that became arenas for vibrant discussions about the chosen study. Each week, our team would dissect the article, talking about its results, questioning its rationale for a specific experiment, and awe at the colorful figures.
In essence, my time at the Schmidt lab this summer was a whirlwind of exciting and fulfilling activities, all contributing to my personal and professional growth as an aspiring physician-scientist. It was my first time living alone in a completely different city and working a full time job. I was always eager to wake up in the morning, cook up a nice breakfast, and bike up Walnut to head to the lab. I would like to thank Career Services for funding my experience this summer, my mentor and PI Dr. Heath D. Schmidt, and everyone at the Schmidt lab for their unwavering support.
This is part of a series of posts by recipients of the 2023 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
