Prabh Kaur, COL ’26, Seaford, DE
This summer, I continued my work in the Paul Planet Lab at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) under the mentorship of postdoctoral researcher Dr. Amy Campbell and PhD candidate Nicholas Bolden.
Marking 1.5 years in the lab, I continued working with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), trying to further understand Mycobacterium avium, which causes severe pulmonary disease in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). My independent project investigates the role of a previously unstudied serine protease and its potential involvement in NTM-associated chronic pulmonary infection in CF patients.
Over this time, I have gained experience with a range of wet lab and dry lab techniques. Wet lab methods I’ve learned include Kinyoun staining, minimum inhibitory concentration assays, aggregation assays, Congo red assays, cloning techniques, and various survival assays. On the bioinformatics side, I got the opportunity to learn how to do phylogenetic inference, protein sequence analysis, and identify signs of convergent evolution.
This summer provided valuable opportunities for growth as both a scientist and a student. I contributed to my mentor’s PhD project while also refining my own, which I will continue as part of my independent study this fall semester. I have drafted a research proposal, independently reviewed relevant literature to deepen my understanding of my gene of interest, and developed experimental protocols after various rounds of receiving valuable feedback from my mentor after I conducted independent research. These experiences have given me insight into the thought process of a PhD student and the scientific challenges that make research both complex and rewarding.
Last summer and throughout my junior year, I had also been exploring this gene’s function. While I have not yet identified a phenotype, my time in my collaborative and supportive lab has reinforced that scientific progress depends on persistence through failure. Initially, I investigated whether the gene plays a role in DNA damage and repair responses, as suggested in certain studies. After conducting multiple experiments and ruling out that possibility, this summer I decided to shift focus to explore whether the protein functions as an adhesin due to new literature I’ve found. I also had the opportunity to conduct my first round of adhesion assays, which I will be further optimizing during the fall semester.
Beyond my development as a researcher, I have also grown personally and professionally. As a pre-med student aspiring to have a career in pediatrics, I’ve had the privilege of shadowing my PI, Dr. Planet, during his clinical service in pediatric infectious disease. Observing the life of a physician–scientist from both the laboratory and clinical perspectives has been very rewarding, as it has contributed greatly to my vision for my future. I look forward to continuing my work in the Planet Lab throughout my senior year and to building on the skills and knowledge I have gained as a scientist, student, and aspiring physician.
Thank you to Career Services for awarding me a grant to allow my research this summer!
This is part of a series of posts by recipients of the 2025 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
